Evening star., 1948-12-12
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Schedules for
VaCatiOners
BY w. n. Shipper, Jr.

%Nt0HoH GohOt " wv Ste'
Air travel should be safer and
simpler this winter. Operationally,
the carriers plan to cut bad-weather
cancellations and delays in half dur
ing the coming months.
At the same time. the price Of
tickets appears less stable.
One example is the family bargain
rate Of special interest to vacation
ees. Most big airlines operating
through Washington are seeking
permission to extend the plan be-
youd the present expiration date OF
December 81. A decision is now up
to the Civil Aeronautics Board.
The idea Is to fill seats on slack
days-Mondays, Tuesdays and We'd
nesdays-by allowing purchasers OF
full-fare tickets to pay half fares
for the wife and children under 81.
Savings bring the cost below that
OF first-class rail tickets. The
scheme apparently has worked out
well. 30 far.
More "Quickie" Vacations.
Perhaps the heaviest volume OF
winter travel out Of the Washing
ton area will be to Florida, although
Bermuda, Cuba and the whole
Caribbean region are gaining pop
ularity with air travellers.
In fact, the scope of the "quickie"
winter vacation has expanded rap
idlv IN, three directi0nS
For example, sections of the Ba-
varian Alps recently have been
opened to pleasure travel, while
Washingtonians can reach Hawaii
with one-carrier service in "a to 36
hours, or half that time between
here and Mexico City. Bermuda is
less than four hours from National
Airport. and extra-fare, nonstop
planes turn up Miami in 312 hours.
The range of vacation travel over
seas has been extended somewhat
by elimination of the Is per cent
"war' tax on tickets to Europe and
South America The tax was passed
on domestic transportation as re-
strictive measure during the war,
and retained as a means of revenue
except in countries where it would
handicap American companies IN
competition with foreign carriers.
Early Reservations Advised.
Meanwhile, Florida, and especially
Southern Florida, is preparing for
its biggest season. Eastern Air
Lines is going along by expanding
schedules, along with ground ia
cilities, at Miami, and general pro-
motion. Passengers are being ad-
vised to make reservations at the
earliest possible time for nonstop
and express service as compared
with flights which make local stops.
An extra charge of 10 per cent is
made by Eastern and National Air
lines for nonstop Constellation and
deg flights.
Eastern gives q per cent dis
count on round trips, and National
Is expected to follow suit this
month. At the same time, however,
National was expected to raise Its
general fares 10 per cent.
. In a tougher competitive position,
transcontinental lines like Ameri-
can, United and Trans World not
only have dropped the extra-fare
charge, but have family bargain
plans in operation and allow the S
per cent discount for round trips.
Roughly. the passenger rate aver
ages around cents a mile. Not
even skilled statisticians can arrive
at the exact figure. Most airlines
received two general fare hikes Of
around 10 per cent each in the last
year to recoup from cuts put In
too soon after the end Of the war
Sales Resistance Found.
Sales resistance thereafter re-
suited in q number of round-trip
discounts, excursion rates and plans
to I'LL space on the dullest days Of
the week or the slackest hours Of
the day.
Colonial Airlines, which operates
to Bermuda, and to Montreal and
Ottawa, has 20 per cent reduction
on round trips to United States and
Canadian points, but not to Ber-
muda.
Holders of the reduced tickets
must leave on Tuesdays or Wednes-
days, and can return any day of the
week except Fridays or Sundays.
Bermuda, like Florida and many
islands of the Caribbean. is being |
promoted as year-round resort
with increasing success.
Except for a brief letup during |
the fall hurricane season. the four
hour run to Bermuda Is proving |
popular.
Trafic to Bermuda and to winter
sports centers around Ottawa Isl
expected to pick up after the New
Year.
Meanwhile, American and Trans
World reported an upsurge Of in
terest in the dude ranches, golf
courses and hotels of the winter sun
country of the Southwest, and re-
sorts Of Southern California. An
other tourist boom is getting under
way for Mexico City this winter.
Capital Extends Service.
Washington travellers now can
reach Hawaii via United in some
"A hours elapsed time, or in SO