COMING AND GOING
COMING AND GOING
Checking In, On Time
Sunday, July 2, 2006; Page P01
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UPRIGHT AND LOCKED
Checking In, On Time
Nancy Lee of Falls Church says her son Tanner, 15, arrived at the Portland, Ore., airport for a 6:15 a.m. flight to Mexico before 5 a.m . -- and before the Delta check-in desk was staffed. But when he reached the counter, he was told the flight was overbooked and that he hadn't checked in on time.
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Tanner, who had only carry-on luggage, believes he had plenty of time , but neither he nor Delta has any proof of when he reached the counter. The question is vital, because if you're bumped, you have rights. If you're late, you have none .
In Tanner's case, the agent rebooked him standby on a 7:30 a.m. flight. That was full, too, and the agent told him that if he paid $ 220 she could book him on the next available flight -- five days later . Tanner paid up, despite losing five days of his vacation.
Lee says that for many weeks Delta ignored her letters of protest and questions about what the $220 was for. Shortly after CoGo called Delta, Lee received a $220 voucher. But why that amount was charged remains a mystery ; Delta would not discuss the case with CoGo.
But Tanner's experience raises an important question: When should you arrive at the airport? Rule of thumb: One hour before a domestic flight, two hours international -- plus, in each case, the average wait in security lines.
You also need to know check-in deadlines , because some flights require more than the usual 30 minutes if you are checking bags. For example, Delta's Web site says you must check in three hours in advance for flights to Tel Aviv, Moscow or Kiev.
Find the average security line wait times on your airport's Web site or the U.S. Tranportation Security Administration's site, http:/
ON TRACK
Look, Up in the Sky . . .
The world's highest railway, and the only rail link between China and Tibet , was slated to begin operating yesterday. The trains from Beijing, Chengdu and Xining to Lhasa in the Tibetan highlands are express, but the huge distances still make for a long ride. The 2,525- mile trip from Bejing to Lhasa, for example, takes 47 hours 28 minutes .
The new route beats the Peruvian railway in the Andes for the title of world's highest railway by traveling as much as 16,640 feet above sea level, according to a news release on the Chinese Embassy's Web site ( http:/
Otherwise, there's no Web site in English for further info, and Xinhong Zhang of the China National Tourist Office said she had "no idea about prices," although the embassy release says they've been set. You can't buy tickets directly from overseas, said Zhang, who suggested "contacting a local travel company that has a Chinese partner."
CoGo called a few tour operators listed at China's tourism site ( http:/
TRAVEL TICKER
Varig Brazilian plans to resume flights from the United States and says "all flights in July are confirmed." However, executives at the financially troubled airline apparently have some doubts: They ask that passengers call a day before departure to make sure flights are operating; if they aren't, Varig promises to put passengers on American Airlines flights . . . Marriott hotels last week began offering guests computers and printers in lobbies for checking flights and printing boarding passes before checkout. The service will be in all Marriotts in the United States and Canada by September . . . Spain "has doffed its Franco past and embraced an inclusive social policy," including same-sex marriage, said editors at Planet Out, a gay and lesbian media and entertainment company, when giving Spain its Destination of the Year award.
BARGAIN OF THE WEEK
Feeling Lucky?
Southwest Vacations has package deals to Las Vegas; the fall travel promo must be booked by July 6. For example, a package departing Monday or Tuesday Sept. 25-Oct. 24 that includes round-trip air from BWI to Las Vegas and two nights at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino starts at about $578 per couple plus $62 taxes. Priced separately, air is about $313 each, and the hotel $131 a night ¿ for a savings of about $248 per couple. Info: 800-243-8372, www.southwestvacations.com.
Reporting: Cindy Loose.
Help feed CoGo. Send travel news, road reports and juicy tattles to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.
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