Archive for the Category »Airline policies «

Oct
25th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: The Buzz about Packing Liquids in Your Luggage
Leave a Comment Category: Airline policies, Travel, WIne, Winetasting abroad Tags: , ,

The TSA’s air travel moniker 3-1-1 has been in place to regulate liquids in carry on bags for about 5 years now. It says you can’t pack a liquid, gel, or aerosol  that is larger than 3.4 ounces, and each traveler is allowed 1 Ziploc bag full of their 3.4 oz sized products.(that Ziploc bag can’t be larger than 1 quart.)

The reason the TSA wants you to put it all in one clear bag is so the line moves faster, and luggage doesn’t have to be searched.

Yet, I still see so many large tubes of toothpaste being confiscated! Are people forgetting.. or still confused? Gels and aerosols may not be an obvious part of the rule to some travelers.

I have been in California’s wine country the past couple of weekends, and another murky area dawned on me… It is a gorgeous time to be in wine country – harvest in full bloom.

Thus, this is a popular time to visit. But how can you bring the wine home from some of those boutique wineries you love that aren’t in major wine emporiums?

The TSA DOES allow you to pack wine in your checked bags – that scares me a bit because I’ve seen how “careful” some of those baggage handlers are. Then we are also limited in just how many bottles we can bring back by how many will fit in our suitcase.

Coming home from Napa and Sonoma, I saw some smart travel solutions. There are some durable bags made especially for transporting wine home. Of course, with airlines charging for extra bags, you should see if it is cheaper to ship wine home. But first check out the interstate shipping laws – your state may not allow it, or limit how much you can ship. You should also check with your airline to see if there is a limit.

So – if packing the wine sounds good to you – and let’s face it, it is fun to bring home the wine yourself, right after you’ve had a great time tasting – here are some helpful packing solutions.

This wine carrier called the winecruzer is available through www.casesbypelican.com/wine-carrier.htm.

Winesafe_chapagne_nov_013_mini Winesafe_chapagne_nov_001_mini Winesafe_chapagne_nov_011_mini

This aluminum one ensures safe delivery and is available through www.portlandwinegear.com – around $300.

If you don’t want to bring home more than  a bottle or two, then stowing them in your checked bag may be your best bet – but nothing worse than wine-stained clothes… so I’d recommend these for your precious goods:

The Wine Mummy – a padded bag for packing, available through www.winemummy.com …. and check out the vinni bag on www.magellans.com.

If you have any other questions regarding TSA air travel regulations, go to www.tsa.gov.

Cheers to happy and safe travels.

 
Oct
04th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: The Safest Seats on a Plane
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Before you book your next airline ticket, this is information you will want to know.

British Airways has launched a “survival safety course” for passengers, teaching them what to do in an emergency, followed by practice time.

BA says statistically, the aisle seat is the safest… and in a crash,  a higher number of survivors were seated within 5 rows of an exit.

Also -  take two minutes at the beginning of your flight to think about an emergency plan. If a plane is having problems and flight attendants are calling for emergency action – DON’T hesitate.The airline says a 1/2 second could make the difference in your survival.

For more: http://online.wsj.com/article/the_middle_seat.html

 
Jul
12th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: How to Avoid Airport Delays
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That’s not a pretty sight.

Today some travelers are at their final destination after more than 100 cancelled flights, and many delays into Chicago’s O’Hare airport yesterday. Severe thunderstorms bringing 75 ph winds knocked out electricity – thus the nickname “Windy City.”

If you live in Chicago, or it is your final destination, it is hard to avoid flying in and out of Chicago. (Look into Midway Airport, but there are delays there also.) But here’s my tip:  if you are booking a flight with the option of a connection in Chicago, spend the extra money and connect through another city. Odds are, it might be worth it.

Take a look at www.avoiddelays.com (what luck getting that domain!) – that website lists not only the airports with the most arrival and departure delays, but also what times to fly into the airports notorious for delays. The info is provided by the Department of Transportation, but this site is easier to navigate. Check it out before you book a trip.

Other tips to avoid delays:

–Book an early flight – the first one in the morning if possible. Less chance of back ups.

–Don’t think that just because it is summer, there is no bad weather. Just look at the Windy City.

The prepared traveler gets the farthest! Happy Travels.

 
Jun
22nd		   Do Airlines’ Antics Drive you Crazy?
Leave a Comment Category: Airline policies, Travel, frugal traveling Tags: ,

Have you read how much the airlines have made off of all the add-on services they offer..ya know – the baggage fees, snack fees, internet fees, movie fees,  – the list goes on. A whopping $5.7 billion  last year just from baggage and reservation change fees alone, according to CNN. And most airlines haven’t even started charging to use the toilet… YET.

