Southwest plans to start offering international flights for the first time through a partnership deal with Canada's WestJet.
Southwest said it is working on a so-called code-sharing agreement with WestJet, a low-fare, Canadian regional airline, which flies around Canada as well as to Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Code-sharing deals typically allow carriers to sell tickets on each other's flights.
The airlines hope to detail schedules, fares, and other features of the pact by late next year. I think it's pretty safe to say, though, that New England customers of Southwest, which services Providence, Hartford, and Manchester, will likely be among the recipients of more lower-fare options to Canadian destinations. The agreement is subject to review by regulators.

I'm thinking with the skyrocketing price of gasoline that we may see a resurgence of interest in hitching. But, let's face it. The plaintive extended thumb on the highway on-ramp ... It's just so creepy, Rutger Hauer, old school.
Thank god we've moved on to Hitchhiking 2.0. Those interested in snagging a ride should take a look a couple of specialty message boards: hitchhikers.org for European travel and Digihitch for the United States and Canada.
On the sites, drivers who are willing to offer riders post listings, with info on departure dates, how many seats are available, and whether they're looking to share expenses (some drivers don't want any money; just a little company to keep them awake on a long ride).
Could be a win-win.
But if you're a driver and some old Teutonic-looking dude with a trench coat and a shotgun wants a ride... Let's just say this kind of thing usually doesn't end well.
Thanks to the Great Travel God Arthur Frommer for this one.

Southwest is giving T.F. Green Airport two more daily flights to Florida starting Nov. 2, the Warwick, R.I., airport said.
The low-cost carrier is increasing its daily departures to Orlando to six and to Fort Lauderdale to two.
The additions will boost service from T.F. Green Airport's largest airline to 33 daily flights.
“Although these are challenging times in the industry, Southwest has responded to the demand for additional flights," Kevin Dillon, chief executive of the Rhode Island Airport Corp., which runs T. F. Green Airport, said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased that they continue to add service and to recognize the potential for further growth to some of the top destinations from Green.”
By Nicole C. Wong, Globe staff

American said that its regional carrier, American Eagle, will stop serving T.F. Green Airport near Providence as part of the cost-cutting plan announced a month ago. T.F. Green is one of five airports nationwide that will lose American Eagle flights in November as the carrier whittles fourth-quarter regional seat capacity by 10 to 11 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. An airport spokeswoman could not be reached immediately for comment. American Eagle carried less than 4.35 percent of the airport's passengers during the 12-month period ended in April, according to the latest data from the Department of Transportation.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

Excuse me while I try to overcome an onslaught of peristaltic contractions. I'm not a ride guy. To me, they are like mechanically induced food poisoning: headache, nausea, oy.
But I know some of you are. So our pals at Travel + Leisure (so what's up with the plus sign?) have compiled a list of the World's Top Ten. Now why do you care? Well because our own Six Flags New England in the lovely bedroom community of Agawam made the list with its Superman Ride of Steel. (The good folks at Boston.com have also compiled a list of the top ten in North America, including footage of what it's like on the Superman ride.)
If you want the details, read on. I think I need to lie down. Got any saltines?

FULL ENTRY

The rodeo, with its bronco-riding, calf-roping cowboys and cowgirls, seems about as quintessentially Western as you can get. But the Painted Pony Rodeo, the oldest weekly rodeo in the country, is actually just a few hours’ drive from Boston, in the Adirondacks’ Lake Luzerne.
But tomorrow, the Painted Pony Rodeo crosses into northern Vermont for a show in Highgate. This is professional rodeo, and the event should attract up to 100 men and women from as far away as Texas, who are earning professional points competing in events like bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and cowgirls’ barrel racing, where riders steer their horses at a fast clip around a set of barrels.
There’s also an opening pageant, as well as rodeo clowns, and a trick roper who can do just about anything with a lasso. Wear your cowboy hat or come early: The first 100 kids children to arrive get a free cowboy hat.
Tickets for adults are $15, for children $10, and ages 5 and under free. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the show starts at 7, rain or shine.
Posted by Kathy Shorr, Globe Correspondent

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has recognized the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council in Rhode Island with a 2008 Tourism for Tomorrow Award. The awards, in association with Travelport, recognize and promote best practices in sustainable tourism development all over the world. They were presented last month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The judges applauded Blackstone Valley and its director, Bob Billington, for their success in revitalizing the Blackstone River Valley in Rhode Island, a string of nine communities once known for polluted rivers and abandoned businesses. “Through a destination stewardship approach to tourism development, including the preservation of the area's natural, cultural and historical heritage, BVTC has succeeded in uniting a community and awakening it to its new economic potential,” judges said.

