Five-Day Super-Inclusive “Girlfriend Getaway” Package at Grand Lido Braco in Jamaica Starts at $916 Per Person

Five-Day Super-Inclusive “Girlfriend Getaway” Package at Grand Lido Braco in Jamaica Starts at $916 Per Person

Girlfriend getaways are booming despite the economic downturn, though women are now being more cost-conscious about their travel decisions, said the Associated Press. Grand Lido Braco’s new “Girlfriend Getaway” package delivers with deluxe Super-Inclusive amenities and fun extras like cooking classes, windsurfing lessons, and pampering spa treatments, all for the starting price of just $916 per person.

According to the AAA Girlfriend Travel Research Project, women accounted for around 32 million trips last year, spending almost $200 million. On these vacations, they dined out (86 percent), shopped (74 percent), visited spas (73 percent) and went to the beach or pool (70 percent). Covering all the bases, Grand Lido Braco’s five-day/four-night “Girlfriend Getaway” package heeds the call, catering to gal pals of all ages in need of a warm weather respite.

Upon arrival at the AAA Four Diamond resort, named to Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Caribbean hotels list, the women are greeted with

• a bottle of Champagne
• in their “Royal Beachfront” accommodations.
• A welcome basket stocked with Biodroga beauty products also awaits, before the girlfriends indulge in their
• complimentary manicures and pedicures,
• and choice of a 30-minute beachside massage or a basic facial at the Blue Mahoe Spa.

Novice and expert culinarians alike can sharpen their kitchen skills during an exotic Jamaican cooking and pastry class with the resort’s talented chefs. Then, after working up an appetite, they can dig in at one of Grand Lido Braco’s many restaurants, including Piacere, which serves nouvelle cuisine by candlelight, Munasan, which offers innovative Japanese fare with a sushi bar and Teppanyaki stations, and Reggae Café, favored for its local delicacies like jerk chicken.

Adventure buffs and sports enthusiasts can hit the turquoise waters for a complimentary private windsurfing lesson, or sign up for resort scuba diving certification for an additional $75, while landlubbers can improve their game at the resort’s nine-hole golf course with personalized instruction by the resident golf instructor. And, with no greens fees, the group can practice their swing and play as much as they’d like.

Beyond the resort, island escapades abound and those looking to explore can take advantage of the package’s two-for-one Chukka Caribbean Adventures voucher for canopy, horseback or tubing excursions, redeemable at the resort tour desk.

Grand Lido Braco’s “Girlfriend Getaway” package starts at $916 per person, land only, and includes:

• accommodations;
• meals and
• premium alcoholic beverages;
• mani-pedi;
• 30-minute massage or a basic facial;
• pastry class on Mondays and a
• cooking class on Wednesdays;
• windsurfing and scuba diving lesson;
• personalized golf instruction;
• two-for-one island excursions with Chukka Caribbean Adventures,
• and a welcome basket with Champagne and Biodroga products.

As always, Grand Lido Braco’s Super-Inclusive vacation also includes all land and water sports; entertainment; hotel taxes; airport transfers; and even tips. Rates are based on double-occupancy; and a two-room minimum group booking is required.

For more information and reservations call Supreme Clientele Travel (407)413-9578

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Save 15% at FontainBleau on Miami Beach

For more information and reservations call Supreme Clientele Travel (407)413-9578

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10 great places for Latino flavor and flair

Celebrate the sizzle of Latino cuisine and culture during National Hispanic Heritage Month (Tuesday-Oct.15) and enjoy the contributions of the USA's largest ethnic group. Danny Lopez, of Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center (nhccnm.org), shares with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY his list of places to spice it up.

