The Cow Is Gone.TSA Closes the Barn Door.

Thwarted terrorist attempt "inspires" new TSA regulations that border on the ridiculous

Scroll to the bottom of this post for update.
According to conventional wisdom, generals are always fighting the last war. A corollary might be that security officias are always responding to the last terrorist incident. After Robert Reid was arrested for trying to ignite explosives in his shoes, every airline passenger was required to remove his/her shoes, send them through the X-ray machine and shuffle through the metal detector. Now, following a thwarted terrorist attempt on a plane bound for Detroit, new security measures have been instituted -- perhaps at least partly as a tactic to divert public attention from the fact that the the government ignored alerts by the father of Abdul Mudallad, the 23-year-old Nigerian who tried to blow up the plane using leg bomb and a syringe, had warned. New regulations that we can all find logical reasons to debate:

•  US-bound passengers are being physically patted down during the boarding process in addition to passing through metal detectors, removing their shoes, discarding water and beverages and being restricted to 3-ounce or smaller containers of liquids in carry-ons.
•  US-bound passengers will be permitted only one carry-on and will not have access to it, either throughout the flight or during the last hour.
•  Passengers on international flights to the United States must remain in their seats for the last hour of a flight without any latptops or other personal items, blankets or pillows on their laps. (Anyone who has to use the lavatory must be escorted by a crew member.)
•  Airliner entertainment systems will no longer display real-time route maps that would indicate when the plane enters US airspace or where it is.

 The new regs remind me of parochial school (hands on your desks) or old college dorm rules when boys were permitted to visit girls' dorms (door open, all four feet on the floor). The net result of all this security zeal, in addition casing delays and ticking off passengers, is that people will be increasingly reluctant to fly. Business travelers unable to use their laptops? Parents who will not be able to hold a sleeping baby wrapped in a blanket? Cold-sensitive travelers or underdressed vacationers returning from tropical resorts who could become chilled in refrigerated aircraft cabins? There unlikely to be eager to fly again in the near future. I know I'm not, and I'm scheduled for two (domestic) trips in January.

Beyond personal inconvenience will be theimpact on the airline industry, already heard-hit by unpredictable fuel prices, the global recession and weathter-related delays.

Dec. 28 update: According to an Associated Press report called "Passengers again free to move about the cabin"on MSNBC.com, the TSA has relaxed some of the strict rules in the wake of the failed bomb attempt and given captains discretion about instituting some of them. "it was now up to captains on each flight to decide whether passengers can have blankets and other items on their laps or can move around during the final phase of flight," the report said. "Confused? So were scores of passengers who flew Monday on one of the busiest travel days of the year. On some flights, passengers were told to keep their hands visible and not to listen to iPods. Even babies were frisked. But on other planes, security appeared no tighter than usual.The Transportation Security Administration did little to explain the rules. And that inconsistency might well have been deliberate: What's confusing to passengers is also confusing to potential terrorists."

FOR SALE: Airport (Convenient to London)

British Airports Authority to sell Gatwick

I had no idea that an airport authority could sell an airport until I read the headline, "BAA puts London Gatwick airport up for sale," on a Reuters dispatch. "Some in the industry have said Gatwick, one of Europe's busiest airports, serving 35 million passengers a year, could fetch 2 billion to 3 billion pounds ($3.57-$5.35 billion)," according to Reuters. Seems to me like a bargain, considering that Bank of America is paying $50 billion for failing Merrill Lynch and the US government is supporting a bailout of AIG to the tune of $85 million. That may be good business/investment moves -- or they might be worth the provervial paper they're printed on.

But Gatwick Airport, that's a deal. Thirty-five million passengers travel through Gatwick (airport code, LGW) every year. Twenty charter and schuled airlines, including Delta, currently use its two terminals. The British Airports Authority is not selling Gatwick by choice, according to Reuters, which reported, "The sale is a response to Britain's Competition Commission, which last month said in a provisional ruling that BAA must sell three of its seven UK airports, including two of London's Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and one of Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland.

"BAA said it disagreed with the Competition Commission's analysis, and that it would try to keep all six of its remaining airports after the Gatwick sale, adding that a change of ownership at Stansted to the north of London could interfere with the airport's expansion."

