LAX Construction on Tom Bradley International Terminal to Cause 'Severe' Traffic Delays

Construction on the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) starts today, and officials are warning travelers of major traffic delays near the terminal.

Part of the first phase of the $23.5 million project, the construction will give the TBIT's facade a facelift, including replacing the glass canopies in front of the terminal to match those detailed in the modern architectural design for the new international terminal currently under construction. Slated for completion in spring 2013, the project will also update the terminal with new outside escalators, signage and energy-efficient lighting, according to City News Service.

Here's what you need to know regarding maneuvering the TBIT during construction. The departure level curbside lane between the international terminal and Terminal 4 will be closed, and the first entrance to the terminal is closed to passenger drop-off. Cars will, however, be permitted to drop off passengers at the second and third entrances. The pedestrian sidewalk along the terminal will remain fully open.

"It's going from the mid-'80s-type of architecture to this new, sleek, curved, metal-type of architecture in a lot of new buildings," Albert Rodriguez, a spokesman for LAX, told L.A. Times.

CNS says the project "is expected to cause severe traffic backups near the terminal," and existing lane closures related to the $438 million Central Utility Plant Replacement Project won't help with congestion. Curbside lanes between Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley terminal will remain closed on the departure and arrival levels as the airport replaces the 50-year-old power plant with a modern facility. Additionally, roadwork that will prompt lane closures has been planned in order to add 8.7 miles of piping between the new central utility plant and terminals.

Airport officials hope passengers, motorists, airport employees and vendors heed their warnings to allow more time traveling to and from the airport.

TSA to introduce passenger prescreening at United's LAX terminals

The Transportation Security Administration program that allows prescreened passengers to move more quickly through security is scheduled to expand next week to United Airlines in Terminal 7 at LAX.

The program, known as PreCheck, is already in place at LAX for select Delta and American passengers. Under the program, such passengers may not have to remove their shoes or lightweight outerwear or remove their laptop or liquids from their carry-on during screening.

“All of our customers absolutely love it,” said Alexandria Marren, senior vice president of network operations for United and United Express, under which security falls. United, which implements the LAX plan Tuesday, hopes to have 24 airports using the program by the end of the year.

To become one of the chosen, passengers need to be frequent fliers. What exactly that means — whether you need to have achieved “elite” frequent flier program status or you fly six times a year — isn’t clear and neither the TSA nor United said they could discuss that.

Passengers who are members of the Customers and Border Protection's Trusted Traveler programs, which include Global Entry, SENTRI and NEXUS, also may be eligible for expedited screening.

Information indicating that the passenger has the prescreening stamp of approval is embedded in the barcode of the boarding pass. TSA would not say how that process works. The process did require some additional barcode-reading equipment at some checkpoints, TSA said.

Marren said the expedited process moves passengers through the security 2 1/2 times faster than regular screening.

The program, which was rolled out in October, has so far screened  more than 1.7 million passengers, the TSA estimates.

36 Hours in Cologne

36 Hours in Cologne, Germany

ONE of the oldest cities in Germany, Cologne has been drawing visitors since at least the year 50 A.D., when it was officially founded as the Roman outpost of Colonia. Today the big attractions are the city’s ancient (and gargantuan) cathedral, vibrant night life, a great native beer called Kölsch, and eau de cologne, invented here in 1709, not to mention the ever-present Rhine River. But the city the Germans know as Köln is hardly resting on its former achievements. New surprises just keep showing up. After crossing off bucket-list items like exploring the cathedral and crawling through legendary Kölsch pubs, you can easily spend an entire weekend focusing on the shops, restaurants and hotels that have opened (or reopened) within the past few years.

Day 1: Medieval Churches

Where else to begin your journey through Cologne than the glorious Kölner Dom, the city’s twin-spired cathedral that miraculously escaped unscathed from the bombing raids of World War II. Packed with art treasures, work first began on the building in 1248 and wasn’t complete until 1880. Inside, the building is a symphony of light and space thanks to the flying buttresses, stained-glass windows and richly carved choir stalls. Many other medieval churches fill the old city, including turreted Gross St. Martin above Fischmarkt and the lovely church of St. Ursula. For a view of Cologne’s towers from the Rhine, take an atmospheric afternoon or evening dinner cruise.

