The Perpetual Tourist

Fees, fees, fees. Fuel surcharges, baggage charges, snacks, headphones, blankets, and pillows — you pay for everything on a flight these days, as the struggling airlines do their best to squeeze every last dollar out of their passengers. Just when you thought there was no possible way to add more fees…

Ha! There’s always a way to ask for more money. Canadian airline WestJet may be introducing still more fees, and while I’m sure I’m not the only traveler growing quite weary of all the fees, fees, fees!, I do applaud WestJet’s ingenuity.

The airline recently surveyed its customers to find out what perks they might be willing to pay $10 extra for, and also what services they’d be willing to sacrifice for $10 savings on their tickets. WestJet wanted to know, would you pay $10 more for:

• Priority boarding — The only perk to getting on the plane first that I can think of is guaranteed overhead bin space. Of course, if there’s no assigned seating, then picking your seat first is definitely worth a few extra bucks, but once you’re in your seat, you’re going to sit there for at least another 30 minutes before the plane even starts moving. Hardly a perk, if you ask me.
• Priority disembarking — This might be worthwhile for folks who have tight connections to catch, as unloading a plane can take a really long time. Also, it might mean that you get to sit in the bulkhead (the front row with lots of leg room), because I don’t see any other way they’d be able to enforce this.
• Expedited baggage delivery — Please. If your time is really so valuable that you’d pay $10 more for the three minutes it would save you waiting at baggage claim, shouldn’t you be on a private jet or something? This is just ridiculous.
• Priority rebooking in case of flight cancellation — Another ridiculous one, if you ask me. If that airline isn’t doing every last thing in their power to make it up to every last person it’s inconvenienced, then they’re not getting any of that business again, and they know that. What happens when two people pay for this and there’s only one seat on the next flight? What happens when there are plenty of empty seats on the next plane, but nobody paid for the priority rebooking? The day that airlines start charging for this is the day that the industry truly surprises me.
• Complimentary meals/hotel accommodations when a flight is either canceled or substantially delayed — Again, this is something that airline better damn well be doing already. This is like buying insurance for your insurance policies.
• In-flight Internet access — Oh hell yes I’d pay for this. I could eliminate an entire carry-on bag filled with all the stuff I bring to keep myself entertained throughout my day of traveling if only I could surf the web from my airplane seat.
• Guaranteed space in the overhead bin — This would be nice, but as long as the airline isn’t going to charge me to stow my bags below the plane once the overhead bin is full, I really don’t need to have it with me. I never get anything out of it during the flight anyway — I usually just pull out my books and crossword puzzles and knitting or whatever before I stow anything.
• In-seat power — On a long flight, it might be nice to be able to keep my laptop alive — especially if I had internet access. I imagine this means equipping certain seats with electrical outlets — but what happens if you don’t sell that service? Do some lucky passengers get seated here for no extra charge? Or do flight attendants have access to a switch of some sort that activates power in the seats? It seems like this might cost the airlines more to implement than it would bring them in revenues…
• Premium snack/meal offering — Barf. The airlines’ idea of “premium” food is a step below the dollar menu at most fast food joints. No thanks. You know you can still bring your own food on board a plane.
• A freshly laundered pillow/blanket set that you may keep after the flight — Again, these are things that you’re perfectly allowed to bring on board yourself. Why settle for that 3×5 piece of scrap felt they call a blanket?
• An amenity kit with earplugs, eyeshades and toiletries to keep you refreshed on the plane — Once again, all things that you can bring yourself if you really want them, and for much less than $10. All the good airlines still give you this stuff for free, though.
• A wait of 10 minutes or less to clear security checkpoints — There are services out there that you can pay for to get through security faster, but there’s really no way to guarantee you won’t be held up. “I know it looks like a bomb, but we’ve gotta let this guy go — he paid his $10.” Yeah. Right.
• Sitting away from parents traveling with babies/small children — Ahhh, yes, now here’s a brilliant idea. Airlines could be cool and seat all babies and their families at the ends of the plane, but that’s never how they do it, is it? Look, you definitely have a right to travel with your kids, but if you and your baby sit next to me, or worse, behind me, I hate you. That’s just the way it is. Babies cry on planes, and somehow even though the roar of the engine is so loud that it’s hard to talk to the person next to you, that baby’s wailing is always the loudest thing on the plane. It seems it’d be more fair to charge extra for the baby, but the airlines will make more money if they can squeeze ten bucks out of everyone who doesn’t want to sit next to the screamer, because here’s a fee almost everyone will pay. Am I right? If only those earplugs actually worked…

