Intellect..5 Must Know Holiday Travel Tips

If you're flying to a holiday get-together, to see family, or for any other reason that you have to use a plane here are 5 tips from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to help speed your way through airport security.




Do not gift-wrap carry-on items. Security officers are required to remove the wrapping paper. Wrapped gifts should be packed in your checked bags, according to TSA spokesman Christopher White.


Do not bring remote-controlled toys as carry-on luggage. "Unfortunately in this world we live in, terrorists have an interest in using remote-controlled detonators," White said. You can put them in checked bags.



Pies (and other food, such as gingerbread, cookies and the like) are permitted as carry-on items. "It doesn't matter the consistency, though we may perform some additional scrutiny on the passenger or the plate," White said.


Jams and jellies are considered gels and are therefore subject to the 3-1-1 rules if brought as carry-on items: They must be in containers no bigger than 3 ounces, and they must all fit in one 1-quart clear zip-top plastic bag. (Otherwise, wrap them carefully to prevent breakage, and put them in your checked bags.)


Every airport in the country with more than one security lane now has a designated "family lane," but you don't need to be traveling with children to use it, White said. These lanes are open to any travelers who don't want to be rushed, whether due to special needs, or just wanting a few more minutes to remove shoes and coats, open up laptops and deal with other items. Travelers carrying medically necessary liquids of more than 3 ounces (such as diabetics) should also use the family lanes, White said.


Good news for the future: Checkpoint X-ray machines are being upgraded with advanced technology that can distinguish between liquid explosives and beverages, so "we are considering making changes some time in 2009" on the ban on liquids over 3 ounces, White said. More information at http://www.tsa.gov/.

I hope this helps you out in all your holiday traveling..and have a safe and merry holiday.

Suga HiL

Intellect.

So, this post doesn't necessarily directly relate to intellect, but I think that intellect is another way of just being smarter about yours. (That's another topic though) But, anyways, if I was smart about mine I would have saved a lot of money on my vacation had I done this post earlier.

I'm sure you know by now that since gas prices are soo high that they put all those costs back into your plane ticket, baggage, etc. So, I did a little research and brought ya the airlines that are going to take all that cash, and what new technology to look forward to on your next flight. (Only major airline carriers)

1. Southwest: The one major airline that isn't bucking the trend of increasing fees.
- No charge for checked bags (up to two), nonalcoholic drinks, blankets or making a change to your flight. The discount airline has even launched an ad campaign to brag about that fact. Its new slogan: "Fees don't fly with us."

2. Delta:
- No charge for the 1st checked bag ($25 to $50 for the second), free drinks and blankets, and a flight-change fee that hasn't increased from $100.

3. Continental:
- No charge for the 1st checked bag ($25 for the second), and it's holding the line on the other freebies, like drinks and blankets, as well as still offering free meals like sandwiches, burgers and pizza. But it recently raised its change fee from $100 to $150.

4. Northwest:
- Fee for making flight changes to $150, to go along with a $15 charge for the first checked bag ($25 for the second). Nonalcoholic drinks and blankets are still free.

5. American:
- Also hitting you up for $150 to make flight changes, and charging $15 to $25 for the first and second checked bags, with soft drinks and bedding still gratis.

6. United A:
- $15 to $25 for checked-bag fees; $150 to make flight changes. Plus, the highest standby fee: $75 if you want to fly standby on a different flight the same day, a service that for years was free and now commonly costs $50 on several airlines.

Lastly, expect Wi-Fi if you plan to fly Delta airlines anytime soon. Yeah!!! or No!!! Delta has decided to incorporate Wi-Fi on it's planes as early as this month and by summer all flights will be equipped with the technology.
Oh course it's not free..you know better. Prices will be $9.95 for a flight less than three hours and $12.95 for the longer flights.

I personally was excited at first but then I started thinking about interference issues (Even though I know they test this stuff) as well as the whole isolation factor that I came to like on a flight. Now, all I'm going to hear is the constant typing when I try to go to sleep on the flight? Plus, the laptops do take up a lot room space wise when you try to work on a plane.

I don't know..I just think sometimes we (U.S.) just over do things. Can't we just keep it simple.. I would personally like more seat space than Internet?

How about you? Let me know, and I hope I helped you out a little bit. God knows I could have used the info a lot earlier, since American Airline popped me for $75 on my bags for my vacation.

Suga HiL


Sources: Time, MSN