The most visible successes are the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket, and the Samuel Slater Canal Boat (pictured), an English-built craft that plies the waters of the Blackstone River by day and is a floating bed-and-breakfast by night.

Can’t get enough of Rhode Island? If last Sunday’s Explore New England story on the biggest things in the smallest state only whetted your appetite for more Little Rhody, check out Blog on the Half Shell, authored by my friend Doug Norris, the Arts & Living editor at the South County Independent in Wakefield, R.I. He's one of the most well-traveled people I know, and yet he's always honored his Rhode Island roots. If you think you know Rhode Island, think again - Doug can tell you the difference between a jonnycake and a johnnycake, how many working diners there are in the state, and more than you ever wanted to know about Mr. Potato Head. Go Rhode Island!

Italian airline Air One said today it is launching its first flights between the US and Italy, including a flight from Logan Into Milan.

Air One said its inaugural flight to Boston will arrive at Logan International Airport on June 14; the Boston-Milan connection will fly daily, excluding Tuesday and Thursday.

Air One noted in its press release, "From lift-off, Air One passengers will be immersed in Italian culture, thanks to Italian cuisine, in-flight entertainment offering Italian films, and with onboard outfitting that guarantees maximum relaxation, making the flight an authentic 'Made in Italy' experience."

(At left, a Milan landmark.)

The press release also noted that Milan is "the industrial and financial heart of Italy, as well as the point of departure to some of Northern Italy's top destinations: elegant Turin; romantic Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet; exclusive Lake Como, and the magnificent Alps."
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)

You have until midnight to score this. Southwest is offering a sale for travel May 8-31, with prices as low as $48 one way. From Providence, $48 gets you to Baltimore/Washington Int'l, $83 to Columbus, Ohio, $66 to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and $94 to West Palm Beach. Blackout dates are May 22, 23, and 26 and all reservations must be made on the site. Other fees apply. These are pretty good rates, but it's always wise to shop. In this case quickly.

Once again it's Us vs. Them. Beantown vs. The Big Apple. Final score? 667-142. We lose. Say it ain't so, Papi.
Actually, this isn't about baseball but restrooms in public places as measured by Imodium's Bathroom Finder, an admittedly unscientific, incomplete -- and potentially inaccurate -- yet for our purposes authoritative and informational source of Where to Go in America. (Thanks to Consumerist.com for the tip.)
OK, the battle of Us vs. Them is obviously unfair, they being not only much bigger but so full of it.
But let's see how we stack up against a handful of cities of our approximate size. At 142 we absolutely rock next to El Paso, Texas (94) and Milwaukee (134).
Sadly, though, we compare unfavorably with Seattle (247 -- but all that coffee those people drink...), Denver (200 -- I'm sure it's somehow related to that Mile High thing), and Washington (220 -- perhaps the only American city that could probably outdo New York in per capita generation, given the unfair advantage bestowed by Capitol Hill as well as the White House).
So we end up someplace in the middle. At least this time there's no Curse of the Bambino. Besides, who could wait 86 years?

Yes, it's that time of year again. It's a no-brainer. Sneak a peek at the website and head to the participating shop nearest you, belly up to the counter and score a free cone. This being their 30th year, B&J's is offering up a few new flavors: Coconut Seven Layer Bar (coconut ice cream, fudge flakes, walnuts, graham cracker and butterscotch), Imagine Whirled Peace (caramel and sweet cream ice creams with fudge peace signs and toffee cookies), One Cheesecake Brownie (yes, cheesecake ice cream and brownie chunks), and Cake Batter.
OK, so it could be warmer outside. But we're talking free ice cream here.