Interested parties reportedly include Richard Branson's Virgin Altlantic as part of a consortium of some sort, a German builder called Hochtief, Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport, Manchester Airports Group and Global Infrastructure Partners, a consortium that already operates London City Airport (LCY).

Portland (OR) Airport Praised

Question: Why can't more domestic airports be like PDX?

There's lots in the world of air travel for The Cranky Flier to to get cranky about. In fact, there's lots to put all passengers out of sorts, but blogger Brett just explored an airport that made him smile -- at least I think he must of have been smiling when he wrote "Five Great Things About Portland Airport." You'll have to go to his blog to get details and see images, but here are the five things he found praiseworthy:

1. Green-tastic: Dual-flush toilets for saving water in "a place that gets far more rain in a year than should be legal ."
2. Pull Up a Seat - "Big benches just past security where you can sit and recompose yourself. "
3. Be Entertained - Live music, including a pianist, offered regularly. "I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn’t in a Nordstrom store," wrote Cranky.
4. Get Online Free - Free airport-wide Internet access, plus chargers for cell phones and iPods. Free WiFi is "more and more popular around the country, but I still don’t see it nearly enough."
5. Public Transit to the MAX -"There’s nothing I love more about an airport than good public transit access, and this has to be one of the best."

Amen!

The Grinch That Stole the Ski Train

Ski Train return anticipation turns to disappointment

Call U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn the Grinch who took away hopes for the imminent return of the Ski Train Denver and Winter Park. On Wednesday, His Honor declined to issue a temporary restraining order that would have forced Amtrak to operate the Rio Grande Scenic Ski Train beginning this coming Sunday. Iowa Pacific Holdings, the new operator of the legendary train, already had some 13,000 reservations on the books, it was cautious enough to take them all by phone rather than online. I was afraid something like this might happen when train service was not heavily promoted at the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo back in November.

Iowa Pacific, which claims that it had an "implicit" agreement with Amtrak to provide train crews, reportedly spent $800,000 to restart the legendary train, which should be celebrating its 70th anniversary this winter. Amtrak claims that Iowa Pacific had not agreed to required insurance and indemnification terms required and that the Pacific's railcars had not yet passed Federal Railroad Administration safety certification.

Judge Blackburn agreed with Amtrak. According to the Denver Post, "Blackburn said in his written order that Iowa Pacific. . . had not demonstrated it would 'suffer irreparable injury' if the court did not issue the restraining order against Amtrak." That is mystifying, because dedicated train service to a resort base that does not operate during the absolute peak weeks of the ski season would indeed be grievously injured.

January 6 is now the earliest that Ski Train operations could begin. Iowa Pacific released a statement by VP Dan Marko that was clearly vetted by attorneys: “We appreciate the due-diligence that Judge Blackburn afforded Iowa Pacific Holdings to share our story and provide information given the forced circumstances.We recognize that this leaves the operations of the Ski Train as indefinite, and will be focused on presenting a comprehensive case in January to clear these obstacles to future operation.” Keep your fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, all customers holding reservations can receive a full refund by contacting Iowa Pacific at skitrainservice@ iowapacific.com or 877-726-RAIL.

Tough Times for Travelers

What a bad week it's been for travelers, with weather, accidents and incidents impacting holiday travel

It started with the closure of the Chunnel under the English Channel and the suspension of Eurostar service. Closer to home, snowstorms across the northern tier of the United States have been gumming up travel since last weekend, especially a week ago when flight delays were epic. United Airlines canceled about 1,000 flights, and Washington's National Airport actually closed. Snow that started in Denver yesterday (Tuesday) evening, and while Denver International Airport reportedly had well-staffed security checkpoints and fast-moving lines, delays in the Midwest impacted flight schedules here too. Then there was the American Airlines jet that overshot the runway in Kingston, Jamaica, during a heavy rainstorm. Meanwhile, Amtrak stopped operating between Philadelphia and New York for a few hours this afternoon. Let's hope that 2010 begins more auspicially for travelers than 2009 seems to be ending.

