In another effort to cut costs, Delta Airlines says it is closing down nearly a dozen of its exclusive airport lounges worldwide.

These are places that you, loyal Delta travelers, pay as much as $600 a year to have access to. And it seems that some significant hubs will be affected: Delta says lounges in Boston, Phoenix, London, Denver, Kansas City and Seattle will close in the next few weeks, according to the Boston Globe.

An airline spokesman says that Delta intends to focus more on reciprocal lounge privileges available through agreements with Continental and Northwest, the latter being the airline Delta merged with last month.

No word on how much money Delta hopes to save by doing this.

Delta has a total of 42 lounges in airports worldwide.

American Airlines yesterday released an internal memo in which they comment on a April 20 incident that involved an AA flight that took off from Dallas, promptly lost a "large panel" on the underside of the plane during its initial ascent, and proceeded all the way to Paris, despite both the captain and crew confirming that they knew something was amiss.

Just what was wrong the crew didn't seem to know until touching down in Paris. And it doesn't seem that passengers were aware that anything was unusual. Several crew members managed to snap photos of the missing panel after landing, and circulated the shots in e-mails. The photos were attached to the internal member that CNN managed to obtain.

The company issued the statement after receiving upset e-mails from passengers, who stumbled upon pictures of the missing panel on the Internet.

All AA is saying is that it is investigating the matter.

What strange things have been found on planes?

Click the image to read the bizarre story...

Did you know that when you're bumped from a flight due to overbooking, under U.S. Dept. of Transportation regulations you can demand cash instead of a voucher for another flight?

The goods news today is that the DOT says starting May 19 airlines will have to pay you up to double what they were previously obliged.

If you're bumped, you can insist on a refund of up to $400 if your alternative domestic flight puts you behind between 1 and 2 hours. Beyond that, you can request a refund up to $800. For international flights, the $400 threshold is if you're delayed between 1 and 4 hours, with delays beyond that eligible for a $800 refund.

As we've reported before, Delta will begin charging a fee for checking more than one piece of luggage starting on May 5.

But the twist at Delta is that the fee, $25 per additional piece of luggage, is being applied retroactively. Delta is waving the fee for passengers who booked their tickets between February 4 and April 4, but if you booked on Delta before then -- as many have -- be prepared to pony up some cash at the check-in counter.

Though it remained quiet on the fee a little more than a month ago, Delta is now finally announcing the fee on its Web site. Not surprisingly, however, it doesn't mention that it will be retroactively applied.

Traveler "Jason" is angry about this. He tells the Consumerist that he and his wife booked on Delta in January and are planning on checking two bags each. They now face paying an additional $100 for those extra bags on the round trip flight.

"If I would have known that when I booked, I may have thought twice about Delta," he tells the Web site.

Funny, I'd think whether I really needed four suitcases for a vacation. But hey, that's just me.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is being sued by a California family for not properly disclosing in its vacation fine print that it is nearly impossible to get dinner reservations at the themed restaurants on board the company's Norwegian Star, since the reservations usually go to passengers who have paid for more expensive cabins.

Eva Gularte is suing NCL on behalf of herself, her sister and her mother, who had not, it appears, booked into a top flight package on the Norwegian Star. The lawsuit was filed in Fort Lauderdale, where NCL is headquartered, on Monday, according to the Miami Herald.

Gularte wants full refunds for her and her family, plus "incidental costs." Her lawyer is even trying to get class action status for the lawsuit, so other passengers shut out of the Star's dining rooms can have their day in court.

No word yet on whether the Gularte family was allowed to eat at all while on board.

Question: Is it right to give better perks, like priority seating at restaurants, to cruise passengers who pay more money?

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The Transportation Security Administration is now allowing airlines to store the birth dates of their passengers, a change meant to bring some relief to those who are routinely confused for being terrorists.

If you have a name that is always getting flagged because it matches one on a terrorist watchlist -- a common, sad but true occurrence these days -- the TSA says storing birth dates will allow airlines to more quickly verify that you are not the same person who is on the list.

The TSA itself keeps two lists: one a strict "no fly," and another in which passengers are tagged for special attention at airport check-in and security.

Right now, those unlucky enough to have names matching names on terrorist watchlists are barred from checking in for their flights online and must instead present themselves to an agent at the airport.

Anybody's name out there ever raise a flag at the airport?

In February it was United Airlines, in March it was Delta Airlines, and now this week it's American Airlines: starting May 12, checking a second bag on a domestic flight will now cost you an extra $25. That is unless you are an American Airlines frequent flier member with a certain status or you purchased a full-fare ticket. Bag number 3, 4 and 5 will all cost you $100 a piece, and if you are a real heavy packer, number 6 will tack on an additional $200.

The change in policy comes amidst rising fuel prices and first quarter losses for many of the major airlines. If the trend continues, passengers could be waving goodbye to many services that were once complimentary like curbside check-in and advance seat assignments. Most travelers -- at least those that aren't traveling in Business class - are already used to paying for meals, and in the case of Air Canada, even customer service. I'd say the days of the friendly skies are coming to a close.

Did your airline lose your luggage recently? Relax, it could be worse. Just ask Barbara Blewitt.

When she arrived in Atlantic City recently on a Spirit Airlines flight, she was shocked at what she found: When her luggage materialized, it was burned, including everything inside.

"I had no clothes, no underwear, no cosmetics, nothing but a burned suitcase," Blewitt tells Tampa Bay's 10 News.

The airline reportedly issued Blewitt a "baggage irregularity receipt," but she has yet to receive compensation. Spirit Airlines tells the television channel that it is looking further into the matter. It is still unclear how this might have happened.

Asks Blewitt, "How do I know how good your plane is if you can't even take care of my luggage, or at least say I'm sorry." A fair question.

Here's another one: Why go to Atlantic City in the first place?

Traveling isn't always green. As Iva pointed out, it's pretty difficult to feel good about the time we spend in planes. And the UN calculates that in 2007 there were about 900 million international travelers; that means travel is having a bigger and bigger impact on the environment. Beyond giving up travel altogether, what can we really do in order to make our favorite pastime greener?

The ladies over at Go Green Travel attempt to answer just that question today as they kick off their 25 Days to Green Travel series. The series will cover the basics; the who, what, where, when, why and how of green travel. Over the next 25 days they will post about green ways to prepare for a trip, green things to do while traveling, and even what do to on your return trip home.

In honor of Earth Day, the series' first post is entitled 31Reasons to Travel Green: In Pictures. If you have ever had any questions over why to travel green, this gives a pretty poignant visual answer. Do yourself an Earth Day favor and check it out here.

Even though this weekend was filled with Earth Day activities, the actual Earth Day is today. Because yesterday was John Muir's birthday, it seems fitting to mention those places that travelers are able to appreciate today due to Muir's dedication to the environment. Besides, he was a traveler with a capital T, the kind Abha referred to in her post on Henry Lee McGinnis, the 80 year-old who has been walking for 16 years.

Born in Dunbar, Scotland, April 21, 1838, Muir quit his job at age 29 after a machine accident almost blinded him. He decided to start walking to learn about nature. The journey took him to Cuba, Florida and California. Remember he was walking. He was so enamored with California that he made it his home. Muir is credited with helping to create Yosemite National Park, as well as, Sequoia, Mount Rainier, Petrified Forest, and Grand Canyon National Parks.

And if that wasn't enough, Muir helped influence President Theodore Roosevelt to form the National Monuments program and founded the Sierra Club.

Here's a quote of Muir's to take along with you this Earth Day.

Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer,.Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail.

--from our National Parks, 1901.