Continental charging travelers to fly standby

Despite all the bad news about the economy and the future of air travel, a trip to Europe is still possible with some creative planning. That's the theme of Clayton M. McCleskey's article in the Dallas Morning News (and of our own ongoing Affordable Europe series). Among McCleskey's tips: Think east to cities like Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, and Zagreb. Eastern Europe remains a good deal for those with greenbacks. He also recommends strategic ATM usage, picnicking whenever possible to cut down on food costs, and considering a cruise as part of your trip. The Times of London also has some advice on choosing cheaper destinations. For instance, instead of heading to overrun Tuscany, explore Umbria's medieval hill towns: "It’s Italy—it’s contractually obliged to be gorgeous. It’s just not called Tuscany, so they’re not allowed to rip you off and herd you about like sheep." Although the advice is targeted to Brits, much of it also applies to hopeful American travelers. If you prefer a trip that doesn't involve a long flight and passport hassles, be sure to check out this Practical Traveler column from the New York Times on bargains close to home and MarketWatch's tips on getting a good travel deal in the Americas. The best advice here, I think, is to be flexible, looking first at fares and then thinking about which of those places you might like to visit.

As airlines reveal specifics about cutback plans for the next couple years, more and more employees are starting to feel their effects. Yesterday, United announced that it would be "furloughing" (laying off) a first group of pilots when the summer's over. By the end of 2009, the Chicago-based carrier anticipates laying off a total of 950 pilots and getting rid of 94 B737 aircraft and 6 B747s. These 950 represent roughly 14 percent of United's total of 6,800 pilots. Layoffs among salaried employees and those in management have already begun—21 percent of them, or 1,600, may eventually have their jobs eliminated. These cuts come at the same time that United anticipates bringing back the often-annoying minimum stay rule. Beginning on October 6, nearly all United tickets will require a one- to three-night or weekend-night stay. As for United's competitors, Continental plans to cut 3,000 jobs. Four thousand of Delta's workers took early buyout options. And American has plans for getting rid of jobs, though they have not yet been made final. Ready for a bit more gloom? The Business Travel Coalition, in a new report, has said that major airlines may be on the verge of collapsing as early as this year due to fuel costs: "Already-depleted cash reserves are dwindling fast, and unless the fuel crisis lessens, airlines face not the now-familiar protracted restructuring in bankruptcy, but outright and immediate extinction." MORE Complete Airline News Coverage

As you've probably heard, the great comedian George Carlin passed away yesterday. In his honor, here is Carlin's riff on airline safety announcements. As you'd expect from someone famous for the Seven Dirty Words you can never say on TV, this routine is not safe for many workplaces—especially airlines—and includes some curses and offensive terms. But it's funny.