A sure sign of spring are the thousands of blooming daffodils and early wildflowers in Blithewold Mansion's gardens on the shores of Narragansett Bay. The grounds of the 1908 mansion in Bristol, R.I., are a melange of color and scents during the annual Daffodil Days April 12-May 4. Though the yellow-and-white flowers are the centerpieces of the festival, visitors can stroll the Great Lawn with its bay views or linger in gardens, both classic and more informal.
The 17th-century English country-styled manor, complete with gargoyles and crests, was built as the summer home of Augustus Van Wickle, a Brown University graduate who became a coal baron in Pennsylvania. The 45-room mansion anchors the grounds with its 33 acres of gardens and striking trees, such as a 90-foot giant sequoia, ginkgo, and weeping pagoda.
Afternoon teas with scones and assorted desserts are served in the mansion's dark oak-paneled dining room overlooking the water Wednesday through Friday at 2 and 3 o'clock. Special children's teas will be served at 2 o'clock on April 16-18. Don't miss the Butler's Pantry with its displays of china, silver, and crystal.
The mansion also houses such indoor exhibits as floral arrangements, paintings from nature by area artists, and the Colonial Dames of America's collection of Bessie McKee's (Van Wickle's widow) turn-of-the-20th-century hats. But during Daffodil Days, garden variety visitors want to be outside.
Admission for adults is $10, seniors and students $8, children under 17 free. Afternoon tea is $10 (plus admission). Grounds and gardens open daily 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; self-guided tours of mansion and gardens Wednesday-Sunday 10-4.

Posted by Marty Basch, Globe Correspondent

Did you call before you drove out to Logan? You should have.
Today's toll is estimated to hit at least 1,000 nationwide, including 17 flights at Logan, mostly to Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth, affecting about 1,900 customers. Nationwide as estimated 110,000 travelers were affected. Yesterday, American canceled about 460 flights -- as many as five at Logan -- of its MD-80 planes to check the bundling of wires in some planes, the same issue that forced both it and Delta to cancel a combined total of more than 700 flights last last month.
American has said that flight safety has not been

compromised.

Passengers wait at the American counters at O'Hare Airport in Chicago Wednesday morning. (AP Photo)

The tighter scrutiny on safety checks is happening as the FAA has tightened inspections since coming under fire from Congress and others for letting Southwest fly planes that had missed safety check-ups. Airline spokesman Ned Raynolds said that it was highly likely there would be more cancellations tomorrow but he couldn't give a better estimate. Bottom line: Got a flight with American? Call before you go.

ATA, which has been in a death spiral for a while, has gone under. The discounter canceled all flights after filing for bankruptcy and posted advisories on its website and at ticket counters.
The troubled airline halted its Logan flights a while ago, but it struck a code-share deal in February 2005 with Southwest, which flies out of Providence, Hartford, and Manchester. This meant you could book flights for either airline from either airline and if you could be booked on connecting flights using both.
Confusing, yes?
Now the big question: What does this mean to me? If you recently booked flights through Southwest, either for all ATA service of a combination of the two, SWA is probably trying to reach you right now to rebook. Most of the combination flights would likely involve flights through Las Vegas, L.A., Oakland, or Phoenix to Hawaii. If that's you and you haven't heard from Southwest yet, you can call them at 800-308-5037.
If you booked either a straight ATA flight or a combo through ATA, sit down and pour yourself a drink because you're not having a good day. You no longer have travel plans and you'll have to contact your credit card company for reimbursement.
Southwest officials were still sorting through the wreckage so they weren't sure how many passengers may be affected in the region. But all you care about it whether it's you. So now you know.

Delta Air Lines says it will stop direct flights to at least six cities from Boston and roll back daily service to two other destinations, surrendering its spot as Logan International Airport's largest carrier based on the number of destinations served to JetBlue.

The service cutbacks are aimed at coping with the soaring price of jet fuel, which hit $100 a barrel a month ago and hasn't backed down. While some airlines are raising fuel surcharges and tacking on fees for extras such as more legroom and a second checked-in suitcase, Delta is cutting capacity on less profitable routes nationwide.

As a result, Boston travelers will find 14 percent fewer seats available in June compared to a year ago, said Delta spokeswoman Susan Chana Elliott. "Most of it is going to be on your point-to-point flights, flights that aren't routed to our hub and that are served by 50-seat regional jets that are disproportionately impacted by the high cost of fuel."

More reductions in service may come, but some flights could return on a seasonal basis, Elliott said.

In June, Delta will terminate nonstop service to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Greensboro, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Louisville, Ky., and Charleston, S.C. Delta is also canceling its second daily flight to Los Angeles International Airport, leaving it with one daily run as of May 1.

Posted By Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

FULL ENTRY

The TSA -- yes, they of the water-bottle rules, shed the shoes, and most recently the ski-lane system of airport security -- want to know what you really think about how things are going at Logan.
It's part of their new era of glastnost (the term? It's a late Cold War thing; you wouldn't understand) that was kicked off a few months ago with the launch of their blog.
Now they're kicking the tires on a new deal in which they're asking users of six airports (Logan, Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas-Love, LAX, Salt Lake City, and Denver) to leave a comment on the blog about what they think about airport security.
So here's your chance. Got feedback? Had your laptop hard drive erased? Been strip-searched after being tripped up by your underwire? It's time to clear the air and let the healing begin.

