Under the new rule, airlines are required to provide food, drinking water and operable bathrooms in the case of tarmac delays lasting two hours or longer, and must deplane passengers before the three-hour time limit, unless barred by safety or security concerns or air traffic control declares that it would disrupt operations.

The new policy has been crafted in response to a number of high-profile instances that left passengers stranded on grounded planes for lengthy periods of time. The DOT has declared its hopes that the new policy will encourage airlines to cancel flights ahead of time and inform customers in a timely manner of any schedule adjustments.

Additional rules are being proposed by mid-year that would further protect air travelers, including regulations on full-fare advertising and other measures against tarmac delays. The new consumer rule can be read in its entirety at www.regulations.gov. Ally Miola

The resort area is divided into three neighborhoods, with cobblestone streets, nine restaurants and 14 shops. There are also three pools, two spas, two fitness rooms, a game room, business services and 13,000 square feet of meeting space, making the area its own desert oasis. Adding to this is a port area with waterfront dining, two signature golf courses, gondola rides, boating, fly-fishing and seasonal activities, all within 17 miles of the Strip. AM

"Jet Airways Konnect has been a resounding success with all our guests," said Sudheer Raghavan, COO, Jet Airways. "However, as domestic air travel continues to rise [in India], and governmental and corporate travel restrictions are relaxed, there has been increasing customer demand for a superior in-flight product with more benefits and privileges than our current all-economy Jet Airways Konnect product." AM

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
In my attempt to soak up every last moment in New Zealand, I was running short on time before my flight—not my normal cautious self. But I had nothing to worry about, as Air New Zealand has a complete premium-class check-in center—not just a dedicated line—but a walk-in center exclusively for Business Premier passengers. I was greeted at the door and escorted to the counter. The friendly attendant asked how I enjoyed my visit, as she processed my information and issued my ticket, and then walked me to an elevator while wishing me a good trip home. To my surprise, the elevator opened to the front of the security line, so I had no wait at all to get through.

I briefly looked through some of the duty-free items on my way to the lounge, but didn't take long, as I needed to get some e-mails out before my flight. I was happy to discover that the lounge offers free Wi-Fi, and I found a spot to plug in my computer. While it was booting up, I decided to explore the lounge. There was a huge selection of food, with plenty of dinner items, salads and breads, as well as a wall of beverages. The lounge is also equipped with a children's area, business center, mobile-phone chargers, TV areas, and quiet zones, and even offers free massages. I chose to skip the meal (I didn't want to fill up before the in-flight service) and just had a glass of New Zealand wine. If only my time hadn't been so limited, I would have given in to the tempting massage, but instead got back to work.

A few moments after I sat down, an announcement came over the loudspeaker from the in-flight concierge. (This is a concept Air New Zealand introduced in 2008.) She informed everyone that she would be available to answer any questions before and during the flight. She then walked around and introduced herself to the passengers.

BOARDING
When I got to the gate, I was surprised to see that the concierge was talking to more people in the boarding area. I had assumed this was an exclusive service for Business Premier passengers only, but it's offered to all passengers.

Families with small children and disabled passengers boarded the flight first, followed by Business Premier passengers. Once at our seats, we were greeted with Champagne and menus, and an attendant asked passengers if they understood how to use the seat controls, and took pre-dinner drink orders.

SEAT COMFORT
Per my request, I was seated on the upper deck of this B747, where there was a 1-1 configuration that consisted of five rows totaling 10 passengers. The seats were 22 inches wide, expanding to 33 inches when reclined and easily converted to a fully-flat bed measuring 6 feet 7.5 inches in length. It also featured plenty of personal storage space, lighting, a footrest that doubled as a visitor seat, and Audio/Video On Demand on a 10.4-inch screen.

FLIGHT
I was traveling with a few colleagues, two of whom were in my cabin. An older woman was sitting near us, and her adult children were frequently checking in on her. Around the third time they appeared, she firmly told them to go away, and that she would see them at the end of the flight. None of us could contain chuckles over this, and we quickly made a new friend. She had so many funny stories to tell that kept us laughing while drinks, amenity kits, hot towels, nuts and appetizers of mushrooms, pickles, and stuffed roasted tomatoes were served.

Soon the discussion turned to dinner; I was struggling to choose between chicken and lamb for my entrée and was able to convince my colleague to order the chicken so that I could try them both. He decided to share this information with our flight attendant, who had a good sense of humor and told me that I could ask him for anything during the flight—I didn't have to go through my friend.

Soon after that, my dinner arrived and I decided to watch the Michael Jackson documentary "This is It." About 10 minutes into the show, I was grateful for the on-demand that allowed me to select a different movie. Once my dinner plate was collected, I visited the lavatory and returned to my seat to find a second meal: the chicken was waiting, as the flight attendant grinned ear-to-ear, urging, "I know you want to try it."

Throughout both of my terrific meals, the flight attendant suggested accompanying wines, and each was an excellent pairing. When I was finished, he offered dessert, coffee and drinks, but I was getting a bit sleepy, so he offered to make my bed for me, laying it flat with a duvet, blanket and an extra pillow. I was able to sleep for a solid six hours thanks to this setup.

When I awoke, the in-flight concierge and the purser checked in on me. (I was the only one awake in our cabin at the time.) The purser said she would be back in a moment, as she reached for my Champagne glass that was a little more than half full. I said that I would finish it, but she insisted that Champagne should be served cold with plenty of bubbles and brought me a new glass of bubbling Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut.

By this time, the concierge was sitting next to me, asking about my trip—clearly she had spoken with the concierge that I had met on my flight to New Zealand, as she knew all about my interests and the suggestions I had received. She wanted to know if I had been able to visit all the places he had mapped out for me on my journey over, and I told her that we had tried our best. We must have talked for 20 minutes or so before the rest of the cabin started to wake up, so we said our goodbyes and she continued talking with everyone who wanted to chat. I was able to catch another movie before breakfast was served, shortly before landing.

ARRIVAL
Our descent was a little bit bumpy, but the pilot kept us well informed and we had a smooth landing, on time, at LAX.

VERDICT
Air New Zealand has upped the ante on international travel, offering perks such as the exclusive business-class check-in area and concierge services. As so many airlines seem to be taking away, rather than adding amenities, I can only hope that the direction Air New Zealand is taking will catch on.

— Adam Rodriguez