Barelas Coffee House
Albuquerque
"Everything about this place screams New Mexico!" Lopez says of this hot spot in the historic Barelas neighborhood where the National Hispanic Cultural Center is located. "The huevos rancheros taste like they just came from grandma's kitchen at this old house-turned-restaurant, where people from all walks of life gather. Order your meal 'Christmas' style if you can't decide between the red or green chile." 505-843-7577

Havana
West Palm Beach, Fla.
"Photos of celebrities, from Gloria Estefan to Rod Stewart, and awards fill a wall of this Cuban restaurant, where succulent roast pork, Havana-style steak and fresh seafood are standards," Perez says. Order from the restaurant's takeout window and have a party on the beaches of Palm Beach County. 561-547-9799; havanacubanfood.com

The Gardens of Taxco
West Hollywood, Calif.
"This quaint locale takes you back to colonial Mexico," Lopez says. "There is no printed menu, and you are presented with your choices verbally by the friendly wait staff. The enchiladas are mouth-watering, the beer is cold and the margaritas are strong." End your meal with a fine sherry and the Bananas and Cream Rio Frio. 323-654-1746; gardensoftaxco.com

Andina Restaurant
Portland, Ore.
"This is a vibrant Peruvian restaurant with live music in the bar every night of the week," Perez says. The owner walks around to chat with her guests, adding to the warm, inviting atmosphere. Try the Causa Mixta Nikkei, Peruvian tapas with a key lime-spiked mashed-potato base, topped with crab, tuna and crispy shrimp. Quinoa salad and other vegetarian choices also are offered here. 503-228-9535; andinarestaurant.com

Las Bugambilias
Philadelphia
"For authentic Mexican food you don't want to pass up Las Bugambilias," Lopez says. "Desserts are made on-site and the tequila selection is second to none. Try their pineapple-chipotle margarita with chipotle-infused tequila." Sept. 20, Philadelphia hosts the Feria del Barrio, a free street festival. 215-922-3190; lasbugambiliasphilly.com

Jack-n-Grill
Denver
"I have an affinity for this place, as the owners hail from New Mexico," Perez says. "It's a great place for New Mexican food, including killer green chile, as well as delicious 'south of the border' dishes. The guacamole is second to none and the mammoth Juarez burger will fill you up, along with a friend or two." Visit El Chapultepec, a jazz club with Spanish roots, or the Museo de las Americas nearby. 303-964-9544; jackngrill.com

Mi Tierra
San Antonio
"If you haven't visited Mi Tierra yet, you have not truly experienced San Antonio," Lopez says. "This family-owned restaurant, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served 24 hours a day, has been in operation since the '40s. Don't miss their incredible panadería (bakery)." The restaurant is in Market Square, a lively center of Mexican culture. The Museo Alameda, a Smithsonian affiliate dedicated to the achievements of Latin Americans in the USA, is also there. 210-225-1262; mitierracafe.com

Bomberos Café & Wine Bar
Phoenix
"If you want to experience a taste of South America, this is the place to go," Lopez says. On the menu: "an interesting array of South American fare in a hip environment with patio dining and regular live music. The restaurant's offering of South American wine is impressive. Be sure to try yerba maté," a popular tea. 602-687-8466; bomberoswinebar.com

Taqueria Guadalajara
Madison, Wis.
"Anglos and Hispanics crowd together in this tiny place and share their passion for the authentic tacos and tamales prepared behind the counter," Perez says. College students and workers sit at tables or a little bar around the grill, savoring the best-selling steak and onion tacos and vegetarian tacos that go for $1.75 each. Alternatively, get takeout and picnic at nearby Lake Menona. 608-250-1824; lataqueriaguadalajara.com

Seviche
Louisville
"Anthony Lamas, chef/owner of classy Seviche offers a world map of Latino cuisine," Perez says of the popular restaurant in the hip Highlands neighborhood. This pedestrian-friendly neighborhood has many locally owned shops, boutiques and bars. 502-473-8560; sevicherestaurant.com

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Are rental car frequent-flier miles worth the extra charges?

Question: Regarding your recent article on adding miles without flying, I recently rented a car from Dollar and wanted to give the agent my air mileage number to receive points for renting. He said I would have to pay for that as Dollar no longer absorbs the cost. He said that most people do not realize they are charged to receive their miles as it is hidden amongst the charges. Is this correct?

— Coral

Answer: Yes, the agent was absolutely correct—it is now standard practice for rental car companies to collect a fee from customers who opt to earn frequent-flier miles for their rentals.

