FOXNews.com: Families feel the squeeze as more airlines adopt kid-free zones

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Families feel the squeeze as more airlines adopt kid-free zones Aug 29th 2013, 11:08 They may be little, but more airlines are placing big restrictions on kids.  Last week Singapore Airlines' budget carrier Scoot Airlines introduced its "ScootinSilence" section.  For $14, travelers can sit in an area free of children under 12 years old, with legroom four inches greater than those in economy class. Two other airlines, Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia X, already ban kids on certain rows or sections on some flights.  "As a parent of small children, I wouldn't like that my tax dollars would subsidize an airline that would then ban my kids and thus me from taking a vacation. I also don't want to be banned from first class nor extra leg room seats." - Doug Peterson, frequent flier and father of three So far, no U.S.-based airlines have announced any plans to follow the trend in Asia. But as airlines introduce an ever-growing number of fees on everything from bags to beverages, the Scoot's fee-based quiet zone raises the question as to whether we could see airlines kicking kids and their families out of premium economy or first class seats here in the U.S. Jami Counter, senior director for SeatGuru.com, a website that summarizes aircraft information for travelers, says he would be surprised to see a kid-free zone here in the States. He says the aircraft bodies that fly most domestic routes are too small, the public outcry would be too loud and government regulations likely wouldn't let the concept take off. Frequent flier and father of three, Doug Peterson, travels weekly to New York City from Salt Lake City for business. He says he'd oppose airlines enforcing restrictions on where kids can sit on planes, and notes that in his travels, he rarely sees children misbehaving. "As a parent of small children, I wouldn't like that my tax dollars would subsidize an airline that would then ban my kids and thus me from taking a vacation," Peterson said. "I also don't want to be banned from first class nor extra leg room seats." Still, some people say they wish they had the option. "This poor little kid kept crying and crying," said frequent traveler Blake Flow of California. "I felt terrible for him, but after one hour I said to myself, 'I would pay more to not have to hear this.'"   Even some parents think they could benefit from others upgrading. "I think it's brilliant marketing," said Bonnie Overly, a mother of three from Salt Lake City. "I've spent some of the worst days of my life wrangling kids on a plane or a train, having them cry no matter what I do, and having all the people around me make flat-out rude, judgmental, and horrible comments about my lack of parenting skills. If these people had had the option of a kid-free cabin, we all would have been happier." These attitudes reflect a growing consensus in the U.S. A recent Harris Interactive poll showed that 63 percent of people surveyed said they would rather sit next to a crying baby than a smelly adult. Yet, the question remains if cost-conscious Americans would actually pay to sit in a kid-free zone. Erin Gifford, family travel expert and the founder of Kidventurous.com, says she wouldn't pay for the upgrade if traveling without her four children because she doubts you'd get what you pay for. "The airlines may then find themselves with a bigger headache in the form of a section of grumbling adults ringing their call buttons because they can still hear the crying baby just a few rows behind the kid-free zone," Gifford said. CURRENT SEATING PROBLEMS FOR FAMILIES The move by Scoot and other airlines reflects larger changes in the airline industry that are making it increasingly difficult for families to sit together on an aircraft.  Securing seats together for a family is almost as difficult as finding a deal on airfare these days, since many airlines offer preferred economy seating and planes are flying with fewer open seats. "From a personal point of view, I can't believe people aren't more upset about this," said Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, the managing editor of family travel booking site, MiniTime.com. "On principle, I think you should be able to sit with your children without having to pay extra... It adds an incredible layer of stress for the parent and the child not to be seated with people they know." DREAMS OF FRIENDLIER SKIES As a solution, Counter says, instead of having a kid -free zone, airlines should create a family-friendly zone at the back of the plane, where they would be closer to restrooms and flight attendants if the kids need more snacks or drinks. Now, families with younger children are forced to be proactive about getting seats together right when booking, or run the risk of having their 3-year-old sit with strangers. "Definitely shop ahead, look at seats early, look at the seat maps, and see where they can be together," Counter said. Even if the airlines charged a fee for a family friendly flight experience, some parents say they'd be happy to buy a less stressful travel adventure. "The irony of all of this is that if the airlines put a little more thought into the needs of flying families - more legroom, bassinets, snacks, especially a 'family zone' on an airplane - (then) more families would probably fly and be happily segregated from other travelers," said Shanna Farnsworth, a New York City resident and mother of two. "Everyone's annoyances would be solved." While parents dream of kid-friendly seating, experts say a little bit of sensitivity and understanding can go a long way until their wish comes true. "As a mother that's flown many times with babies and small children, I can tell you that moms and dads are doing their very best to keep their children from crying," Gifford said. "It's a hard situation, particularly when the seatbelt sign is on and you can't get up to try to bounce or soothe your child in the aisle."

