118 passengers were on the flight that had just left Phoenix, Arizona and was heading to Sacramento, California.  Pressure in the cabin changed and oxygen masks were released for the passengers.  The pilots had to quickly move the plane from 36,000 feet to 11,000 feet because of extreme change in cabin pressure after a hole formed in the fuselage of the plane.  Initial report from the FAA said that there was significant damage to fuselage. 

A flight attendant suffered minor injury that was treated at the scene.  Southwest reported that at least one passenger also received minor injuries.

During the sweepstakes, which lasts until June 1, customers can view six destinations, and travel-focused Shutterfly photo books, including images from six travel experts sharing their tips on how to tell great travel stories. After looking at the photo books, which feature different travel destinations and activities that can be booked on AA.com, customers can register up to seven times for a chance to win the sweepstakes. One lucky grand prize winner will receive 500,000 AAdvantage miles, $500 to use towards the purchase of a digital camera, and 1,000 Shutterfly prints.

Source: Associated Press

According to a press release by American Airlines:

“The care of our passengers and crew members remains our highest priority, and we are grateful for the professionalism of our crew members who safely evacuated the aircraft,” said Gerard Arpey, Chairman and CEO of American Airlines.

Anyone who believes they have family members or friends aboard Flight 331 may contact American Airlines at the following toll-free numbers: (800) 245-0999 for calls originating in the United States; for calls originating in Jamaica, use (800) 872-2881. Family members from other locations outside the U.S. may contact American through the AT&T Direct Access system. Callers should dial the local AT&T Access telephone number, which can be found at www.usa.att.com/traveler for the country from which they are calling. Once in the AT&T system, callers can then dial American toll-free at (800) 245-0999. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin islands can call the (800) 245-0999 number directly. Non-family members are asked not to call those numbers so the lines can be kept available for those who truly need them.

Source:Jamaican Observer

Amtrak said that this past Thanksgiving they saw a 4 percent increase in the amounts of passengers on their trains.  They set a new record in the number of travelers of 685,876, which surpassed its previous record of 666,716 set in 2007.

With high prices of airline tickets for Thanksgiving travel it is no wonder more people chose to travel by train.   You also do not have the baggage fee that many airlines now charge.  Although, Southwest Airlines has said that they now allow you to have 2 free checked bags per traveler.  However, traveling by train may work out a little cheaper depending on your travel destination.

Source: Associated Press

Many people did have connecting flights that caused cascading problems for those travelers.  

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, has been particularly affected. Chicago and Washington, D.C., and New York metro airports also reported delays due to the glitch. The problem was exacerbating delays caused by bad weather in the Northeast. Orlando International Airport, Florida’s busiest, also reported about a dozen delays due to the chain reaction around the country, and flights in Tampa, Fla., were also delayed.    

Source: Associated Press

Top 10 Busiest Airports for Thanksgiving Travel

1. Chicago, IL – Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
2. Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles International(LAX)
3. Denver, CO – Denver International (DEN)
4. San Francisco, CA – San Francisco International (SFO)
5. Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Hartsfield International (ATL)
6. Boston, MA – Boston Logan International (BOS)
7. New York, NY – New York LaGuardia (LGA)
8. New York – New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
9. Newark, NJ – Newark Liberty International (EWR)
10. Seattle, WA – Seattle Tacoma International (SEA)

Top 10 Least Busy Airports for Thanksgiving Travel

1. San Jose, CA – San Jose International (SJC)
2. Nashville, TN – Nashville International (BNA)
3. Richmond, VA – Richmond International (RIC)
4. Sacramento, CA – Sacramento International (SMF)
5. Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville International (JAX)
6. West Palm Beach, FL – Palm Beach International (PBI)
7. Hartford, CT – Bradley International (BDL)
8. Orange County, CA – John Wayne International(SNA)
9. Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
10. Fort Myers, FL – Southwest Florida Regional(RSW)

5 Tips to Reduce Travel Time at Airports

Orbitz also has a list of 5 things that you can do to reduce your travel time. First, try to go to have your departure and arrival at airports that have least amount travelers. Avoiding a particular airport cannot always be done, so another suggestion is to book your flight for days that traditionally has fewer travelers. Orbitz recommends having your departure flight November 23, 2009 and your returning flight November 30, 2009. A third suggestions is to know your flight status and if it running on time. Fourth, check in online to avoid check-in lines. Fifth is to make sure that you are ready for security checks. Keep anything you need to show airport security such as ID, boarding passes, liquids in a zip-top bag, or medication, in a separate compartment of your carry-on bag. Digging for these items once you get to the front of the security line will cause delays and certainly not make you any friends.

Sample fares are each-way based on required roundtrip purchase:**

Chicago – San Francisco $147

Denver – Boston $185

San Francisco – Denver $79

JFK – Washington Dulles, $74

Chicago – Orlando, $98

Los Angeles – Chicago, $156

Customers can purchase holiday fares at united.com, through United reservations, or through travel agencies. Fares vary based on the date of travel.

Root says she was confident Adam’s screams of “Go! Plane! Go!” and “I want Daddy!” would subside after the plane took off Monday in Amarillo, Texas.

She had to spend the night in Amarillo and purchased a travel crib and extra diapers for the extra night stay in Amarillo.  Southwest Airlines issued an apology, gave her a refund, and a $300 travel voucher.  She would like to also be compensated for the travel crib and extra diapers.

I wonder if she was holding her breath when she and her son were boarding the plane the next day to go home.

Source: msnbc

A recent AAA Travel Pulse™ survey showed 55 percent of travelers said they will cut back on what they pack so they only have to check one bag, and 23 percent said they will try to fit everything into a carry-on bag to avoid paying fees all together.

It is important to know beforehand what the current baggage fee is for the airline you are traveling with beforehand.

View Online Baggage Information for several Different Airlines.

• Air Canada Baggage Information
• American Airlines Baggage Fee Information
• British Airways Baggage Information
• Continental Airline Baggage Information
• Delta Airline Baggage Information
• United Airlines Baggage Information

Source: AAA