Q Can you use a companion certificate on the last leg of a round trip? A friend is flying from here to San Francisco and wants to use his Delta $99 companion fare coupon to fly a friend back from San Fran to here. Will the airline let him?A Seems like it should, but it won't. Delta booking agents are unable to use the certificate for booking a companion on only one leg of a round-trip. Rules at www.delta.com say that, "Both passengers must be booked at the same time, in the same class of service and in the same record." The agent I spoke with suggested your friend could plead for an exception with American Express, which issues the certificates when customers renew their Delta-branded AmEx cards for another year.
KERRI WESTENBERG
NEWS UPDATE
Calm returns to London Earlier this month, London resembled "A Clockwork Orange" -- a montage of looting, stealing and fiery rampaging. But the city is quickly returning to its civilized, Merchant-Ivory self. "With the sheer number of police and more than 1,000 people arrested," said Stephanie Kallab, Europe security analyst at iJet Intelligent Risk Systems, "London is calmer." Prior to the arrests, aided in part by security cameras and the influx of police forces, rioters had raged through such chic neighborhoods as Sloane Square and Pimlico. Scofflaws broke into a two-star Michelin restaurant, the Ledbury, in upscale Notting Hill and shook down diners for money, jewelry and cellphones. Despite the return of order, she said that visitors can expect to see ramped-up security forces, especially at night. She said it's safe to travel to England but reminds tourists to follow the golden rules of travel. "If you see hooded people running," she wisely advises, "you need to run in the other direction."
WASHINGTON POST
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Stay in St. Maarten for less Two Sonesta hotels on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten are offering up to 45 percent off. With the Longer You Stay, the Less You Pay deal, save 35 percent on a two-night stay, 40 percent on three nights, and 45 percent on four or more nights at the Sonesta Maho Beach or Sonesta Great Bay Beach resorts. For a four-night stay, rates begin at $116 per night. Book by Sept. 30 using promo code LUSLUP; stay through Dec. 17. Info: 1-800-766-3782, www.sonesta.com/stmaarten.
WASHINGTON POST
TRIP TIP
Santa Fe escapes fire For travelers looking for an escape to Santa Fe, the city saw no damage from the Las Conchas fire, which burned 157,000 acres to the west in early July. Damage was centered in the Santa Fe National Forest and the Los Alamos area. Tourists might find it interesting to drive to the Jemez Mountains and see nature on the rebound. Notable closures include some activities at Valles Caldera National Preserve, most of Bande lier National Monument and all of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, says Stephen Mauer, spokesman for Valles Caldera. For updates on the situation, check nmfireinfo.wordpress.com.
DETROIT FREE PRESS
