On the other hand, corporate jet catering is a whole different animal. With delectable entrees, delightful soups, outstanding appetizers and snacks, and the most decadent desserts imaginable, the passenger on a private jet expects [and pays for!] food akin to a five star performance.

Not anymore.

Today, in-flight caterers providing exemplary service and dining options is almost a thing of the past. Thanks to the rise of fractional jet operators who demand a narrow menu and smaller portion sizes, the quality levels with many in-flight caterers has nosedived. In addition, Air Chef, the largest provider of in-flight catering to business jets in the world, continues to snap up poorly performing caterers across the US. Now, corporate flight attendants must call a 1-800 number to place their order with an inexperienced and unknowledgeable clerk. Forget customer service and forget special orders…these do upset Air Chef!

With the bad name associated with the company, Air Chef is apparently seeking to distance itself from even its name. Air Culinaire, a caterer with operations in four different cities is now part of the Air Chef network. Now for the rub: word has it that Air Chef, in a bid to sharpen its image and to stave off the growing ranks of ticked off corporate flight attendants — their bread ‘n butter — the caterer will be changing its name to Air Culinaire.

Corporate flight attendants aren’t amused by Air Chef as evidenced by their comments on the Corporate Jet Catering site as well as on Cabin Managers, a forum that is also tied in with the Corporate Flight Attendant Community.

By the way, Rita’s Catering of Boston is another Air Chef caterer…business flight attendants know this and are fleeing to the competition as fast as they can.

Hey, Air Chef: do you get it?

Bad Airline Food – Now This?! is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

You see my son-in-law Steve goes by another name- “Dallas”. Steve is Major Steve Horton the #4 slot pilot for the United States Air Force Flight Demonstration Team-“The Thunderbirds”.

The occasion was the Approval show-the very first show of the season but open to only friends and family of the whole team and several high ranking Generals with pen and paper taking notes on every move. Approximately 1000 got the honor of seeing the new 2006 team do their stuff over their home at Nellis AFB under overcast skies. The crowd is so small by comparison to a normal show of 200,000 attendees that it feels like a private audience with the Pope. The biggest ever crowd was at Coney Island on 4 July1987 -a mere 2.25 million watched in awe that day.

And if that wasn’t enough the following night it was the annual show season kickoff dinner, which at least partially celebrates the end of a grueling training schedule. This year the dinner was held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in beautiful downtown Las Vegas.

That gave me the opportunity to meet some of the new team members “up close and personal” including LTC Kevin Robbins Commander/Leader, aka “the boss”; MAJ Ed Casey, Opposing Solo; CPT Nichole Malachowski, Right Wing aka “FiFi”; and CPT Tad Clark, Narrator. “FiFi” is the first female Thunderbird flight team member-a tribute to her ability as a pilot-was the subject of a “Good Morning America” story that very morning.

As you might imagine this very elite group of 6 flyers, 6 other officers and a support team of 135 outstanding young men and women are, simply put, the very best in the world. All that talent, energy, dedication, teamwork, pride in what they do and how they do it-I am humbled to be in their presence but so proud to be an American.

In a nutshell the Thunderbird mission is primarily to support recruiting and retention programs and as you might imagine public relations. The team probably spends as much time at meet and greets as they do flying. They are a PR machine-and not a bad machine at that.

The Thunderbirds have a very demanding schedule that runs from March to November every year with usually 65-75 shows in upwards of 30 states. Check out www.nellis.af.mil for more information and a show near you. It is an experience you won’t forget and well…it is AWESOME!

Attention America: Here come the Thunderbirds! is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

How many names do you recognize? Some carriers are strictly charter operators while others fly regionally. Still others are very small operators of Cessna aircraft, not what you might consider “airline” aircraft, but in the eyes of the Federal Aviation Administration they are:

• Aeromexico

• Air Canada

• Air Labrador

• Air Transat

• AirTran Airways

• Alaska Airlines

• Allegiant Air

• Aloha Airlines

• American Airlines

• ATA

• Avolar Aerolíneas

• Big Sky Airlines

• Cape Air

• Chautauqua Airlines

• Continental Airlines

• Delta Airlines

• EOS Airlines

• Frontier Airlines

• Gulfstream Int’l Airlines

• Hawaiian Airlines

• JetBlue Airways

• Maxjet Airways

• Mesa Air Group

• Mexicana Airlines

• Miami Air Int’l

• Midwest Airlines

• North American Airlines

• Northwest Airlines

• Pace Airlines

• Pen Air

• Primaris Airlines

• Ryan Int’l Airlines

• Shuttle America

• Simmons Air

• Song

• Southwest Airlines

• Spirit Airlines

• Sun Country Airlines

• Ted

• United Airlines

• USA 3000 Airlines

• USAirways

• WestJet Airlines

• World Airways

To keep the list simple, cargo carriers were omitted. Otherwise, operators such as UPS, Kalitta Air, and Emery would have been included.

