UK and US on "critical" alert status for air travel

[C 2 C]

where waits of 30 - 45 minutes for your checked luggage are considered speedy.

 

Where can you get your bag in 30 minutes? I'm flying into the wrong airport.:eek:

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Walt, I realize that you're talking about recreation traveling here. However, I think once the initial hysteria dies down reason will prevail and carry-ons will not be permanently banned. The reason? For most airlines it's the business traveler paying for higher priced short notice tickets that allows them to make money-- or not loose as much-- not the vacationer with the cheap ticket. And business travelers feel the need to take their laptops and carry-on bags on their trips. Airlines don't want to alienate this lucrative segment of their market and will do all they can in their power to convice a paranoid Home Land Security not to eliminate carry-ons.

 

Hear, hear! My sister spends, on average, 50-70 hours per month travelling by air for business. She has a frantic schedule, and sometimes flies multiple itineraries in one day. She doesn't have the time, or the luxury, to check her luggage. The ban on liquids in aircraft cabins has been a challenge, but it has not stopped her from taking all her non-liquid accoutrements onboard with her. She's buying what toiletries she needs on her layovers, and then disposing of them before she gets to the airport. She feels that the whole liquid/gel ban is a short-lived situation.

[Host Walt]

Where can you get your bag in 30 minutes? I'm flying into the wrong airport.:eek:

Try flying on a company jet. That's about it.

 

A recent 58 minute flight from LAX to SFO was followed by a 58 minute wait for the bags to flop out onto the carousel and another 10 minutes for mine to finally appear. And we were only half full on a 737, about 60 pax.

 

Now with a required 2 hour domestic check-in at LAX plus another 2-1/2 hours from scheduled departure time to the SFO Hertz Express station, the 5 hour drive up Interstate 5 with my laptop, Crystal Geyser and built in CD player is looking pretty darned good. And cheaper, too, even with the high price of California grade gas. (LAX parking, air fare, car rental, tips. And with a colleague going along, it's a no brainer.)

[hammybee]

On my last translantic flight, I sat next to a guy who worked for a U.S. carrier who told me the day will soon come, that almost every domestic flight, anywhere, was going to take at least 8 hours airport to airport.

 

It made me laugh given, given some of the commutes from NYC can take this long, on a not too unusual, bad day.

[hammybee]

Hear, hear! My sister spends, on average, 50-70 hours per month travelling by air for business. She has a frantic schedule, and sometimes flies multiple itineraries in one day. She doesn't have the time, or the luxury, to check her luggage.

 

I wonder if your sister has my former job.

 

Business and/or the people have and will continue to change to accommodate travel time. Before I gave up one rat race for another, it was taking well more than an hour to arrive at a business meeting, across the the street, in Manhatten.The need to register with building security, obtain clearance and go through airport like security, in many office buildings easily ate an hour. Forget the purse. Forget the brief case. Forget the cup of coffee. And much of this has been in place for 3.5 years in some NYC buildings. And when the meeting was over, you got to do it all again, to return to your own office.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I wonder if your sister has my former job.

 

Business and/or the people have and will continue to change to accommodate travel time. Before I gave up one rat race for another, it was taking well more than an hour to arrive at a business meeting, across the the street, in Manhatten.The need to register with building security, obtain clearance and go through airport like security, in many office buildings easily ate an hour. Forget the purse. Forget the brief case. Forget the cup of coffee. And much of this has been in place for 3.5 years in some NYC buildings. And when the meeting was over, you got to do it all again, to return to your own office.

 

Wow, it sounds like living in prison:(. I swear, I don't know how my sister and others like her do it. I used to fly for Pan Am out of JFK way back when, and I lived in mid-town Manhattan. I couldn't in a million years envision myself doing that now. I feel like I live my life in an oasis, compared to some of you. I think my total disenchantment with air travel is why I'm now looking to cruising for our vacations.

 

(I just realized that almost every single sentence in my post begins with "I". Hmmmmm, maybe it's time to readjust my focus.....)

[C 2 C]

From British leaflet

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/assets/B2CPortal/Static%20Files/Security_flyer.pdf

[hammybee]

(I just realized that almost every single sentence in my post begins with "I". Hmmmmm, maybe it's time to readjust my focus.....)

 

Are we feeling megalomaniac today?

[hammybee]

That's what I meant with my fake beer belly

 

Some people get to have all the fun.

[mtk]

I've seen the list of banned items. Cameras and laptops are banned? How you protect the items. Do they get tagged at the gate for secure travel? I have had too many things stolen from checked baggage to trust the baggage handlers now that the airlines are hiring more handlers than ever the chances of stolen electronics goes way up. Did anyone on recent flights have problems?

