From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Is American Air Travel on the Descent?

Hello again, I'm Orman Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

It's been a pretty good year for the airline industry, despite those loose seat rows on American Airlines' planes, now comes the holiday crunch.

Higher ticket prices, more full planes, and there could be more lost baggage.

Combined with delays by the TSA, many air travelers have come to dread an experience they used to look forward to.

Passengers complain that service is being sacrificed for the bottom line, but will they

pay more to get style and comfort? What's the impact of airline mergers and the outsourcing of

maintenance? On reporter's notebook later on, a new individual scoring record in NCAA basketball. Is it the player or the system?

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

Hello again, Warren-Aulay, back with To the Point. This morning's dense fog in Chicago is just one of the problems facing airline passengers as the busiest week of the traveling season gets underway.

We'll hear how the flying experience has changed as an industry with narrow profit margins struggled to meet public demand.

On reporter's notebook, one player scored 138 points in a single basketball game last night, shattering NCAA records.

Is it real or a mockery of the game?

First this news update, 24 hours after yesterday's ceasefire failed to go into effect.

Israel and Hamas leaders in Gaza have agreed to stop shooting.

After struggling between shuttling, excuse me, between Cairo and Jerusalem,

U.S. Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton gave credit to the newly elected Islamic President of Egypt, Muhammad Morsi.

This is a critical moment for the region. Egypt's new government is assuming the responsibility

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