Here are some of the top travel stories from today and this past weekend:
- Gadling: Tickets to Outerspace Increase Astronomically – Tickets to the Space Station skyrocket (sorry) from $20M to $25M. Meanwhile, Richard Branson’s basically giving away suborbital space travel for a mere $200,000.
- Travel Rants: Mobile Calls on Flights Cause Air Rage – Cell phones might be allowed on certain planes. I don’t want to be a spoil sport or anything, but there actually was an age when you couldn’t be reached anywhere at any time, and the world managed to keep turning.
- The Cranky Flier: United Goes Fully Flat in Business Class – United unveils plans for ultra-comfortable, stretch-out-till-your-heart’s-content seats in business class. Can the Virgin America waterbed be far behind?
- BBC: Tourists stranded as jet grounded – Travelers end up stranded for three days in the Canary Islands when a holiday firm’s only plane is grounded. What are the chances the boss will believe you when you give her the old “I can’t come into work because I’m stranded on a distant island” routine?
- MSNBC: Mom accused of hitting kids on flight – A mother of two is subdued after reportedly physically and verbally assaulting her children repeatedly on a plane. The outburst could cost her hundreds of thousands of dollars and some serious jail time.
have been reading your newsletters and had a question: My son was booked on a UAL flight from Denver to Syr (through Phil on USAir). When I looked online for his return itinerary under his UAL mileage plus # there was no itinerary. He is to return to Denver via Dulles on Wed 8/22. Called UAL and was told he never checked in in Phil so ticket was cancelled. What? I asked. Please get me to a supervisor he needs to return to attend college. When the supervisor returned he asked a couple questions then put me on hold. Voila he found his reservation but no seats can be assigned. He had seats before this all happened. Should I call UAL again and ask for those original seats or hope there are seats on the flights? Thanks.