Day 2: Cologne Museums

Cologne is a cultural gem, and not only because of its churches. See sculptures, tombs, mosaics, ruins and entire bits of wall from Roman times at the Roman-German Museum. Trace the history of art by admiring the Wallraf-Richartz Museum’s collection of Dutch masters, medieval treasures at the Museum Schnütgen, and 20th century and postmodern art at the Museum Ludwig. Cologne’s history is unraveled at the Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, the city’s Third Reich experience at EL-DE Haus, and gorgeous textiles and designs are displayed at the Museum of Applied Arts.


Day 3: Cologne Cuisine

There’s much more to Cologne’s dining and wining scene than raucous beer halls with oompah-pah bands and sauerkraut – though there’s a lot to be said for spending a night drinking arm-in-arm with your neighbors at a tavern. The local beer is called Kölsch, and the food you’ll encounter in beer halls and regional restaurants includes hearty blood sausage, potato pancakes with apple sauce, and open sandwiches on pumpernickel bread. Step outside the beer taverns and the world is your oyster, from Japanese sushi and Middle Eastern falafel to crepes, pizza and pasta.


Hotels in Cologne
Sightseeing in Cologne

Web Buzz: Plan your trip at tripomatic.com

What it does: Helps you plan a day-by-day trip itinerary

Cost: Free

What's hot: I love the idea of making a day-by-day itinerary and then downloading it as a PDF when I'm done, as well as being able to access it from my smartphone or iPad. But after testing the app on my iPad, and also checking out the website, the latter is the way to start. Go to the home page on the website and look for a suggested trip plan such as "3 Day Trip to San Francisco or "Paris in One Day" and click on the Modify Trip Now button to make it your own. Once you're done modifying an itinerary, use the Add Your Own button to place specific restaurants, shops or addresses on your map and itinerary. The end result, as a PDF, is beautiful and book-like.

What's not: Where are the restaurants? When I tried to plan a trip to San Francisco, most of the pins marked places of interest. The few times I did find something food-related, it was usually a place to party or grab a beer.

Worth it: Yes, but there are stumbling blocks, and it requires patience. For example, when I went to the website and it told me to choose a destination, I typed in "Las Vegas, NV," and got the reply, "Tripomatic has yet to cover Las Vegas, NV." But there on the home page was a list of popular destinations, and Las Vegas was included, with maps, a free guide, suggestions for what to do and tours to buy. Go figure.

http://www.tripomatic.com/

New Safety Measures for Cruises

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) adopted two new safety policies

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) adopted two new safety policies. These policies, which address issues related to the recording of passenger nationality and the common elements of musters and emergency instructions, result from the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review launched in January.

The Nationality of Passengers policy was developed in response to the request of governments at the May meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee meeting. This policy prescribes that the nationality of each passenger onboard is to be recorded and made readily available to search and rescue personnel as appropriate. Under the Common Elements of Musters and Emergency Instructions policy, member cruise lines have specified 12 common elements that will be communicated to passengers in musters and emergency instructions. Among these common elements are a description of key safety systems and features as well as an explanation of emergency routing systems and emergency exit locations. Both policies exceed current international regulatory requirements.

“Our industry continues to actively identify a range of measures that will improve the safety of passengers and crew, which is the top priority of the cruise industry,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. www.cruising.org

Preparing for a European Trip

Going to Europe is exciting, but it can be stressful, too. By arranging a few things while you’re still at home, you’ll greatly increase your chances of having a smooth, enjoyable European vacation.

Check your passport. Is it due to expire soon? You may be denied entry into certain countries if your passport will expire within three to six months of your ticketed date of return. Get it renewed if you’ll be cutting it close.

Stash photocopies of important travel documents. Whether you’re at home or abroad, anybody can experience unexpected problems from loss or theft. If you have a copy of a valuable document, it’s easier to replace the original.