Contact the carriers directly to find out what schedules they are keeping and airfare information. Perhaps you’ll find a “bargain” in the crowd and be able to try out an all new carrier.

Airlines of North America is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Airline companies know about that and they can do many things just to create strategies to get the biggest profits they can from the buyer. The only way to prevent this from happening is to dedicate some time before travelling just looking for different companies that offer tickets to the destination you want, and comparing the prices.

Saving some money

Have you ever given up on a trip because the airline ticket was a fortune you couldn’t afford? Yes, this is a pretty common thing and it happens more than we imagine. There are people that plan the whole trip, choose the place, the hotel, buy special clothes for the destination, and when it’s time to buy the airline ticket, simply find out they cannot afford it.

In order to avoid that, rather than planning everything in advance and leaving the airline tickets for last, do the opposite. Airline tickets should be at the head of the list of things to do for someone who is going to travel.

It’s important to have some guidelines to buy cheaper tickets and save some money to spend on the trip. Some useful things are:

- Write a small list of places you would like to go to. After that, start looking for airline companies that offer flights to those places.
- When this is done, it’s time to check your budget and establish how much you are willing to spend. This is pretty helpful because it avoids frustration. It’s easier to travel if you have more than one option because you can have different prices to choose from and see which one best fits in with your own budget.
- If you are used to travelling on business, you can check on discounts, either with a travel agency or with the company you are using.
- Sometimes, travelling with a tourist package is cheaper than planning your trip by yourself. This happens because agencies offer packages that include airline tickets, hotels, sightseeing, visits to landmarks, car rental and some other things.

Different prices – Same arrival

Since there are many airline companies spread through the world, people can find several prices if they look at different airlines. The competition in this market is so tough that the difference between prices can be enormous.

However, if you are used to always travelling with the same company, you probably have some sort of bonus program that offers discounts. In this case, it’s advisable for you to check the deals that may be available to the destination you’ve chosen, before going looking for tickets with other companies.

Holidays and airline tickets

If you have all the details of your holiday settled, buy your ticket in advance. Besides avoiding a rise in the price, you don’t run the risk of tickets for your destination being fully booked.

Airline Tickets: Make Some Time to Save Some Money is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

The majority of airline accidents occur on take off and landing, so you should try and book flights that don’t have a stop over destination. That’s a good preventative measure right there, not only that, but you wont have to sit and wait to change planes half way through your flight. Another good way to fly safer is to know that larger airplanes have stricter rules and the passengers have a better chance of survival if the plane should crash, so you might want to consider booking your flight with a large airplane of thirty or more passengers.

Like anything else, always be aware of the closest emergency exit, and consider keeping your seat belt on at all times while seated. This is especially true if you are nervous about turbulence; which is often unexpected and can cause injury. You should also keep anything too heavy out of the overhead carrier in case of turbulence. You don’t want anything to fall on you or anyone else. Also, allow the flight attendants to handle your hot drinks and food as they are trained to handle it and can safely manage giving it to you. You don’t want to be walking around with a hot cup of coffee in your hand and have some turbulence spill it all over you or someone else.

As far as airplane crashes go, they are very rare. However, if the incident should occur, try to remain calm and listen to the flight attendants. They know how to handle situations and keep you safe. Often the very front or very back of the plane is the safest. Sitting close to the wings is the worse place to sit. If the plane wings get torn off in a crash it could tear the fuselage and cause death to anyone near the carnage.

But don’t worry, airline travel is safe. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Just believe you will live and you don’t have anything to worry about.

Airline Safety: Increase Your Odds is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Book your flight as soon as you decide on travel plans. Airlines give discounts for reservations made at least 3 weeks in advance. The best rates often include a Saturday night stay and have travel dates during the work week.

Shop at the many online travel agents to compare the rates of many different airlines. Be sure to check at least 3 different sites, as each may have a different alotment of tickets, and service fees can also vary.

Be flexible about when you travel, since even changing the flight time on the same day can effect the reservation rate. Unpopular early morning or late evening flights tend to have lower rates. Also, try to avoid peak travel season, summer, spring break, and Christmas and New Years. The cheapest fares tend to be found during the off season and at other times when planes are filled below capacity.

If travelling to a large city, Check the fares for any nearby smaller airports, as it might be cheaper to fly into a neighboring city. Remember to allow for other costs when you considering this option, such as rental car or taxi fares. This might also extend travel time.

In some instances, splitting the trip with stopovers my bring savings. However, be sure the savings are large enough to justify the extra trouble of the stopover.

