Dress codes for flying, In the news.

In the news today was the idea that Airlines should have dress codes, this is not an unreasonable request if the Airlines decide to implement. In years past it was a celebration of sorts that you had arrived with a lifestyle that was conducive to success when you flew and you dressed accordingly, as in suites and Sunday best dresses.
Now anything goes, pants falling below the under wear line, midriffs that would look better on the beach and T- shirts with slogans that would make an army major blush. Shops and restaurants have the rite to demand what their customers that frequent their business wear, so why not airlines.

Now is the Best time to Travel

Historically between 2 major holidays, in this case Thanksgiving and the Fast approaching Christmas Holidays travel is lite, therefore Airlines try to compensate by lowering their Fares. You will find both Domestic and International Fares considerably lower between now and when the Christmas Holiday travel traditionally starts on December 16th.

Thanksgiving Traffic.

Vacations must be getting longer for Thanksgiving, unlike years past where everyone traveled the day before, this week saw a steady stream of travelers at the Airports one week out with the day before no less or no more busier than the previous 5 days before the actual Holiday.But one thing that never changes are the days after, Saturday and Sunday being more concentrated with the bulk of the travelers returning on those days ready for work or other necessities Monday.
Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving !

an Historic day for United and Continental Airlines.

On November 30Th United Airlines and Continental Airlines will Finally be under one operators certificate, in other words the merger between the 2 airlines will be complete at least on Paper [ a ways to go to merging cultures, union and operating procedures ] the call sign which is the Airline code in front of the Flight number and the sign Pilots will use as an identifier with Air Traffic Control will become UAL for both Airlines.

Lost and Found on the Plane and in the Terminal

When you leave an Item on the plane usually the Airline will take that item into custody and list it on hand in their baggage tracking system, they will try to identify it the Traditional way, IE name tags, however electronics are a little harder to find the owner off, unless you have an electronic identifier such as a identity screen when the iPad, iPhone is turned on for example. The other way is to check by which seat it was found in and match that to the reservation of that particular flight. Do not leave it too long to contact the Airline after you discover you left something on board as the Airline generally has a policy of sending all unclaimed items to a designated holding station after a certain number of days and subsequently Auctioned off there after.
If you leave an Item in the Airport Terminal then that normally becomes the responsibility of the Department Of Airports and there is where you would inquire.

The Best kept Secret in South Florida...PBI Palm Beach International.

There is a third Airport in South Florida that is little known  to over seas travelers, PBI....Palm Beach International Airport, For those travelling into the US that have to connect in another city in order to get to South Florida this Airport is far smaller and therefore much easier to negotiate through as opposed to the other two major Airports, MIA...Miami and FLL...Fort Lauderdale. Parking is easier and so to is the check in process and Security check point, with much smaller lines. It is just 45 Minutes to Fort Lauderdale and 1 Hour to Miami all of which are on 195 the interstate road that connects these cities.It is also closer to Orlando just 2 hours on the Turnpike express road. So the next time you are heading to this region give Palm Beach a try, you may take some stress of off your Trip. With all the major Airlines flying into PBI from their Hubs it isn't much of a stretch to fly there.

Carry on Bags Getting Bigger

To avoid paying for their bags most passengers are now carrying on more and bigger bags,[cant blame them ] don't be one of the last to board your flight or you become the biggest candidate to have the Airline insist on checking your bag in.

Mergers within the Airlines, who wins ?

Why does government continue to approve Mergers in the Airline Industry, particularly in this economic environment, This is not conducive to growing the economy but rather shrinking it. Mergers bring layoffs because of the duplication in job functions and routes flown by the two merging airlines. It does not afford better pricing for tickets but rather monopolizing certain routes if the two carriers concerned were the major carriers from those cities, they then eliminate the competition and raise the fares because you have no other choices as travelers from those cities. So who wins in a merger, not always the share holders as they are often offered long term promises that do not always materialize. Certainly the Executives who are given either multi million dollar hand shakes to leave quietly and those that stay are given even bigger bonuses and salaries. Does the DOJ really look after the interest of the people, the Employees and the public who frequent these industries of mergers.
Food for thought !

