TROPICAL STORM FAY: As Tropical Storm Fay moves through Florida and the Southeast, there could be possible delays and cancellations in the region. Many airlines such as Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways have waived change fees on certain flights impacted by the storm.  Please check with your travel agent or airline for details on cancellations, delays and possible waived change fees. (MSNBC.com, August 18)... Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cruise lines have altered ship itineraries to avoid the path of Tropical Storm Fay near the Florida Keys. For more information please visit www.royalcaribbean.com or www.ncl.com. (ModernAgent.com, August 19) 

NO MORE SEPARATE BINS FOR LAPTOPS: Business travelers enter a refreshing era in travel as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) dropped requirements for all laptops to be removed from carrying cases and placed in separate bins to go through the X-ray machine. The new regulation will speed up the screening process at airports as well as prevent the accidental swapping or misplacement of travelers’ computers. Carrying cases, however, must meet certain criteria. They must have a designated laptop section which lacks metal snaps, zippers or buckles. The laptop section also cannot have extra pockets inside or outside of it and the only item that can be packed in the carrying case is the laptop itself. (Travel Agent Central, August 18)

AIRLINES RELAX BAG FEES FOR MILITARY: Several U.S. airlines now allow military personnel to check a third bag for free, a move that represents a modest rollback on extra charges most passengers pay to help carriers offset high fuel costs. The change at American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Alaska Air and other carriers mainly allows military personnel on official business to check up to three bags free. Those passengers are already allowed to check up to two bags without charges. (AirWise News, August 19)

TRANSATLANTIC JOINT VENTURE: American Airlines and British Airways, along with Oneworld alliance partner Iberia, announced a long-anticipated plan to implement an immunized transatlantic joint venture, following similar moves by carriers of the competing SkyTeam and Star alliances. This is the third time the two airlines have attempted at gaining antitrust immunity in the past decade. American, British Airways and Iberia also expect to expand code-sharing on flights beyond the EU and U.S., while further coordinating frequent flyer and airport lounge programs. The three carriers also plan to engage in trilateral cost-savings initiatives to cope with a difficult operating environment. (Business Traveler News, August 18)

TRAVEL WARNING: The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert to advise U.S. citizens traveling to the Union of Comoros of the potential for demonstrations and civil unrest due to a sever fuel shortage across the nation. The Union of Comoros is continuing to experience gasoline and diesel fuel shortages following a July termination of a sole source contract for the country’s fuel needs. Protests are primarily directed against the Comoran government but past protests have been directed against Westerners residing in the country. For detailed information please visit the U.S. State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov.

CRUISE DEALS: The following discount vacation packages are available from Omega World Travel and Cruise.com: 7-Day Mexico from $384, 7-Day Caribbean from $399, 7-Day Alaska from $499, 7-Day Europe from $599, 15-Day Hawaiian Islands from $1,309. For more information, please visit us at Cruise.com or call us at 1-888-333-3116.