Airlines: Delta aims to outsmart cheaters

Imagine if you could leave your cubicle behind and travel the world for a year. That's what Brook Silva-Braga did when he was 25. Along the way, he videotaped parts of his experience, and he subsequently produced a documentary of the trip. The show hits the air this Saturday, March 1, at 10 p.m., on MTV. Last year, Brook gave Budget Travel this first-person account of his round-the-world adventure. Check it out.

Fewer Americans want to spend summer in the city—New York City, that is—according to a recent survey by the American Society of Travel Agents. Although you probably won't be surprised by the rest of the survey—Orlando and Las Vegas remain the top domestic destinations for the sixth year running—New York dropped to number seven on the list after five years at number three. Travel agents report that New York trips make up just 2.1 percent of bookings for 2008 travel to U.S. cities as compared to 11.8 percent in 2007. Why the sudden change? The high costs of staying in New York City may be deterring some people, said Harvey Chipkin, a writer for the industry publication Travel Weekly. "I can’t think of any negatives except maybe some message got out that New York is expensive, especially the hotels," Chipkin says. Similarly, travel agent Amy Glass, of New York City-based Protravel International, was surprised by New York's drop in popularity. But she said the trend may not be New York City's fault. "We're seeing a lot of slowdown in vacation travel everywhere," says Glass. "People have just been asking for some place they can drive to." While NYC & Company, New York City's official marketing and tourism organization, does not have definite predictions for summer 2008, they note the city had a record-breaking year for tourism in 2007 and they anticipate further growth this year. "NYC is experiencing some of the best records it has ever had," says Christopher Heywood, Director of Tourism Media Relations. Last year saw an increase in the number of international visitors due to a weak dollar, but there was also a rise in the number of U.S. visitors. "I think it’s fair to say the momentum is going to continue," says Heywood. The folks who commissioned the survey are also optimistic in the long run. Says Melissa Teates, Director of Research for ASTA, "Other than Orlando and Vegas, other cities come in and out of the top 10 in cycles. Looking at the past it seems like a city like New York might drop but they’ll come back again." —Liz Webber Who's right? Has New York become too expensive for American travelers? How are the weak dollar and high gas prices affecting your summer travel plans?

About 20 to 26 percent of TSA workers leave their jobs—or are let go—each year. The 20 percent estimate comes from a USA Today analysis of federal data. A higher, 26 percent figure, can be inferred from a recent post on the TSA's blog, Evolution of Security. For years, the agency has refused to simply say how many of its staffers have joined only to later quit or be let go. But homeland security gadfly Annie Jacobsen thinks the TSA accidentally released this info on a blog entry, excerpted here: “To date, we have terminated and sought prosecution for about 200 of our employees who have been accused of stealing, either from checked bags, passengers’ carry-ons or fellow employees. While 200 out of more than 110,000 employees is a minuscule percentage (less than one half of one percent) over the short life of the agency, one theft is too many when you are in the position of public trust as we are.” Over at Pajamas Media, Anne breaks down this post in plain English. —The TSA has a [Congressionally-mandated] work force of 43,000 screeners. —TSA blog says the agency has had a total of “more than 110,000 employees” in its six-year history. —That means more than 67,000 individuals who entered into employment contracts with TSA have left the agency over this period of six years Meanwhile, USA Today says: One in five screeners left between Oct. 1, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2007, federal Office of Personnel Management figures show. The turnover rate was identical the year before. Still, it's not clear if a 20 to 26 percent annual turnover rate is high. According to the website of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "overall U.S. voluntary turnover" hovers around 23 percent a year, according to the most recent tally. In other words, TSA agents leave their jobs with roughly the same frequency as folks in the service industry. No doubt, the job is often thankless. Training involves two-weeks of intensive classes, and wages are roughly $14 an hour, with about $21 for overtime. Says USA Today: Screener salaries, though higher than they were before the TSA was created, are still lower than for comparable jobs. Full-time screeners earned $34,934 on average in 2006-07, federal data show. The nation's 3 million protective-service workers, including security guards, police and corrections officers, earned $37,040 on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An average screener supporting a family of four would be eligible for reduced-price school meals, federal eligibility guidelines show. What do you think about how the TSA hires its staff? EARLIER An interesting solution to airport security lines.