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FOXNews.com: Taking the Kids -- to Nantucket when the crowds are gone

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Taking the Kids -- to Nantucket when the crowds are gone Aug 30th 2013, 13:16 Then you're ready to explore the island of  Nantucket. Thirty miles off the coast of Massachusetts,  Nantucket  is as famous for its more than 30 miles of bike trails around the island -- you see adults and kids with bikes everywhere -- as for its 80 miles of spectacular beaches. Nantucket  is the only place in the country where an island, a county and a town all share the same name. "You can bike everywhere and everyone is really nice," said John McGlainn, 14, who has been spending summers here where his grandmother lives since he was a baby. "You can have more freedom here than at home," he added. "Very safe and kid-friendly," agreed  Leah Bayer, who arrived on  Nantucket  to teach school more than 40 years ago and never left. Now she runs Aunt Leah's Fudge shop that tempts kids and adults alike with free samples. The island of  Nantucket  -- just 14 miles east to west and 3.5 miles north to south -- is that rare place that is prettier than a postcard with its picturesque weathered gray shingle houses, roses climbing white picket fences and cobblestone streets. It offers a unique combination of history (the island literally was the center of the 19th-century whaling industry, as you can learn at the excellent Nantucket Historical Association Whaling Museum, beaches and good eats with more than 50 restaurants from which to choose. (Sample some of the best with specially-priced dinners during restaurant week Sept. 30 to Oct. 6) and outdoor fun (kayak, fish or sail). After the decline of the whaling industry in the late 19th century, Nantucket  began to attract well-heeled tourists, including artists and theater people from  New York . Today, tourism fuels the island's economy, swelling the population from 10,000 most of the year to as many as 60,000 in the summer. That's one reason locals say fall is the best time to visit, when the summer crowds are gone but it's still warm enough for the beach and there are special festivals like the Cranberry Festival (Oct. 5) when you can watch the berries being harvested as they have been since the 1850s. A little trivia: Nantucket  is the only place in the country where an island, a county and a town all share the same name. Many also don't know that two of the ships carrying the cargo of tea thrown overboard during the Boston Tea Party were built and owned by an affluent  Nantucket  family. Nantucket, which means "far-away place" in the native Wampanoag language, was home to generations of whaling captains who would leave with their crews for years at a stretch in search of sperm whales. Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" is based on the  Essex, a Nantucket  whaling ship that was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820. Check out the 46-foot sperm whale skeleton and the fully rigged whaleboat at the museum. Today, some of the ship captains' beautiful homes are bed and breakfasts; others are private summer homes. There are no traffic lights or fast food here. The entire island is a designated National Historic Landmark. We stayed in The Veranda House, comprised of three historic buildings -- 32 rooms in all -- that is literally walking distance to everywhere from The Ferry to the Whaling Museum  to bike shops and restaurants. (FYI, kids must be 10 to stay here; most families who come opt to rent homes instead. Another time we brought our pooch and stayed happily at the pet and kid-friendly Cottages and Lofts right at Nantucket Harbor . And because there is just one main town on the island -- and shuttle bus service all around the island -- you can get along fine without a car, hopping the hour-long Fast Ferry from  Hyannis . (We came on Hy-Line. There's also The Steamship Authority. Fares are a little more than  $70  roundtrip for adults, significantly less for kids. The Veranda House and its sister property Chapman House are offering a special package that includes special rates and two complimentary ferry passes for a three-night stay. Even a broken bike chain in the middle of a 25-mile ride on the popular Polpis Bike path and a lost cell phone couldn't keep us from having a good time. "It seems everyone comes here and is happy. They leave their worries on the mainland," says waitress Trishana Strachan , who served us oysters at the  Brant Point Grill overlooking the harbor. Cook's Cycle Shop not only brought us a new bike to the other end of the island in Sconset, but also only charged us for one rental. That certainly left us smiling. So did the three-course complimentary breakfast outdoors on the porch of the Veranda House overlooking the gardens and dinners at CRU known for its seafood and views of the water and Oran Mor Bistro spread out across three rooms in a historic Nantucket  home. Both places were hosting families, as well as couples. Teens and tweens congregate on what's called "The Strip" of Broad Street  which offers the Juice Bar for pizza and ice cream -- the lines are often out the door -- and Stubby's for a sandwich or fries. Families with younger kids congregate at Jetties Beach and Children's Beach, both protected by Nantucket Sound. Everyone we meet has a story of why they are here -- the owner of the bike shop whose mother is descended from a whaling family; the young mother who has vacationed here ever since she was a baby; the fudge-making retired teacher, even the owners of the Veranda House who arrived 20 years ago from  Pittsburgh on vacation, and decided to make inn keeping on Nantucket  their second act, said  Dale Hamilton. Now his 30-year-old daughter Hillary is managing the Veranda House. "Nantucket  isn't a drive-by place," says Hamilton. "It takes a commitment to get here." That just adds to the appeal. The hardest part -- after deciding what to do each day -- is leaving. Eileen Ogintz is a syndicated columnist and writes about family travel on her Taking the Kids blog, and is the author of the new series of Kid's Guide to NYC, Orlando and the just released Washington, DC  from Globe Pequot Press.

