U.S. airlines are warning passengers flying along the East Coast from Maine to Asheville, N.C., over the next few days that they may face weather delays related to Hurricane Earl. Airlines also are waiving change fees, and in some cases also airfare differences, for passengers who need to change travel plans because of the storm.

Here are general policies for several airlines as of Thursday morning:

American Airlines: Waiving change fees for certain ticketed passengers going to or from Boston; Hartford, Conn.; New York City (JFK and LGA); Newark, N.J.; Norfolk, Va.; and Philadelphia on Thursday through Saturday. You must begin your re-booked travel by Sept. 10 to avoid the penalty.

U.S. Airways: Waiving change fees for certain ticketed passengers going in or out of certain cities in various states, including Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Passengers may move their itineraries up to seven days before or after the date they were supposed to leave.

Delta Air Lines and AirTran Airways: Advisories posted on their websites for a range of cities, including New York.

Frontier Airlines: Weather advisory that warns passengers traveling through Saturday to expect delays if they are going to or from Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Newport-News/Williamsburg, Va.; Philadelphia; New York (LaGuardia); Newark; and Boston. Ticketed passengers with travel dates between Sept. 1 and Saturday have until midnight MT Saturday (11 p.m. PDT) to change travel plans. The fare difference and change fee will be waived for certain passengers as long as travel is completed by Sept. 18.

United Airlines: Travel waiver advisory for 21 airports along the East Coast for ticketed passengers traveling Sept. 1 through Saturday.

Continental Airlines: Travel waiver advisory for 15 airports along the East Coast for ticketed passengers traveling Sept. 1-4

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To provide passengers with 24/7 access to the most commonly requested TSA information on their mobile device, TSA has developed the MyTSA mobile application. No matter where you are, you’ll have easy access to information you need to get through security and onto the plane safely and smoothly.

MyTSA puts the most frequently requested information about security procedures at airport checkpoints right at their fingertips. The application has multiple functions, including allowing travelers to find out if an item can be taken in checked or carry-on bags, view delays at all U.S. airports via a feed from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), get some of the most commonly asked packing and traveling tips, and post and see other passengers’ checkpoint wait times at specific airports.

TSA also has the ability to update the application to give users the most up to date information to help them prepare for security. If a specific item is not listed on the ‘Can I Bring?’ tool, users can submit it, through the app, directly to TSA for consideration to be added to the app.

MyTSA has multiple functions, including the following tools:

Airport Status: Users can see what airports are experiencing general delays (not flight specific) or search for conditions at a specific airport. This information is provided by the FAA.

‘Can I Bring?’: Users can type in an item they plan to bring on a trip to find out if it is permitted or prohibited, and whether they can pack it in carry-on or checked bags.

Guide: Users can get travel tips on an array of some of the most popular topics of air travel, including traveling with children, 3-1-1 rules for liquids, gels and aerosols, special medical needs, packing tips, tips for how to dress for airport security, tips for military members, and traveling with food and gifts.

Security wait times: MyTSA gives passengers the ability to share their wait time and see what wait times other passengers have posted for U.S. airports.
Wait Times: Passengers can also post the approximate amount of time it took them to get through security for other travelers to view.

To get MyTSA on your mobile device, type in www.tsa.gov/mobile. You can also find the MyTSA iPhone app on iTunes.

Mexico's aviation safety rating was downgraded Friday due to concerns about the country's safety oversight, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The action won't stop flights between the two countries, but it will prevent Mexican airlines like AeroMexico and Mexicana from expanding service to the United States, the FAA said.

Mexican airlines also will not be able to carry passengers to or from the United States in so-called code-sharing agreements with U.S. airlines. Code-sharing means one airline puts its code or symbol on another carrier's flight and sells the seats as if the plane were its own.

Mexico's Communications and Transport Department said in a statement the demotion was due "exclusively to administrative and organizational matters" - a shortage of flight inspectors - and not a lapse in flight safety itself.

"The FAA measure does not imply any decline in the safety of civil aviation in Mexico," the department said. "Mexico's airlines are safe and will continue to offer high quality service, comparable to the highest international standards."

"While Mexico has been responsive to the FAA's findings and has made significant improvements in recent months, it was unable to fully comply with all of the international safety standards," the U.S. agency said in a statement.

By Jay Boehmer

The U.S. State Department on July 13 will raise the price for visas, passports and other consular services—some by more than $300—to reflect what the department determined is the true cost to provide such services.

For an adult passport, the State Department will begin charging $110—$35 more than the current price—plus a $25 execution fee, which is not retained by the department. Meanwhile, the cost for some visas will jump by even greater amount. For example, an employment-based immigrant visa will cost $720 under the new pricing scheme, compared with the previous $355.

The department's Bureau of Consular Affairs in June 2009 completed a study to assess the full cost to the government to process and issue visas and passports, calling it "the most detailed and exhaustive ever conducted by the Department of State." Following that study, the department "established the true cost of providing these consular services, which by law must be recovered through collection of fees," the State Department said this week.

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