The agent you spoke with was also correct in pointing out that many travelers are not aware that they are incurring an extra charge to earn miles. While such charges are enumerated in the contract conditions of any rental agreement, most consumers don't take the time to read the fine print. So technically, the rental car companies are legally absolved of any misrepresentation.

But from an ethical standpoint, the fact that so many renters do not know they're paying extra for their miles—and how much extra they're paying—is proof positive that the rental companies aren't doing enough to make consumers aware of the surcharge. My suspicion is that Hertz, for example, doesn't want to be the first to publicize the charges for fear that Avis and other competitors will remain mum about their own fees, leaving Hertz at a disadvantage. In other words, no one wants to assume the risk of taking the lead in moving toward greater transparency.

Back to the case in point, Dollar charges what they call a frequent-flier surcharge of $0.95 a day to, according to the company's website, "offset a portion of Dollar's annual cost of participation in this frequent flier program." That may not sound like much, but renters only earn 50 miles per day, so the surcharge amounts to paying 1.9 cents per mile.

That per-mile cost should give you pause. My best estimate is that the average value of a frequent-flier mile is currently around 1.2 cents. So unless you're confident of your ability to squeeze more value from your miles, you're overpaying to earn them when renting a car.

For context, Hertz and Avis—the two largest rental car companies—charge $0.75 per day, up to a maximum of $5.25 per rental, for miles earned in the programs of most of their U.S. airline partners. That's 1.5 cents per mile when earning 50 miles per day. Once again, that's more than the miles are worth to most consumers.

Rental car companies have long viewed frequent-flier miles as a necessary but unwelcome part of their marketing efforts. Charging as much as they do to recoup the costs of those miles is a clear indicator of that ambivalence. Until those surcharges are reduced or eliminated, consumers would do well to just steer clear of frequent flier miles when renting a car

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Jet Blue Launches Four New Flights Out of Baltimore

JetBlue Airways has begun nonstop service to its 57th destination, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), offering four daily flights to Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS), one of seven focus cities for the airline. The new service complements JetBlue's existing six daily flights between Boston and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). To celebrate the new service, JetBlue pledged $5,000 to the National Aquarium in support of their conservation and animal care programs in and around the Chesapeake region. Additionally, customers can text the word OCEAN to 20222 to make a $5 donation to the National Aquarium in support of their global efforts to improve the health of the aquatic world. The airline is committed to creating strong corporate partnerships in the communities it serves, supporting the passion points that matter most to customers living and working in the local area. For more information, visit www.jetblue.com.

Supreme Clientele Travel

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Virgin America designs a low-cost airline for business travelers

Most low-cost airlines begin life serving leisure destinations and budget-conscious consumers, but one recent start-up is bucking the trend. Two-year-old Virgin America was designed to appeal specifically to business travelers, according to the airline's chief executive officer, David Cush. Cush joined Virgin America shortly after the airline took flight after a 20-year career with American Airlines and I caught up with him at the recent National Business Travel Association annual conference.

Although it follows the successful low-cost airline model with a single aircraft type (the Airbus A320 family) and a point-to-point route network with few connections, Virgin America has constructed a premium product including 9" video touch screens with a full qwerty keyboard, 110-volt electrical power outlets, and USB and RJ-45 Ethernet jacks at every seat in the airplane. Passengers may access the Internet, live television channels, on-demand movies or 3,000 music MP3's. In addition, travelers may use the in-flight seat-back entertainment system to build their own playlists, engage in live seat-to-seat chat messaging with other passengers or order food and drinks on-demand. Virgin America also offers a luxurious first-class cabin that resembles international business class on most airlines.

Going beyond jetBlue

Some of the inspiration for Virgin America came from another low-cost airline that prospered by focusing on comfort and in-flight entertainment. Observing jetBlue "really opened my eyes when I was at American Airlines," says Cush. "They had a very high quality product, but were able to produce it at a low cost."