AirTran Airways will relocate check-in and ticketing operations at Logan International Airport from the lower level of Terminal C to the main lobby of the terminal tomorrow, the airport's operator, the Massachusetts Port Authority, said.

The airline, which is operated by AirTran Holdings Inc. of Orlando, will utilize the ticket counter once used by Continental Airlines Inc. in the main lobby and will use new gates – 38, 40, 41, and 42; each of the gates will be accessible from the upper level of Terminal C, Massport said.

Currently, AirTran Airlines services eight destinations out of Logan, including Akron/Canton; Atlanta; Baltimore; Fort Myers; Orlando; Tampa; and West Palm, in Florida, as well as Newport News, Va., Massport said.

AirTran is also planning two new nonstop routes from Boston; three daily flights to Chicago Midway will start April 9, and two nonstop flights to Milwaukee will start May 21, Massport said.
Posted by Chris Reidy, Globe staff

You can't help but wonder. It's hard to find someone who hadn't heard the run of bad press Southwest Airlines has had in the past days -- well, maybe Eliot Spitzer didn't, but he was understandably distracted.
It began about a week ago when we learned that the popular discounter -- which flies out of Providence, Hartford, and Manchester, N.H. -- was facing a $10.2 million fine for keeping almost 50 planes in the air after the carrier told Uncle Samuel that it had missed required structural inspections of the jetliners.
This week Southwest grounded dozens of planes because it couldn't figure out whether an important safety inspection had been done properly. Scores of flights got canceled. Yesterday, Southwest said that four of the planes it grounded had small cracks and needed repairs.
Now both the airline and Uncle Samuel say that these problems weren't dire and that they mostly result from what amounts to some lousy record-keeping.
Still.
Don't get me wrong. I like Southwest (but then I have a nearly pathological love for bargains; truth is, I'm kind of a discount stalker). But it makes you wonder what else they're doing wrong. Has anyone out there noticed any slip in service or funkiness in any recent experiences with Southwest? Please share.

Magellan Press is out with a guide for hungry travelers: ''Where the Locals Eat: The 100 Best Restaurants in the Top 50 Cities.'' That's US cities, and Boston is included.

Entries include a range of food and prices. Boston restaurants include Brown Sugar Cafe for the best Thai and the Cask 'n Flagon for the best sports bar.

If you think the $11.95 price is too steep, particularly for a guide that includes only one New England city, check their website for more foodie news and blogs.

And if you have your own local winner, share your tip with us.

It's February vacation week for many schools in the region. This, of course, presents the annual quandary: how to occupy the kids with a minimum of nerve-wracking frenzy for mom and dad.

The answer? Head to the 20th annual Newport Winter Festival. This year's 10-day celebration, which runs through next Sunday, features more than 160 events.

For children there will be art museum tours, their own jazz concert, and a dance party. Among other highlights will be a fair with Radio Disney today at the Newport Marriott, which will include magicians, balloon artists, clowns, and face-painting.

Throughout the week, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will host family scavenger hunts, crafts lessons, and tourneys of Wii tennis, using the popular video game system. The Sovereign Bank Family Skating Center will be open for those looking to shake off residual cabin fever.

The whole family can enjoy a pizza cookoff, featuring pies from area restaurants, seal watches, a pancake-eating competition at a local International House of Pancakes Family Restaurant, and various tours of this historic seaside city, once a playground for the Gilded Age barons of the late 19th century.

Many events are free, but visitors also can purchase festival buttons that entitle them to discounts at paid events, and at area restaurants and stores.

FULL ENTRY

To entice airlines to roll out nonstop service between Boston and Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, the Massachusetts Port Authority's board approved rebates on Logan International Airport's landing fees for new international routes.

For routes that provide at least three nonstop flights a week throughout the year, Massport, which runs Logan, will for the first time give a 75 percent credit on landing fees during the first year of service and a 25 percent credit the second year - worth a total of $300,000 to $750,000 per new route.

Additionally, Massport will donate advertising space on one or two billboards in Terminal E, the international terminal, and publicize the route on the airport's local radio ads for a year.

Initially, Massport expects this International Air Service Incentive Program to cost the authority a couple of million dollars. But officials predict Massport will recoup some money after three or four years, as an increase in the number of international passengers boosts parking and concession revenues.

