The devil in United’s “unlimited upgrade” details isn’t the devil you know
As a regular (if often grumpy) United elite-level flier, there's something very appealing about the offer of unlimited domestic upgrades.

Pets on a plane: should they stay in the cargo hold?
Traveling with pets has become big business. More and more, you see hotels rolling out the red carpet for dogs, cats and other pets with special packages and welcoming treats. And I can’t seem to board a plane these days without seeing someone carrying a small animal in a case with them.

What we’re reading: Allegiant to obtain B757s, pilots need air-hazard skills, SkyWest makes emergency landing
First Allegiant Boeing order is for 757s Until now, Allegiant Air has operated MD-80s. Now they are acquiring B757s in preparation for its new service to Hawaii. Allegiant said Friday that it expects to spend $75 million to $90 million through 2012 acquiring and preparing the 757s for service. Allegiant said it has the ability to acquire [...]

A failure to launch — and refund
Glenn Cox had planned a trip to Orlando to watch the next Space Shuttle launch, but when liftoff was postponed, he found himself holding a hotel reservation with some surprise restrictions. His room at Orlando Airport SpringHill Suites by Marriott was completely nonrefundable, to be exact.

Internal TSA memo warns Good Samaritans: “We cannot allow a distraction”
If you’re unlucky enough to have a medical emergency on a plane, your flight attendants are trained to help. Same thing goes for other public places, like restaurants and schools. But an internal memo circulated to employees at one airport suggests the TSA would rather you take your heart attack elsewhere.

Consumer Travel Alliance — Nudging along DOT consumer web pages
Way back in the spring of 2009, while visiting various Senate staffers and members of the Department of Transportation enforcement division, the Federal Railroad Administration and the FAA, two members of the Consumer Travel Alliance raised the concept of a more user-friendly Website for travelers.

7 tips for coming back home
The worst part of travel is actually coming home. One day you are in Peru, gaping at Machu Picchu or in Quebec City, learning about why the English and the French both coveted the area. Maybe you’ve been cycling in Italy, trekking in Nepal, cruising down the Nile in Egypt, or sauna hopping in Finland. The next day, you open the door to your digs and…chaos.

More evidence that business travel is creeping back
Since the beginning of this year, there have been a lot hopeful murmurs about the return of business travel after a precipitous decline over the last two years. Now we've got even more proof that business travelers--especially those from small and medium sized companies--are seeing growth opportunities and taking more trips.

Hotel numbers keep going down, hotel bargains abound
Smith Travel Research is out with another look at the U.S. hotel industry. They reported decreases in all three key measurements during February 2010. The occupancy rates are hovering just over 50 percent. Average daily room rates are now well under $100 at US$97.12. Those factors add up to a revenue per available room number of only $52.19.

Now elite status gets you free Internet (sometimes) with Marriott
One of the most irritating hotel surcharges for many travelers is for Internet access. (And, as has been discussed on Consumer Traveler before, sometimes needing to pay twice for two-computer families.)