Working for an Airline

There are many reasons why some one would want to work for an Airline, being able to Travel the world for free is one of them, we get to go standby on our own carrier  and on others at a greatly reduced rate, this can be a little scary as we are prone to being bumped off a flight if it is full, and if you are on your return and in a land far far away then this can be a little nerve racking when you cant get home for a few days because the flights are full.especially if you have to be back at work the next day.
Working with the general public can have its ups and downs and very often in times of bumpy days, delays cancellations etc you are put on the defensive as many passengers think you are conspiring to keep them from their  flight, when in fact you would like nothing more than to get that 4 hour delayed flight out and say goodbye to the wonderful people who have been arguing with you all day about their own dilemma and what you should do about that. The days can be long and stressful at the Airport and you have to be innovative when it comes to being the messenger on a  cancelled flight, re booking 180 passengers in the event of a cancellation on a  day when there is inadequate staffing at the airport can be hard but the rewards are plentiful, if you ever watch an aircraft pulling into the gate its like an orchestra playing to a ballet as the baggage carts pull up to the bins to download 300 bags, the fuel truck positioning at the wing to fuel the aircraft, the caterer arriving at the galley door with all the meals and drinks needed for that flight, all this is done with precision experience knowing where each service vehicle should be and doing their function with limited time, often just 40 minutes from in to out time for the next leg of that flight. The jet way pulls up to the aircraft door and the passengers deplane many needing special services such as wheelchairs. The cleaners arrive and the plane is transformed from a mess to a new aircraft. The passengers are boarded and the plane is pushed out by a tug to a safe place where it continues under its own steam to the run way. Each and every flight has many safety and security related functions to perform and when all is done and you get that flight out on time then that is job satisfaction.

Major Airlines versus Smaller Airlines

The down side to flying on small or regional Airlines is they do not have agreements with the major Airlines and in the event that their Flight is cancelled or delayed they have limited options for transferring your ticket over to another carrier. In contrast the major carriers who are part of the IATA group do have the ability known as Interline agreements to transfer you over to another major carrier, this will only happen in the event of irregular operations but does not limit you to their problems and consequently impacting your trip. So the next time you are tempted to save a few dollars Flying on one of these Smaller carriers be aware of this limitation.

The ever changing face of the Airline Industry

Having worked for over 25 years in the Airline Business I have seen many changes, one thing that has not changed much in all that time believe it or not is the Base fare of a ticket, this is the amount the Airline receives after charging for and paying the numerous Federal county and state taxes and fees.
Imagine gas was under one dollar back then and Jet A aviation fuel was $10 per barrel now its over $100. Of course this is hard to understand because the passenger has seen increases in the Fares, this is because of the increased Taxes, Fuel surcharges and Security fees implemented since 911.
To survive and Fund for the future over the past couple of years the industry has found other ways to up their revenue mainly the so called add ons in charging for Bags, Ticketing fees, Meals, extra leg room for the premium seats such as Exit rows etc, not a popular choice but if you consider that necessity is always the mother of invention so this was conducive to their survival. Other ways the Airlines have found their survival mode is with the constant mergers taking place within the legacy carriers, the latest being Continental and United making the new company the largest Airline in the world.
Customer service has diminished as Automation has taken over from making a reservation to the check in process, and this will continue further as Boarding the Aircraft will soon be handled by technology rather than Personnel. However as more people travel by Air each year this seemingly less personal service will in fact increase in efficiency and will ultimately provide more proficient service and opportunities for the Airlines to lower their fares for competition reasons.
The new Dream liner Aircraft Boeing 787 is soon to debut in the US not only makes for a more comfortable ride but is more friendly to the environment and consumes far less Fuel than the current fleet of Aircraft out there, this too will afford the Carriers to be more competitive with their fares in the future.
So the ever changing Look and feel of the Commercial Aviation Industry continues to take two steps forward and one step back but eventually will find its equilibrium between Customer Service and Value for money, which is more than I can say for many other industries.

