Although planning professionals expect an increase in the number of business meetings in 2012, they predict them to be shorter, smaller, busier and closer to home, according to a survey recently released by the meetings and events division of American Express.   Among the findings from the meeting planners, buyers and hotel suppliers who were [...]

In an anti-austerity protest timed to coincide with today’s meeting of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium’s first general strike in almost two decades has shut down public transportation, rail networks and Charleroi Airport, a hub for Ryanair and other low-cost carriers. Though most flights at Brussels’ airport are still operating, Reuters reports, the Eurostar [...]

Hope those in the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex can join us….http://www.cvent.com/events/site-texas-2012-kick-off-event-2011-in-our-rearview-and-the-2012-road-ahead-rosewood-mansion-on-turt/invitation-39b92fa8edf84e37825bdd73b10445e2.aspx?i=d28b88b4-17fa-4e57-bc7a-0ea5c7d36751

The last time John Sileo took his daughter to Disney World, it ended up costing much more than he expected.   Identity theft expert John Sileo had his credit card number stolen during a trip to lecture the Treasury Department on how to avoid identity theft.   When he returned to his hotel after a [...]

In what could be fodder for a flight from hell – or potential membership in the Mile High Club – KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is launching a “meet and seat” service early next year that will let passengers tap their social media accounts and pick seatmates based on similar interests. Dutch airline KLM     [...]

  Passenger checkpoint: San Francisco International Airport is one of 17 airports that use private companies to provide screening workers   As complaints swirl around the Transportation Security Administration, some airports and lawmakers want to hire private baggage screeners under a program the TSA administrator is reluctant to expand. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., wants more [...]

Anyone who has flown recently knows the drill: Power down your electronics before takeoff. But is it totally necessary?   Millions of Americans who got on a plane over the Thanksgiving holiday heard the admonition: “Please power down your electronic devices for takeoff.”   And absolutely everyone obeyed. I know they did because no planes [...]

UPDATE: 1 p.m.   The BBC has a nice FAQ to help people prepare for Wednesday’s strikes. In particular interest to travelers (and their agents), the site says that if delays occur, airlines must offer food and drink to passengers, and accommodation if necessary. But, the site adds, there will be no extra compensation because [...]

Airline passengers’ security complaints against the Transportation Security Administration have dropped to their lowest level since such data was first tracked.   So says Bloomberg News, which writes “consumer complaints about the TSA last month were down 59% from a May 2004 peak. In September, they dipped to 1,418, the lowest since record-keeping began seven [...]

  Famed event planner Colin Cowie has designed a signature series of destination-wedding decor for Palace Resorts. Here’s one of the looks.   The Colin Cowie Wedding Collection, a series of eight themed I-dos starting at $1,500, will be offered at Palace Resorts Mexico properties and Hard Rock Hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Puerto [...]