Look into booking your travel plans as a package deal. Sometimes it is possible to save money by reserving a hotel room and a rental car along with the airline ticket. If you are going on a cruise, ask the cruise company if they are affiliated with any airline. Some credit card companies also have discount agreements with some airlines. The reverse is also true : many airlines have agreements with hotel chains and rental car companies that can save you money on other travel expenses.

When dealing with a live travel agent, ask if this is the best rate that they have available or if there are any specials offering essentially the same itinerary when you are booking your reservation.

Apply any special discount programs for which you are eligible. Students age 16 to 26 are can get special discounts, and seniors may be able to get discounted fares through the AARP.

Belonging to, or travelling with a group, may get you a better deal on airline reservations. If you are a member of a club or service association, check whether they have a travel plan. If travelling with a group, ask for a group discount. Discounts are often available for government, military or corporate employees. Often, airlines will even extend these discounts even for non-business travel.

In the case of large groups, it is sometimes cheaper to charter a plane than reserve individual seats. This may save time as well as money, since the charter airplane will accommodate your schedule, and baggage can be managed for the entire group, with much less chance of loss of luggage.

When you reach check-in at the airport, ask if any special upgrade deals are available. Sometimes it is possible to upgrade to first class at a nominal fee, and this is definitely worth it on long flights due to the larger seats and extra leg room.

Airline Reservation Online Money Saving Tips is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Airfare tickets are offered by the airlines companies who offer you to buy tickets at a fraction of a cost. But you should remember that cheap airfares are usually seasonal and available at particular time of the year. The price of the airfares will depend on the destination you want to visit and the type of airlines you want to access. Although airfares may vary from place to place, yet you are offered with better prices if you can book your seats in advance.

Ways to get cheap airfare

There are two main ways through which you will get discounted airfares. The first way is to stay in touch with the airlines. This will offer you to know when the airfares are available at a discount or other new schemes offered by the airlines companies.

The other way is to explore “bucket shops”. This means contacting airline wholesalers and consolidators who offer great online discounts. They purchase the tickets in large quantities from the companies and then pass them on to the consumers at discounted prices. But you should make sure whether the ticket for your route is available or not. The more in advance you book your ticket, the more discounts you will get.

Types of airfare

When you are reserving your airfare, you should remember some key factors. Make a quick market survey so that you can select your airfare from available sources. You should also try to choose the company that offers the lowest airfare rate.

There are different types of airfares that are as follows:

- Apex fares – also known as advance purchase fares that are much lower than the normal fares
- Discount fares – these are low priced fares that are offered by the airlines for a very limited amount of time
- Flexible fares – these are also known as unrestricted or full fares. Although the price of these fares are very high, yet you are benefited with receiving refunds and doing alterations on your ticket on the same day of travel
- Joint fares – these offer price allows passengers to access more than one airline to get to various places.

If you are one of those who frequently have to travel to various places, then finding a cheap airfare is very important. The key to getting cheap airfare is shopping around for flight tickets. You simply need to be flexible and enquire the prices of various tickets offered by various companies. You can even visit a plethora of websites and search for online cheap airfares.

You can also visit some travel agents who will definitely offer you with outstanding airfares that are unavailable at online sites.

Airfares – Enjoy Reasonable Traveling Anywhere is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Obviously, you cannot get from here to there without airfare, and therefore, you can throw away any dreams of a great vacation unless you are willing to search for airfare that works for your budget and needs.

Finding airfare can be really easy or very difficult. One of the easiest ways to find great airfare is to talk with a travel agent. Travel agents are paid to help you find the best possible airfare for all of your travel needs. You can simply relay to them your travel desires and your budget and then trust them to come up with great deals. However, if you have the desire and ability to look for airfare on your own, you may be able to find better deals.

Finding your own airfare can be a great way to save some money and to be selective about the particular airlines and schedule for your flights. Just jump online and do a search for inexpensive airfare. You will probably be overwhelmed by the amount of options you have, but just begin somewhere and don’t give up too quickly. Be sure to compare prices, schedules and other details between websites. You may even be able to find great airfare by bidding for your own prices on certain websites.

No matter how long the process takes, press on to find great airfare. Why? Because your dream trip will quickly become reality when you find airfare. Once people overcome the obstacle of choosing airfare, often the rest of the trip details fall into place quickly. Details such as accommodations, food, entertainment and recreation never seem as overwhelming as finding airfare.

Take my advice: find your airfare first. Don’t let a flight get in the way of making your dreams come true.

Airfare Doesn’t Have To Hinder Your Dream Trip is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Schedule your flights to coincide with nap/bedtimes.
Whenever possible, try to book direct flights during the time of day or night your child would normally be sleeping. In all likelihood, they will keep up the pattern and fall asleep despite being 25,000 feet in the air. Any sleep they get on the plane will serve to cut down the time they must be entertained while awake!

