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 Wed, Mar 11 1992 Date: Wed, 11 Mar 92 05:46:04 EST Message-ID: 03-11 0000 DECISIONLINE: Travel USA TODAY Update March 11, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network O'HARE RADAR IS BACK TO NORMAL: Chicago O'Hare should be back to normal operations Wednesday after a radar shutdown Tuesday tangled flights across the USA. At least 200 O'Hare flights were canceled after the 9 a.m. malfunction caused by winter storms. Hundreds of others elsewhere were affected by O'Hare's troubles, said city aviation spokeswoman Lisa Howard. "The domino effect has been tremendous." DELAYS FOULED UP SCHEDULES: Chicago O'Hare's radar was up by noon Tuesday after a 9 a.m. shutdown, but three-hour delays still caused problems for Tuesday night schedules. More snow was predicted for Chicago Wednesday. The sudden storm hit Monday, dropping temperatures at the airport from 62 degrees to 35 in two hours. The radar system failed as workers were bringing it back from emergency power to primary power. DADS TAKE ON DIAPER DUTY: Men traveling with families appear to be taking on more parenting responsibilities. A reporter from Travel Weekly was surprised to see a diaper-changing table in the men's room of a restaurant at the Living History Farms attraction near Des Moines. "We felt that too many public facilities make diaper changing the woman's responsibility," says spokesman Steve Green. MORE MEN'S ROOMS HAVE TABLES: Linda Bair, author of "Traveler's Guide to Major U.S. Airports," estimates that 30% to 40% of airports nationwide now have diaper-changing stations in men's restrooms. They're "becoming part of the design criteria," according to architect Ann Tew. Tew has been working on the new international terminal scheduled to open in 1994 at Atlanta Hartsfield. CARRIER TO ADD 71 DEPARTURES: Continental Airlines will add 71 daily jet departures by mid-June, increasing its total to 1,385 a day. That compares with 1,401 daily departures last June. New non-stop destinations from Houston include Paris; Quito, Ecuador; and Chihuahua and Leon, Mexico. Continental also will fly to Munich from Newark starting June 1. SPECIAL FARES TO CANADA: To celebrate Canada's 125th birthday, Air Canada is offering $125 round-trip fares to major Canadian cities from New York, Boston and Chicago through May 16. Restrictions apply. For information, call 800-776-3000. AIRPORT GIVES CITY HEADACHES: An Alaskan city's efforts to turn its money-guzzling airport over to private management may violate Federal Aviation Administration rules, according to an agency spokesman. The FAA must approve any plan. Soldotna had hoped to turn the airport into a moneymaker. But the FAA has warned that any revenues generated at the airport must be used for airport purposes. RIDE SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT: A new roller coaster opens April 4 at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. Drachem Fire, with 3,550 feet of track, is being ballyhooed for its first-of-a-kind thrills: A "bat wing," which rotates cars upside down twice; "cutback," which upends cars inside a loop; and "camelback hump," which creates a momentary feeling of weightlessness. DISNEY UPS PASS PRICES: Disney World has increased the price of its four- and five-day passes for unlimited admission to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center and MGM Studios. The new prices, which represent a 4% increase, are $116 for a four-day pass for visitors age 10 and up and $90 for children age 3-9. Prices for single day, single park admission remain the same: $33 for adults and $26 for children. GUIDE IS FOR BIKERS: Motorcycle buffs now have their own guidebooks highlighting twisty backroad scenic routes, lodgings where the owners are "into the sport" and lists of dealerships for emergency repairs, says publisher Daniel Kennedy. Whitehorse Press offers "Motorcycle Journeys Through New England" ($16.95 plus $1.70 shipping) by Martin Berke. To order or request a catalog, call 800-531-1133. GIVE AGENTS THE DETAILS: Folks planning vacations might not always get the best deal from travel agents when they shop by phone. "You might get just a cursory fare check if we don't know you are serious," says Phil Davidoff of the American Society of Travel Agents. "Be honest about budget and that you are trying to beat a particular price," advises Kathy Sudeikis of Brennco Travel. "Give all the details." COMPANY OPERATES SHUTTLE BUS: Overseas travelers who long for a night of Shakespeare but don't want to stay the night in Stratford-on-Avon, England, have another option. Beginning March 26, the Royal Shakespeare Company will run the RSC Shuttle bus roundtrip from London, 96 miles away, for late performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $35 per person for the bus if bought in London from Edwards & Edwards. 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