"Competition among airports for new service remains fierce, especially for new international service," Massport's chief executive, Thomas J. Kinton Jr., said at the board meeting. "The package," he later added, "is designed to minimize the risk of new service, not subsidize routes that are not self-sufficient."

Logan isn't the only airport giving this discount. Breaks on landing fees - which cover the expense of operating the airfield - are widespread on new international routes, experts said. Though airlines face significant financial risks on start-up routes, airports stand to gain a lot as the big jets used on international flights funnel passengers through the airports - helping to offset airlines' shift to smaller planes on domestic routes.

Logan currently offers nonstop service to 32 international destinations, but all of them are in Europe, the Caribbean, or Canada.

Massport has been eager to inaugurate nonstop flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, and Mumbai - cities that are frequented by business, academic, and leisure travelers from Greater Boston.
Posted by Nicole C. Wong, Globe Staff

FULL ENTRY

You don't need GPS in Boston when you rent through Avis. You can book a chauffeur instead.

Avis began testing its Chauffeur Drive service six months ago and it's caught on with business and leisure travelers. What began in 10 cities in June is now offered in more than 350 cities in Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

Avis's partner WeDriveU provides the drivers for $34.50 per hour (plus a 15% service charge), and there is a three-hour minimum per ride. See the Avis website for other details. The drivers can pick up the car and customer and later return the car to Avis. Or you can keep the car and drop the chauffeur off. Just don't do it in the middle of nowhere.

Somebody say, yee-ha! U.S. Airways Express will restore nonstop service between Logan and Albany International (?!) in April. (alright, you boys in the back of the class stop snickering; we're talking about the capital of the Empire State here.)
The Boston Business Journal is reporting that Colgan Air will run daily flights Sunday-Friday. Flights will depart Boston at 6 p.m. and arrive in Albany at 7:20 pm., with return flights scheduled for 6 a.m. weekdays and 12:45 p.m. Sundays.
Service to Albany ended last month when Colgan and Big Sky Airlines, operating under Delta Connection, stopped flying the route. Now that it's back we should plan a trip. Wonder if Eliot Spitzer bowls?

If you live near Logan, say someplace like Eastie, you've probably heard the drum beats getting louder, particularly near Terminals A and E, the homes of Delta and Northwest. That's because the folks who know and write about such things at the WSJ and NYT are telling us that the pair are getting closer to tying the knot.
What will this mean to you (because that is what it's all about, no?)? If you'll recall -- and I know you won't, which is why I'm writing this -- my pal Kimberly Blanton wrote a story last month saying that if the two merged it would perhaps not hurt us so much because Delta, with 16 percent of the Logan business, largely flies south to spots like Atlanta and Florida, while Northwest, with a mere 5.4 percent, is a West Coast carrier.
So did we duck a bullet? Maybe.
Delta, which seems hungry to get hitched, could still do the deed with United, which it has also been flirting with, corporate hussy that it is. If that happens it would create a carrier that would serve more than a quarter of the 28 million who flew into and out of Logan last year. There would be greater overlap, so routes would probably get snipped, and fares on longer flights to places like the West Coast would rise.
So, if there's going to be a deal, I think I know who I'm rooting for. I think.

OK, so it will a little too late for Mardi Gras or to catch the season opener at Wrigley... But JetBlue will offer one daily nonstop from Logan to Chicago O'Hare, as well as to New Orleans, beginning on May 1. Introductory fares will start at $89 for Chi-town and $99 for The Easy. Decisions, decisions. Would I rather have a beef dog with mustard, onion, pickle relish, a dill pickle, tomato wedges, and a dash of celery salt or a little file gumbo, an oyster po' boy, and a cold Abita? There is no choice. Crank up the chanky-chank. Cher.

A 5-cent flight. Say no more. Spirit is adding two daily nonstops between Boston and Fort Lauderdale. The first flight will begin April 17 and the second May 1. The discounter currently offers service to Fort Lauderdale via Myrtle Beach.
But check this out: They are making 5-cent introductory one-way fares available if you book by midnight tomorrow -- that's Jan. 30. And here is some of the rest of the fine print: You must book a roundtrip. For your trip out, the nickel fares are available April 29 or 30, or May 14 or 15, and on the way back May 7 or 8 (there are also nickel fares from Fort Lauderdale available April 17 or 18). If you can't get a nickel fare but travel Mondays-Thursdays you can still get a reduced rate of $61.95 for travel between April 17 to June 12.
This could be cool. I've never been to Lauderdale, but I did see "Where the Boys Are.'' Surf's up.

