Tag Archives: luggage

Money Saving Travel Tips for Cash Strapped Flyers

By now you know that a single flight could easily put a major dent in your family’s budget. From rising airfares to insane luggage fees to the “brilliant” idea of charging passengers for everything from water to pillows and blankets, airlines are not ruling out any means to milk flyers for everything they are worth. If you are planning to fly in the near future now is the time to devise ways you can get from point A to point B without going broke. Here are some tips: WEIGH YOUR BAGS BEFORE HEADING TO THE AIRPORT The ol’ human scale … Continue reading →

Cracking Down on Carry-Ons

Weeks ago when American Airlines announced it would be charging passengers $15 to check in their first piece of luggage (and $25 for the second bag) every travel analyst in the country echoed the same comment: Beware of an impending crack down on carry ons. Sure enough a few days ago American Airlines announced it will be clamping down on the size of carry-ons (and you can bet other carriers will follow suit in a timely manner). American is the first airline to issue a statement regarding carry-ons. According to an American spokesperson, the airline usually adds extra staff during … Continue reading →

Summer Travel Tidbits—In Search of Slopes, Surf and Suitcase Rebates

SKI/SURF And here I thought the Big Island of Hawaii was the only place in the United States where you could surf and ski in the same afternoon. Travelers to Kellogg, Idaho know better. Last weekend visitors to the city’s newest addition—-the Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark–had the rare opportunity to ski and surf when the end of the ski season (June 1st) overlapped with the opening of surf season (May 30th). Okay, it’s not quite as natural as the ski and surf option Hawaii offers, but Idaho’s version was big enough to make headlines in that neck of the woods. … Continue reading →

Travel Insanity—Airline Charges for One Checked Bag

Not an extra bag. Not an extra carry-on. I’m talking about one single checked bag. American Airlines just announced it plans to start charging $15 for passengers to check in a single suitcase. INSANITY! Oh, and did I mention it also plans to cut flights and lay off thousands of workers too? The nation’s largest carrier blames the moves on record-high fuel prices. INSANITY! They are serious folks. Beginning June 15th—as in three weeks from now—if you are flying American you will be charged $15 for the first suitcase you check in and $25 for the second piece of luggage … Continue reading →

Ship It

If your kids can’t seem to get enough of Nickelodeon then here’s some good news. Get your calendars and Sharpies out because this summer, SpongeBob SquarePants and his pals are teaming up with Royal Caribbean to host the inaugural Nickelodeon Family Cruise. The ship departs Miami on August 10th and sets sail for the Western Caribbean and seven days of “sun, surf and slime.” The 4,000-plus-passenger Freedom of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s largest and newest vessels, according to the company’s website. And it would have to be massive given that it is home to a veritable amusement … Continue reading →

Do You Over Pack?

I used to… until one trip when I ended up paying nearly the equivalent of my roundtrip ticket in luggage fees. Both my checked pieces weighed more than the allotted 50 pounds and I ended up paying in the triple digits to get them on the plane with me. It was a horrific experience (namely because the airline employee checking me in had me open one of my suitcases to see what we could stuff in my carry-ons so I wouldn’t have to pay the penalty fees—-she was great-—it was the blow to my wallet that was excruciatingly painful). Since … Continue reading →

Airline Luggage Wars—-Can It Get Any Worse?

I’ve had my share of luggage horror stories (many of which I’ve shared on this site), but now I am bracing for what could prove to be a cataclysmic move by the airline industry in regards to checked bags. As if the price of airfare wasn’t enough to force you to vacation in your own backyard airlines are about to take another shot at your wallet via your luggage. Recently, United Airlines announced that it would be making a major (and alarming) change in its checked baggage policy. Instead of being able to check in two bags for free, as … Continue reading →

What To Do When Your Luggage Doesn’t Arrive When You Do

There have been a handful of times when I have arrived at my destination city and my luggage hasn’t. If you are a frequent flyer then you too have likely experienced the following: standing solo next to the baggage carousel long after the rest of your fellow passengers have been reunited with their luggage wondering if perhaps a handler had simply forgot to take your bags off the plane. Then reality sets in and you are sure your bags are half way to Timbuktu. Now what? If your wedding dress, lucky business suit or pricey Manolo Blahnik’s were tucked away … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Gifts for Those Fighting the “Black Bag War”

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog entitled “Black Bag War.” It was an ode to the millions of airline passengers forced to huddle around luggage carousels and decipher which of the hundreds of rotating black suitcases rightfully belonged to them. In the 20 months or so since I wrote that piece luggage manufacturers have expanded their color palettes and now offer a wide variety of products in funky styles and colors. Now you can buy a wardrobe of luggage to fit your particular lifestyle and mix and match as needed. What’s more, if you are still searching … Continue reading →

The End of the Single Carry-On Rule

Just how much can you cram into your carry-on bag? If you fly internationally you likely have the ability to push the limits of your carry-on well beyond most domestic travelers. That’s because an extremely unpopular rule was put into place by the British government last year after local authorities said they had foiled a plot to bomb trans-Atlantic jetliners using small amounts of explosives disguised as ordinary liquids. Since then travelers leaving airports in the United Kingdom were allowed to take just one bag into the aircraft cabin as opposed to two bags elsewhere in the world. The limit … Continue reading →