Cush attributes jetBlue's success to investing primarily in what is most visible to the customer, like new airplanes, live television and well-trained people, an example Cush practices at Virgin America. Beyond initial training, all 1,520 Virgin America employees go through a "Refresh" recurrent training session annually. Each two-day Refresh class brings together 70 employees from all parts of the airline and covers conflict resolution and similar customer service issues. "We'll go through real-life scenarios we've encountered in the last year and do a lot of role playing," says Cush.

Targeting D-I-Y travelers

Initially the airline focused on "unmanaged" or "self-managed" travelers – those business customers generally in smaller companies who book their own flights and aren't constrained by corporate travel policies. "It was a conscious decision to go after that market," says Cush, particularly with a small route network and frequent-flier program that can't compete with the global airlines and the alliances.

Though self-managed business travelers account for just half of the business travel market, Cush believes Virgin America's San Francisco home base is well-situated with so many smaller companies and start-ups in the area. Proximity to Silicon Valley also attracts computer-savvy business travelers interested in the airline's high-tech product offering.

Unlike most other airlines, Virgin America relies heavily on online marketing channels to reach prospective business travelers. "We don't spend a lot of money on traditional mass media," says Cush. "An image ad on 60 Minutes or 30 Rock is not going to have a big impact on the customer we're targeting." As much as 70% of Virgin America's marketing budget is spent online on social media or blogs where they believe their target audience goes for information.

Competing in turbulent times

Cush argues that technological advances and other market forces are eroding the competitive edge long held by major network or legacy airlines. Virgin America competes in the same travel agency distribution channels as the majors, but 70% of all Virgin America tickets are sold through the airline's website.

Cush also believes corporations are becoming more interested in "transactional" rather than "contractual" buying, wanting the lowest price on each transaction rather than the overall discounts offered by global airlines, which don't always reflect the lowest fares available in the market. "Large corporations are very simply interested in low fares and flexible travel times," says Cush, noting that Virgin America's fares don't have minimum stays, don't require Saturday night stays, and advance-purchase restrictions are minimal.

Although oil prices have declined significantly over the past year, $70 per barrel is still substantially much higher than oil in the $20 per barrel range when Virgin America was originally conceived. Like most other airlines, Virgin America took a loss in the second quarter, but the $15 million hit was substantially smaller than the loss reported for the same period in 2008.

Even with the losses, Virgin America grew by nearly 50% over the past year, while most airlines were shrinking, and the airline's load factor (percentage of seats occupied) improved by almost 8% while unit costs declined by more than 20%. "Our focus is really on growing our airline," says Cush, though continued rapid growth in this environment may prove challenging.

One major issue is the current route map, with service in California and the Northeast, but a gaping hole in the middle of the country. "The biggest complaint we hear from our best customers is 'you need to fly to more places.' They ask, 'When are you going to fly to Chicago or Texas?' "

Cush would like to add two or three cities and six to eight new aircraft per year for the next two years, but the question might be where those new airplanes will fly. Virgin America has been unable to gain access to Chicago O'Hare or expand at New York's JFK airport, as incumbent carriers hold all landing slots and gates and have shown little interest in relinquishing them.

So can Virgin America's unique business model and premium product survive in the face of so much adversity? Cush believes the company will succeed by keeping its focus. "There is an expectation that comes with having Virgin on your tail."

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Marriott Introduces JW Marriott Miami Marquis

Marriott International, Inc. introduced a JW Marriott Marquis hotel scheduled to open in downtown Miami in mid-2010. The 357-room JW Marriott Miami Marquis Hotel is being developed by MDM Hotel Group, LTD of Miami. The Marquis designation is reserved for select downtown properties within the JW Marriott portfolio that offer the highest levels of comfort, technology, personal service, meeting facilities, privacy and world-class amenities. JW Marriott Miami Marquis will be the pre-eminent downtown luxury hotel serving the business transient, group and leisure markets. Accommodations at the JW Marriott Miami Marquis will feature luxurious bedding, a pillow menu, plush bath linens, in-room computer with high-speed Internet access, 50-inch flat-screen high-definition television, personal electronics connectivity panel, television embedded in the bathroom mirror and an in-room espresso maker.