If my heart had cockles, I am sure they would be warmed by the mere thought of Milwaukee. It's like a Mecca of culture (It might rival Scranton, fictional home of our beloved "The Office.'' )
Think of it. You got your pop culture: Laverne, Shirley, the Cunninghams, The Fonz, Joanie, Chachi. And then, your high culture: the Pabst Mansion, Milwaukee Beer Museum as well as the virtual Museum of Beer and Brewing, which like Pinnochio hopes to someday be real. And don't get me started about the International Clown Hall of Fame.
Now that I've got you hot to go, you should know that AirTran is planning to add two nonstops a day from Beantown to Beerville starting May 21, with one departing at 6:30 a.m. and the other at 5:30 p.m. and arriving about an hour and a half later.
Wait, you say that Big City Life is not your cup of decaf and you really would rather head to the country? Well, my friend, Cape Air will commence three daily nonstops from Logan to the New York burgs of Plattsburgh as well as to Saranac Lake.
Hey, I like Saranac Lake. It's pretty, and they make a Saranac Black and Tan there, right? Wait, you mean it's actually made in Utica? Does Cape Air fly there?

Delta, the third-largest US airline, is Logan Airport's largest carrier with 16.2 percent of all passengers.

If Delta Air Lines Inc. merges with another carrier, a deal with United Airlines may be costlier for Boston-area travelers than one with Northwest Airlines.

One year after thwarting a takeover attempt by US Airways Group, Delta's executives said this week they would seek permission from the company's board to enter merger discussions with Northwest and UAL Corp.'s United.

If a merger results, it could trigger a long-anticipated consolidation spree in the airline industry driven by record oil prices, which have boosted fares nationwide in recent months, airline industry analysts said Friday.

But a Delta-United merger would be the more costly of the two possible outcomes for Boston-area passengers, because it would combine top-tier airlines into a single carrier that would serve more than one-quarter of the 28 million passengers who flew into and out of Logan International Airport last year.

"There's more opportunity for cutting out routes, and when routes are going to be cut out, what happens is there's going to be a tendency to increase prices," said Boston University finance professor Allen Michel.

At Logan, Delta, the nation's third-largest airline, serves about 16.2 percent of passengers, compared with number two United's 9.7 percent, and Northwest's 5.4 percent. Fare increases, under a Delta-United merger, would be most likely "on the long profitable routes" such as Boston to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver, Michel said.

Posted by Kimberly Blanton, Globe staff

FULL ENTRY

Big Sky Airlines, which flies to small and medium-size communities under the Delta Air Lines banner, is ending service to eight destinations on Boston routes after Jan. 7. Those cities are: Allentown, Pa.; Burlington, Vt.; Trenton; and Massena, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake, and Watertown, N.Y. "Sustained unusually bad weather, disappointing revenue, and record high fuel prices have significantly disrupted their operations to the point that they are not sustainable," Delta said. (Nicole C. Wong, Globe business staff)

I know you're out there because I've seen you all the way down in Florida, those of you crazy enough to drive down the East Coast from New England to the Sunshine State. Yeah, I've done the deed too. The only way it can be kind of fun is if you stop and smell the exits. Road maps and highway signs tell only half the story, which is why you need to carry a copy of "Drive I-95," by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner (Travelsmart, $23.95, with 72 full color maps. At bookstores or online, or call 888-GUIDE95). For some reason (maybe because the state is so darn long), Florida wasn't included in their exit-by-exit guide until the recently published fourth edition. So hooray for that!

Some of the invaluable information the Posners impart: detailed services at exits, radio stations, places police officers like to point their radar guns from, Internet availability, pet-friendly accommodations, travel trivia, and off-beat stops. Do you think you could find the Ava Gardner Museum (Exit 95, near Smithfield, N.C.) on your own?

Posted by Diane Daniel, Globe Correspondent

Who’s that sliding down your chimney a couple weeks early? Why it’s Santa Massport.
It seems the good folks there want to spread a little cheer by giving holiday travelers a break on parking at Logan (which this time of year can be like one of Dante’s less choice rings of hell).
If you pull into the Central Parking Garage, Terminal B Garage, or Terminal E lots between Dec. 21 at 3 a.m. through Dec. 29 at 3 a.m. they will give you the economy lot rate, which is $18 a day, or a $6 discount.
Worth setting your alarm for 3, I’d say, to take full advantage.
A tip: If you need to park for 7 days, the economy lot offers a special weekly rate, which will save you even more.
But wait. Santa Massport has another gift: live music in the terminals. To quell your holiday frazzles, musicians, including an acapella group, a jazz trio, a horn quartet, and the Winchester High School Octets, will be in terminals at peak travel hours on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. Live piano will begin in Terminal A on Dec. 17.
Thank you, Santa Massport. See, I told you it would pay to be good.

