Officials of Turkish Airlines now forbid bright red lipstick and fingernails on flight attendants. The order states their appearance must be "artless and well-groomed with makeup in pastel tones."

According to Reuters, airline spokesmen insist the less flashy appearance will enhance communications between flight crews and passengers, because bright red “impairs visual integrity”. As expected, there have been angry rumblings among airline employees who say they feel the restrictions are arbitrary and outdated.

We fear that Southwest, once our favorite laid-back economy airline, is slip-sliding into the nickel-diming mode of other airlines. The most recent example is that SW will no longer refund the fare of passengers who fail to be there for scheduled flights.

In the past, if you showed up late, there were ways to get around it. The SW airport staff would do their best let you board a later flight, or even get you on a rival airline flight. And it cost you nothing beyond the fare you paid for your original ticket.  

Under the new SW policy, if you miss your flight without adequate reason or prior contact, you may have to forfeit your fare. Flyers should be aware of the logical reason for the new SW rule. In these days of tightening budgets and high fuel prices, flights with empty seats represent lost income for airlines.

For more information, contact your favorite hometown or online travel agency, or go to www.southwest.com

Along with screwed-up flight schedules and unpaid furloughs for airline workers, the sequestration blues have hit charity groups. Both federal and local governments are cutting back or totally withdrawing some subsidies that helped finance such social programs as Meals On Wheels.

For just one example, according to news reports, for the agency in the town of Contra Costa, California, government funding has been cut off. The volunteer agency will now be forced to stop delivering healthful meals to the homes of nearly 50 percent of its current elderly homebound, low-income recipients.

Travel4Seniors asks you to check with your local Meals On Wheels organization and, if necessary, respond to requests for financial support. Think of your contribution of $25 or $50 as just a tiny portion of the money you’d pay for your next cruise or resort vacation. You won’t miss that duty-free bottle of liquor or souvenir tea set, and you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping elderly people in need.

For more information, check with your local Meals On Wheels organization or go to www.mowaa.org/

According to a recent CNN report, Carnival Cruise Lines will will put out as much as $700 million to improve their services and equipment. The intent is to repair the cruise line’s severely damaged reputation caused by a string of highly-publicized mishaps and loss of customer confidence.

The upgrades will improve the ships’ power, safety procedures and firefighting equipment. Besides the Carnival named ships, the corporate brand includes Princess, Holland America, Cunard and Costa Cruises.