The U.S. government is going forward with a plan to auction off some takeoff and landing slots at JFK, La Guardia, and Newark airports, claiming that market forces will help streamline air traffic and reduce delays. The Port Authority, which runs the airports, and several New York politicians oppose the plan, which they say is a poorly thought out experiment the administration is trying to get through before leaving office without weighing the full impact on companies and consumers. But why would the Feds want to tinker with New York area airports anyway? Because, as the AP points out, "roughly two-thirds of flight delays around the country are caused by backups at those airports." Um, sorry about that. But who's the real enemy here? Apparently, it's small planes.

Federal transportation officials say much of the reason for nationwide flight delays is that airlines have crammed too many planes -- and small planes -- onto New York runways.

Well, at least we have a scapegoat. Under an auction system, it seems like the bigger players would have a better shot at the primo slots, but nobody yet knows how this will all play out since it's never been done before. We'll keep an eye on the on-time rates after January 12, when the auction winners are announced.

[Photo: World Airport Codes]

Related Stories:
· Feds Go Forward With NYC Airport Experiment [AP via Yahoo! News]
· Airport Congestion Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T15:08:59-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/11/141110/35

The U.S. government-owned passenger rail company known as Amtrak is finally having its moment in the sun. After more than three decades as a money-losing symbol of government waste, bureaucratic ineptitude, and U.S. consumers' overwhelming preference for car travel, Amtrak's ridership is surging, bolstered by high gas prices and a growing distaste for short-distance air travel. While we here at Jaunted HQ are wary of calling this a watershed moment for U.S. train travel, it does represent an opportunity to reacquaint people with the joys of riding the rails - and might also be a rare opportunity to bring the 1970's-era rail line into the 21st century.

After the jump, a few ideas for Amtrak that just might be crazy enough to work. ]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T14:11:10-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/11/12913/085

While pretty much the entire world took a bath in the financial markets last week, few countries got hit harder than Iceland. The elf-filled North Atlantic island saw its currency plummet, its three biggest banks fail, and its stock exchange close due to "unusual market conditions." But while the acute economic meltdown represents one of the biggest challenges the country has faced in generations, it also creates a great opportunity for travelers who had heretofore been dissuaded from visiting Iceland due to its notoriously lofty prices. Better still, rather than viewing opportunistic tourists as vultures swarming over carrion, the nation is welcoming them - and what little cash they have in their pockets - with open arms.

]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T12:09:13-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/11/103533/46

Emirates, the Dubai-based luxury airline with onboard shower spas and private first-class suites that are bigger than our apartment, has rolled out an ambitious interactive marketing campaign to promote the launch of its new Dubai-to-Los Angeles service. In honor of the Middle East's newest bridge to Tinseltown, the airline is making a short film, and it wants you to star in it. Entitled The Exposure of Tom King, it's a comedic thriller that - surprise surprise - plays on the theme of celebrity, with appearances by an actor consumed with vanity, a shameless paparazzo, a conniving blackmailer, and her bumbling boyfriend. The twist here is that the film has already been shot, only without actors. ]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-11T10:35:33-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/10/15579/366

Our short list is all about pop culture travel trends in real-time.
It's the best of the week's news, bite-sized. FAME: Animals Dressed Like People Crossing Some Borders Getting Cheaper Swing State Travel

Also: You deserve it for dealing with LC for years, Whitney.

LAME:

Midwest Airlines Deathwatch Continues Crossing Some Borders Getting Pricier
Pretentious Dancing

Also: Shoes-on security checkpoints? Not yet.

]]> pbb 2008-10-10T17:00:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/10/15437/757

· Victor Ozols took us back to the '80s:

If I ever see Tina Turner walking down the street with her entourage, I'm going to yell out "Master Blaster rules Bartertown!" She'll know what I'm talking about.

· Both Walrus and yowtrip didn't have a problem with expensive "reciprocity fees."

· Meanwhile Phamer55 wanted the final tally on those new Ryanair flights, not the base fare:

$18 flights? Of course, there would be check-in fees, luggage fees, pay by credit card fees, etc....

· And ced138 noticed an unbearable likeness:

When did Kenneth leave "30 Rock" and become a JetBlue page?

BECOME A JAUNTED MEMBER AND COMMENT AWAY]]> pbb 2008-10-10T16:30:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/10/121230/77

All week we've been chasing Michigan, dropping in on film sets here and there in the Wolverine State.

Now it's time to script our own Miss or Mr. Lonelyhearts picture: A stranger comes to town to woo a disenchanted local and in the process, becomes infatuated with Great Lakes livin'...]]> egw 2008-10-10T16:00:42-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/