People in general like to travel and so travelling is not always a necessity but it is also a passion for many. In earlier times the means of journey for people used to be boats and ships and it was using those ships that the early settlers from Europe came to North America. Then the trains were invented, first it was the steam engine trains, next came the electrical trains and recently the super fast bullet trains that can run at the top speed of 350 miles per hour. However, it was the invention of the commercial planes which has revolutionized mankind’s means of travelling.

What is Air Travel News?
It is nothing but any information that relates to the aviation industry. Information could include any travel advisory from the authorities, warnings issued against going to countries or regions under any violent agitation or war, accidents or plane crashes, news about price hikes or discounts etc.

Why is it important?
People who travel frequently need to be aware of such information. For example, during the recent uprising in Egypt, governments of most of the western countries issued warnings against going to Egypt for security reasons. Thus, we should be aware of such developments for our own good. Besides, a lot of times companies offer huge discounts on ticket prices and, as these discounts are for a limited period, we will miss out on them if we do not follow the news about air travel. In order to obtain good discounts while buying air tickets, it is advisable that one keeps a track of air travel news from time to time as it will let us now about various offers available in the market.

Also, it has been noticed that airlines make a lot of changes in their rules and regulations like the amount of luggage a person can carry on an international flight, list of permitted items etc. So, it is better to be informed about these changes, by following air travel news, so that they do not cause any trouble while travelling.

Air Travel News
The best way to get air travel news is on the internet; there are websites that regularly post all important events and other information related to this industry. The other way would be to watch news broadcasts on TV channels as they too carry all the necessary information about the aviation industry which could affect people in general. (more…)

In the old days it actually was a big deal to take a vacation. This is because it was very expensive, time consuming and even a bit risky. It was a big deal because it was a special event that did not happen all the time. Most people never went on long trips unless there was some type of problem. Maybe they were relocating to a new state or country to make a better life for their families. Maybe it was family business that induced them to travel.

But whatever the reason, it was seldom for leisure or a vacation. People just didn’t go on holiday for no reason simply because they did not have the extra time or the means to do it. Things changed at the turn of the last century. More people were able to benefit from mass transit such as trains and steamships to travel farther and farther away from home. It also became safer and less expensive as the technology advanced.

And then along came traveling by plane which really became popular after the Second World War. Individuals were doing better and had more disposable income to use on such extravagances as family holidays. Packing the whole family up and going on a trip that required the use of traveling by air was a big deal. Flying throughout the country or across the ocean was still fairly new and very fantastic. After all, it had only been a few years since these kinds of adventures captured the imagination of the public with Lindbergh and Earhart.

The public was still fascinated with air travel and aviation and the technology had to keep up with the desire for it. Airplanes were magical and captured the imagination of young and old. It was new enough to be exciting and a little bit adventurous. It was a big deal to put on those new traveling cloths that were almost as nice as their Sunday best and walk across the tarmac and climb those stairs onto that big and shiny airplane.

It was an occasion, something to celebrate and revel in because an event of this magnitude did not come around very often. Some of this excitement and amazement has been eroded over the years, which could be expected, but is still kind of disappointing. (more…)

Unless you’re really young, chances are you remember that travel used to be completely different 30, 20, even a mere 10 years ago. Just like every other industry, tourism and travel has been changed by technology, gadgets, and global events. Ready to take a stroll down memory lane? Then read on!

Air Travel in the 1980s

Perhaps the most significant event of the decade was airline deregulation, which opened up air travel to the average consumer in regards to price and availability. With all that increased flying, airlines instituted frequent flyer programs for the first time.

Many airports weren’t ready with proper safety measures to accommodate the increasing number of flyers. Some airports, even those in major metropolitan areas, loaded passengers directly from the tarmac onto the plane.

Computerized booking systems used by travel agents were still a new form of technology, having only appeared on the scene in the late 70s. During this era, consumers were forced to rely on travel agents to make their air travel – there weren’t any websites!

Southwest Airlines, once a small, Texas-only carrier, expanded to the national level and quickly became the favored airline of many consumers and businesspeople due to their low-cost fares.

Airline passengers and their baggage were screened, but the service was provided by private contractors and was, for the most part, a quick, easy, and painless procedure.

Movies on video cassettes were shown as in-flight entertainment by some airlines for the first time; in 1985 the first audio player system was installed.

The 1990s

Airline travel continued to take off. By the beginning of the decade, more Americans had flown on an airplane than owned a car!

During this decade, cell phones were banned from use on airplanes (of course back then, hardly anyone owned a cell phone, better known as a “big, heavy brick with extremely limited coverage”).

Once the iconic company of airline travel, Pan American folded under the weight of bankruptcy in the early part of the decade.
The new Denver International Airport was finally completed in 1995 after many mishaps that had people wondering if the land was cursed. It was one-of-a-kind, featuring a remote location, unique architecture, automated baggage handling system, and the largest area in square miles as well as the largest off-site parking of any airport in the U.S. (more…)