The scales at airport check-ins take a beating. Bag after bag, rollies, Louis Vuitons, and duffles filled with too many clothes get put on and off, all day long. Usually the magic number is 50 lbs, and after that, you have to pay a fee. Rules are rules, but in order to fairly enforce them, the scales have to be accurate. Oftentimes, they’re not, the result of lax maintenance. [More]
airlines
You Can Carry-On More Than 3oz Of Contact Solution
By 6.22.11
If you don’t have time to buy a travel-sized version instead of your mondo bottle of saline solution before the next time you fly, don’t sweat it. It’s totally cool to fly with more than 3oz of contact solution, as it is covered under the TSA “liquid medication” provision. [More]
Delta Traveler Says He Got Bag Back Reeking Of Urine
By 6.22.11 — Updated: 9.8.16
Sy has vowed to never fly Delta again after a colossal followup left his bag bouncing back and forth between three cities and two continents, and once he finally got his bag back, it stank of urine. [More]
JetBlue Kills Off "All You Can Jet" Program
By 6.20.11
JetBlue will not be continuing its “All You Can Jet” (AYCJ) program for 2011, the company told members via email this morning. Last year AYCJ let passengers take an unlimited number of flights between early September and October for only $499-$699. For people who really flew enough to get the full value out of it, it was a great deal. They did give a promo code to participants for 15-30% off discounts, which tipster MissDeeJane described as “a concession prize.” [More]
How To Always Get An Exit Row Seat
By 6.17.11
Exit rows are magical areas on airplanes where you’ll aways have that most rare and precious commodity known as “legroom.” On some airlines you’ll have to pay extra for the privilege. On others, it’s yours just for asking. Airfarewatchdog breaks down the exit row policies by airline so you can pick the flight that makes it easiest or know what you have to do to get that extra stretch space for your feet. [More]
US Airways Pilot Arrests Passenger For Having Baggy Pants
By 6.16.11
An entire US Airways flight was evacuated and the pilot placed a passenger under citizen’s arrest after he refused to pull up his baggy pants, reports NBC Bay Area. [More]
Man Booted From Flight For Foul-Mouthed Complaint About Delay
By 6.15.11
Judging from the experience of a Brooklyn man who was tossed off a flight at the Detroit Metro Airport, it’s best to keep your language clean while boarding, just to be safe. The man says he was tossed off an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight after a flight attendant overheard him saying “What’s taking so (expletive) long to close the overhead compartments?” [More]
Toy Security Wand Lets Kids Play At Being TSA Agents
By 6.14.11
There’s nothing cooler than being a TSA agent for Homeland Security and now the Spy Gear Security Scanner lets kids live out their dreams. It’s a handheld security wand whose LED lights flash and an alarm goes off when it detects metal, just like the real thing! [More]
Walk Your Family To The Airplane With A Gate Pass
By 6.8.11
A lot of big dramatic scenes in movies where there’s a last ditch effort by one lover to make it right with another lover by grabbing them just before they get on the plane don’t seem like they could happen these days with new restrictions that make it so you have to buy a ticket in order to go past security. But it turns out they could still happen, we would just have to have an explanatory side-scene where they ask the ticket counter for what’s called a “gate pass.” [More]
Delta Charging Returning U.S. Troops $2800 In Extra Baggage Fees Not Really A Big Deal
By 6.8.11
A video is burning up the interwebs where a couple of Army soldiers tell how Delta charged 14 guys in their unit $200 a pop for checking a fourth bag, running up $2800 in fees. The soldiers are upset because even though standard Delta policy is to allow the military up to three bags for free, their orders said they were allowed four bags. Now they have to submit receipts to get their fees waived. At first it sounds like a slap in the face but other soldiers have chimed to say it’s really not the drama it’s been made out to be and it happens all the time. [More]
Get More Money When Airline Loses Luggage By Having Receipts For Every Piece Of Clothing
By 6.8.11
Airlines play the lowball game when they lose your luggage, offering paltry compensation and making it hard for you to get a fair value for your lost items. It demands a bit of an anal mentality but you can help yourself if you’ve saved the receipts for everything in your baggage, writes the Airfarewatchdogblog. [More]
Get A Refund After An Airfare Pricedrop
By 6.3.11
It is possible to get a refund for the difference if the airfare drops after you buy your ticket, but you’ll usually have to fly one of these three airlines to make it worth your while. [More]
Did US Airways Use This Luggage As A Pinata?
By 6.1.11
Apparently some baggage handlers working for US Airways must have thought there was candy inside our reader’s luggage and went to town on it in a fun game on the tarmac involving blindfolds and bats. That’s the only possible explanation for the abused condition he got it back in. More beatings, of the psychic sort, ensued after he tried to seek recourse from US Airways before being finally told he would have to drive 45 miles back to the airport so they could inspect the bag. Fed up, our reader emailed this letter to the CEO of US Airways: [More]
F-16s Escort United Flight After Reclined Seat Leads To Slapfest
By 6.1.11
We’ve all gotten annoyed at a passenger in front of us who reclines his seat too far into our space, but most of the time it doesn’t lead to two fighter jets escorting the plane for an unscheduled landing. [More]
Get Your Pet Ready To Fly
By 5.23.11
With the number of pet deaths on the rise, 39 last year vs 22 in 2009, pet safety while traveling is very important. Here are some tips on making sure your pet is ready to take the big trip in the sky with you: [More]
"Bump The Bonus" And Get More Airline Miles For Free
By 5.17.11
One way to build up frequent flyer miles quickly is to apply for several of the credit cards that give bonus miles for signing up. You buy stuff you were going to buy anyway and meet the minimum spend requirement, get the miles and move on. But then a while later you notice that the same credit card is offering even more miles for newer applicants. Curses! Instead of despairing, though, The Frugal Travel Guy Rick Ingersoll says you should call the credit card company and ask them to increase the bonus miles they gave you to the new level. [More]
Beat High Airfares With The Old "Hidden City" Trick
By 5.9.11
Here’s a little secret to saving big on airfare, courtesy of the New York Times Magazine. When you fly into an airport that is mainly controlled by one airline, like Memphis, Newark, or Dallas, it can be pretty pricey. For instance, Des Moines to Dallas is $375. But if you booked it to LA with a stopover in Dallas, the price drops to $186. All you have to do is just not get on the connecting flight. This is the “hidden city” trick. [More]
6 Ways To Be A Savvier Traveler And Save
By 5.2.11
Q: I’m taking a vacation, room rates are ridiculous. Any way you can save me some money?
A: This is fun. You can start your own miniature bidding ware by calling up several hotel desk clerks and ask them for “the cheapest non-refundable rate.” Play them against each other. Using this method, you can save upwards of $20 off the online rate, even though they insist that that’s their cheapest available rate.
