Paris, France -- A strike by air-traffic controllers affected flights Wednesday across France, resulting in cancellations of 10 percent of scheduled flights from Paris" main international airport, the civil aviation authority DGAC said.

Paris, France (CNN) -- A strike by air-traffic controllers affected flights Wednesday across France, resulting in cancellations of 10 percent of scheduled flights from Paris" main international airport, the civil aviation authority DGAC said.

In addition to the cancellations at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, half of the flights from Orly, the nation"s second-largest airport, were canceled, the authority said.

Would-be passengers were urged to contact their airlines prior to traveling to the airport.

Ireland"s low-cost airline Ryanair called Wednesday for the French government to get the French military, "if necessary," to take over air traffic control duties while civilian air traffic controllers are on strike. "France, passengers and airlines cannot afford these airport closures at a time when traffic and tourism is suffering," Ryanair said in a statement.

The timing coincides with the beginning of summer vacations for many French. One EasyJet passenger who was at Orly when she found out her flight had been canceled until Thursday bemoaned her situation. "In the middle of July, it"s tough to find a place to stay," said Nawel Boubouka.

The strike started Tuesday evening and is scheduled to end Thursday at 6 a.m.

Controllers are striking over plans to unify European air traffic control.

France is due to join Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to form what is being called Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC).

FABEC is a cornerstone of the Single European Sky project, which advocates say will reduce fuel use and flight times by making it possible for planes to fly more direct routes across the continent.

The FABEC area covers 1,713,442 square km (661,560 sq miles) and is characterized by closely interlaced civil and military traffic routes, its website says.

Most of the large European airports and major civil and military airways are located in the FABEC area.

London, England -- When Singapore Airlines first started flying the Airbus A380 in 2007, it was still a big question mark whether the aircraft would be a hit with passengers.

London, England (CNN) -- When Singapore Airlines first started flying the Airbus A380 in 2007, it was still a big question mark whether the aircraft would be a hit with passengers.

Early indications were that the plane was a huge success in terms of passenger comfort and after nearly three years in service, routes that have the A380 are at near capacity.

Just last month, Emirates Airlines placed a mammoth order for 32 more Airbus A380s worth more than $10 billion -- the airline will have 90 super jumbos in total.

Other airlines like Qantas, Lufthansa and Air France also fly the A380 on some of their most lucrative routes.

But, is the Airbus A380 really worth all the fuss? Are passengers really willing to switch airlines or choose different routes just to be able to fly on the super jumbo?

On a flight onboard one of Singapore Airlines" newest A380s from London to Singapore, passengers would soon find out.

Noise

There"s been so much talk about the A380"s quiet interior, but until you actually take a flight in one, it is nearly impossible to get a sense of the silence.

On most aircraft, including the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340, noise levels are generally one of the factors that passengers dislike most.

Even with the stock standard ear plugs, they do little to block out engine noise.

On this particular Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore, the silence was almost worrying.

Right from takeoff, the level of noise was drastically lower.

Although there were four huge Rolls Royce engines at full throttle being used to lift the 571,000 kilogram aircraft off the ground, the interior of the plane was eerily quiet.

However, the full effect of the lack of noise doesn"t really take hold until you are at cruising altitude.

Instead of talking loudly to the flight attendant to order the airline"s famous Singapore Sling, passengers could whisper.

Full conversations were easily heard two rows back.

It was a startling and obvious improvement for passengers used to decades of loud engine noise and ringing ear drums.

Space

With nearly 50 percent more cabin space than the Boeing 747, airlines have used this as a big selling point to passengers.

Onboard Singapore Airlines, passengers in economy experience seats with a width of 48 centimeters across -- nearly four centimeters more than a 747.

Its business class seats are the widest in the sky at a staggering 86 centimeters (2.82 feet). On this particular flight, passengers were seen sitting cross-legged or even sharing their seat with another passenger.

But perhaps the greatest luxury for in-flight comfort lies with the airline"s exclusive first-class suite.

Singapore Airlines" innovative first-class cabin, complete with stand-alone beds, sliding doors and blinds for privacy, has also earned it a sometimes dubious reputation, so much so that the airline introduced a "no-sex" rule onboard for passengers sharing the double-bed suites.

Onboard this particular Singapore Airlines flight, one passenger told CNN that they would never fly on any other aircraft on a long-haul route again.

