According to Amtrak, the only long-haul passenger railroad in the United States, ridership has fallen by more than 5 percent, or 1.5 million passengers, in the most recently completed fiscal year. While the recession’s impact on businesses could be partially blamed on such a figure, Amtrak has placed blame specifically on reduced business travel throughout the last fiscal year.
The news ends something of a winning streak for Amtrak, which had posted a string of annual increases since 2002 and a record number of 28.7 million passengers last year as high fuel prices forced many Americans to seek alternative forms of …read more

Despite the fact that it has been reported in several places that airlines will begin to charge some sort of “holiday travel fee” to gouge fliers at peak travel times, these reports have turned out to be misinformed. Airlines will not be charging any sort of surprise holiday travel fees, as such fees would violate federal regulations.
This essentially means that, contrary to several news reports, airlines will not be able to charge you more than the price you booked your flight at the last minute because of an arbitrary fee. However, airfare might end up being more expensive for surcharges …read more

According to the American Automobile Association, Labor Day weekend will see less people travelling out of their hometown overall, and those who do are more likely to drive to a destination closer to home than usual. Despite the fact that gas prices are $1 less expensive than where they were last year, the number of driving travelers is down 13 percent.
 
With unemployment reaching record levels and wages down across the board, those who travel are more likely to spend much less money than they would in prime economic conditions for obvious reasons. Souvenir and gift shops will suffer, as will …read more

The airline industry continues to struggle under the burden of dramatically falling demand for tickets and unpredictable fuel prices. This, among a variety of other factors, has led US Airways, based in Tempe, Arizona, to lay off 600 workers, according to a memo that US Airways sent out to its employees today.
 
Among the US Airways employees that should be most worried are those who staff the US Airways Club facilities, a lounge open to frequent fliers as well as business- and first-class passengers. However, company spokesperson Valerie Wonder was unable to provide any sort of breakdown as to where the …read more

Are you going on a staycation this summer?

In a couple of hours I’ll board Amtrak in downtown San Diego for a train ride to Irvine, CA – an hour and a half up the track. There my youngest son will pick me up and whisk me to his house in Costa Mesa. There I’ll get to play with my youngest granddaughter and share in a family Easter feast. Around 3 my son will return me to the train station and home I’ll go.
Sure, I could drive. After all, I’m a native Californian, which means, almost, I was issued a driver’s license right along with my birth certificate. …read more