[C 2 C]

I've seen the list of banned items. Cameras and laptops are banned? How you protect the items. Do they get tagged at the gate for secure travel? I have had too many things stolen from checked baggage to trust the baggage handlers now that the airlines are hiring more handlers than ever the chances of stolen electronics goes way up. Did anyone on recent flights have problems?

 

Flights to the UK have banned these items. Into the hold they must go.

[mtk]

OK for security reasons. But will we see them again? Is the airlines upping their insurance for loss?

[C 2 C]

OK for security reasons. But will we see them again? Is the airlines upping their insurance for loss?

The airlines will pay about $20 per kilo for lost luggage. Check your home-owners insurance. You will probably have to pay extra for lited items.

Here is the latest update from CNN:

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/11/airline.security.rules/

[OldCodger73]

Where can you get your bag in 30 minutes? I'm flying into the wrong airport.:eek:

 

This was at SeaTac on a flight from LAX. Of course the year was 1995, the last time I checked luggage.

 

I picked up a bother and sister-in-law at SeaTac 3 July of this year. They were on a Horizon turboprop flight from GTF and from the time I met them at the gate until their baggage arrived on the carrousel couldn't have been more than 30 minutes.

[C 2 C]

The easiest solution to this whole debacle and requiring the least manpower was to allow all carryons to be stored in the normal way but with no access once onboard. Bags would be inspected and tagged and onboard personel could have placed items in the overhead bin. Suspect materials such as lotions and liquids could still have been banned. Cameras and computers would be under supervision by their owners even though they would have no access till their destinations. Airplane manufacturers would place locks on all overhead bins and access would be controlled from the flight deck upon arrival. Perhaps the airlines or Samsonite could design a standardized carryon that would be inspected and locked by security prior to embarkation. A standardized unlocking device could be installed and used upon leaving the aircraft or at the luggage claim area while waiting for checked luggage. In this way our belongings would be secure and in our own hands in case of flight delays.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Some good suggestions!!

[juliecat]

If you're traveling soon you'll want to check the TSA website. They have changed some of the restrictions (ie lipstick now allowed) and do a much better job of listing what is and is not allowed on the planes. They even spell out what liquor can and cannot be placed in your checked bag.

 

Link is here:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/new-procedures.shtm

 

J

[C 2 C]

 

Link is here:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/new-procedures.shtm

 

 

Finally some common sense.

Laptop computers, cellular phones, iPods, and other portable electronic devices are still allowed on board an aircraft. These items must still be screened at the security checkpoint.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't own a laptop, ipod, or other portable things. We never take our cell phone with us.

 

Sounds like we are off to a good start in October.

[barriesdad]

Announcement today in UK with regard to travel from UK:

 

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_about/documents/page/dft_about_612280.hcsp

 

Basically one item of cabin baggage allowed onboard with maximum dimensions of 45cmx35cmx16cm (18"x14"x6"). Still no liquids or gels.

 

This will allow most electrical items to be carried onboard.

 

Lloyd

[Starbright]

Thanks for that Lloyd. I hadn't heard that this morning.

 

We'll be travelling in September and were really worried about putting our cameras in the hold. Hopefull now we'll be able to carry them on board. :)

 

Starbright

[barriesdad]

You're very welcome, Starbright.

 

We were very worried too. We leave week on Saturday. It would seem that we will now be able to bring our camera, camcorder, DW's jewellery and mobile phones onboard with us. Not really bothered about anything else being in the checked baggage.

 

Lloyd

[Starbright]

Lloyd

 

That's exactly how we feel. I don't care if I have to put my toiletries and cosmetics etc in the hold, but our cameras (both digital SLR and video) are precious to us. It would spoil our holiday if we couldn't take them with us and we certainly wouldn't want to trust them to the gentle treatment they receive by airline baggage handlers! (or the risk of them being stolen).

 

Like you, we're flying to Vancouver and I was dreading such a long flight without a book and a small piece of embroidery (no scissors!) to pass the time.

 

Hope you have a great cruise on the Zuiderdam. We'll be boarding her on 30 September for her repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal. How could we do that without any photographic souvenirs?

[barriesdad]

Starbright,

 

Not only are we doing the cruise on the Zuiderdam on 9th Sept but we have 2 weeks prior to that in Ottawa for 5 days then a 9 day tour through the Canadian Rockies. It would've been heartbreaking if we were'nt able to bring back photographic and video evidence for us and our family and friends to look back on.

 

Enjoy your cruise at end of Sept and I will report back on our time on the Zuiderdam before you go.

 

Lloyd

[Starbright]

Lloyd

 

I know exactly what you mean. I see the other day you referred to your holiday as a "holiday of a lifetime" and this is what our cruise is too. It's a special holiday to celebrate my retirement (last day at work tomorrow!).

 

I hope your whole trip is wonderful and look forward to reading your review about Zuiderdam on your return. Have a safe journey!

 

Starbright