Where are you planning to travel this year? Will 2008 be the year you finally travel abroad? Or will it be the first year you fly to Hawaii or take a cruise on the high seas? Whatever your travel plans it pays to do your homework before you take off, set sail, or get behind the wheel. The following information should come in handy if you plan to get out and explore the world in 2008.
AIR TRAVEL
Good news if you plan to take to the air this year—the Federal Aviation Administration is setting caps on the number of planes allowed to fly into and out of Newark Liberty Airport and JFK Airport. That’s good news for all airline passengers because 25% of all airline delays in the United States originate from airports in the New York area. So if there are fewer delays in New York that bodes well for passengers in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, etc. It basically causes a ripple effect and airline customers stand to benefit in the long run.
Another plus in the skies this year is the introduction of new on-board amenities. A number of carriers, including JetBlue, Virgin America and American Airlines, will have WiFi available on planes in 2008 (JetBlue already has one plane with it). In addition, Southwest, Alaska Air, Qantas, Qatar Airlines, Lufthansa, Delta and United said they plan to add similar high-tech advances in the coming months.
CRUISES
If you have been holding off on taking to the high seas, 2008 may just be the year you break with tradition. A record setting 35 new ships will make their debut in 2008, of which nine fall into the “major” cruise ship category. And one of them, the recently-debuted Cunard’s Victoria offers 22,000 berths, meaning an additional 1.25 million passengers can be accommodated on a high seas adventure. According to travel experts, cruising had a record year in 2007 (approximately 12.5 million vacationers set sail) and that may be hard to top. However, the introduction of so many additional vessels could mean big savings for cruisers. Some Caribbean sailings have already dropped their prices to between $40 and $50 per-person, per day.
Related Articles:
Airline Delays—Will This Make A Difference?
Preparing For Travel Delays–Part 2
Traveling With Young Children: Dos and Don’ts
Traveling With Children-Learn From My Mistakes
Flying with Children: Layover or Not?
Tips To Remember When Traveling With Children