Lips blue yet? Let's play fortune teller (OK, you can put on a costume. We'll wait.): It's going to get colder. And darker. Earlier. Everyone you know is going to get crankier. Maybe even you.
Now I am a great believer in geographic solutions to nongeographic problems. What does this means? Road Trip, muchachos.
The state tourism folks, with a little help from their lodging friends, are offering deals at more than 200 hotels in the state between now and the end of March. You simply go to the site , click on the region you want, pick a hotel, and get the discount code.
What kind of deals? Check this out: Want to try the Taj? Right now, the best advertised rate for a room for two is $295. Through the site, you score one for $229 -- and that includes breakfast. (You would be so in with The Significant Other)
Too rich for you? At the Hyatt Place in Medford, hoi polloi must pony up $169, but for you it could be $79.
How about the Cape this weekend? The Cape Codder Resort & Spa in Hyannis says it's $129, but if you know the password it's $99.
The fine print: There may be blackout dates; you need the deal codes and a reservation; taxes and gratuities are extra; and rooms are subject to availability.
OK, this is no Club Meditteryuckiness. But with the holidays coming you can't afford it anyway. And if you can, feel free to leave the room anytime you like. Like now.

Your eyes are bloodshot. Season is changing and you just can't wake up. You choke down your grande with shot of expresso (on second thought, make it a double, barrista). Thumb through the paper. There on page 2 of the Business section: American plans to sell its regional carrier, American Eagle. Who cares?
Shake yourself. You do. Or should.
You travel, right? At Logan, American is The Big Kahuna, with around 20 percent of the market, and American Eagle is a significant piece of that -- in fact, Eagle is responsible for nearly 40 percent of all regional flights out of Logan.
So what do we mean by regional? To begin with Eagle does 8 daily flights to LaGuardia. And then there are other high and low spots like Bangor; Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh-Durham (Go Tar Heels!); Toronto; and Reagan National in D.C.
What does this all mean? Listen, if I knew that I would be making mondo bucks instead of writing blog fodder. But it's a safe bet that it will matter to you. Stay tuned.

It must be peer-group pressure. Southwest has sprung a fare sale for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Discounted one-way fares for travel between Nov. 28-Dec. 20 start at $107-$109 from Providence to a number of western states and Florida. Fares start at $109 from Hartford. You have to book seven days in advance, and the fares aren't available for Fridays or Sundays
Start the stopwatch: The offer lasts until midday Monday.

New England is home to three of TripAdvisor’s "Top Ten Overlooked (and Under Budget) Ski Destinations in the US"
Editors at the Needham-based travel company rated ski resorts that featured mountains with a 2,000 foot vertical drop on average that offered less-expensive lift tickets and more affordable lodging and night life than many of the country's more celebrated resorts.
Jay Peak in Westfield, Vt., (adult ticket, $62) came out king of the mountain. "Located in a snow belt that generates a remarkable 350 inches of snow on average annually, Jay Peak has developed a reputation for its excellent powder skiing with adventurous off-piste opportunities, and with less traffic than Vermont's trendier ski spots," the report said.
Taking fourth place is Cannon Mountain, in Franconia, N.H. ($54). "Experience wonderful skiing and a bit of history on Taft Slalom, one of the first ski trails cut in the US."
Saddleback Mountain, in Rangeley, Maine ($40), came in at No . 9. "After undergoing renovations in the past few years, Saddleback now boasts great skiing along with a new ski lift, additional ski terrain and a new lodge at an elevation of 2,460 feet -- the second highest in New England."
The rest of the best:
2. Solitude Mountain, Solitude, Utah, $55
3. Schweitzer Mountain, Sandpoint, Idaho, $55
5. Durango Mountain, Durango, Colo., $60
6. Taos Ski Valley, Taos, N.M., $63
7. Diamond Peak, Incline Village, Nev., $48
8. Big Mountain, Whitefish, Mont., $56
10. Gore Mountain, North Creek, N.Y., $115 (2 day pass)

Posted by Diane Daniel, Globe Correspondent

I am a serious off-season adventurer, which is reason enough to mention Block Island's island wide, 18th Annual Christmas Shopping Stroll Nov. 23-25. Everyone gears up for early bird 4am shopping on Black Friday any how, so why not pack some turkey sandwiches and hop the ferry on over to Block Island for some carefree holiday shopping that poo-poos any big box store sales. Over 25 unique shops are open and decorated for the holidays, offering special sales for this three day occasion. Shops will be open from 10am to 5pm each day, and are an easy stroll from the ferry landing - so no worries about the typical holiday parking woes!

