July 2012 - Sightseers' Delight

Delta to shutter regional carrier Comair

July 27, 2012 Todd DeFeo

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines, which is moving to replace smaller, regional aircraft, is shutting down Comair, one of its affiliates that flies under the Delta Connection banner. Ryan Gumm, president of Cincinnati-based Comair, said in a memo to employees the “discontinuation of Comair’s operations is in no way a failure or a reflection of your work – it is an unfortunate necessity due to the economic limitations of our aging aircraft, cost structure,

Olympics’ lasting impact on Atlanta evident today

July 25, 2012 Todd DeFeo

It’s been 16 years since Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, but the games’ lasting impact can be felt even today.

Seeing America

Museum shows music is the fabric of a culture

July 23, 2012 Todd DeFeo

PHOENIX, Ariz. — To say music is the fabric of a culture takes on a whole new meaning at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). This 200,000-square-foot museum features more than 15,000 instruments from 200-plus countries, ranging from the common to the obscure to the extreme. The $250 million museum opened in April 2010. “The goal of the Musical Instrument Museum is to illuminate what is unique about cultures, and also what is shared and universal,” Bob

Southern Museum to unveil rare Civil War regimental flag

July 22, 2012 The Travel Trolley

KENNESAW, Ga. – The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History on Monday will unveil and place on permanent display a rare regimental flag issued to the 65th Georgia Infantry during the Civil War. The flag, which appeared at veterans gatherings during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, will be unveiled during a members-only ceremony Monday, July 23, at the Museum. Following the unveiling, the flag will be placed on permanent display in

Southwest to pay to rehab 717 aircraft it is leasing to Delta

July 22, 2012 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA — Southwest Airlines is planning to spend $100 million on refurbishing to 88 Boeing 717 aircraft that it is planning to lease to Delta Airlines, according to published reports. That happens to be twice as much as it would cost Southwest to keep the planes. It is instead planning to replace them with 737 aircraft. “We just amazingly found a home for all 88 of those aircraft,” The Associated Press quoted Southwest CEO Gary

UPDATE: NASA to allow visitors to tour famous launch pad

July 22, 2012 Todd DeFeo

NASA has launched its new “KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour,” taking Kennedy Space Center visitors into the normally secure Launch Complex 39. The tour is part of the space center’s 50th anniversary rare-access tours. A knowledgeable space expert will lead the tour. “Visitors will travel the same route as astronauts to the launch pad, so they can imagine being an astronaut,” Bill Moore, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, said in a

NASA to allow visitors to tour famous launch pad

July 20, 2012 Todd DeFeo

NASA said it will start letting visitors tour a famous launch pad that has been used by the Apollo Saturn V rockets that sent astronauts to the moon and later the space shuttles. “The KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour,” which launches today, takes Kennedy Space Center visitors into the normally secure Launch Complex 39. The tour is part of the space center’s 50th anniversary rare-access tours. A knowledgeable space expert will lead the tour. “Visitors

Survey: Travelers consider healthy eating important while traveling

July 18, 2012 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA — Looking to stay in shape while on vacation? Chances are, you’re not alone. A new survey from TripAdvisor reveals 69 percent of travelers consider healthy eating important while traveling for leisure and 53 percent say they exercise (always or often) when they’re on the road. According to the survey: Travelers’ Top Physical Activities on Vacation Walking: 87 percent Swimming: 46 percent Hiking: 35 percent Using cardio machines: 23 percent Biking: 16 percent Travelers’

Parker: Combining networks results in better networks, profitable airlines

July 18, 2012 The Travel Trolley

Airline mergers have resulted in better networks and profitable airlines, U.S. Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker told the National Press Club today.

Legislation aims to keep families seated together

July 16, 2012 Todd DeFeo

A Congressman from New York has introduced legislation to help keep families seated together on commercial flights. U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said he introduced the so-called “Families Flying Together Act of 2012″ in response to airlines’ “ever-increasing fees and decreasing transparency.” If approved, the measure would require the Department of Transportation to mandate airlines “establish a policy to ensure, to the extent practicable, that a family that purchases tickets for a flight with that