In fact, make two sets of photocopies of your passport and railpass or car-rental voucher. (For debit and credit cards, just record the numbers, rather than photocopy them.)

Pack one copy and leave the other with a buddy at home, to be faxed or e-mailed to you in case of an emergency. I hide my copy in a second money belt clipped into the bottom of my luggage (don’t tell anyone).

Contact your debit- and credit-card companies. Prior to your trip, call your bank and credit-card company to let them know which countries you’ll be visiting. This will ensure that they don’t decline foreign transactions.

While you have them on the line, confirm your debit card’s daily withdrawal limit, request an increase, if you want, and ask about fees for international transactions.

Arrange your transportation. Call us for your flight arrangements you might need to take within Europe as early as possible, since the cheapest seats sell out fast.

Train travelers should decide whether it makes sense to buy a railpass (these cover trips in one or more countries for a set number of days); if so, you’ll need to buy it before you leave the United States. If you plan to take the Eurostar between London and Paris, book tickets far ahead for the best fares. Get train tickets & passes here.

If you’re renting a car, your driver’s license is all you need in most places, but some countries, including Austria, Greece, Italy and Spain, also require an International Driving Permit. While that’s the letter of the law, I’ve rented cars in dozens of countries without an IDP — and have never been asked to show one. You can get an IDP at your local AAA office. Get the lowest car rental rates for Europe here.

Take care of medical business. Visit your doctor to get a checkup, and deal with any dental work that needs to be done.

If you use prescription drugs, take a sufficient supply to cover your trip, along with a copy of your prescription so you can refill it at a European pharmacy, if necessary.

Call your health insurance provider to see if they cover you internationally or whether you might need to buy special medical insurance.

Look into travel insurance. This can minimize the financial risks of a vacation. Your potential loss varies, depending on factors such as your health, how much of your trip is prepaid, the refundability of your air ticket, and what coverage you already have (through your medical, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and/or credit card).

Check here for affordable travel insurance, also for last minute decisions.

Prepare gadgets for takeoff. If you plan to use your US mobile phone in Europe, consider signing up for an international calling, text and/or data plan, and confirm voice- and data-roaming fees.

If you’re taking a mobile device, download any tools that might come in handy on the road, such as translators, maps, transit schedules, eBooks, Internet calling apps and free audio tours (including mine, covering some of Europe’s top sights and neighborhoods).

Make sleeping, eating and sightseeing plans. For those who want maximum choice and peace of mind, book accommodations well before your trip, especially if you’ll be traveling during peak season, a major holiday or a popular festival. Hotel Reservations.

To avoid long lines at major sights, such as the Eiffel Tower and Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, make advance reservations online. Here you can book plenty of tours and activities for all major European cities.

The best travelers are those who plan ahead and have a travel agent on their side. With a little advance legwork, you’ll return home with rich stories of spontaneous European adventures.

Lufthansa’s first Boeing 747-8 to Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Delhi and Bangalore

Starting today, passengers can now book flights on Lufthansa’s first Boeing 747-8 aircraft, which has just been delivered in Seattle. Beginning June 1, Lufthansa will operate six flights per week with the “Queen of the Skies” on the Frankfurt-Washington route. Over the next few months, as four more new Jumbo jets join the fleet, the number of destinations served by the aircraft will gradually increase. By late summer, 747-8 flights will be offered to Chicago, Los Angeles Delhi and Bangalore. 

Once the 747-8 enters scheduled service, passengers will also have the opportunity to enjoy Lufthansa’s revamped Business Class. The new Business Class seat provides exceptional comfort, whether in an upright or reclined position or as a lie-flat bed, plus intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and an enhanced in-flight entertainment system. At the press of a button, the seat converts into a comfortable bed with a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 6.6 feet in length.

The 747-8 Intercontinental will bring double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions per passenger over its predecessor, the 747-400. It is also much quieter, and generates a 30 percent smaller noise footprint. A wealth of information about the “Queen of the Skies” is available at www.lufthansa.com/747-8.