Dining and recreation will be the centerpiece of the hotel. Guests will be able to choose from three restaurants, including db Bistro Moderne by famed French chef Daniel Boulud. For relaxation and fitness, the hotel will offer recreation and lifestyle amenities on the 19th and 20th floors, including an outdoor swimming pool, a 10,000-square-foot NBA-approved basketball court, Jim McLean Golf School with virtual golf and golf lessons, a bowling alley, media room, billiard room, a fitness center and a spa. Additional amenities will include a private access executive level and lounge, a fully appointed business center, cigar shop, wine shop and gourmet coffee bar. For conferences and social events, the JW Marriott Miami Marquis will offer more than 80,000 square feet of flexible space, including a 20,000-square-foot column-less Grand Ballroom. A junior ballroom and variety of breakout rooms are conveniently accessible to the Grand Ballroom and all feature cutting edge technology and advanced sound and video distribution systems.

In addition to the JW Marriott Miami Marquis, the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami will open within the same Met Miami development. Situated on the 38th floor, with city and bay views, Hotel Beaux Arts provides guests with their own private check-in and personal escort to 44 lavishly decorated guestrooms and suites that feature plush bedding, exclusive Bang & Olufsen video and sound systems throughout, hardwood floors and Italian marble bathrooms. Located at 345 Avenue of the Americas, the JW Marriott Miami Marquis and the Hotel Beaux Arts are at the center of the new Met Miami entertainment and lifestyle complex, which is close to the Financial District, arts and culture, and American Airlines Arena -- home of the Miami Heat -- and a short drive from South Beach. A second 1,612-room JW Marriott Marquis is scheduled to open in Dubai in 2011. There are 43 JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts operating in 20 countries, with another 25 properties expected to open over the next three years, bringing the total portfolio to more than 60 hotels in 27 countries. For more information, call Supreme Clientele Travel @ 407-413-9578

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Oasis of the Seas Retail Lineup Includes Coach Store

Royal Caribbean International’s new Oasis of the Seas, due out in December, will feature 13 retail venues, including a Coach store and 10,000 square feet of open-air shopping. Located in the Central Park neighborhood, Coach will unveil its first dedicated store at sea. Custom built to the brand’s standards, the Coach store will offer handbags, leather goods, sunglasses and scarves. Other retailers include Breitling watches, Italian jewelry designer Pianegonda, Lucky Brand, Eileen Fisher, DC Apparel and Forest & Fauna, makers of organic T-shirts and garments. Oasis of the Seas also will carry a number of new brands, including jewelry from Roberto Coin, Charriol and Yvel, and cosmetics by Chanel and Christian Dior, among others.

The Boardwalk neighborhood will feature Star Pier, with ’tween and teen apparel by Roxy, Quiksilver and DC Apparel; and a DJ station and Nintendo Wii. Pinwheels will feature clothes and toys by kid-favored brands such as Crayola, Lego stations and other popular games. Candy Beach is a candy store, offering more than 72 varieties to mix and match, as well as vintage candy treats from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.

On the Royal Promenade, guests will find Prince & Greene, a trendy fashion boutique with labels such as Betsey Johnson, Calypso, Kenneth Cole, Ed Hardy, Marc Jacobs and Ben Sherman. Regalia will be an opulent boutique that sells fine jewelry and timepieces. Solera is the duty-free store with cosmetics, skincare and fragrance from Chanel, Dior, La Prairie, Lancôme, Shiseido and “doctor-brand” regimens. Willow features casual sportswear including organic clothing and brands including Eileen Fisher, JMP, and Forest & Fauna. On the Boardwalk is Carousel Cart near the hand-carved carousel; it offers apparel, accessories and souvenirs. In the Pool and Sports Zone, the open-air Breeze will stock light reads, sunglasses, tote bags and sun care products.

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Afghanistan has its first national park

High in the mountains of central Afghanistan is an area of relative peace and majestic beauty — a chain of six lakes so vibrantly blue that they are clearly visible in satellite photos.

It's called Band-e-Amir, and this year it was turned into Afghanistan's first national park after the U.S. government spent nearly $1 million to help establish the landmark.