Tourists Gawk at Lehman Bros. HQ

New York skyscraper draws tourists -- like the Bear Stearns and Enron buildings before it

I must say that I was surprised to read a Reuters news story that began: "Welcome to New York's latest tourist attraction: Lehman Brothers' headquarters (Reuters photo at right). It may be ghoulish, but as Lehman edges closer to a sale or outright failure, its currency as a tourist draw is rising. While regulators and bankers flocked to the New York Federal Reserve in lower Manhattan on Sunday to decide Lehman's fate, shutterbugs descended on the bank's midtown Manhattan headquarters to catch a piece of history before it disappears."

Call it schadenfreude tourism when people want to see a place where a felled giant once ruled. They're the sort who photogaphed the Enron building when that Texas scam operation came crashing down and more recently when Bear Stearns failed. Their latest target is Lehman Brothers' headquarters at 745 Seventh Avenue (between 49th and 50th Streets), conveniently close to Times Square. Lehman Brothers.

"The company's name is affixed in gray, metal letters to glossy black walls flanking the doors.
The nameplates, usually ignored in favor of the massive screens touting swirling, colorful videos, became an object of curiosity on a humid, sunny Sunday morning as people gawked at the home of the latest financial giant to face ruin," Reuters reported in the story called "Lehman Office Joins the New York Tourist Circuit."

Sidewalk gawkers who know the faces of some of the financial world's movers and shakers might have recognized some Citigroup's Vikram Pandit, JPMorgan's Steven Black and others emerging from limousines to deal with the crisis. "Several people posed and smiled next to the nameplates before a security guard shooed them away," the unnamed Reuters reporter added.

Colorado Ski Resort News 2008-09

Tens of millions invested in lifts, base villages and terrain for 2008-09

It's been snowing above 10,000 feet (Copper Mountain shown at right on September 12), which is a visual cue that Colorado's ski season kicks off in less than seven weeks. The biggest recent investments have gone into Snowmass ($35 million) and Steamboat ($30 million), but season pass prices for resorts that attract both vacationers and locals remain shockingly low. Competition is good for customers.

Here's what is and isn't new in Colorado. Click on the resort or ski area name for more info, including season pass info) and my comments appear in italics.

Arapahoe Basin opens in October as snow permits, perhaps the first in the state

A-Basin adds 300 much-needed parking spaces and connects them to the base via a pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 6. A new south-facing deck made of recycled materials is added to the year-old Black Mountain Lodge. Snowmaking now serves Sundance beginner trail. Early to open, late to close and sensational all winter long.

Aspen Highlands opens December 13

Canopy Cruiser is a new name on the trail map for 18 additional acres between Hyde Park and Mushroom Chutes in the Deep Temerity section of the mountain. More steep. More deep.

Aspen Mountain opens November 27

Improvements to the plaza at the base of the Silver Queen gondola mean fewer steps to climb with ski boots. Hooray!

Beaver Creek opens November 26

The Ranch, a huge new on-mountain children's center, is next to the easy-access kid's gondola that was added last year to the beginner area. Snowmaking improvements at key areas on the mountain. The Osprey, a RockResort, is the new name for the older Inn at Beaver Creek, and the Westin Riverfront, with direct gondola access to Beaver Creek, in Avon below the resort. The Ranch makes the Beave even more appealing for well-heeled families.

Breckenridge opens November 7

Peak 7 base development, the first all-new area since Peak 9 opened in 1971, spotlights the new Crystal Peak Lodge, new skier services (ski school, ticket sales, rentals) and Sevens, a new sit-down restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner (Mediterranean-inspired menu), plus pizza bar and quick-service window. The BreckConnect gondola from town adds a stop at the Peak 7 provides more direct access to high terrain at Peak 7 and Peak 8. BreckConnect now enchanced as mass transit as well as a ski lift.

Buttermilk (Aspen) opens December 13

Four feet added to each wall of the Olympic halfpipe for a total of 22 feet. Awesome -- and ready for the Winter X-Games

Copper Mountain opens November 14

The Woodward at Copper, located in The Barn, is a new year-round indoor training facility for snowboarders and skiing tricksters. State-of-the-art facility for safe and serious training.

