In this past week's news, There's a power outage in Memphis, Gourmet Airline Food becomes availabe for those who are lucky, Indianopolis Airport Serves Local Food, California assembly supports the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights, and Gulfport-Biloxi Airport Insalls YoNaturals Healthy Vending Machines
Memphis airport power outage forces flight cancellations
Full story at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-04-30-memphis-power-outage_N.htm?csp=34
MEMPHIS (AP) --- Power was restored Wednesday at the Memphis International Airport terminal after a 14-hour outage, forcing some 60 flights to be canceled while others were delayed. Power was back on around 12:40 p.m. CT after delays were caused when a switch broke and maintenance workers were unable to restore electrical service right away. Northwest Air Lines, which operates a hub at the airport and had 200 flights affected, said the average delay was 45 minutes.
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Gourmet Food On Flights Takes Off
Full story at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/29/travel/main4056008.shtml
April 29, 2008
While complimentary meals have all but disappeared for most coach flights, there's a whole new culinary landscape for first class. Travelers flying to South America or Japan on United Airlines can feast on award-winning chef Charlie Trotter's appetizer of sauteed prawns and crispy short rib wontons with organic Thai barbecue sauce and chilled sweet-and-sour cucumber relish. For Delta, hot Miami chef Michelle Bernstein came up with entrees such as roasted chicken breast with goat cheese and pepper pesto crust served with polenta and ratatouille. Thanks to financial pressures that began with the 2001 terrorist attacks and have only worsened as fuel prices have soared, complimentary coach meals have become an endangered species. Continental is the only major U.S. airline that still offers complimentary meals - designed by their "Congress of Chefs" - in economy class for domestic travel. While most of the gourmet action is in first class, Delta Air Lines enlisted celebrity chef Todd English to design its fee-based coach meals - a chicken bistro salad with goat cheese crostini and organic spinach for $8 - available on certain flights longer than 2½ hours. Preparing and presenting airline food still has its challenges that even celebrity chefs can't alter. Aircraft pressurization can make food dry and flavorless.
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Indy's own give airport local flavor
Full story at: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/BUSINESS07/805010409
King David Dogs' owners fielded the first call last summer: Would the restaurant be interested in having a presence at the new midfield terminal at Indianapolis International Airport? They are licensing the King David name and concept to Host International, an arm of the huge concessionaire, HMSHost, that will run several restaurants at the new terminal. "Airports are doing this [providing local restaurants] so people who are traveling through can get a taste of the region or a feel for what it's like," said Tom Coyle, executive director of restaurant and retail development with MZD here. The airport in Austin, Texas, is the best example, Coyle said, with about two-thirds of its businesses being local.
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Assembly Adopts Airline Passenger Bill Of Rights
http://cbs13.com/local/california.assembly.airline.2.713834.html
SACRAMENTO (AP) -- California lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation requiring airlines to provide passengers with food, water, lights, air and working toilets when they're stuck on airport tarmacs for long periods of time. The law would require airlines to ensure that passengers have basic amenities if planes are stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours.
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Gulfport-Biloxi Airport Welcomes Installation of New YoNaturals Healthy Vending Machines
Full Press Release at: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080502/aqf030.html?.v=46
With an aggressive growth plan in effect for 2008, YoNaturals Inc., the nations leading healthy vending provider, has taken another big step in their expansion efforts with new vending locations in the state of Mississippi. The airport, an obvious high- traffic area, and statewide landmark, will now be offering its guests an assortment of healthy snacking options through YoNaturals' vending machines. The Edgewater Mall, Ocean Springs High School, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, and Ocean Springs YMCA will also be providing its customers and students with snacks and beverages from YoNaturals' natural and organic line-up. YoNaturals state of the art vending machine with wireless remote monitoring capabilities designed with ultimate convenience in mind, for both consumers and owners, is the final piece that allows this model to work with complete synergy.
Remember, if you eXpect delaYs you can beat them!
Until next time, Happy Travels -
-Gus
