Mid-Atlantic New York Will Limp Back to Normal Wednesday

Airlines are scrambling to re-position aircraft and crews and airports are beginning efforts to restore services for travel operations Wednesday. Airports not affected by the super storm Sandy still felt the reverberating impact. Chicago and Atlanta, among others, experienced their own delays and cancellations as flights going into and coming from impacted airports took their toll. Passengers scheduled to depart Wednesday should double-check with the airlines or at www.premieretravel.com (flight status) to get the latest information on their flights. We estimate that it will take several days for schedules to get back to normal and many flights may still be cancelled or delayed. While many airlines have issued "waivers", their policies will vary in flexibility and some for example require affected travel to be completed by November 4. With near zero slack in capacity and equipment, many will find that flight alternatives and seats simply do not exist. www.premieretravel.com

Oil Drops Below $90 But Airlines Raise Fares Sighting High Fuel Costs

Last month, price of oil and its jet fuel derrivative rose. Immediately, airlines increased fares to compensate. Now oil is back to where it was before the increase, and the airlines' response? Another fare increase! The Department of Transportation (DOT) ignores the price fixing that airlines have perfected over the years. One airline raises fares and waits for other airlines to match. If they do, the fare increase stays. If they don't, the maverick airline rolls back the increase "to stay competitive". www.premieretravel.com

Delta Solidifies Position at New York LaGuardia

Delta Airlines and USAirways have completed their slot swaps at New York LaGuardia and Reagan Washington National Airport. With minimal objections from the U.S. Department of Transportation, both carriers got what they wanted. The beefed up presence for Delta at JFK and LaGuardia gives the carrier a big edge in one of the most important domestic market and will challenge the United/Continental position in Newark. www.premieretravel.com