Crested Butte opens November 26

Camp CB is the totally redesigned and remodeled replacement for Kids World. Terrain expansion off the Headwall lift into Teocalli Bowl's Teo-2 and Teo-2.5 areas. The Treasury Center at the base adds Spellbound Pizza as the old ski and snowboard shop is relocated to slope-side. The nearby Outpost becomes a day lodge. User-friendly tweaks.

Echo Mountain Park (Idaho Springs) opens in December

Westwide Glades are expanded, the Magic Carpet learning area is redesigned and terrain features are improved, but the big deal is dollars. The $129 season pass price is right.

Eldora Mountain Resort (Nederland) opens on November 21

Best prices for Eldorables, Trek, Womens Days and Friday Afternoon Club lessons and season passes through October 12. An easy ride (drive or take the RTD bus #N) from Boulder.

Howelsen Hill (Steamboat) opens December 6

Tough little ski hill, owned by the city of Steamboat Springs, was the training ground for Ski Town USA's 64 Alpine and Nordic Olympians, 15 members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame and six members of the National Ski Hall of fame. Legendary ski hill doesn't need to do anything new!

Keystone opens November 7

The River Run gondola has been lengthened and the loading area moved to the middle of River Run Village. A new mid-station enables users to load and unload at mid-mountain, and new big-windowed cabins improve the views. Third time's the charm for third version of this base-to-summit gondola.

Loveland opens in October, as snow permits, perhaps the first in the state

Season pass again includes three unrestricted days at Monarch Mountain. No news is no news at this close-to Denver ski area.

Monarch opens November 26

Two hundred acres added to snowcat-served terrain. New kids' terrain park called Tilt. Sleepy Hollow run widened. Children's ski school and rentals housed in new facility. How about that 200-acre snowcat expansion!

Powderhorn (Grand Mesa) opens December 11

New trails are supposedly being added, but no details are available. Why such secrecy?

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort opens November 26

First phase of the $100 million Purgatory Lodge and village revitalization opens, including upgraded skier services, slopeside lodging and new Purgy's Day Lodge. Village development brings welcome evening activity to the mountain, but downtown Durango remains prime for evening.

Silverton opens November 29

Unguided season pass ($699) includes four free ski days at A-Basin and five at Monarch. Go guided or not in Colorado's capital of ungroomed super-steeps.

Ski Cooper (Leadville) opens November 27 (weekends) and December 19 (daily)

Season pass holders may purchase a $25 discounted “Buddy Ticket” valid Monday through Friday (except holidays) during the 2008-09 season. Friendly ski area makes it easy to bring a friend along.

Snowmass opens November 27

The Sheer Bliss lift is converted to a high-speed quad and lengthened by 155 feet. The Sam's Knob restaurant at the top of the Village sixpack express has been renewed with floor-to-ceiling windows, new table serve for 175, outdoor seating and a barbecue-style smokehouse menu. Base Village nearer completion with the new Hayden Peak and Capitol Peak Lodges. Ready to bid farewell to those construction cranes.

SolVista Basin (Granby) opens December 19

Base Camp Lodge completed (but perhaps that was last winter; the website isn't clear). Small, family-friendly resort continuing to develop lodging.

Steamboat opens November 26

Following $30 million in improvements last year, 4 million have gone into additional base area improvements, regrading, upgraded snowmaking and grooming equipment, and a new retail outlet in downtown Steamboat Springs. Champagne powder? Priceless.

Sunlight Mountain Resort (Glenwood Springs) opens December 5

News is in the future, as Sunlight tries to expand into a full four-season resort. For now, it's still a low-key ski area.

Telluride opens November 26

Revelation Bowl, a 400-acre expansion off the backside of Gold Hill and Chair 14, offers new European-style above-the-treeline open-bowl terrain served by a quad chairlift. New advanced and expert terrain.

Winter Park opens November 19

The Village Cabriolet is a new $5.8 million open-air transit gondola linking the free parking lot to the expanding base village featuring new restaurants, shops, real estate, parking garage and ice skating pond. Convenience for day skiers and more amenities for vacationers.

Wolf Creek opens November 7, or as conditions permit

For the third year, Wolf Creek is purchasing 100% of its power from a wind-power supplier, and is now adding a pilot ride-share program by linking to an AlternateRides, a free online carpool matching service. Cheers for the green and white.