But there are no paved roads to the 228-square-mile park. All of Bamiyan province, which is roughly the size of Connecticut, has just slightly more than 1 mile of paved roadway and no reliable electricity. Some residents question whether spending money for a remote, hard-to-get-to park was a wise venture in a country fighting a war against Taliban militants.

William Frej, mission director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Afghanistan, defends the project, saying thousands of Afghans visit the site every year.

"The U.S. commitment to the Afghanistan people has always been seen as a long-term investment in security and democracy," he says. "Like much of the country, road construction in Bamiyan is underway, and our work in Band-e-Amir is a collaborative step in restoring national hope and pride."

Habiba Sarabi, the provincial governor — the first and only woman to lead an Afghan province — has spent years pushing to establish the site as a national park, which had its formal dedication in June.

She says most international aid goes to other areas of Afghanistan where the Taliban has a stronghold. So creating a national park is a way to attract funding to Bamiyan. The park and surrounding tourism businesses that eventually will crop up will create needed jobs, Sarabi explains. The fee charged to enter the park will go toward infrastructure and development of the area.

Community has other issues

Syed Kazim, a community leader, says people here would be better served with more schools and hospitals. He says only one clinic exists for about 20,000 people who live in the mountains.

"During the winter, it takes four to five hours to reach that," he says.

Jawad Wafa, 22, an eco-tourism guide in Bamiyan province, says spending on the park is "like throwing money away. We need a road. We need electricity. We need an airport," Wafa says.

Sarabi answers criticism from community leaders and others by saying, "The park is for their future. It's for their children. We should protect the park. After that, they can have, of course, many other good things like clinics, like schools."

The drive to Band-e-Amir from the Afghan capital of Kabul, 150 miles away, takes as long as 12 hours over rocky roads. Trucks easily overturn, and the talc-like dust of the high desert regularly chokes the air filters of even the heartiest vehicles. The closest city, Bamiyan, is 50 miles away — a three-hour drive.

Amir Foladi, head of Bamiyan's eco-tourism program, which helped set up the park, says at least four local entrepreneurs have bought land to build hotels and businesses near the park. He says bids have gone out to build a campground. Those will bring tourists and service-sector jobs that could provide a livelihood for many poor residents who now depend on subsistence farming.

Foladi says the chain of lakes attracted up to 40,000 Afghans, plus 4,000 foreign tourists, in 2005 and 2006. But visitors dropped off as much as 40% the following year as security concerns increased.

'Victim of its own success'

Bamiyan province, with a population of about 400,000, is known for the gigantic Buddha statues carved into a cliff 1,500 years ago that the Taliban blew up in 2001.

Now, nearly eight years after the ruling Taliban regime was ousted from power by U.S.-led troops, this part of Afghanistan has virtually no signs of war — no mortar attacks or gunfire.

"Bamiyan is a victim of its own success," says Robert Watkins, the United Nations deputy envoy for Afghanistan. "It's probably the most secure and stable province in the entire country, and for that reason, there's less attention from the international community."

He says funding goes to areas where countries have troops fighting — in eastern and southern Afghanistan, where the current U.S. offensive is focused on Helmand province.

Frej of the USAID agrees. "A higher percentage of U.S. government resources is being shifted to unstable areas where U.S. soldiers are sacrificing so much for the Afghan people," he says. "We are finding that Bamiyan and other stable regions are progressing rapidly, and thus are able to make better use of the resources they receive."

Kazim, the community leader, was among a handful of villagers who met recently with Sarabi and U.N. officials to press for more aid to help local farmers.

He says the land management rules for the new park prevent farmers from planting crops near the lakes or from gathering shrubs needed for fuel.

"We are not allowed to cultivate wheat around the lake, so we do not have any other alternatives," he says.

Sarabi explains that in addition to the jobs it will create, Band-e-Amir is a place where local residents will be able to sell their products.

She acknowledges that the lack of a paved road is a problem, but hopes that a road — like the park — will eventually be built. "We are working on the road side," she says. "I will not stop lobbying."

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Fliers on delayed planes get more support

Airlines are losing another ally in their fight to stop Congress from passing a law that would allow passengers to get off planes delayed at least three hours on airport tarmacs.

