Vacation & News Bites (August 13, 2009)

Vacation News In Brief:

• The Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved Continental Airlines‘ application to join the Star Alliance. It also granted antitrust immunity to Continental & United Airlines, the U.S. anchor of the Star Alliance. However, the DOT did insist on some “carve outs.” Continental & Star won’t be able to cooperate on routes to four European cities — Copenhagen, Geneva, Lisbon & Stockholm — & to Beijing. Certain transborder routes between the United States & Canada are also off the table. All that’s left now is the timing. Continental leaves the SkyTeam Alliance late in October & has said it wants to immediately (as in the next day) move into Star.

• Continental Airlines has equipped 15 of its aircraft with LiveTV, the system owned by JetBlue Airways. Continental’s version offers 77 channels of live television. It’s free for first-class passengers & costs for coach flyers.

• United Express, the commuter carrier of United Airlines, launches a San Francisco-Kansas City route on October 25. A 66-seat regional jet will operate on the 1,500-mile run.

• Avis has opened a car-rental station in Hanoi. A branch will open in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) later this year.

• US Airways has closed its airport lounge at Las Vegas.

ON THE TEE

Golf (and Stay) Where the Legends Play: If Tom Watson’s epic run — & playoff collapse — in last month’s British Open whetted your appetite for a little Scottish links action, take note: Turnberry Golf Resort has reopened after a million renovation & restoration. The 211-room property’s Ailsa Course was the venue for the dramatic showdown between the 59-year-old Watson & little-known Stewart Cink, who won the four-hole playoff. The legendary Turnberry is now part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.