Best of all, shoppers can stop by the Chamber of Commerce office at the ferry landing on Nov. 23-24 between 10 am and 3 pm to pick up a sheet that makes them eligible for great prizes that will be raffled off on Sunday at noon. (You do not need to be present to win.) Check out the following list for superb island accomodations!

I was rushing through Logan last week when I picked up the latest issue of
Travel New England. Located around the airport and in South Station, the
newspaper is free and geared toward travel agents. However, travelers would
be wise to read it next time they're killing time at Logan. In their
"Airports New England" column, they talk about new carriers and/or flights
going in and out of the region. Several years back they mentioned that TNT
Vacations in Boston was starting a new charter flight to Barbados. Their
first flight out was over Christmas week, when prices are usually
exorbitant, to gouge that family traveler who only has two weeks off from
school during the winter months. The TNT charter price was less than half
the price of American Airlines and my family had a great vacation on the
island. Now I read that starting Dec. 17, Skybus Airlines will begin
nonstop service between Portsmouth, N.H., and two Florida
airports -- St. Augustine and Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda. Skybus,
you may recall, was offering incredibly cheap tickets to Columbus, Ohio,
over the summer, starting at $25 each way. They charge extra for
everything, including luggage, but it's still very affordable; certainly
worth a look for people wanting to leave the chill of winter behind.

Posted by Steven Jermanok, Globe correspondent

This month's Conde Nast Traveler touts its 20th annual Readers' Choice Awards, The Top 100.
Twelve New England gems made the list of Top 100 Mainland US Hotels: The Charlotte Inn on Martha's Vineyard (12), Pitcher Inn in Warren, Vt. (23), Blantyre in Lenox (26), Boston's Four Seasons (35), White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine (39), Twin Farms in Barnard, Vt. (44), Nantucket's White Elephant (54), Boston's Fifteen Beacon (62), Taj Boston (65), Boston's Hotel Commonwealth (73), Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod (81), and The Wauwinet on Nantucket (88).
If your favorite place to stay in New England didn't make the cut, think about voting next year.
And be sure to give Boston the nod for top US city. This year it made the cut, but it was No. 10 out of 10.
The winner among US cities: San Francisco.

I usually spend Thanksgiving with my husband’s family (who are scattered across Massachusetts and Rhode Island) but last year, all his siblings spent the holiday having dinner with various inlaws. So my husband and kids took the holiday ‘‘off’’ and stayed at the Eagle Mountain House in Jackson, N.H. They offer a nice, low-key brunch buffet on Thanksgiving. We took a long walk, drank hot chocolate by the fire, played ping pong in the game room, and vegged out in the Jacuzzi. It was one of the most relaxing holidays I’ve ever had.
This year, The Balsams in Dixville Notch, N.H., is open for Thanksgiving (in the past it has closed between Columbus Day and the Christmas holidays). There will be live entertainment, movie showings, and a Thanksgiving feast. Doubles start at $258 (including Thanksgiving dinner) and kids under 10 stay free. Sure, extended family is wonderful and I’m grateful for each and every one of them. But sometimes wonderful is someone making your bed and cooking your dinner.

Downtown Providence has undergone a tremendous revival -- and, happily, the town fathers haven't forgotten about artists. AS220 is a fascinating, nonprofit community arts space that includes a concert venue, gallery space, a theater (with a great name, the Perishable Theatre, perhaps appropriate for these times), and even a burrito restaurant. Oh, yes, AS220 has an outdoor cafe that makes this feel like a mini-slice of the Left Bank.
The bookings are tailored to Providence artists, but Boston musicians, especially, slip in there as well. There are events with songwriters, filmmakers, authors, you name it. This place likes variety, as their website says. There are even "Free Speech Thursdays'' that feature an open-mic setting for spoken word performers, poetry slammers, and hip-hoppers. The action is at 115 Empire St. (a block from the Dunkin' Donuts Center, which used to be the Providence Civic Center).

Posted by Steve Morse, Globe Correspondent