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FOXNews.com: Great America to build fastest wooden coaster

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Great America to build fastest wooden coaster Aug 29th 2013, 12:41 GURNEE, Ill. –  Six Flags Great America says a new wooden roller coaster it plans to build will be the fastest such ride in the world, sending thrill-seekers barreling over the tracks at up to 72 mph. The theme park north of Chicago says it'll break two other records for wooden coasters: It will have the tallest drop at 180 feet and the steepest drop at 85 degrees.  "Six Flags Great America is known for introducing record-breaking and first-of-its-kind roller coasters," said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America park president. "Goliath will be unmatched — setting not only one, but three world records and featuring two inversions. All of the ride elements, including an 85-degree plunge down the tallest drop on a wooden roller coaster, make Goliath the most extreme wooden roller coaster in the world." Advances in technology have made it possible for wooden roller coasters to ramp up its speeds and inversions --or features that send riders up-side-down.  Deemed the "world's first upside-down, underground wooden roller coaster," Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin added stomach-churning inversions to its rebranded Hades 360. Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. added a new wooden coaster with inversions named "Outlaw Run" with not one, but two barrel rolls. Construction on Great America's Goliath begins this fall, and it is scheduled to open in spring of 2014. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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FOXNews.com: Tramway planned for Machu Picchu's 'sister city'

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Tramway planned for Machu Picchu's 'sister city' Aug 28th 2013, 12:29 The ruined city known as the "cradle of gold" was once a mountaintop refuge of Incan royalty, with elegant halls and plazas much like those of fabled Macchu Picchu just 30 miles (50 kilometers away). Yet only a handful of tourists visit each day, those willing to make a two-day hike to reach its majestic solitude. That is about to change: The national government has approved what will be Peru's first aerial tramway. Bridging the deep canyon of the Apurimac River, it will make Choquequirao reachable in just 15 minutes from the nearest highway. The 3-mile (5-kilometer) long cable car is designed to whiz 400 people an hour in each direction a half mile (nearly a kilometer) above the river. The president of the Apurimac state government, Elias Segovia, anticipates the $45 million tramway will bring about 3,000 tourists a day after it opens in late 2015. "This is going to generate tourist services. It will generate great investment" in hotels, restaurants and other amenities, he says. The idea is to shift some of the tourist burden from Machu Picchu, where authorities have a limit of 2,500 daily visitors and where reservations are now required for people who wish to hike the famed Inca Trail to the ruins. Currently, most visitors to Choquequirao must fly to Cuzco, the former Inca imperial capital, and then drive four hours on mountain roads prone to landslides and flooding. Then it's another 12 to 16 hours on foot. It's little wonder Choquequirao (CHO-kay-keer-ow) gets only about five visitors a day. "When we went there it was the two of us and the two rangers," said Jeff Widman, a 27-year-old Internet entrepreneur from Menlo Park, California, who trekked there with his wife, and continued on to Machu Picchu. Choquequirao, which means "cradle of gold" in Quechua, is believed to be the last refuge of Incan rulers who fled Cuzco after its leader Manco Inca was defeated by Spanish conquistadors. It is draped over the fold of a lesser mountain in the shadow of Salcantay peak, surrounded at 9,950 feet (3030 meters) by steep precipices. Its buildings and irrigation canals meticulously hewn into rock are as well-preserved as those of Machu Picchu, its "top-of-the-world" views equally spectacular. Only about 30 percent of Choquequirao has been cleared for tourism. The rest, for now, remains covered in vegetation. David Ugarte, regional director of culture in Cuzco, predicts the tramway will open up to broader tourism not just Choquequirao but also other archaeological sites in the region. It is the first of 24 that President Ollanta Humala envisions building in each of Peru's states to boost tourism. Not everyone is happy about it. Arturo Almiron, of the travel agency Tours a Cuzco, believes it will put off a certain kind of tourist who wants to be thrown back spiritually to the epoch when the city was the Inca capital, to watch condors soar in the quiet stillness of untrammeled hills. "Cuzco's very character is in the preservation of its historical center and archaeological sites," he said. "If we build a tramway, that preservation is altered. A touch of modernity is added that isn't very attractive. Authenticity is lost." Mandy Kalitsis of Toronto, operations manager for the Cuzco-based Apus-Peru tour company, acknowledged the site "will lose some of its charm." "But as long as the government manages (the tramway) properly, I think it can bring some good into the area," said Kalitsis, whose company organizes treks to Choquequirao. Peru's Housing Ministry and Apurimac's regional government are about to begin taking bids for construction. Companies from Switzerland and Andorra have already expressed interest.

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FOXNews.com: Holiday trips on hold because of Sierra fire

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Holiday trips on hold because of Sierra fire Aug 30th 2013, 12:22 With the last big travel weekend of the summer arriving, some nervous tourists are keeping an eye on the huge Sierra Nevada wildfire, wondering whether it will interfere with their travel plans to destinations like Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. Those who keep their hard-to-get Labor Day lodging reservations in Yosemite will enjoy a pleasant surprise: stunning views of the towering granite icons Half Dome and El Capitan with less of the usual holiday congestion. The park has seen some reservation cancellations and some nearby mountain communities have had a serious drop-off in business due to the 311-square-mile Rim Fire, which was 33 percent contained late Thursday. More than 20,000 acres of the fire are along the northern edge of the national park. But 20 miles upwind in Yosemite Valley, the sky is clear and not even the scent of smoke is in the air. Park officials expect about 3,000 cars a day to pass through gates this weekend instead of the nearly 5,000 that might typically show on the holiday. Most of the missing will be day tourists, not folks who have waited months and even years for a campsite along the Merced River or a room at the historic Ahwahnee Lodge. "We've had minimal cancellations, and when we do we fill them immediately," said park spokesman Scott Gediman. "The campsites are full and there are plenty of people, but because of the publicity we're slower." It's a familiar pattern of panic, cancellation and rebooking in the rugged national park that has been shaped by all manner of disaster. In years past, when boulders tumbling from 3,000-foot granite monoliths have sent tourists scrambling, or when a mouse-borne illness killed tent cabin guests, cancellations poured in. But the park never has enough lodging for the 4 million tourists who visit annually, so vacant rooms rarely go unfilled for long. That's not the case in nearby Groveland, a scenic Gold Rush community along a road that carries 2.2 million cars into the park every year. Early on, fire tore along Highway 120, forcing its closure and cutting off the town's lifeblood. Since then, the historic hamlet has been the dateline on scores of ominous news stories describing the inferno that has long since chewed its way north. The notoriety has taken a toll. "I laid off all my girls" Wednesday, said Laura Jensen, owner of the Firefall Coffee Roasting Co. "This has totally drained us. It's like winter when we slow down and take care of the locals, but this should be our busiest time of the year." The Iron Door Saloon, which calls itself the oldest in California, also laid off employees this week, as did the Hotel Charlotte, a 1920s boutique hotel on Main Street. "I've had $20,000 worth of cancellations in the past few days," said Doug Edwards, who owns the hotel with his wife, Jen. "It's fear-driven. People don't want to drive on a road that looks like Hiroshima or Nagasaki." Making matters worse for Groveland was Thursday's fire-forced cancellation of the Strawberry Music Festival, which draws 20,000 bluegrass lovers to town every Labor Day weekend. "We're coming into the crescendo of our season," Edwards said. "Our hotel should be completely full." The impact is being felt as far north as Lake Tahoe, where thick smoke settled this week in the alpine basin that draws outdoor enthusiast from around the world, affecting everything from hotel reservations to bicycle rentals. The sky was clear Thursday, but tourists had yet to come back. "It has dropped off drastically the past week," said Travis McCoy of Camp Richardson Mountain Sports Center on the lake's south shore. His usual rental income of up to $3,000 daily has fallen to less than $500. Some hotels and motels at South Lake Tahoe were experiencing as much as a 10 percent to 20 percent drop in business, with less of an impact at larger hotel-casino properties, said Carol Chaplin, executive director Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. But she said there were signs of improvement as the holiday weekend neared. "We've got blue skies. We've got the lake back. It's the best it has been in a week," she said. Harrah's Lake Tahoe fielded some weekend cancelations, but not an unusually large number, spokesman John Packer said Thursday. "It's a vast improvement this morning — just a huge improvement — particularly compared to Tuesday when it was one of the thicker days," said Packer, who noted that 6,000 tickets have been sold for a Friday night outdoor concert by Brad Paisley. Air quality also showed some improvement along the Eastern Sierra just east of Lake Tahoe and in Reno, Nev. At least 31 wildfires are burning in eight Western states, and only two are contained. The Rim Fire started Aug. 17 and quickly became the sixth-largest California wildfire on record. Its progression slowed earlier this week but it will burn for months.

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FOXNews.com: Alaska stiffens rules on cruise ship shopping guides

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Alaska stiffens rules on cruise ship shopping guides Aug 27th 2013, 20:23 Shopping guides aboard cruise ships that come to Alaska have new rules to abide by, following complaints that they were misleading passengers and smearing local stores. The state earlier this year agreed to a $200,000 settlement with the three Florida-based companies that put port lecturers on Alaska cruise ships, Onboard Media, Royal Media Partners and the PPI Group. The companies run shopping programs and pay cruise lines to have their employees — known as "port lecturers" — on board the ship, Alaska Public Radio Network (APRN) reported. As part of the settlement, the companies did not have to admit any wrongdoing, but they did have to start requiring that port lecturers disclose they didn't work for cruise lines and are engaged in advertising. The agreement also barred them from bashing stores that don't participate in the program or making misleading statements about sale prices and return policies. Ed Sniffen, an assistant state attorney general who handles consumer-protection issues, said local businesses had been upset, and passengers also were complaining that they were being ripped off. "'Hey, I bought this diamond at this shop, and they told me that it was a two-karat something, and I paid $20,000 for it. When I got it back home and had it appraised, it was really only worth $5,000.' You know, some of those kinds of things," he said. Though port lecturers are found on cruises around the world, Alaska is the first place to crack down on their employers. None of the major cruise lines that operate in Alaska responded to emails from APRN asking about their relationships with port lecturers. Royal Media Partners and the PPI Group also did not respond. Noelle Sipos, a spokeswoman with Onboard Media, told APRN in an email that the settlement "simply formalized policies that Onboard Media has always followed." She said the company is complying with all Alaska rules, but not applying those elsewhere. The state attorney general's office is reviewing about 70 recordings of port lecturers in action. Sniffen said things aren't suddenly perfect, but most of the response so far — since the new rules have taken effect — has been good. "What we're hearing is that generally things are better. That things have gotten a little cleaner," he said. "Passengers aren't saying the things that they used to say." Cindy Dollar was given a shopping map, coupons and a tote bag before getting off her cruise ship. The tourist from Texas said there's constant pressure to spend. "I mean, if you let yourself, you can be barraged with the whole shopping experience on the ship," she said. It appeared to her that port lecturers are following state rules, putting disclaimers on promotional materials, and reading from scripts that describe their presentations as marketing.

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FOXNews.com: Cedar Point theme park announces new rides

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Cedar Point theme park announces new rides Aug 27th 2013, 12:55 SANDUSKY, Ohio –  Cedar Point amusement park in northern Ohio says its new rides--part of the line up of the park's new thrills next year--will include one that blends features of a spinning thrill ride and a roller coaster. The ride, called Pipe Scream, seats passengers in a carriage that spins horizontally as it rolls along the hills of a wavy, 300-foot track at a maximum height of 43 feet above the midway and top speed of 43 MPH. A second addition to the Sandusky park's midway will carry riders in eight suspended carriages and simulate flight. Called Lake Erie Eagles, it will send visitors more than 28 feet above the ground. These rides are part of the park's planned updates for next year, which also includes changes to rides in a family-focused area. The kid-friendly ride Frog Hopper will be relocated to family-focused Camp Snoopy section of the park and re-themed as Woodstock's Airmail. Also, the Jr. Gemini roller coaster will be renamed Wilderness Run and its entrance will be moved into Camp Snoopy. Cedar Point also said its two-year renovation project to Hotel Breakers will begin this winter and be carried out in two phases. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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FOXNews.com: Pilot photographs amazing views from the cockpit

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Pilot photographs amazing views from the cockpit Aug 27th 2013, 11:45 Forget spending your workday in a windowless, view-obstructed office. How about spending it airborne, with a nearly 180-degree view of the ever-changing, limitless skyline? For Karim Nafatni, this is just one of his job's perks. As a commercial pilot based in Dubai, Nafatni gets to witness epic, dramatic vistas and landscapes on a daily basis and lucky for us, he also happens to capture these stunning moments on camera. "Having the chance to witness all those amazing views from the cockpit, I thought that it would be very interesting to share those moments with the less fortunate," says Nafatni, who is a pilot for the international airline, Air Arabia. Nafatni's eye-popping photos give viewers a rare glimpse into the cockpit since, as Nafatni mentions, passengers are forbidden from entering the flight deck nowadays and the views that they do catch are reduced ones provided by the "frustrating little windows next to them." Although Nafatni has been a pilot for the past 13 years, he didn't start taking pictures from the skies until about a year ago. With a Nikon D300S camera in hand, Nafatni takes most of his panoramic photos from the cockpit of an Airbus A320. As for inspiration, he looks within.   "Most of the time I do let my emotions and feelings guide me and let the shot come to me rather then pushing for it to happen," says Nafatni. Nafatni's emotions seem to be steering him right. His online portfolio has racked in over a million views so far and while most appreciate the photos, some question whether it's safe for a pilot to take pictures while on duty. Nafatni emphasizes that today, the use of computers in aircrafts reduces a great deal of a pilot's workload (not to mention, human error), allowing pilots more time to be "mentally and physically busy with the primary flying tasks." "Beside that, there is always a pilot sitting at his station, no matter what, just to be able to recover if anything goes wrong," Nafatni adds. So without further ado, here are ten of Nafatni's incredible photos that will give you a glimpse into the way Nafatni sees the world.

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FOXNews.com: Sky over MetLife Stadium a focus for Super Bowl

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Sky over MetLife Stadium a focus for Super Bowl Aug 26th 2013, 02:16 NEWARK, N.J. –  While one burning question looms over the run-up to Super Bowl — Will it snow? — at least as much attention is being focused behind the scenes on how to safely and efficiently move tens of thousands of people in and around MetLife Stadium. Over it, too. MetLife Stadium sits within a few miles of Teterboro Airport to the north and several miles from Newark Liberty Airport to the south. Those are two of the four hubs that help make the New York-New Jersey metro area the most congested airspace in the country. Newark Liberty and New York's LaGuardia and JFK airports handled a combined 109 million passengers last year. At certain times of the day, planes serving both Newark and Teterboro fly over the stadium complex every few minutes. Add hundreds more private jets that figure to arrive in the days leading up to the Super Bowl and the airspace could become even more crowded. That won't be the case during the game, however, when the Federal Aviation Administration will create a temporary flight restriction over MetLife Stadium. The FAA didn't offer details on that this week, but judging by previous Super Bowls, it figures to include a no-fly zone restricting all private, non-commercial aircraft from flying within several miles of the stadium beginning a few hours before the game and lasting for a few hours after. Scheduled commercial flights haven't been disrupted during previous Super Bowls and likely wouldn't be this time. Unlike Newark, Teterboro handles mostly private jets and could be the most affected, both by the increased traffic leading up to the game and the restrictions after the game that could create a bottleneck of flights getting out of town. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Teterboro and Newark Liberty, is consulting with airports in cities that have hosted previous Super Bowls and will require private aircraft to use a reservation system to land at Teterboro during Super Bowl week. The airport's voluntary ban on flights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., instituted several years ago in response to residents' noise concerns, will remain in effect during that time, Port Authority spokesman Ron Marsico said. Then there's the challenge of where to put all those planes once they are on the ground. Ray Adams, head of the air traffic controllers' union at Newark Liberty, said the airport could shut down some sections and use them to park aircraft. Adams said private aircraft departing after the game could have to reserve slots ahead of time. No-fly zones over major sporting events have become commonplace since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., and they have been employed at all Super Bowls since 2002. They have encompassed airspace up to 18,000 feet and can extend from prohibiting all private aircraft from an area a few miles around a stadium to a 30-mile radius in which aircraft must keep in constant contact with controllers. The airspace around Super Bowls has been patrolled by Air Force F-16 fighter jets and other aircraft operating under the auspices of Homeland Security. There have been isolated instances over the years in which private planes have violated restrictions inadvertently and were intercepted and landed without incident.

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FOXNews.com: Hurricane season survival guide for cruisers

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Hurricane season survival guide for cruisers Aug 26th 2013, 11:45 "You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?" That's the question Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry asked a wounded bank robber as he weighed the possibility of his escape in the classic crime thriller "Dirty Harry."  That question could also be posed to anyone who books a cruise during the notorious Atlantic hurricane season. However, despite all the hype, the risks of sailing during this season are actually fairly limited. Hurricane season spans six months and dozens of cruise ships sail from a variety of ports in that zone throughout those months. The chance of your cruise being affected by a storm is quite minimal. Still, it's important to know what you're getting into so here is FoxNews.com's hurricane season survival guide for cruisers. "Choose an itinerary that heads as far into the southern Caribbean as possible, especially if your cruise is in the late summer or early fall." - Sherry Laskin, travel writer and cruise expert at CruiseMaven.com. When is hurricane season? The Atlantic hurricane season spans six months: June 1 through November 30. While hurricanes can crop up outside of that time period, it's rare. Hurricanes also occur in the Eastern Pacific and can get in the way of cruises along the Mexican Riviera between May 15 and November 30. Hurricanes can sock Hawaii too, and its season also runs from June through November, with storms more likely between July and September (although it's been 21 years since the last devastating storm—Hurricane Iniki—hit Hawaii's Kauai island). If you're traveling to the southern hemisphere, say Australia or New Zealand, be aware of cyclones. Peak season Down Under is during March and April. Which regions in the Caribbean are in the hurricane zone? Atlantic hurricanes can wreak havoc on the Caribbean islands, the Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States—sometimes even as far north as New England and Canada. But, by and large, most tropical storms bear down on the Caribbean. Travelers should keep their eyes on the Eastern Caribbean, where hurricanes tend to be stronger than in the south. Mid-August through mid-September is peak hurricane time for the Eastern Caribbean, while the Western Caribbean's worst time of the year is mid-September through the beginning of November. Sherry Laskin, travel writer and cruise expert at CruiseMaven.com, counsels travelers to, "Choose an itinerary that heads as far into the southern Caribbean as possible, especially if your cruise is in the late summer or early fall." Islands like Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and Trinidad and Tobago are on the far edge of the hurricane zone and are not affected by tropical storms as often as islands farther north. East Pacific hurricanes hit the Pacific coast of Mexico. This region is the popular Mexican Riviera and includes ports like Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, and Ixtapa. So what are exactly are the risks of sailing during hurricane season? Travelers often have myriad questions about the risks of cruising during hurricane season. Here are a few issues people worry about. Is this ship safe? The most important thing to know about cruising during hurricane season is that no cruise line will willingly put you or its ship in danger. When faced with a hurricane in its path, a cruise ship simply alters its itinerary to sail around the bad weather. Of course, sometimes a vessel will still encounter rough seas, wind, and rain despite having changed course. Today's cruise ships are built to withstand the harshest environments and are equipped with instruments that help predict weather patterns. If a storm is brewing, you needn't worry. Your ship's captain will be watching it closely. Laskin agrees that cruisers shouldn't worry about rough seas. "Just go and enjoy. Know that your captain will steer as far away from any impending tropical event as possible. And who knows? You may even get an extra day on your cruise if your homeport is closed due to a hurricane." Will I get seasick?  The worst-case scenario is that you'll encounter rough seas and may battle seasickness. Not everyone gets green around the gills when the ship rocks and rolls, but if you usually do, board the ship prepared. Bring along items to treat motion sickness and dizziness like ginger candies, over the counter Bonine, or a prescription for meclizine or the Transderm Scop patch. If you do start to feel under the weather, be sure to eat something plain—like bread or crackers—and keep your eyes on the horizon. If things go downhill from there, you can always see the ship's doctor who can provide a shot of something like promethazine (phenergan) or hydroxyzine (vistaril) to combat your symptoms. Will the itinerary change?  Travelers may be disappointed to find out that if a cruise does adjust its itinerary due to a hurricane, passengers are not entitled to any compensation. In fact, when you book an itinerary you agree to the contract that says the cruise line can change the lineup of ports at will. It's rare that it happens, but cases of bad weather can mean certain ports are swapped for others, or that the order of calls is changed. That's why it's especially important to book refundable shore excursions when traveling during hurricane season. Know the lingo As your vacation approaches, watch the weather forecast to determine if inclement weather will be an issue. It's important to understand the distinction to various types of storms. For example, a tropical depression means the weather event has a sustained surface wind speed of 38mph or less. A tropical storm ups the ante with winds ranging between 39 and 73mph. A storm graduates to hurricane status when sustained surface winds reach 74mph or more. The National Hurricane Center maintains a glossary of hurricane-related terms that will help you make sense of any storm. Buy trip insurance or self-insure? You've learned all about hurricane season and have weighed the pros and cons of booking a trip. You decide to go for it. The next decision is whether to purchase trip insurance or self-insure the vacation --or in other words eat the cost if something goes awry. The answer to that question will depend on how cheap or expensive the cruise fare is and your personal level of risk tolerance. It's important to realize that most insurance policies won't cover your costs if you decide to preemptively cancel your cruise because the weather forecast looks dismal. Instead, the cruise will reimburse you if the trip is delayed (i.e., your flight to the embarkation port is delayed, causing you to miss the boat), interrupted, or outright cancelled. Laskin makes this suggestion for individuals who are really worried about the potential for a hurricane or bad storm: "Buy travel insurance that covers for "cancel for any reason," should you decide at the last minute to squash your cruise plans." These policies can be pricey, but may be right for certain situations. You can search for a variety of trip insurance policies at Insure My Trip or SquareMouth. Cruise lines also offer trip coverage, but you need to understand what you're actually buying. Carrie Finley-Bajak, editor of Cruise Buzz says, "Most people need to realize that cruse line insurance is good, but it does not cover everything door-to-door. Make sure to include all the travel dates on your policy from the time you leave home until the time of return. I especially like the insurance plans that offer concierge-like services. Having a personal assistant help travelers in need is very reassuring. Read the fine print before you purchase. What are the cancellation policies? How are pre-existing medical conditions defined? What's the payback time? What is refunded? Total cruise fare or just a future cruise credit?" The answers to these questions will help you select the policy that's right for your hurricane-season cruise. Travelers who don't buy insurance opt to self-insure. This may be the best way to go if the fare was extremely low and the transportation costs to the port are negligible. Best cruise values during hurricane season What cruise itineraries offer the best value during Atlantic hurricane season? Look for voyages to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and—to a lesser extent—Bermuda. Carnival, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean all offer Bahamas sailings out of embarkation ports like New York City, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Miami, Baltimore, Galveston, and Charleston. If you'd prefer a Caribbean voyage, look to Carnival, Disney, Pullmatur, or Royal Caribbean sailing out of Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, New Orleans, Galveston, San Juan, New York City, or Barbados. Deals during August and September are particularly sweet with per person per day fares as low as $45–$75. Andrea M. Rotondo, a New York City-based writer, specializes in exotic cruises, luxury travel, and leveraging frequent flyer miles and hotel loyalty points. She writes for a variety of publications, including her blog Luxury Travel Mavens.

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FOXNews.com: Argument for having a good, old fashioned travel agent

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Argument for having a good, old fashioned travel agent Aug 23rd 2013, 11:54 Here's an argument for having a good, old fashioned travel agent.   Royal Caribbean is coming under fire for allegedly leaving an elderly American man stranded in a hospital in Bartin, Turkey after he fell and broke his hip.  Dodge and Jill Melkonian, of Clearwater, Fla., were on an Azamara cruise, which is owned by Royal Caribbean, when Dodge fell and broke his hip requiring medical care that went beyond the capabilities of the ship's doctors. Tammy Levent, founder of Elite Travel, the couple's long-time travel agent, told Fox News that the ship's crew left them at a hospital in Bartin, where little English is spoken and, due to cultural rules, prohibits women inside the facility. She said that had it not been for her company's relationship with an in-country, English speaking tour guide, Okan Kutla, the couple would have been left to fend for themselves.  Kutla was able to act as a translator and arrange for Melkonian to be transferred to an American hospital in Istanbul.    "He is 89 years old with a broken hip," she said. "It was a government hospital, it was dirty. This hospital wasn't capable of doing the surgery." The hospital where Melkonian was transferred was able to perform the surgery, but now he's facing further medical procedures, including a blood transfusion.  But at $10,000 a day, the hospital tab is rising daily.    The Melkonians had travel insurance, but it was set up by Royal Caribbean because the couple had been on another Royal Caribbean cruise that had been damaged by fire.  This cruise was complementary as a result.  Levent says that ordinarily she would have recommended additional insurance but the couple couldn't get it because the cruise was free. Levent says the cruise line, that has been slow to respond, should pick up the growing costs incurred by the couple. Royal Caribbean, in a statement, said that it has been assisting the couple all along.  "Even though Mr. and Mrs. Melkonian had to leave the ship, we still provided assistance to them while in Turkey…the health and safety of all our guests is always our top priority.  We will continue to what we can to assist Mr. and Mrs. Melkonian, and we wish him a speedy recovery," said spokeswoman for Royal Caribbean, Cynthia Martinez. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson has been working to help bring the couple home safely, and a State Department official weighed in saying that the consulate general in Istanbul is in direct communication with them. Having a reliable travel agent, especially during crisis, can provide more than emotional support. A travel agent is the client's advocate and works with cruise insurance companies to coordinate travel arrangements, such as cruise rebookings and flights. But in the cases where insurance doesn't cover the cost emergency medical care, Levent says having an agent fighting for you is invaluable.

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FOXNews.com: Taking the Kids -- and reaching out and touching a penguin at Sea World Orlando

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Taking the Kids -- and reaching out and touching a penguin at Sea World Orlando Aug 23rd 2013, 13:07 Lunch will be served anytime now -- fresh fish -- and no one has to cook it. The adults are busy catching up while the kids swim and play, but this isn't any waterfront playground on a late summer day. This is a unique playground for penguins -- "Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins" -- the largest expansion ever at SeaWorld Orlando. Welcome to the home of 250 penguins from four different species: Gentoo is the large penguin with a white band on its head. They're the fastest penguins, capable of swimming 25 mph! King, the largest penguin in Antarctica, has a vivid orange patch on each side of its head and upper chest. They can dive up to 1,000 feet and hunt food together to protect themselves from predators. Adelie is the classic black-and-white penguin, navigating the ocean using the sun as a guide and Rockhoppers, with their distinctive red eyes, sometimes will leap three times their height out of the ocean to avoid predators. They got their name because they are often hopping from rock to rock. But before we meet the penguin colony, Puck, an animated Gentoo penguin, takes us on a penguin-eye tour of the South Pole. Some of the "glaciers" are 50 feet tall, and the icicles were hand blown (of Pyrex) to exactly replicate the clarity of the ice in Antarctica. It took nearly 400 designers, craftsmen, animators, a symphony orchestra, penguin experts, scenic and lighting designers, as well as ride experts to conceive and build "Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins." (Even the computerized light system is adjusted to simulate sunrise and sunset in Antarctica. That means if you come in December, it will be bright 20 hours a day.) Just as Puck, on screen, waddles and slides on the ice, we do the same in our "car" looking at the caverns he is taking refuge in from a blizzard -- giant icicles, glowing blue glaciers. "That was the best part," said 6-year-old Andrew Coit, visiting with his family from New Orleans. "And then we got to see real penguins." The penguin habitat mimics Antarctica with wind, snow and cold water, and on the behind-the-scenes tour, we learn it takes some 400 pounds of fish to feed them every day. Come in fall, and you may get to see penguin nests and maybe even baby penguins in the fall. And until Dec. 20 you can do it for less money. Weekday tickets to SeaWorld and to Busch Gardens Tampa are $50 for adults and kids (as compared to $89 for adults and $81 for children). For an additional $25, guests may add a day's visit to Aquatica Orlando with the purchase of the SeaWorld Orlando Weekday ticket, or add a day's visit to Adventure Island in Tampa with the purchase of the Busch Gardens Tampa Weekday Ticket. There are other pluses to visiting Orlando in fall: It's Orlando's "Deal Season" with hotels as low as $64 a night. For example, the all-suites Nick Suites Resorts (www.nickhotel.com) is offering up to 40 percent off during that time frame while Disney resorts are touting 30 percent off certain weeks and a free dining plan. Kudos to the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin, which doesn't limit kids to the kids' menu with their kids-eat-free (under 10) deal that's part of the resort's Love Your Family package that also includes special Mickey Vision glasses to watch the fireworks (think Mickey appearing in the lights). Rates start at just $139. It's also cooler in Orlando in the fall and rides like the new SeaWorld attraction won't require hour-long waits. (Stay at a SeaWorld partner hotel and you can get in an hour early.) Whatever the temperature, you'll want a sweatshirt at this exhibit, advised Cassie Meitzler, who was here with a 5 year old. Her son had a hard time tolerating the 30-degree temperatures for more than a few minutes, even with the penguins right in front of him. You can opt for a "wild ride" with Puck, which really isn't that wild. Kids just need to be 42 inches tall. Even toddlers can ride on the milder version, as long as they can sit up and be strapped in the seat belt. "Really fun!" said 11-year-old Bethanie Brown, who was visiting from a neighboring Florida town. She said she and her two friends entertained each other during the long wait. "I've never seen penguins this close before," she said. "They're really cute!" There are lessons about climate change along the way. Did you know 90 percent of our planet's ice is found in Antarctica, but that it is melting at an alarming rate? Check out the tri-level viewing area and watch the penguins play in the deep water. (It's not as freezing here!) The idea is that as we go from warm to freezing temperature, we better understand the unpredictable and harsh environment penguins grapple with constantly. How can you not love the penguins? They live in one of the harshest environments in the world, yet work together to survive -- young penguins even staying together in a penguin version of a day care while their parents go out hunting for fish. Penguin dads share responsibility -- even sitting on the nest. Did you know some penguins stand on their eggs -- warming them with their webbed feet? Penguin supervisor Mark Bishop says this is a great exhibit to teach kids how their actions here, thousands of miles from penguin colonies, can impact them there -- everything from global warming to overfishing harm penguin colonies. Even the souvenirs are designed to bring home the message. For $15.95, as part of SeaWorld's Cup That Cares Program, kids can design their own reusable penguin cup, choosing the color (pink or neon green), or accessories (necklace, sneakers or tiny Shamu ice cream) and every time they buy a drink, they learn how much CO2 they've saved. Of course, they can fill the bottle with water, too. SeaWorld donates $1 from each purchase to the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund that helps protect wildlife around the world. Antarctica, of course, is largely unexplored, much of it under 9,000 feet of ice, unclaimed by any country. (The Expedition Cafe, in fact, serves food inspired by the United States, Asia and Italy -- three of the major countries of the original Antarctic Treaty, which, according to the U.S. State Department, "...demilitarized the Antarctic Continent and provided for its cooperative exploration and future use." Outside, kids can compare their height to that of 18 species of penguins whose images are carved into the rocks in the Plaza. There are also kid-friendly touch screens and talks with SeaWorld educators, who underscore how penguin colonies must work together to survive -- just like us. Eileen Ogintz is a syndicated columnist and writes about family travel on her Taking the Kids blog, and is the author of the new series of Kid's Guide to NYC, Orlando and the just released Washington, DC  from Globe Pequot Press.

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