The Business Travel Coalition, a group that represents about 300 corporate travel departments, is coming out today in support of such a law after having opposed congressional action.

The coalition's shift comes after it surveyed 649 corporate travel departments, travel agents and business travelers and found that more than 90% of travel departments — and about 80% of travel agents and business travelers — say passengers should have the option to get off flights delayed three hours or longer.

It also follows a similar shift in positions by two other business travel groups — the National Business Travel Association and the American Society of Travel Agents. And it comes as Congress is poised this fall to vote on so-called passenger rights legislation that would force the airlines to give passengers stuck on flights options.

The survey results "reveal a striking change in thinking in the mainstream business community about the need for congressional intervention," says Kevin Mitchell, the coalition's chairman.

"Some of the largest corporations on the planet, for whom government involvement in free markets is anathema, overwhelmingly have concluded that legislation is the best choice after 10 years of shattered promises of self-policing by airlines," he says.

Airlines don't want legislation

Although rare, more than 200,000 domestic passengers have been stuck on more than 3,000 planes for three hours or more waiting to take off or taxi to a gate since January 2007, a USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Transportation Department data has found.

In June, 278 flights waited on the tarmac for at least three hours, the most recent numbers from the department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics show.

The issue has attracted greater attention after an incident last month in which 51 passengers were stuck overnight on a delayed Continental Express flight at the Rochester, Minn., airport. The incident, in which passengers complained of a smelly toilet and not having food or drink, also has drawn greater attention to the legislation.

The House and Senate must decide on final wording of any passenger-rights provisions that now are in a bill to reauthorize and fund the Federal Aviation Administration.

A Senate committee voted in July to require airlines to let people off planes delayed for more than three hours. The House earlier had passed a less specific version that requires each airline to submit to the Department of Transportation a plan to let passengers off.

The Air Transport Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, says long delays "are unacceptable," and it understands why they frustrate passengers. But, the group says, it opposes legislation that would force airlines to return planes to terminals after a set time to let off passengers.

Airlines have established "contingency plans" to deal with long tarmac delays and can handle the problems themselves without government intervention, says David Castelveter, the group's vice president.

"We continue to believe that a hard-and-fast mandatory rule for deplaning passengers will have substantial unintended consequences, leading to even more inconvenience for passengers and, ultimately, more flight cancellations," Castelveter says.

Airlines have spent a lot of money to improve service, he says, "including the use of new technology, the purchase of the most modern aircraft and facility improvement projects."

But passenger-rights groups — and now business groups — are saying they cannot count on the airlines to solve the delays, and Congress must step in and force the airlines to let passengers off planes.

Congress must set 'clear standard'

Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org says three should be the maximum number of hours before a passenger is allowed off a plane, but many members of her group wonder if the limit should be one or two hours.

"Why in the USA do we even have to ask for a three-hour limit on the ground in a sealed, hot, sweaty metal tube?" she asks. "We thought this country was founded on freedom — freedom to move, freedom to breathe, freedom to eat and drink and have hygienic toilet facilities."

The Business Travel Coalition, which for years has testified at congressional hearings in support of airlines remedying the tarmac-delay problem on their own, now agrees with FlyersRights.org. The two groups have scheduled a Sept. 22 conference in Washington to discuss the issue.

About 80% of the respondents to the coalition's survey, many of whom handle travel for Fortune 500 firms, said the airlines haven't made a compelling case against the legislation.

It was the Aug. 7 delay in Rochester, in which the passengers were held on the Continental Express jet for 5½ hours, that turned the National Business Travel Association around. The association, which represents about 4,200 corporate travel departments and suppliers, had previously taken the position that the airlines should solve the problem.

In July, the American Society of Travel Agents reversed course and urged Congress to act "in the face of continuing delays and the evident lack of concrete efforts on the part of airlines to create a meaningful solution."

Paul Ruden, the society's senior vice president, was on a Transportation Department task force last year that recommended airlines establish time limits at each airport for letting passengers off planes.

But that hasn't worked, he says, and Congress now needs to set "a clear standard for the airlines to follow."

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