Flight Blog
News and Tips about Air Travel, Business / Industry, Flying, Airplanes, and other fun

Archive for the 'Airports' Category

Where to find airport wireless internet access

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

Check out TravelPost’s list of wifi access locations and cost — it covers 218 U.S. airports. Useful information … if you’re looking for internet, that is. It was updated two days ago, which means this is something they keep an eye on. It looks like he information is pulled from TravelPost editors and readers…

Check out the list here, and view the full list here.

Toy Transformer Robots: Safe. (aka the TSA’s Permitted and Prohibited Items list)

Monday, September 18th, 2006

I’m not making fun of airline safety or anything, but I’m intensely curious why the U.S. Transportation Security Administration felt the need to single out “Toy Transformer Robots” on their list of what you can and can’t bring in your checked luggage and in your carry-on.

Also, and this is something I didn’t know: It’s okay to bring saline or eyedrops with you, as long as the container is four ounces or less. Mascara and toothpaste are still no-nos, that is, unless you feel like putting them in your pocket.

» View the TSA’s full list of banned stuff here.

What to do when bumped from a flight

Sunday, September 17th, 2006

From last week’s New York Times (via TheLobby.com): Tips and strategy on what to do when you don’t make your flight.

  1. Choose your airline wisely. Continental, JetBlue and Southwest are among airlines that re-book you manually, which puts your flight destiny in your hands (as in, whoever gets re-booked first, wins).
  2. Call your airline or travel agency as soon as you know you got bumped.
  3. Use the “Rule 240 transfer.” This is a remnant from the pre-1978 world of air travel, when things were more regulated, and airlines sort of had to book you with another airline if you were bumped and the other airline could get you where you were going faster.

Read the article here.

Update: Brits may relax airplane hand luggage rules

Thursday, September 14th, 2006

From the BBC:
Aircraft hand baggage restrictions imposed after an alleged terrorist plot to attack airliners are likely to be eased next week, the BBC has learned.
Read the article here

How to get around the new air travel rules

Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

This is a tip for the business and regular travellers out there who don’t want to buy toothpaste every time you fly somewhere: Put the stuff in your pockets. Yes, this won’t work if you don’t wear pants, if you have a metal container, and this won’t work if you get searched in the gate (which they hardly ever do anyway), but this will work most of the time.

Also, if you’re a smoker, go on and put your lighter in your pocket. Unless it’s a zippo it doesn’t have enough metal in it to trigger the metal detectors.

Hey! Join Flight Club!

Monday, September 11th, 2006

For those of you who don’t know, Flight Club helps you meet other people — business travellers, college travellers, or just ordinary travellers — on airplanes and on airports. It’s a quick way to make travel less boring, it’s free, and our community is growing faster than ever. You can sign up here, or find out more information about us here.

Wired (and more expensive) passports start this month in the U.S.

Thursday, August 24th, 2006

The digital age continues: Wired passports started rolling out across the U.S. this month. This means passport data will be stored electronically, which the State Department says will speed up customs and bolster security.

Citizens who get new passports can expect to pay a lot more. New ones issued under this program will cost $97, which includes a $12 security surcharge added last year. Not all new passports will contain the technology until it’s fully rolled out — a process expected to take a year. Existing passports without the electronic chips will remain valid until their normal expiration date.


Read the full article at wired.com

Avoid Delays: Flight arrival and depature aggregator site

Wednesday, August 9th, 2006

Avoid Delays takes flight arrival and departure information and turns it into something usable. It highlights information like the most-delayed flights, the airports with the longest delays, delays by date, month, just a heck of a lot of information.

They also have a place for you to file a complaint about your air travel experience, and they have some pretty generic advice about steps you can take to avoid delays.

Check out this wealth of information at http://www.avoiddelays.com/

Useful Info: How to travel back from the airport cheap

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

The folks at Airport Public Transit Directory put together a list of public transit options for major and medium cities across the U.S. Take a look at the list here.

They also have a list of airports that don’t have public transit options:

  • Bismarck
  • Charleston, WV
  • Colorado Springs
  • Dayton
  • Fargo
  • Jacksonville
  • Lexington
  • Rapid City
  • Toledo

They don’t have any information for the Greensboro, North Carolina, or Spokane Washington airports yet. I’m sure there are other cities missing too. Still, three cheers for people putting together useful information on the web.

Cheapest Duty Free Guide Site

Wednesday, June 28th, 2006

This is cool: The Airline and Airport Duty Free Price Guide. Comparison shopping for duty-free goods.