The Transportation Security Administration is plagued by significant problems, a congressional report said Wednesday on the 10th anniversary of Congress creating the agency.   According to the report “A Decade Later: A Call for TSA Reform,” the problems include: A bloated bureaucracy with 65,000 workers. An ineffective agency with 25,000 security breaches in the last [...]

  The Mandarin Oriental Singapore overlooks Marina Bay, a popular dining district.   Forbes Travel Guide has crowned its new five-star winners in the hospitality industry, bringing the total to 57 hotels, 25 restaurants, and 30 spas.   The newbies include five hotels, four restaurants and nine spas. Among the big winners: the Mandarin Oriental, [...]

U.S. travelers who plan and book trips online are more likely to be early adopters of new technology, more likely to own a smartphone and take about three leisure trips a year, according to new research.   “The appetite for new technology is often coupled with a strong appetite for travel,” said Carroll Rheem, director [...]

  Transportation security officer Elba Aquirre stands in the a security scanner at the Natrona County International Airport during a demonstration on Oct. 31, 2011 in Casper, Wyo. The machine uses electromagnetic waves to look for any hidden devices made of metallic as well as non-metallic materials.   The Transportation Security Administration plans to expand [...]

For travelers caught in a natural disaster, the best thing to do is to heed local authorities. Then contact the local consulate or embassy.     Bad things can happen to good travelers. And while these worst-case scenarios are just that — things that could throw you for a serious loop, but most likely won’t [...]

A traveler sleeps on a baggage carousel at Midway Airport after flights were canceled during a snowstorm in the early morning hours of December 9, 2005, in Chicago.     When technology consultant Steve McHargue travels to Panama on business, his biggest complaint is the airport where he frequently gets delayed.   “If I came [...]

    Seasoned road warriors have their insider secrets, from that quiet place to get a beer or massage during a layover, to where to get a spray tan in London. But, when plans change quickly, you don’t have time to read FlyerTalk or call your brother-in-law: Your flight was late, and you have only [...]

The Department of Homeland Security is recruiting hotel guests to join the fight against terrorism.   Starting today, the welcome screens on 1.2 million hotel television sets in Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn and other hotels in the USA will show a short public service announcement from DHS. The 15-second spot encourages viewers to be [...]

  Muffins hit the news in the last week when it was alleged that a government agency paid $16 per muffin at a conference in a Hilton hotel. Hilton says it wasn’t true. Above, a chocolate muffin from Au Bon Pain, which also does not cost $16.   Justice Department auditors on Friday corrected the [...]

The upcoming winter 2011/2012 season, five brand new “super yachts” will be making their inaugural Caribbean sail and available for charter through BURGESS.   This debut lineup features some impressive vessels, including HEMISPHERE, the world’s largest sailing catamaran and NUMPTIA, an Italian-designed masterpiece, and YOGI, BATON ROUGE, and ROXANNE, three luxurious “floating homes.”   Whether [...]