"I don"t know why anyone would ever want to fly on any other aircraft other than the A380," Tomas Chilsky said.

"I traveled to London from Frankfurt just to get on this flight and could never imagine going on another loud and uncomfortable flight for more than five or six hours.

"As a passenger, this is probably the most comfortable and enjoyable aircraft I have ever flown on."

-- French air traffic controllers are scheduled to strike Wednesday, affecting flights out of the two main Paris airports, the French civil aviation authority said.

(CNN) -- French air traffic controllers are scheduled to strike Wednesday, affecting flights out of the two main Paris airports, the French civil aviation authority said.

"Due to a social movement, Civil Aviation Management (DGAC) has asked airlines to reduce their flights on Wednesday, July 21," the agency said in a statement.

The country"s weather service Meteo France is forecasting stormy weather for the same day, which could disrupt air traffic further.

The strike is starting on Tuesday evening with the cancellation of about 10 EasyJet flights at Orly airport, CNN affiliate France 2 said.

French air traffic control has asked airlines to cancel 20 percent of flights to and from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle and 50 percent of flights in and out of Paris Orly.

The agency recommends that passengers contact their airline before going to the airport Wednesday.

Controllers are striking over plans to unify European air traffic control.

The CGT, one of the unions representing air traffic controllers, said on its website that five unions are calling for workers to strike to show their opposition to the European fusion project.

The unions predict "heavy social consequences" if the project goes ahead, including the "dismantlement" of France"s national air traffic control, and "the exit of all or part of the services and public sector workforce."

France is due to join Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to form what is being called Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC).

FABEC is a cornerstone of the Single European Sky project, which advocates say will reduce fuel use and flight times by making it possible for planes to fly more direct routes across the continent.

The FABEC area covers 1,713,442 square km (661,560 sq miles) and is characterized by closely interlaced civil and military traffic routes, its website says.

Most of the large European airports and major civil and military airways are located in the FABEC area.

CNN"s Pierre Meilhan and Lianne Turner contributed to this report.

Miami, Florida -- A former Royal Caribbean Cruise Line employee has been arrested and charged with burglarizing the homes of 24 vacationers who were spending time at sea.

Miami, Florida (CNN) -- A former Royal Caribbean Cruise Line employee has been arrested and charged with burglarizing the homes of 24 vacationers who were spending time at sea.

Police in Palm Beach County say the employee accessed personal information about reservations to find out when the vacationers would be away.

Bethsaida Sandoval, 38, a Royal Caribbean vacation planner, has been charged with 24 counts of burglary across Palm Beach County, including Boca Raton, Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Sandoval"s husband, John Lopez, acted as her accomplice, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff"s Office.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Sandoval admitted that she and her husband were involved in the burglaries. Her position gave her full access to victims" home addresses.

"People were on vacation, and when they returned home, they found they were burglarized," said Teri Barbera, a spokeswoman for the sheriff"s office. "One common factor was that they were all on vacation with Royal Caribbean."

Sandoval allegedly told police that she printed or wrote down personal information on customers and gave the information to Lopez. The affidavit says Sandoval stated that she and her husband would then go to the houses and burgle them.

Lopez is being held on an unrelated charge in nearby Broward County. He"s expected to be charged soon in the string of burglaries, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff"s Office.

Investigators believe that the burglaries took place on the first night of the cruises, while the homeowners were at sea. The ships departed from the Port of Miami or Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The sheriff"s office says Royal Caribbean has fully cooperated with the investigation.

A cruise line spokeswoman, Cynthia Martinez, said Sandoval was fired for her actions.

"Royal Caribbean does not tolerate any form of criminal activity in its workforce or operations," it said in a statement. "This is a situation involving a former employee who appears to have taken advantage of their position for personal gain. Royal Caribbean cooperated fully with authorities during this investigation and will continue providing any assistance necessary to prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law."

The Palm Beach County Sheriff"s Office says the investigation, which took place over several months, revealed that high-dollar amounts of property, money and firearms were stolen.

According to the affidavit, Sandoval was seen entering the Royal Caribbean building after hours, about 1 a.m. The time was documented by her door access swipe card and her computer login as she accessed the Royal Caribbean system.

"This is not normal business practice and Bethsaida Sandoval should not be in the building, or accessing Royal Caribbean computer systems at that time of night," reads the affidavit.

Authorities said Sandoval told them that she would drive and Lopez would get out of the car and use a center punch, a small tool for punching holes, to smash out the glass of a rear sliding-glass door. The affidavit says she gave the center punch to investigators.

