Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.travel From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: travel Tue, Mar 3 1992 Date: Tue, 3 Mar 92 06:00:08 EST Message-ID: 03-03 0000 DECISIONLINE: Travel USA TODAY Update March 3, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network COURT TO HEAR AIRLINE AD CASE: The Supreme Court Tuesday will hear a case that airlines say could lead to the end of heavily discounted airfares. At issue: The power of states to enforce consumer protection laws for deceptive advertising. Since Congress deregulated airlines in 1978, the federal Department of Transportation has had exclusive authority to regulate "rates, routes or services" of airlines. (For more, see special Case package below.) AIRFARE HIKE PLAN LOSES STEAM: United Airlines' attempt to boost all airfares 2% lost steam Monday. United said it would only boost prices on excursion fares used mostly by leisure travelers, effective Friday. United was forced to scale back its plan when rivals Delta, American and Continental said they would only raise excursion fares. USAir, Alaska Air and Northwest say their studying United's actions. INDUSTRY SLUMP WON'T LAST: The airline industry slump is short-term, according to Boeing. The jet maker's annual forecast predicts that revenue passenger miles, a key measure for airlines, will grow an average 5.2% a year until 2010. Boeing also says it sees U.S. domestic traffic growing 5% to 7% the next few years. Last year, the recession, gulf war and fare discounting caused big losses for airlines. The jet maker has felt the impact of the industry's downturn. AIRCRAFT ORDERS CUT BACK: Both United and American airlines, the USA's two biggest, have cut back capital spending, including orders for aircraft, as the industry struggles. But in Boeing's annual forecast, it predicts that worldwide jet deliveries will grow to an average 655 per year this year through 2000, then slow to 580 per year until 2010. That's up from 467 jets per year from 1980 until this year. PROPOSED AMTRAK CUTS CRITICIZED: New York Rep. Gerald Solomon said Monday he's told the Bush administration that proposed cuts in federal funding for Amtrak are "draconian." Bush wants to halve operating subsidies and capital improvements in the Northeast corridor. Solomon said he would like to see the rail system put on a pay-as-you-go basis by 2000 but that to prematurely withdraw subsidies would be self-defeating. UNITED BOOSTS DENVER CAPACITY: United Airlines Monday said it would significantly boost capacity at Denver's Stapleton Airport, increasing departures from 179 to 202 by May 1 and 205 by summer. It plans a new eastbound bank of flights and a new westbound bank of flights. Also planned: Improved service to Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle letting the business traveler depart Denver and return that day. ARRIVING JUST IN TIME IS RISKY: Arriving in the nick of time to catch a plane can be risky, say travel experts. Airlines generally require passengers to be checked in 10 minutes ahead of time; 20 minutes for flights to Canada and Mexico; and 30 minutes for other international flights. It's tricky to cut it close with a non-refundable ticket. Airlines don't have to put those fliers who miss the plane on a later flight. PURCHASES CAN ADD MILEAGE: Every airline with a frequent-flier program has a Visa or MasterCard Affinity card or lets fliers accumulate frequent-flier mileage for purchases made on American Express or Diner's Club credit cards. Contact the airlines for an application. Most award one mile for every dollar charged, and frequent fliers get a free domestic trip for every 20,000 to 40,000 miles they accumulate. CABBIES GET CHANCE FOR VACATION: The Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers and new Sheraton Manhattan are giving taxi drivers the chance to win a Hawaiian vacation. The hotel Tuesday through Thursday will hand out free coffee and muffins to cabbies. Hidden daily in one bag will be certificates good for airfare and accommodations for two at a Hawaii Sheraton. It's in connection with the hotels' name changes and renovations. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON SUIT: ADS WERE `BAIT AND SWITCH': The Department of Transportation has authority to regulate airlines. But five years ago during consolidation and fare wars, consumer complaints soared. That prompted several states to try to invoke their own laws and enforcement. Attorneys general got complaints "that ads amounted to bait and switch," says Cornelius Hitchcock of the Aviation Consumer Action Project. AIRLINES CALL EFFORTS INTRUSION: Among complaints: That airlines advertised cheap one-way fares in large type, but callers would find out there were few seats at that price or that surcharges and round-trip requirements applied. The airlines and the Bush administration say the state efforts are a costly intrusion on federal turf that's forbidden by Congress. ADS MIGHT HAVE TO BE SCREENED: James Casey of the Air Transport Association, an industry trade group, says airline competition will be hampered if ads have to be screened for compliance with the law of all 50 states. He also says some fares could be eliminated if, for example, a certain state required that a minimum number of seats at the advertised price be made available for sale. (End of package.) 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Weather Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Travel Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM