BWI Marshall is adding new regional air service to Hagerstown and Lancaster, Pa., beginning this spring. The carrier Cape Air, based in Hyannis, Mass., was selected to provide the new service which Gov. Martin O'Malley expects will "bring greater economic opportunity directly to Western Maryland."

Who knows? Maybe this will provide the boost that the Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort  needs. The struggling Western Maryland resort is about an hour's drive from Hagerstown. In November, the Board of Public Works chipped in $7 million to keep the resort afloat in the face of foreclosure threats. Rocky Gap is the planned site of a future slots casino that officials are hoping will provide a payoff for the state's budget.

Any boost in business likely will be small since Cape Air's equipment, a Cessna 402, only seats 9 passengers. However, the airline will provide 4 daily roundtrip flights to Hagerstown. Cape Air originally provided service between Boston and Provincetown, beginning in 1989. Since then the carrier has expanded its regional service into New York, Florida and the Caribbean, offering up to 850 flights per day.

Photo of Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort by Doug Kapustin, Staff Photographer.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

If you think TSA agents are a little abrupt or curt, maybe it's because they have an itch they can't quite scratch. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that some TSA workers say they have rashes, lightheadedness, swelling and redness related to new uniforms that were issued last summer. The new duds were supposed to give the workers a more professional look - bring them up to scratch, so to speak.

Doctors point to a possible culprit in formaldehyde, used by clothing manufacturers to prevent wrinkles and stains. The union representing TSA workers says employees at airports across the country have complained about the allergic reactions to the new royal blue shirts. However, TSA had a third-party company test the clothing and found the levels of formaldehyde to be acceptable.

Truthfully, I hadn't noticed the change in uniform. White shirts or blue shirts, patches or metal badges, it's all the same to me. That blue glove, though, has got to go.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

For your viewing pleasure, holiday travelers, BWI Marshall has unveiled two new art exhibits this month as part of its rotating arts program. Travelers passing through the international terminal can see a collection of 50 paintings from the U.S. Air Force Art Collection. Meanwhile, visitors to the terminal near Concourse B can feast their eyes on prize-winning photographs from the annual Governor's Cup Yacht Race professional photo competition, sponsored by St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Photo courtesy of BWI Marshall Airport

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Health magazine has named BWI Marshall among America's healthiest airports. BWI actually came in second place, just behind Phoenix Sky Harbor and just ahead of Chicago O'Hare. A panel of expert judges made the call for the Top 10 using criteria including nutritious food (Godiva), stress reduction (the yoga bus), walking paths (BWI has a trail but most travelers never see it), the latest safety technology and more.

Phoenix was noted for its video paging system, which means you don't have to strain to hear announcements, as well as its clean bathrooms and two pet parks. Chicago was noted for its selection of healthy food. While BWI was recognized specifically for its efforts to reduce stress for travelers aided by the TSA's new security program 'Checkpoint Evolution."

Seriously, though, here's what will reduce my stress at BWI: not having to wait in line to check my bag; not having to wait in line at the security checkpoint; not having my plane need a last-minute part; not having to wait 25 minutes for my bags to arrive and not getting on the wrong parking bus. But that's just me. And none of the experts mentioned the Vino Volo wine room. Now that's a stress reducer.

Here's what the magazine had to say about BWI:

Continue reading "Here's to your health at BWI" »

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

While some airlines like Continental began flying again to Houston yesterday, Southwest is expected to resume limited flights today. All passengers should check first with their individual airlines. Houston airport officials have detailed information here.

Meanwhile, Carnival has found temporary port for two of its ships in New Orleans. Carnival is offering passengers the option of disembarking in New Orleans or sailing back to Galveston with the ship even though they don't know when the Port of Galveston will reopen. The cruise line also has cancelled two cruises from Galveston this week.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Back in February, TSA launched the Black Diamond program which allows airline passengers to self-select which security lane best fits their needs based on how often they travel. The lanes are Expert, Casual and Family/Special Needs. Since then, the program has expanded, but you won't see it at BWI yet. Dulles is the closest airport to Baltimore testing the program.

Dining@Large was in Chicago, another test site, over the weekend and Elizabeth writes about her experience, along with what she found to eat at the airport. I should do a post on eating at the airport, but I am such a bad flier that I never eat anything before a flight for fear I'll have to pay a fee to use that cute little bag.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I'm sick of critters. The weather blog has a report of flights at one Florida airport being delayed because of catfish on the runway. And get this - they were walking, not swimming. Probably heard about that billionaire PETA dude offering serious money for marine life.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 5:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Southwest has entered into a codecharing deal with WestJet and BWI hopes its passengers will benefit with more flights to Canada.

Right now, Air Canada offers daily service only to Toronto. The new partnership might open up flights from BWI to Calgary and Montreal, both cities served by WestJet.

Calgary's gorgeous scenery and mountains beckon the adventure traveler, while Montreal is a lively, clean and culturally hip city -- even if you don't speak French.

So I say wee, wee to WestJet.

(Photo of downtown Montreal courtesy of Quebec Tourism) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

New stats released by the Bureau of Transportation show BWI Thurgood Marshall was the second-best airport for flight on-time arrival performance in May, second only to Salt Lake City. Nearly 87 percent of planes arriving at BWI were on schedule. On-time departures were not quite as high, about 86 percent, but still good enough to rank the airport in the Top 5.

Overall, airlines did a better job staying on time in May, according to an AP report. Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance, fighting all that air traffic high above the Pacific and flying to just 14 destinations, but we'll give them their props. AirTran did pretty good, too. American Airlines had the worst  performance, with just 67 percent of its fleet arriving on-time.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

First it was terrorists. Then bankruptcies. Then maintenance problems, followed by a scary peek inside the FAA. Now, it's runways, according to this story in today's New York Times. Specifically, runway collisions. Could somebody please get me a Xanax?

It seems planes are getting a little too close on the runway. Missing each other by as little as 25 feet, according to the Times. And there's technology out there that can help prevent this from happening, but there's no FAA requirement for airlines to use it. Why? All together: money, money, money.

Well, what I keep telling myself, mainly because it remains a fact: More people are killed or injured each year in highway accidents than in plane crashes. So flying is (relatively) safe. But that doesn't mean there's no room for improvement.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)