The cruise line said in its statement, "We regret this incident occurred and hope it does not overshadow the excellent work our more than 40,000 Royal Caribbean employees do every day to provide our guests with memorable and outstanding cruise vacation experiences."

The cruise line says it is reaching out to apologize to all guests who were affected.

Editor"s note: This story is part of Eileen Ogintz"s Taking the Kids series. Follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.

Editor"s note: This story is part of Eileen Ogintz"s Taking the Kids series. Follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.

(Tribune Media Services) -- No one cares that the water is cold. The kids splash at the lake"s edge, play on the small sand beach as older, daring ones splash in the water and peddle kayaks, rowboats and paddleboats. Our pup eyes them all curiously.

Lake Placid, New York -- home to two Olympics -- is that iconic old-fashioned vacation spot that works as well for 21st-century families -- and their pooches -- as it did a century ago for families and millionaires who came here to the Adirondacks with their family and friends.

With 6 million acres, Adirondack State Park is the largest state park in the United States, larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and Grand Canyon national parks combined. It boasts more than 3,000 lakes and 2,000 miles of hiking trails and offers kayaking, canoeing, fishing and mountain biking. (The Whiteface Downhill Mountain Bike Park features 27 downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails that run between the ski trails, through streams and woods.)

Lake Placid, a town where everyone seems to be an athlete, or at least an outdoors enthusiast, has only 3,000 residents, but that number swells close to 10,000 in summer.

Main Street overlooks Mirror Lake and it"s lined with ice cream and coffee shops, all variety of restaurants (sushi, Mexican, steaks, a brewery, even a creperie, some with outdoor patios) and stores selling New York state maple syrup, local chocolate, antique ski posters, local wines and cuddly stuffed moose. Families stroll up and down Main clutching kids" hands, pushing them in strollers, hanging on to dogs, picnicking in front of the lake at the outdoor band shell. (Simply Gourmet is the spot for first-rate sandwiches and cookies for your hikes and picnics.)

"The kids love it because it"s so safe we can let them go out on their own," said Louise McEachran, here with a group of young freestyle skiers from Ontario who practice their tricks by jumping into an icy pool at the MacKenzie-Intervale Ski Jumping Complex. (You can test your mettle at the Olympic Sports Complex and ride a wheeled bobsled, or check out the view of the Adirondacks from the top of the 26-story Olympic ski jump. Come July 4 and watch the 50th annual ski jump competition.

"Whatever the season there is something for the kids to do," adds Suzanne Boger, an attorney from Saratoga Springs, New York, who comes here often -- winter and summer -- with her two kids, husband and two dogs. We meet them hiking and splashing in Lake Placid along the Peninsula Trails that run for miles. Our puppy, Trooper, happily joined in. "Even when the weather is bad, there are things to do." (Bowling anyone?)

There"s even some Civil War history when you visit Abolitionist John Brown"s farm and gravesite. But what sets this place apart -- besides the natural beauty and Olympic history, as if that weren"t enough -- is how genuinely friendly people are. It couldn"t be more kid friendly, Boger said.

Pooch-friendly too. We learn that first-hand at the 166-room Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, which has an idyllic location on Mirror Lake (smaller than Lake Placid and ideal for young families). The Holderied family has run the Golden Arrow for more than 30 years, attracting families who return again and again. "We love the family-style management and the kids loved pretending to work behind the desk," said Lisa Tinker of New Jersey. Her family visits twice a year -- winter and summer.

Besides having fun, the kids might learn a thing or two about vacationing greener. The resort is the first, and so far only, one in the United State to achieve 5 Green Leaf Rating from the Audubon Society for its green initiatives.

There are small touches like the paper shopping bags in each room to encourage guests to recycle cans and bottles. There is an allergen-free floor, bamboo flooring, a blooming green roof and sand, even small-framed placards placed around the hotel pointing out the green features. (Kids are invited to take a "green quiz," getting a Mr. Green coloring book, with suggestions on what they could do at home to be more earth friendly (recycling one aluminum can conserves enough energy to run a TV for three hours.)

"We want kids especially to realize they can help," says Jenn Holderied, the youngest of the three siblings now overseeing the hotel, which was first bought by their parents, who spearheaded the green initiatives. "The things you can do aren"t difficult," she says. "Our goal is to get people thinking about it."

That extends to the resort restaurant, Generations, where the family is set to harvest dinners, inviting farmers to showcase their wares. Eventually, Holdleried, the mom of two young children, hopes families will be able to visit the area farms and see first-hand where the food on their plates came from.

Some families who come here might prefer a cabin or condo, though, and there are certainly plenty to choose from at every price point. If you"re coming with grown kids and want a laid back but luxurious respite -- or want to feel like you were one of those millionaires from a century-ago, check out the 30-roomLake Placid Lodge, which was rebuilt after a fire to resemble a traditional Great House. The Lodge, however, doesn"t welcome kids under 12 (unless you book the entire place), but will pamper your dog.

The Mirror Lake Inn touts itself as summer camp-plus. It"s located on a lake with swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing. But there"s also a spa, three gourmet restaurants and, they promise, serenely comfy beds. The Summer Savings Package starts at $299 per couple per night and kids are free. Book two nights by June 21 to take advantage of this special rate and also receive a $50 resort credit.

The Whiteface Lodge on the other hand has got everything a family could want. Though not on the lake, it maintains a private beach a half-mile away with the requisite canoes, kayaks and more.

This is the kind of place that offers the convenience of deluxe condos in the woods with the amenities of a first-class resort. (Look for deals with substantial resort credits.) There"s a big heated pool, fitness center and spa where even tweens can get massages or facials with mom. There"s an old-fashioned two-lane bowling alley, tennis courts and a stocked pond (yes, they even supply reels and bait), an ice cream parlor and game room equipped with everything from fooseball to pool to Ping-Pong. Make s"mores every night in front of an outdoor fireplace, watch movies in the theater downstairs or just stargaze.

Parents will appreciate that the Whiteface Lodge also offers complimentary organized activities for kids as young as three and this summer Whiteface has expanded its activities to outdoor programs for tweens and young teens. How about learning orienteering with the Adirondacks as your playground?

"It may be touristy," laughed Suzanne Boger. But then she gestures across the spectacular lake, with Whiteface Mountain in the distance. "There are plenty of places to get away from the crowds."

With the kids -- and your dog, of course.

(For more on Eileen"s visit to Lake Placid, read her trip diary at http://www.takingthekids.com/ and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)

© 2010 EILEEN OGINTZ DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Paris, France -- A strike by air-traffic controllers affected flights Wednesday across France, resulting in cancellations of 10 percent of scheduled flights from Paris" main international airport, the civil aviation authority DGAC said.

Paris, France (CNN) -- A strike by air-traffic controllers affected flights Wednesday across France, resulting in cancellations of 10 percent of scheduled flights from Paris" main international airport, the civil aviation authority DGAC said.

In addition to the cancellations at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, half of the flights from Orly, the nation"s second-largest airport, were canceled, the authority said.

Would-be passengers were urged to contact their airlines prior to traveling to the airport.

Ireland"s low-cost airline Ryanair called Wednesday for the French government to get the French military, "if necessary," to take over air traffic control duties while civilian air traffic controllers are on strike. "France, passengers and airlines cannot afford these airport closures at a time when traffic and tourism is suffering," Ryanair said in a statement.

The timing coincides with the beginning of summer vacations for many French. One EasyJet passenger who was at Orly when she found out her flight had been canceled until Thursday bemoaned her situation. "In the middle of July, it"s tough to find a place to stay," said Nawel Boubouka.

The strike started Tuesday evening and is scheduled to end Thursday at 6 a.m.

Controllers are striking over plans to unify European air traffic control.

France is due to join Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to form what is being called Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC).

FABEC is a cornerstone of the Single European Sky project, which advocates say will reduce fuel use and flight times by making it possible for planes to fly more direct routes across the continent.

The FABEC area covers 1,713,442 square km (661,560 sq miles) and is characterized by closely interlaced civil and military traffic routes, its website says.

Most of the large European airports and major civil and military airways are located in the FABEC area.

Washington -- The head of the Federal Air Marshal Service"s Orlando, Florida, office -- where supervisors allegedly used a "Jeopardy"-style game board to ridicule and retaliate against rank-and-file air marshals -- says he will retire in the coming months, officials said Tuesday.

Washington (CNN) -- The head of the Federal Air Marshal Service"s Orlando, Florida, office -- where supervisors allegedly used a "Jeopardy"-style game board to ridicule and retaliate against rank-and-file air marshals -- says he will retire in the coming months, officials said Tuesday.

Special Agent in Charge William L. Reese"s retirement comes amid two investigations into activities in the office, and comes just days after an official confirmed that Reese was being transferred to headquarters.

Reese "has announced his intention to retire" from the Transportation Security Administration "within the coming months," said Nelson Minerly, spokesman for the air marshal service.

Reese, who joined the air marshal service in 2002, served 35 years in federal law enforcement, previously serving with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Secret Service. While many air marshals fault Reese"s leadership of the office, it is not known whether Reese was aware of the game board, and the air marshal service declined a request from CNN to contact Reese for comment.

"Bill Reese"s reasons for retiring are entirely his own," Minerly said. He said the TSA"s investigation "is ongoing" as is a separate investigation by the Department of Homeland Security"s Office of the Inspector General.

Union president Jon Adler said Reese"s retirement and other changes in Orlando and Los Angeles show that new air marshal chief Robert Bray is addressing complaints from rank-and-file air marshals who have complained about mismanagement, favoritism and retaliation.

"The fact that he (Reese) is out, we"re happy," Adler said. "It can be portrayed in any way, but the end result is the same: we have one less incompetent person in a role in an agency that demands leaders with integrity."

"I"m the first one to criticize HQ, but I think they deserve credit for taking decisive action," Adler said.

Current and former air marshals told CNN that some senior managers in the Orlando field office played a game similar to the TV show "Jeopardy" using a white board in the office. The board included categories such as "pickle smokers," "our gang" and "creatures," as designations for gay men, African-Americans and lesbians.

Editor"s note: Daniel Fahl is a captain for a major U.S. airline. He has been a pilot for 10 years.

Editor"s note: Daniel Fahl is a captain for a major U.S. airline. He has been a pilot for 10 years.

(CNN) -- "Airspace congestion" is routinely cited as the cause of air travel delays, particularly in the busy, storm-prone summer months.

It"s important for a frequent flier to understand how traffic piles up, even when the sun is shining and the weather overhead looks great.

More often than not, airspace congestion is tied to airports in and around New York. Other major airports in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; and Chicago, Illinois, are also sensitive to congestion. But when the weather is foul, any airport can be affected.

In the greater New York area, three major airports, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark International, all within a 25-mile diameter circle, land and depart hundreds of flights per day. With this many flights, it"s crucial to have an organized system of filtering arrivals and departures from each airport at a safe distance.

The system consists of standardized routes that aircraft use to keep out of each other"s way, similar to highway on-ramps and exits. In the sky, since there"s no pavement to follow, on-ramps and exits are defined by coordinates.

Congestion arises when aircraft from multiple airports are headed in a similar direction. When a flight from Newark departing for Denver, Colorado, a flight from LaGuardia departing for Phoenix, Arizona, and a flight from JFK departing for Los Angeles, California, all head west, it"s important to allow enough space between aircraft so they don"t arrive at the same coordinate at the same time.

If traffic is light, it"s business as usual for air traffic control. But when many flights are headed in the same direction from multiple airports, aircraft may be held on the ground to provide enough spacing. The result for passengers? A tarmac delay.

Departure delays can also occur when many aircraft are trying to depart the same runway. Since airlines generally run large "banks" of flights that arrive at the same time, allowing passengers to connect to flights that will depart at the same time, there can be a long line for take-off.

Most of the time departure bank delays are built into your travel itinerary. It may be a 30-minute flight from New York to Boston, but your ticket may say one hour to account for time on the ground.

Aircraft are also arriving from all directions, and they not only have to be separated from each other, but also from aircraft departing the airport, adding to congestion.

Although many airports have multiple runways, bad weather or runway closures can snarl traffic. If there are 50 flights per hour scheduled to arrive, but the airport can only handle 40 arrivals per hour, someone"s going to be delayed.

So which flights get priority for departing on time? That decision often is left to the airlines themselves. The FAA may say 40 flights are allowed per hour, but the airline will decide which flights will be on time. Usually arrivals from overseas will be prioritized, followed by transcontinental flights, then finally the closer-in "regional" flights. This is subject to change, but is the general rule of thumb.

In the summer, departure and arrival routes can quickly become blocked by thunderstorms, usually in the afternoon. And the weather does not necessarily have to be near the airport -- storms between airports can cause backups as well.

If a thunderstorm is blocking a major route, pilots and air traffic control must navigate around the weather. With so many flights arriving and departing in all directions, the storm is similar to a disabled vehicle on a highway causing a traffic jam because everyone"s trying to merge into a new lane.

But even without storms, flights can be delayed if "bumper to bumper" aircraft force air traffic control to slow the pace of traffic. Until the traffic jam is eased, your flight will be held on the ground awaiting an open spot on your route.

The best way to avoid delays is to travel early in the morning, as the weather is usually calmer and the traffic is lightest. If you find yourself delayed, chances are that your connecting flight will also be late because of a ripple effect. The more severe the congestion, the more likely flights from other cities will also be delayed. If your connecting flight is on one of those aircraft, clearly you have a fighting chance to make your connection.

But frequently, connection times are not long enough to absorb delays. Pay attention to the layover time between connecting flights as you purchase your ticket. A 30-minute layover to connect to another flight is very challenging at larger airports -- an hour is better.

And watch the weather; if you can avoid forecasted storms by changing your flight, give it a shot. Many airlines have mobile websites that allow you to check a flight"s status, so you are that much more in tune with the bigger picture.

Washington -- Power was restored Thursday to two terminals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near downtown Washington a little more than two hours after a fire caused an outage, a spokesman said.

Washington (CNN) -- Power was restored Thursday to two terminals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near downtown Washington a little more than two hours after a fire caused an outage, a spokesman said.

Despite the power cut, air traffic control operations continued to operate on supplemental power, said Rob Yingling, spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Some security checkpoints temporarily shut down but resumed operations within an hour on auxiliary power, Yingling said.

The power cut was due to a fire at an airport substation just before midday, he said, adding that the power was restored shortly after 2 p.m.

No one was hurt in the fire, and officials were still trying to determine what caused it, Yingling said.

The power outage affected ticket counters in Terminals B and C for Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and U.S. Airways, Yingling said. Long lines formed at ticket counters in the affected terminalsThursday afternoon.

Passengers should download boarding passes before they come to the airport and go directly to security checkpoints, advised Tara Hamilton, another airport spokeswoman. She warned that baggage handling also was affected, with some airlines trying to check luggage without computers.

CNN"s Mike M. Ahlers and Larry Lazo contributed to this report.

-- We weren"t supposed to see headlines like this anymore: "Passengers held on hot plane for hours" -- not after a tarmac delay rule went into effect in April imposing stiff fines on airlines that kept fliers stuck in grounded aircraft for a long time.

(CNN) -- We weren"t supposed to see headlines like this anymore: "Passengers held on hot plane for hours" -- not after a tarmac delay rule went into effect in April imposing stiff fines on airlines that kept fliers stuck in grounded aircraft for a long time.

Yet the nightmare scenario unfolded again last week, prompting questions about the scope of the new rule.

The latest incident involved a Virgin Atlantic flight headed to Newark, New Jersey, from London, England, but diverted to Connecticut on the evening of June 22 because of bad weather, the airline said.

Some of the 300 passengers on board complained they were held in sweltering conditions for hours with no food or water until 1 a.m. as the jet sat on the tarmac at Bradley International Airport.

"It was like four hours on the ground without any air conditioning. It was crazy, just crazy," passenger Beth Willan said.

"There were babies on the plane. And we are in the dark and hot. You try to be patient, but people were yelling and screaming."

iReporter Nicholas Van Pittman, who was on the flight, said the experience was "terrifying." He took video of what it was like on the plane, and another showing a passenger saying that he was "on the verge of having a panic attack."

The U.S. Department of Transportation"s aviation enforcement office is looking into the incident to see whether the airline violated any laws or regulations, said DOT spokesman Bill Mosley.

The episode also caught Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood"s attention.

"The events reported ... in Connecticut reinforce my belief that passengers have rights and are entitled to fair treatment when they fly," LaHood said in a statement.

Should protections be extended?

But the Virgin Atlantic flight wasn"t covered by the tarmac delay rule -- which exposes airlines to fines of up to $27,500 per passenger if they keep air travelers on the tarmac for more than three hours -- because the protections only apply on domestic routes.

Critics say that needs to change.

The three-hour limit should be extended to international flights operating in the United States, said both Kate Hanni, founder of FlyersRights.org, and Brandon Macsata, executive director of the Association for Airline Passenger Rights.

"It makes sense that if these carriers are going to be doing business in the United States, they would have to comply with the regulations that are placed on domestic carriers as well," Macsata said.

"An excessive tarmac delay is an excessive tarmac delay and we just don"t think it"s humane to have passengers exposed to that sort of treatment."

But the airline industry counters that there isn"t enough data on how often tarmac delays impact international flights to justify a three-hour limit.

Extending the rule could also have unintended consequences for passengers, said Steve Lott, a spokesman for the International Air Transport Association, which represents 230 airlines.

When the tarmac delay rule forces a domestic flight to be canceled, there may be several other flights that day on which passengers can be rebooked, Lott said. But there are fewer international flights, so travelers could be stranded for a day or two if there"s a cancellation.

"The bottom line is, let"s really define if some of these rules are in the customers" best interest. Obviously, nobody wants to be stuck on a plane for four or five hours at a time, but the concern is passengers are stranded at an airport for 24 hours or longer," Lott said.

There is also the matter of having proper immigration and customs personnel on hand at the airport to process passengers getting off international flights -- a non-issue on domestic routes.

In the case of the June 22 incident, Virgin Atlantic said there was a delay because U.S. immigration officers had to be put in place at an airport not accustomed to dealing with so many people.

New proposals

Still, the government is taking a closer look at the issue.

Last month, the Department of Transportation proposed asking international airlines that operate in the U.S. to comply with the tarmac delay rule requirements.

While overseas carriers still wouldn"t be subject to the three-hour limit, the DOT would require them to have contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays, which is already a requirement for U.S. carriers operating overseas flights.

Those plans would call for international airlines to decide how long they would allow planes to sit on the tarmac at U.S. airports, make sure there is enough food and water for passengers in such cases, as well as provide "assurance of operable lavatories [and] medical attention if needed," Mosley said.

You can comment on the proposal until August 9 at regulations.gov.

FlyersRights.org"s Hanni said any steps forward would be helpful, but she criticized the portion of the proposal that allows international carriers to choose their own tarmac time limit.

"They can pick any amount of time they want. They can pick 10 hours," Hanni said.

"It"s like the fox guarding the henhouse. You can"t let them set their own amount of time because I guarantee you it"s going to be longer than is safe."

Some airlines skirting rule?

Hanni is also concerned about what she called "some manipulation of the rule" by domestic airlines.

Since the tarmac delay regulation went into effect, there have been reports of carriers keeping planes full of passengers at the gate for hours with the door open, thus skirting the tarmac passenger protections, Hanni said.

"Basically, they"re loading the planes and they"re keeping them at the gate, because the clock doesn"t start ticking on the tarmac time until they push back from the gate," Hanni said.

The latest such incident happened last month in Chicago, Illinois, where a plane spent two-and-a-half hours at the gate, then two-and-a-half hours on the tarmac, Hanni said.

"We need to fix the loopholes in the rule. The rule should count as soon as the last butt hits the seat," she said.

The DOT"s aviation enforcement office is looking into a number of complaints related to the tarmac delay rule, the agency said.

So far, the office has not found an incident where a flight waited at the gate with the door open for three or more hours and where there is clear evidence that passengers were not allowed to leave the aircraft.

The agency is asking any air travelers willing to confirm that they were stopped by an airline from getting off in such circumstances to contact the DOT.

Washington -- Power was restored Thursday to two terminals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near downtown Washington a little more than two hours after a fire caused an outage, a spokesman said.

Washington (CNN) -- Power was restored Thursday to two terminals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near downtown Washington a little more than two hours after a fire caused an outage, a spokesman said.

Despite the power cut, air traffic control operations continued to operate on supplemental power, said Rob Yingling, spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Some security checkpoints temporarily shut down but resumed operations within an hour on auxiliary power, Yingling said.

The power cut was due to a fire at an airport substation just before midday, he said, adding that the power was restored shortly after 2 p.m.

No one was hurt in the fire, and officials were still trying to determine what caused it, Yingling said.

The power outage affected ticket counters in Terminals B and C for Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and U.S. Airways, Yingling said. Long lines formed at ticket counters in the affected terminalsThursday afternoon.

Passengers should download boarding passes before they come to the airport and go directly to security checkpoints, advised Tara Hamilton, another airport spokeswoman. She warned that baggage handling also was affected, with some airlines trying to check luggage without computers.

CNN"s Mike M. Ahlers and Larry Lazo contributed to this report.