I am all for capitalism – and am happy airlines are coming back. But when the customer is deceived in the process, that really bugs me. (Can I rant today?)

My producer and I grumpy at JFK

Case in point: If you get sucked into booking a SUPER cheap flight on Spirit Air – beware. $1  one way – from Los Angeles to Las Vegas seems tempting – shoot, I’ll lose more at the craps table. BUT – before you think it is a simple click to your sinful sabbatical, (Vegas baby)  hold on. That $1 flight can turn into a lot more.

How? All those add on costs . If you want to carry on some baggage, that will cost you – yes, I said CARRY ON, not just check it in. If you pay for your carry on luggage while you are booking your ticket, it will cost $30 each way. If you pay at the airport it will be more. If you want to check in a bag, that’s an additional $18 for one bag.

Then… get this… to choose your seat it could cost you minimum $10 each way. Plus taxes…. That one round trip ticket from Los Angeles to La Vegas could be $175 depending on what you choose. I know – still not a bad price, but it’s the deception of saying you are selling a ticket for $1, getting the customer hooked, having him or her invest time, and then basically selling a ticket for a price that other airlines can match. (I actually changed to JetBlue- Free carry on bags, and cheaper ticket after all was said and done.)

Thanks for letting me vent. Don’t get the wool pulled over your eyes. That’s NOT the “SPIRIT” of travel I like.

PS Just discovered TIME magazine’s article about the same topic – glad it bugs them too. “Skyway Robbery!”  at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2075347,00.html

 
Feb
02nd		   Travel to Hot Spots. And I Don’t Mean Ibiza.
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Watching the events in Egypt unfold gives us reasons to be concerned… Other Arab nations are staging protests, (although reports indicate the likelihood of toppling power there is unlikely)…The Muslim Brotherhood, should they have influence in Egypt’s new government, has called for war on Israel.

I have to say, I was in Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city, about 12 years ago on a story for the Travel Channel. Great story by the way – the possible development of an underwater museum to view submerged antiquities off the coast of Alexandria. One impressive piece of history underwater: Cleopatra’s sunken palace.

Submerged Sphynx in Alexandria, Egypt

Exciting stuff.

BUT – the whole time I was followed by a truck filled with militia men carrying long rifles. I was told it was to protect us, since 58 tourists had been shot in a Luxor temple not long before. It was pre 9/11, when Americans were still innocent in understanding terrorists hatching plans in the Middle East..but I felt the tension even then.

So what to do if you are holding tickets for a spring trip to Israel? Egypt? Or even Dubai?

Sorry to say, but it is too late to buy trip insurance. Most carriers won’t cover you now since the region is ablaze in conflict.

Should you go? If you plan on leaving this week – no. The US government has issued a travel advisory.

Airline ticket for two months from now? Wait and see. Can you get a refund on your ticket? On your hotel? It depends largely on the type of ticket you bought, and your hotel’s policy.

Many hotels allow you to cancel two weeks, or even 48 hours in advance, so check to see what your hotel’s policy is….then mark on your calendar by when you have to decide.

Airlines  – a different story. I checked with Delta airlines’ website, since they fly to both Isreal and Egypt…and spoke with American’s media department, since they code share with British Airways to that region of the world.

The policies are pretty similar: If you bought a refundable ticket – which are more expensive in the first place – then you are OK, and can get a refund, or postpone your travel up to a year.  If the airline cancels the flight because of the unrest closing airports, or just all out war, then you will be refunded.

BUT, if you bought a non-refundable ticket…and the situation is chaotic like it is now, but not closing runways, then you have little recourse.

On Delta, if you bought an e-ticket, you have 24 hours to cancel with no fee. Doubtful anyone bought a ticket to Cairo yesterday, but if you did, you can cancel. On American, you can fly within 30 days of your initial ticket, no service or cancellation fee, but have to book a new flight in the same fare bracket or you pay the difference.

On Delta, you can change your flight, but you also have to pay the difference in fares…and a service fee which is $150 for U.S. travel, and $250 for non U.S. travel.  The flights have had to originate in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.

I can’t speak for all the airlines, but I imagine most policies are similar. Trip insurance is always good to buy in advance. Also – check with your credit card policy…American Express has some amazing consumer protection perks.

The world can be unpredictable at times, and that is the risk we take as travelers, even here at home…Anyone holding a ticket to Chicago?!?!?

Chicago's 3rd worst storm today