Weather delays and cancellations

When your flight is delayed or cancelled due to weather the Airline is not responsible for any amenities or compensation, this means they are not obligated to give you Hotels, meals. transportation etc, their only obligation under these circumstances is to re book you on their next available flight, some Airlines will book you on their partner Airlines if routing you around the weather problem allows you to get to your final destination and you should ask them to afford you that opportunity.
These rules apply to domestic flights and not international or connecting cities, these scenarios are outlined under different rules.

Avoid loosing your Luggage

When you check in your Luggage with The Airline their automatic Baggage system which handles many thousands of bags a day can sometimes send your bag to another destination, make sure you have a name and address tag on the outside and the inside of your bags. Tags can fall off on the outside and when this happens the Baggage service agent looks for some identification inside the Bag, they can then search for your reservation and expedite the bag to you.

unaccompanied Minors

Mandatory requirements at certain ages require children  travelling alone to be monitored by the Airline as unaccompanied minors until they reach a certain age where this would then become a voluntary election by you. There is a Fee for this service.check with your Airline for their policy on Unaccompanied minor age restrictions.

Involuntary Denied Boarding.......Bumped from your Flight

Airlines over sell flights constantly to avoid going out with empty seats, when this occurs they are required to solicit for volunteers, most of the time if the compensation they are offering to some one to voluntarily give up their seat is accepted then this is not a problem, however occasionally there are no volunteers and those without seats are bumped other wise known as involuntarily denied boarding. Under these circumstances the passenger has rights mandated by The Department of Transportation and the Airline will in a form of a letter normally advise you of these rights which include monetary compensation which at writing amounts to up to twice the value of the one way ticket [ the segment you are being bumped from] not to exceed $1200. Under these rules the Airline has now satisfied its contractual obligation to you and is not required to get you to your destination, however most Airlines will put you on their next available flight to your original destination.

Direct Flight versus Through Flight

A direct flight is non stop from Origination to Destination, a Through Flight is a way for the Airline to sell a ticket from Origination to Destination, however it stops at another city first, you may stay on the same Aircraft or there may be an Aircraft change. Always verify this issue when you are sold a ticket under the pretense that no other connecting city is mentioned.

Booking a trip with 2 separate Airlines...connecting on different carriers

Although this may sometimes be cheaper to book a trip using two separate carriers there are set backs, if the 2 Airlines are not willing or do not have an agreement [called an Interline agreement] with each other your bags will only be checked to the first destination and unless you have about 2 hours between flights to collect your bags and re check them in with the second airline [and on international flights go through customs and immigration] you will run the risk of missing your connecting flight.This does not apply to a booking agency or Airline that books you on a partner airline and in the same reservation.

Using a round trip ticket one way only

Unless you purchase a Full fare ticket most round trips are discounted highly restricted tickets, so if you use only the outbound portion with no intention of using the return then no problem, however if you purchased the ticket only to use the return portion then you are in for a surprise, because if you did not fly the outbound then the return is automatically canceled and the Airline will not honor that ticket. This is because sometimes buying a round trip ticket is cheaper than a one way and the passenger shopping around will see the return segment of a round trip and the portion that they really intend to use is a lot less expensive than buying that segment separately.

Post your worst experience at an Airport

Missed Flights, Rude Ticket agents, TSA, Middle seats
Interested to know your worst experience so I can post some tips from preventing it from happening again.

Limited Liability

If you check your baby stroller at the gate it is considered by the Airline to be Limited Liability as far as them paying for any damage it may sustain . this is because it is being checked without any protection packaging.
However those Tags they put on the stroller have a place at the back of them for you to sign acknowledging this.
Very rarely are passengers asked to sign this and therefore if you did not sign you are entitled to full reimbursement of any repairs or a replacement.

Pre Boarding

If you are Physically challenged in any way you are entitled to pre board the Aircraft and you are not obligated but rather protected from the Civil Liberties Act to not have to prove or answer questions about your Disability.

Comfort Animals onboard

If you are thinking about taking your dog on board the plane as a comfort animal you need to have a letter from a Mental health doctor, dated no later than  1 year from the flight date, that letter also has to be on file with the Airline and approved by them. Notify the airline every time you fly so that it is documented in your reservation.

Travel Lite

For the price of an over weight bag some charges can be as high as $100 more for a bag over 50ibs you could buy some new clothes at the other end of your trip.

Get the cheapest fare

Most major carriers use the Hub and Spoke system, that means no matter where you are going they will route you through one of their hubs to connect to your final destination as opposed to fairly uncommon point to point destinations. Therefore if your final destination happens to be one of their hubs which are normally major cities it is cheaper to ask for a fare to another destination  connecting through the hub, and providing you have no checked luggage [because the bags will go to the final destination] and providing you have a one way ticket [ because if you do not check in for the connecting flight the return will be cancelled ] then its going to be a lot cheaper for example if you really want to go to Denver and you buy a ticket through Denver on to little rock then get off in Denver and go about your business there.

Arrive Alive

Did you know that statistically speaking the most dangerous part of your flight is the drive to the Airport.

The Security check point experience

Make sure you take out of your carry on any Liquids [remember 3 ounces or less each item] your laptop and medications
Lighters are now permissible but one only. Separating these items will expedite you through the line.
Be cooperative with the TSA agent they are just doing their job.

Stepping over the customer service line

We have all been there, some thing happens on the way to the airport and we arrive late only to find our Flight has departed, but we expect our bad planning to become the Agents priority of the day. In an average size airport you are most likely the 228th problem of the day to this person who probably earns $15.80 an hour.
After explaining your dilemma to the agent she looks bored or not very interested in your problem, after all you are the one who is late. He or she offers to book you on the next flight at no extra charge but tells you the flight is over booked and you will be on standby, you explain to the agent that you have to be on that flight or you are going to miss a million dollar business deal, they have heard it all before and quite frankly does not impress them. The flight is over booked and the airline is not going to unseat some one who is confirmed on that flight to accommodate you. You are then starting to raise your voice with your demands, Airlines have zero tolerance these days when it comes to tempers at the airport and the agent has a little power, she warns you not to continue shouting but you do, it does not take much to step over the line of customer service to the we are finished with your problem zone, the agent picks up the radio and calls the law enforcement agency for that airport, they are then finished with you, and you on the other hand have bought into a serious unpleasant time ahead. So keep your cool and let them do what they can for you, it will all be fine at the end of the day.

confirm that reservation

Airlines constantly change their schedules and if you booked your flight a few months ago chances are the times have changed. They will contact you in advance to to tell you of the schedule change but if you booked through a third party such as an online website or travel agent then they are the ones to be notified and not you.

The downside to Technology and being updated about your flight

When you sign up for updates on your flight be it via your cell phone or computer notifying you that your flight is delayed most of the time it is because of ATC Air Traffic Control delays, these delays are and invariable do change several times over the course of the day and when the Aircraft has already arrived at the departure airport you better be there when those changes occur as you will miss your flight, for example you have a flight from West palm beach PBI to Newark EWR AT 330PM, at 11am you are notified that the flight has been delayed until 530pm so you decide to arrive at the airport at 430pm, plenty of time right ? well no because if the Aircraft is in West palm beach at 230pm and at 330pm it is released then it boards up and goes, you arrive one hour later only to be told the flight departed, read the small print at the bottom of the notification, it says SUBJECT TO CHANGE and it will ! this is not the Airlines fault but rather the stressed out Air traffic control system that we have in this country.

Avoid missing your Flight

Airlines require you to arrive at the Ticket counter 30 minutes prior to your scheduled flight departure and 15 minutes prior to departure at the gate, other wise your seat is subject to cancellation. This time line is in place for many good reasons namely the airlines ability to leave on time and in order to do that many things have to take place, an accuload has to be generated showing the amount of people on board which is a weight and balance report that generates many aspects of setting the Aircraft's computers for take off and landing, this obviously has to be done before departure, standby passengers have to be seated, and preparation in the main cabin takes place before the doors of the aircraft can be closed, so don't miss your flight by expecting the departure time to be when you can arrive by,.

Get a seat

When you make a reservation with an Airline ask for a seat assignment, Airlines consistently over book their flights in order to avoid going out with empty seats In the event that some passengers do not show for their flight. When there is a 100% show factor on a flight and it is over booked the first passengers that will be bumped when they are unable to solicit for volunteers are the passengers without seat assignments.