Car seat on the plane?
When our daughter was an infant we choose to save the money and only purchase seats for ourselves which meant she spent the duration of the flight(s) on our laps. More recently, we have taken to carrying-on the car seat which accomplishes two very important things: freeing up our laps, arms, and such, and keeping her in the seat. It also adds some familiarity to a new vehicle/mode of transportation – a little piece of home(life) in a new place. Yes, it is frustrating having to carry the seat around the airport, but the in-flight payoff is worth it. One Step Ahead sells an adapter to turn a car seat into a backpack which may help you manage your carry-ons.

Managing the Flight
An easy and effective way to manage your in-flight, family-with-toddler(s) experience is to break the trip down, mentally, into 20 minute segments (to borrow an airline term). So, if you have a 2 1/2 hour flight, you really have only 7 twenty minute segments to schedule and occupy your child’s (or children’s) time. When you think of your flight in this manner it becomes a relatively manageable event. Here are some parent and flight tested tips on segment ideas that will occupy and entertain your kids, providing you with some down time to peruse the SkyMall catalog, and not have you lugging a suitcase full of toys around the terminal.

(remember: each idea has to occupy a mere 20 minutes, anything more than that is a bonus!):

* A new toy or book (nothing fancy, just something brand new to him or her)
* Crayola Color Wonder Markers (an inventive product that will only write on the special Crayola paper) – This is a favorite of ours. No messes at all and no toxic marker smell. The marker caps make for great, silly kid fingernail extensions. In fact, if your child is anything like ours, the caps alone could be their own segment.
* Tape and/or Stickers – Plain old Scotch tape can be a load of fun for a little one. Roll it up inside itself to make a sticky circle and let them stick it to their nose, your nose, between their fingers…just good old fashioned fun with a 2 inch piece of tape.
* Magna Doodle (Travel Edition) – A classic toy that our modern kids still enjoy. (Note: really young ones may get frustrated at their inability to, independently, erase their work as the tab to clear the screen can be rather difficult to slide)
* A Discman/Portable CD player – If you do not have an old one collecting dust somewhere, they can be had relatively cheap in the iPod age. This is perfect if your child has a particular CD they are diggin’ at the moment (or if you have made a Mix CD of their favorite songs). If they have never used a portable cd player before, the novelty of this device combined with the music they already love should carry you for two segments. Be sure to keep the volume at a low level and use only the classic earphones with the large, round and padded ear pieces that sit on the outside of their ears. kid size earphones?
* Their favorite book(s) – (often a bedtime book, which is essential if your flight will involve a nap or take place during bedtime).
* For older toddlers/young kids: some brochures/city-location guide books. Allow and encourage your kids to plan a day trip, museum visit, etc. Give the reigns over to them for a period of time (whatever you are comfortable with/have the time for) providing they devise a plan using the material you bring on board. Not only will this occupy a good amount of time, but they will love the chance to be the boss and decision maker. By engaging them in the trip planning you will also increase the chances of them enjoying themselves and going along with something you want to do (reciprocating the favor). For the younger members of your family, use the brochures as a conversation piece to get them excited and interested in what they will be seeing during the vacation.

Snap-Crackle-Pop (Dealing with the altitude and popping ears)
Be sure to pack their favorite beverage and snack on board. Not only will the eating and drinking occupy a segment but it is also an method of reducing the impact of air pressure on their ears. By drinking or chewing they will hopefully not feel an uncomfortable amount of pressure while taking off and landing.

Enjoy your flight!

Copyright 2006 OutWithTheKids.com

Air Travel – Flying with an Infant/Toddler is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

Fly First Class — This Florida based air carrier is planning to use Wilmington, NC as its base. With flights to Bermuda and London planned, the airline — true to its name — will offer only one level of service, first class. Expected first flight is sometime during the second quarter of 2006.

Primaris Airlines — Already FAA approved and the owner of a single Boeing 757 aircraft which they currently are leasing to another carrier, Primaris placed an order in January 2005 for Boeing’s new Dreamliner aircraft, also known as the 787. Before the first of these particular aircraft arrive in 2008, Primaris reportedly will be leasing three additional 757 aircraft and begin scheduled service between New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco by the middle of 2006.

Virgin America — Pending government approval, Virgin America will fly upwards of 105 Airbus aircraft. Based in San Francisco, the Richard Branson inspired airline must overcome some hurdles first including convincing the US government that the airline is, indeed, mostly US owned.

Other start up carriers which are also being watched include: Blackstar Airlines, USA Jet Airlines, and Baltia Air Lines. All start ups must secure key funding, receive various federal and local governmental approvals, organize a management team, and commence hiring well before the first flight is made. It is this particular process that shakes out all the pretenders leaving behind carriers committed to making a go of it.

Additional Start Up Airlines Are Looming is a post from: Troncoproducoes.com Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel