Few holiday air deals; lots of stuffing

THANKSGIVING air travel is shaping up as a replay of last year’s holiday, traditionally the year’s busiest, with one change: Jets will probably fly fuller.

Through September this year, U.S. airlines have filled an average of 79% of their seats, up 2.2% from the same period last year, said the Air Transport Assn., an industry group. “We’re probably going to see those percentages go up even more around the holidays,” said Amy Ziff, an editor at Travelocity.

She said Travelocity’s Thanksgiving bookings were up 5% from last year’s holiday. AAA forecasts a 1.3% increase in Thanksgiving air travelers.

As for fares, last-minute bookers are “going to be hard-pressed to find a steal of a deal,” Ziff added.

Among ways to save time and lower stress:

* Recheck your flight times. Some airlines have shifted schedules as they cut back or reshuffled flights.

* Check in and get your boarding pass online before leaving home.

* Explain the security process to children. “A lot of children have special anxiety when a ‘blanky’ or teddy bear is put through screening,” said Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Jennifer Peppin.

* Arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight. With full planes, you may find it tough to get on another flight if you miss yours.

* Check out travel tips at the Transportation Security Administration’s website, www.tsa.gov. New this year is a ban on lighters in carry-on luggage; with a few exceptions, they are also banned from checked bags. A proposal to loosen carry-on restrictions, possibly allowing scissors and some other objects, is under review and is not expected to be in force during the holidays, Peppin said.

* Take off coats and shoes before security checkpoints. The latter is not required but is “strongly recommended” because shoes so often set off alarms, Peppin said.

* Don’t take wrapped presents in checked or carry-on bags. If any security problems are spotted, TSA staff may have to unwrap them.

-- Jane Engle

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Cozumel reopens to cruise ships

THE Mexican island of Cozumel reopened to cruise ships Monday for the first time since Hurricane Wilma battered the Caribbean resort in October.

The 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph and Celebrity Cruises’ 1,896-passenger Galaxy were the first to call. Twelve more ships of five cruise lines were on the week’s tentative lineup, expected to bring about 30,000 passengers back to the island off the Yucatan coast.

The island is limiting ship calls to four or five ships a day. Previously, Cozumel could handle 10 to 12 ships a day.

Cruise-line officials inspected the island two weeks ago to determine whether its facilities and amenities had recovered enough to handle passengers. All lines praised the island’s leaders for a quick recovery.

“The progress in Cozumel has been absolutely remarkable and tremendous credit must be given to the local officials and citizens for their extraordinary efforts in readying the island for the return of cruise visitors,” said Bob Dickinson, Carnival Cruise Lines president and chief executive.

Carnival reported that most of its pre-Wilma shore excursions were operating.

Ships now must anchor off the island because all three cruise-ship piers were heavily damaged or demolished. Passengers are shuttled on tenders (smaller boats) to the main Cozumel pier at the center of town along the waterfront boulevard lined with shops and restaurants.

Lines are still juggling itineraries. Carnival has revised its sailings through December, putting Cozumel on the itineraries of five ships and substituting ports on eight ships. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity had six ships scheduled back into Cozumel last week, Princess Cruises had two and Norwegian Cruise Line had three with a fourth returning this week.

The list of substitute ports includes Calica, near Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan coast. Others are Playa del Carmen, Costa Maya, Progreso and Veracruz, all in Mexico.

-- Mary Lu Abbott

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Grand Central glows with lasers

IS there any surface in New York untouched by holiday glow?

Beginning Monday, Grand Central Terminal’s sky ceiling will be awash with lasers. The show will transform the surface’s usual array of constellations into snowmen, skiers, New York City landmarks and more. The free exhibit, set to holiday music, will be presented 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 31.

-- Chris Erskine

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Traveler’s note

The Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, closed since Hurricane Katrina, is scheduled to reopen Friday.

Associated Press