The LG Weekly News Roundup: 11.19.09

Air, Weekly Travel News — By Molly F on November 19, 2009 at 10:48 am

By Molly Fergus
LG Travel News Editor

Missed the big travel stories of the week? And the weird, wacky and insignificant ones? We’ve got your round-up right here….

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Waiting on Magic

Finally! Disney unleashed the first official wait time app for mobile phones. Updated in real time, the app will map out wait times on popular rides and character lines at its parks.

The catch? The program only works on Verizon Wireless phones…and it doesn’t include Blackberrys or the new Motorola Droid. Factor in the Disney-fied $9.99 price tag, and this all seems a little inaccessible. A couple suggestions: Check out a (free!) third-party app, or cough up the cash for the Fast Pass.
Source: New York Times

Flying under the influence
If flying makes you nervous, stop reading now. At least 12 commercial pilots in the last year tested positive for alcohol when heading to the cockpit, according to the FAA. That means those pilots had a blood alcohol content of more than 0.04 percent, or half the legal limit for drivers in most states. The silver lining: No U.S. airline has had a crash because of inebriated pilots. Still, let’s keep the flowing drinks behind the curtain. Source: USA Today

Swipe it!
Beginning Dec. 1, Delta joins the ranks of Southwest, American and United to stop accepting cash for food, drinks and other purchases in-air. This makes sense from a traveler’s point of view – no need to worry about exchange rates or converting Euros to greenbacks – but also seems a little spendthrifty. After one or two mini Merlot bottles, that SkyMall Lawn Ghoul might look all the more attractive. Ok. Maybe not.
Source: Jaunted

On the road, but nowhere to “go”

Rest stops are just the next victim of budget cuts. Several states have cut highway-side pit stops to save money, and road trippers have noticed. Virginia closed 19 of its 42 stops, and Georgia has saved at least $600,000 by shuttering just two roadside rest areas. At least it’s not all bad news: In California, the Shandon Roadside Rest Area on Highway 46 is using economic stimulus money to rebuild rest centers.
Source: Chicago Tribune