For the most part, I can’t imagine paying for these things, but I know that a lot of people really would. I think that if I bring an infant on a plane, though, and the airline is making money off all the people who don’t want to sit near my kid, I should get some sort of compensation, right? Ha. I’ll just get dirty looks from all the people who’ll wish they’d ponied up the extra ten.

In a truly innovative move, WestJet is also considering knocking $10 off your ticket if you’re willing to give up certain perks. Like these:

• Not checking bags — With so many airlines charging $25 per bag now, you’re probably already doing everything you can to avoid checking luggage, right? But hey, another $10 for what you were going to do anyway? Score.
• Not earning frequent flier miles — Most airlines will charge 25,000 miles for a free flight. You really do have to be a frequent flier to get anything out of this. If you only fly a few times a year or less on this airline, this is actually a pretty good deal, unless you’re flying around the world.
• Only bringing aboard one small piece of carry-on baggage — I wonder if they enforce it when they say “small.”
• Being the last to board — Wait just a second. I get more time to finish my lunch/chapter/crossword puzzle, less time scrunched in my seat with no leg room next to the screaming baby and the smelly guy, AND you’ll give me $10 for this? Where do I sign up?
• Using online check-in instead of a kiosk — I’ve been doing this all along. Who wouldn’t? It’s much more convenient. Definitely take this option.
• Using either a kiosk or online check-in instead of a human agent — Looks like they’re trying to lighten their payroll. Sorry ticket agents, but this really is the most convenient way to check in.
• Savings for having my checked luggage to be among the last to be delivered — This I don’t understand. How would this save money for the airline? Wouldn’t they have to do extra work to make sure my bags were the last onto the conveyor belt? Sure, I’ll take $10 for you to unnecessarily inconvenience both of us…
• Sitting in a middle seat — These seats should be cheaper anyway. But for couples, this is great. One of us is always sitting in the middle anyway, just so we can sit together.
• Making no changes to your ticket prior to departure — How many people make changes, really?
• Not getting free water, coffee/tea, juices or soft drinks in flight — Fine, I’ll bring my own.
• Sitting in a seat that does not recline — You know, the three inches that those seats “recline” don’t make much of a difference anyway, except on the leg room of the person behind you.
• Taking a seat near parents traveling with babies/small children — $10 off tickets for all deaf people.

On the savings side, a lot of these things actually make sense, and they’d be easy for me. At the same time, though, this list sort of highlights all the ways the airlines jack you. No matter how much we hate the fees — hidden and exposed — they’re the industry standard now, so we’re going to have to get used to it. At least WestJet is trying to give us some choices here.

What perks are you willing to pay for, and what would you be willing to give up for a discount?

Now that almost all major airlines are charging for checked luggage, passengers are trying harder to fit all their travel gear into their two allotted carry-on bags. Supposedly, there are size and dimension limits for these bags, but I have never seen anyone actually enforce these. About half the passengers on any given flight will have carry-ons the size of a baby elephant, the overhead bins will fill up about two thirds of the way through boarding, and then there will be a long holdup while flight attendants scramble to make more space.

On one of my flights earlier this year, so many passengers had oversized carry-ons that I missed my connecting flight due to the delay of all the last-minute baggage checking at the gate. Yet none of these rule breakers were charged for their luggage, and I was left to fend for myself to find a new flight. With this experience in my memory, I harbor a deep loathing for anyone who thinks they are above the rules. And it also annoys the bejesus out of me that airlines don’t enforce their own rules, and that these spacehogs keep getting away with this crap.

That’s why I’m cautiously optimistic about new carry-on size requirements that many airlines have adopted. It remains to be seen if the airlines will actually enforce their new rules, but I think it’s a good idea, in theory. Continental Airlines is the latest in a string of carriers to reduce the maximum carry-on size from 51 linear inches (width + height + length in inches) to just 45 linear inches. The new rules will apply to all travelers regardless of when the tickets were purchased.

30 x 14 x 13 = Don't even TRY it!

No airlines are charging for carry-ons just yet, but the new guidelines are designed to push more bags over the limit and force travelers to check bags that they may have thought they could carry on. Then checked luggage fees would apply. Continental announced that new luggage sizing boxes will be available at most check-in counters so that travelers can make sure their bags will fit — but by the time you’re at the check-in desk, it’s a bit late to switch your luggage if you find yours is too big.

Some of my fellow travel bloggers are cheesed off at the new regulations, which stink of yet another money grab. I don’t really see it that way, though. Even though fuel prices are dropping and airlines are generating good revenue from luggage fees already in place, most airlines are still really struggling. I can understand their need to drum up more cash, and while I admit it’s annoying for me as a frequent flier, it’s much less annoying than not having a flight available, which is what happens when struggling airlines are forced to cut costs.

Maybe it is a money grab, but this shouldn’t be a problem for savvy travelers, who would know the rules before showing up at the check-in desk for a flight. Some critics argue that six linear inches of space won’t be enough to make a difference in space problems or fuel costs, but I disagree. If airlines actually enforce their new rules, those six inches per bag will add up dramatically, especially considering the number of people who have been flipping off the rules for so long with their monster carry-on bags.

I’m flying cross-country again tomorrow, so I’ll be able to report back shortly as to whether or not United Airlines is enforcing the 45″ rule. Check back soon and I’ll let you know.

For a comprehensive list of luggage size requirements by airline, check here.

Edited 10/25:  I landed in Portland this afternoon and I can definitely say that nothing’s changed.  People are still bringing giant bags on board and gate agents and flight attendants are still letting them.  My flight was full, so I suspect that if they were going to enforce the rules, this would have been the time, but so far it’s business as usual in the air.

Have you ever gone digging through the pocket in front of you on an airplane? You’ll find the barf bag, the safety instructions, and usually two magazines. The first is whatever periodical the airline prints. The articles are sometimes sort of interesting, but the crosswords are always already done. The second magazine is the SkyMall catalog. Now that’s good reading.

Most entertaining is the thought that people actually buy these things. I’ll admit, some items are tempting — but almost everything in there is way overpriced, not to mention almost entirely useless. Yet the SkyMall wouldn’t exist if people didn’t buy its products, and I like to amuse myself by imagining a house filled with SkyMall goodies.

You don’t have to be in the air to browse the SkyMall selection — it’s available online, too. Here are some of my favorite SkyMall finds, just in time for the upcoming holiday season:

The Dough-Nu-Matic, $129.99 at SkyMall

The Dough-Nu-Matic: Just add dough! This handy contraption “automatically forms, fries and drains delectable mini-doughnuts in just 50 seconds!” Haven’t you always wanted a mini-doughnut factory in your kitchen?

SkyMall says it’s great for entertaining (I always wish I could serve doughnuts at my dinner parties), but also fund raisers, because it can make a dozen easy-to-sell mini-doughnuts in just a few minutes. At $0.25 apiece, sell just 520 of the little guys and this thing has paid for itself. (Dough not included.)

It's vintage!

16th Century Italian Armor: From the who-the-hell-buys-this-stuff files, aka the Home Decor section of the catalog, we have a life-sized medieval suit of armor on a museum mount. Yours for $975, the catalog boasts that it is “so realistic that it even features faux chain mail, faux leather strapping and a hinged helmet that opens.” Whoa — for almost a thousand bucks, they can’t throw in real chain mail? Lame! But I bet you could keep candy in that hinged helmet that opens.

Good luck finding a matching shower curtain.

Sticking with the ridiculous historical decorations theme, next up we have a pun that goes too far: Richard The Lionheart Throne. I can picture this toilet seat nowhere else but a fraternity house. I’ll take this moment to warn readers of the dangers of shopping the SkyMall while intoxicated. While under the influence, you may find that this is a must-have conversation piece for your home, but when you’ve sobered up, you might regret spending $69.95 on a ridiculous toilet seat that you can’t return.

Let’s not forget about the kids, now. SkyMall has a huge selection of toys, like the Children’s ATM Bank, designed to teach kids about banking while they deposit and withdraw real money and keep up with their account balance on the ATM screen. Less enterprising children will probably enjoy the Marshmallow Shooter, a pump-action rifle that shoots real marshmallows across the room, sure to make a giant, squishy mess.

SkyMall has pet products, too! For instance, if you have an arthritic golden retriever, don’t make him jump on and off your bed — you can buy him this helpful ramp instead. It’s only $119 — isn’t Fido worth it?

Before you buy anything from SkyMall, check the As Seen on TV store first — it might be cheaper there.

Have you ever ordered anything from SkyMall? If so, I want to hear about it. How is that Voice Activated R2-d2 working out for you?

It seems like it’s been ages since I’ve been west to my “other home” in Oregon, but my husband and I are flying out on Tuesday to the land of Christmas tree farms and “real” mountains.  I couldn’t be more excited for this trip.  Soon, the only thing standing between me and my beloved Northwest will be a five-hour plane ride.

Cross-country flights have become the norm for me, but they’re still hellish if I don’t have a good book.  I still haven’t mastered the art of sleeping on an airplane, so I depend on literature to get me from coast to coast.  I’ve had good and bad luck with books — the worst is when I take a book I think I’ll enjoy, only to find myself bored to tears within the first few minutes.  I don’t take chances with books anymore when I fly.  I still take a new book to try each flight, but I also bring a backup favorite — something I know can entertain me, even if it’s the hundredth time I’ve read it.

Here are the books that have gotten me through even the longest of delays, the worst turbulence, the smelliest seat partners, and the most boring of times…

• Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady by Florence King — This memoir is hilarious, gripping, and heart-wrenching.  You don’t have to be southern or female to enjoy it (my Yankee brother gave it to me), but I think being both of those things certainly enhanced the reading experience for me.  I definitely recognized my own family in King’s humorous descriptions of the southern obsession with ladyship.  It’s a very honest look at the South of the past and present, and even though she’s a cynical Republican, it’s impossible for me not to love Florence King after reading this book, which I’ve now practically memorized.
• One for the Money (and the entire Stephanie Plum series) by Janet Evanovich — You’ve seen these books everywhere, I’m sure.  There are fourteen in the series now, each one more hilarious than the last.  These books are a guilty pleasure for me — they’re trashy and ridiculous, but still hilarious and entertaining.  They’re great for a trip because they’re fast and easy reads, and every page is full of laughs.  If you’ve already read all fourteen books, check out the between-the-numbers novellas by Evanovich, all featuring our favorite heroine:  Visions of Sugar Plums, Plum Lovin’, and Plum Lucky.
• The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling — I am always skeptical of hype, which is why I didn’t pick up the first Harry Potter book until 2005, just before book six came out.  Most people who are going to read these books already have, but I definitely recommend re-reading.  Rowling wove an intricate web with these stories, and every time I read back over the books, I discover little details and clues that she’s left along the way.
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen — There’s a reason this book has been made into about 30 different movies.  It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest love stories ever written.  Warning:  if you are like me and tend to get really sucked into a novel, you may find yourself severely depressed at the end of this one.  I was — I didn’t want it to be over.  So I turned back to page one and started all over again…
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris — Sedaris has authored several collections of autobiographical essays, and they’re all fascinating, charming, and witty, though also a little dark.  This one is my favorite, though.  It feels a little more light-hearted than his others, and I especially love the chapter on poop — whenever I read it, I laugh so hard that I wake up all the sleeping passengers around me.  I may be immature, but I challenge you to get through that essay without snorting.  I don’t think it can be done.

I have other favorites, of course, but these are the ones I’ve read over and over again, and would recommend to anyone.  What else belongs on this list?

Every time I go to the airport, which is about once a month, something has changed. There are new policies in place, different procedures to go through, and lots of hurdles between me and my destination. Even though I’ve been through dozens of airports already this year, I still get caught off guard from time to time. I imagine air travel must be a real shock to the casual traveler. The changes that followed 9/11 seem minor compared to all that’s happened in this economic downturn.

Money is the driving force behind all of the recent changes. The airline industry is getting hit from all sides as fuel prices make it much more expensive for them to operate at the same time fewer people are flying because their own finances have taken a beating lately. Airlines simply can’t raise fares enough to fully offset rising operating expenses, so they’re taking advantage of every opportunity to boost their bottom lines. What that means for you, ultimately, is more fees for fewer comforts. Here’s a breakdown of some of the major changes we’ve seen over the last few months:

• Airlines going bankrupt, out of business.  Since the beginning of the year, several airlines have shut down.  All of the major carriers are still surviving, though all are hovering just above bankruptcy.  Lots of regional and discount carriers have gone under, which means fewer choices for travelers.
• Airlines cutting routes. Those airlines that haven’t folded yet have been forced to cut out some of their less profitable routes.  If you’re used to flying out of a small local airport, you may find there are no more flights, and you either will be paying much more for the tickets you buy, or you’ll have to travel to a large airport.  There’s an airport just a few miles from my house, but the flights are so expensive that I hardly ever fly in and out of there.  Instead, I drive several hours to DC, Baltimore, or Norfolk, where I can find cheaper flights.  When looking for tickets, expand your search to include as many airports as you can.  The best deals may mean you have to give up the convenience of your local airport.
• Planes are slowing down. I wrote about this back when the airlines first announced that they would be slowing their planes to conserve fuel.  This is something that doesn’t actually affect you as much as you might think.  Most flights are only a few minutes longer as a result of these changes.
• Fewer deals available. Have you tried redeeming your frequent flier miles lately?  It’s not as easy as it used to be.  Airlines are upping the miles required to redeem for free flights, they’re tacking on fees wherever possible, upgrades are almost never available, and you’ll find that so many flights are full that it’s nearly impossible to book the “free” flight you’ve earned.  Plan well in advance when you attempt to redeem your miles, and be flexible, or you may not be able to fly.
• Luggage fees. Almost all major airlines have started charging for checked bags.  Most allow one bag for free, but expect to pay at least $25 for your second checked bag.  This doesn’t just mean passengers are trying to pack lighter — in most cases it means people are pushing their limits even more when it comes to carry on luggage.  And this adds up to big delays at the gate when no one’s bags fit in the overhead bins and you have to wait while the flight attendants check 30 extra suitcases.
• Airport lounges closing. Some airlines have closed their executive lounges to cut costs.  That expensive membership fee doesn’t get you very much anymore.
• Nothing is free. Long gone are the days of a free meal for your cross-country flight, but now you can expect to pay for everything from drinks and snacks to blankets and pillows.  If you want it on the plane, either bring it yourself, or bring a lot of extra cash.  (You don’t want to use the airplane blanket anyway.  According to a flight attendant friend, it’s probably been puked on.)

Everything boils down to money.  The worse it gets for airlines, the more expensive it will be for you to travel, and since fare prices are already as high as the market will stand, the additional charges tend to come in the form of hidden charges.  The best way to avoid unexpected costs is to pack lightly and bring the things that you will need with you instead of planning to ask the flight attendant.  Or take the train instead.

It’s hard to say if airport security lines have gotten better or worse since 9/11/01. Travelers don’t have to jump through quite so many hoops to bring electronics on board a plane, but there are all those new things we have to do like removing our shoes and separating our liquids into tiny clear containers. Getting through security is still a drag, no doubt.

That’s why I was shocked to learn that the TSA plans to lift some restrictions at airport security checkpoints. According to a press release from the TSA, passengers will no longer be required to remove laptop computers from their cases to go through the x-ray scanner, provided that the carrying case meets certain guidelines.

In March, the TSA reached out to bag manufacturers to encourage production of these checkpoint-friendly designs. While the TSA is not endorsing any particular bag, manufacturer, or design, they have announced that approximately 40 new bag designs available for purchase this August meet the acceptable criteria.

The criteria provided by the TSA are as follows:

• The bag must have a designated laptop-only section
• The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lie flat on the X-ray belt
• No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section
• No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section
• Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.

Bags like this are checkpoint-friendly, according to the TSA

You will still have to remove laptops from accordion and backpack style cases

My only concern is that this initiative could backfire when people try to sneak around the restrictions, sending non-checkpoint-friendly laptop bags through the scanner without removing the laptop, thus causing further delays when they have to send the bag through a second time after taking out the laptop. You know it’s going to happen, just like every person on your flight is going to bring oversized carry on luggage.

It’s really nice to see the TSA working with the public to make the airport experience a little less miserable, but until everyone learns that the rules actually do apply to them, I predict that delays are going to be a regular part of the process.

I used to be a very lucky traveler. In all my frequent flying, I was rarely delayed by more than a few minutes and hardly ever ran into any major hassles at any airports. Then the economy shat the bed — and in this analogy, the airline industry might as well be the bed.

Having cut personnel tremendously to deal with rising operational costs, the airlines are ill prepared to deal with the problems that once only created minor delays, but now cause flight cancellations and much longer delays, leaving more and more passengers stranded in airports.

In most cases, if an airline cancels your flight, they’ll put you in a hotel room near the airport for the night — assuming the rooms aren’t all taken by other disgruntled passengers. All too often, you’re going to find yourself forced to camp out in an airport overnight — maybe it’s because your next flight will take off at 5:30am, or because there just isn’t anywhere else to go. In any case, when you fly, you should be prepared to sleep in an airport.

If you end up stranded and can’t get a hotel room, the first thing you should do is ask the airline staff about lounges. Those swanky private rooms that usually require special memberships often have comfy furniture that’s perfect for someone looking to catch a little shuteye. If you don’t have a membership, a little politeness goes a long way — the airline knows they’re the reason you’re stuck, so as long as you don’t scream at the person who can help you, they’ll usually bend the rules to keep you as satisfied as possible.

When that doesn’t work, your next step is to just find the most comfortable space you can. Don’t just go to the gate and wait there — chances are, you can find a better place to plant. Try the arrivals lounge, which tends to have better furniture than the departure area. If that fails, simply look for a quiet corner without as much foot traffic. Pull some chairs together to make an almost-comfortable bed for yourself, or curl up on the floor if you must.

Our travel itinerary may not include an overnight layover, but anyone who flies should be prepared. There are a few small items you can pack in your carry-on luggage that will make airport snoozing much more comfortable for you:

• disinfectant wipes — it’s always a good idea to wipe down any furniture that gets used by dozens of people every day before you collect all their germs, whether you’re spending the night or just a few minutes.
• inflatable pool float — when deflated, these don’t take up much space in your bag, and can be easily inflated for a much nicer “bed” than the floor or airport chairs, and they provide a buffer between you and the germ-infested floor.
• earplugs or headphones — there are constant announcements in airports, and inevitably a screaming child or two. If you don’t want to wake up every two minutes, make sure you have a way to block out the noise.
• wear layers — you never know what the temperature will be like inside the airport. If it’s too cold, you’ll never get comfy enough to sleep without something to keep you warm. If it’s too hot, you can always take your sweater off and use it as a pillow.
• entertainment — in the event that you simply cannot get comfortable enough for sleep, you’ll need something to keep you from dying of boredom while you wait through the night. Books, puzzles, a portable DVD player — don’t neglect to pack these things just because you thought you were only going to be flying for three hours or so. You never know…

www.sleepinginairports.net

No one wants to sleep in an airport, but it only takes a little extra space in your luggage to prepare for an unexpected campout, and packing a few cautionary items can be the difference between a decent night’s sleep and the most boring, uncomfortable night of your life.

For extensive reading on airport sleeping, visit The Guide To Sleeping In Airports.

I have been a Priceline user for a while. I can sometimes find better deals booking directly through the provider, especially when that provider is Southwest, but Southwest doesn’t fly to Medford, Oregon, and after comparison shopping on all the travel sites, Priceline had the best deal on a flight to Medford — or so I thought.

After yesterday, I am a very dissatisfied customer. Getting here was an incredibly stressful experience for me, and the problems I faced really shook my confidence in this leading provider of cheap airfare and hotel deals.

When I booked my flight, I got stuck with one of those multiple airline, multiple stop deals. Priceline scheduled me to fly from DC to JFK on Delta, and then switch from Delta to United Airlines for JFK to San Francisco, then Frisco to Medford, with layovers of just under 90 minutes each. It was going to be a long day.

By the time my Delta flight took off, nearly an hour late, I knew my chances of catching my connection were slim. We made up some time in the air, though, and were only about 30 minutes late arriving in New York. That still gave me an hour to catch my next flight. Right?

No such luck. JFK is a HUGE airport, and each major airline has its own terminal. To get from one terminal to another, you have to actually go outside and enter the new terminal through its own security checkpoint. I was screwed.

It took me 30 minutes just to get from the gate where I landed to the check-in counter outside the United terminal, where I found out my flight had already boarded and was pulling away. Furthermore, I was told, even if my first flight had landed on time, I still wouldn’t have made this flight. You have to check in at least 30 minutes prior to boarding to even be allowed through security.

“Who booked this flight for you?” asked the agent. “This is an impossible itinerary.” I was livid. It had been years since I’d flown into JFK. I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to get from Delta to United without going through security again — at most airports, you can get from terminal to terminal from beyond the security gate, so it didn’t even occur to me at all that I’d have to do that again.

I didn’t know better, but Priceline should have. This flight shouldn’t even have been available. Like the ticket agent told me, it was an impossible itinerary. Shame on you, Priceline.

I’m glad I decided against checking bags on this trip. Had I checked a bag on the first leg of my flight, it wouldn’t have made it onto the next plane — or maybe because of the multiple airline schedule, I’d have had to pick it up at baggage claim and re-check it — making catching the connection doubly impossible.

I’d never flown multiple airlines on the same trip before, unless you count airline partners, like the regional operators and international carriers that are still technically the same airline, for travel purposes. I am going to avoid this in the future. You need an incredibly long layover to ensure that you can make your next flight after crossing the airport, checking in again, clearing security again (where necessary), and re-checking bags (again, I don’t know if I would have had to do this, but I’m guessing that I would have), and who likes a long layover? And now with several airlines charging for each checked bag, would I have to pay twice if I flew two separate airlines? Just guessing again, but I’m thinking yes.

I did make it to Medford, and all my bags made it with me (but only because I packed lightly enough to carry everything on the plane), so I admit that this trip could’ve been a lot worse. Even so, I think my relationship with Priceline is over.

As a tree-hugging environmentalist, I’ve always argued that rising fuel prices are a good thing.  As gas becomes unaffordable, people are forced to change their most environmentally destructive behavior.  Those who can’t cut driving and travel entirely out of their lifestyles turn to more fuel efficient vehicles like the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars, or they utilize public transportation and carpools more often.  As rising fuel costs make it impossible for the general population to go on living life as they always have, change will be absolutely necessary, and it is my belief that it will come in the form of environmentally friendly renewable energy sources to power cars and planes — cleaner, more affordable fuel.

This trend is already starting to show.  Whether folks listen to Al Gore or not, they can’t help but listen to their bank accounts.  That’s why we’re seeing a real decline in driving and fuel consumption, while we’re also seeing an increase in use of public transportation and carpools.  Airlines have been suffering perhaps most of all, as they can’t increase fares enough to keep up with rising costs of flying their planes, and fewer people are flying due to a combination of higher costs and the slumping economy.  Those who are still frequent fliers (hi, that’s me) are noticing some big changes put in place by airlines to offset the rising costs of keeping their planes in the air.

Two major announcements came recently from the airlines that have some travelers absolutely outraged.  The first was that planes will be slowing down to conserve fuel.  Just as cars do, airplanes get better mileage when they slow down a little, so airlines are doing just that.  But before you flip out about having to sit even longer in those cramped little seats, look at the actual statistics.  Most airlines are adding at most 10 minutes to their flights, while at the same time saving millions on fuel.

For example, on an international flight from Paris to Minneapolis, a Northwest Airlines flight added just eight minutes to the total flight time of almost nine hours, saving 162 gallons of fuel and $535.  $535 for eight minutes is a pretty good return.  Add this up across the board and airlines will save millions of dollars while saving tons upon tons of fuel — and the reality is that most travelers won’t even notice the extra few minutes of flight time.  This is not something to get upset about as an airline passenger.  But of course, people will…

The second major change is that airlines are charging more for checked luggage.  They have always charged fees — often very high ones — for oversized bags.  That is, bags weighing over 50 pounds.  Most airlines have generally allowed up to two free checked bags per passenger, in addition to two free carry-on pieces.  However, since airlines can only increase fares by so much before passengers bail completely, they are adding fees wherever possible, most notably to check luggage.  Southwest Airlines changed their luggage policy from two free checked bags per passenger to one earlier this month, but the big news came when American Airlines announced it would start charging fees for all checked luggage.

Other airlines are expected to follow suit.  So what does this mean for you?  Well, you can be the asshole who tries to stuff your giant bags into the overhead bins on the plane, or you can accept that packing huge bags adds weight to the plane and therefore reduces its fuel efficiency, and adjust accordingly.  Pack as much as you can into a reasonably-sized carry-on bag, and try to fit everything else into one less-than-50-pound suitcase.  With American’s new policy, your first piece of checked luggage will be $15, and your second is $25.  I’ve just returned from five weeks on the road — DC, Texas, Oregon, North Carolina, and finally home — and I was able to pack everything I needed for that trip in one big bag.  Granted, I’m not traveling with children, but if I can pack for three different climates and five weeks of travel time in one bag, surely you can consolidate your trip to one piece of luggage as well.

You may also notice increased prices for food and drinks on the plane when you fly.  Remember that you are allowed to bring food and drinks on the plane — I always fill up a water bottle inside the terminal (rather than spending $5 on a soda that will only make me have to pee on the plane) and pack a few light snacks in case the peanuts and pretzels served on board don’t satisfy.

Yes, the airlines are making lots of changes, but the fact of the matter is that these don’t have to affect you, the traveler, very much at all.  You simply need to be aware of the new guidelines and plan accordingly — but this shouldn’t really mean any major changes in your plans.  These changes will affect you very little; they will have an enormously positive impact on the environment (even if that is only a side effect and not the purpose).  But go ahead and bitch about it all if you want — bitching won’t bring fuel prices down, but it will help encourage positive change.

Every time I fly, I fantasize about what it would be like to work on a plane, either as a flight attendant or pilot. It would be great to get to travel so much and see so much of the world, and the free travel benefits would be pretty sweet. But of course there’s a down side. You wouldn’t get to choose where you go, really, and it’s essentially a customer service job, which I know from too many years of experience is just about the worst possible field to work in. And the schedule would be a bitch. By the end of each flight, I’ve talked myself out of these career ambitions yet again.

Still, I’m always curious about that life. The cons may be enough to keep me from ever having personal experience, but I’d still love to hear more about the perks. And heck, as long as I don’t have to go through the bad stuff myself, I’d enjoy those stories, too. Which is why I’ve become addicted to The Cockpit Chronicles. Kent Wien is a commercial airline pilot who blogs about his job in this new feature series.

In the days before 9/11, airlines used to allow passengers to step up, take a look around the cockpit and chat it up with the pilot(s) for a while during a flight, but those days are long gone now. The only way you’re going to see the inside of a cockpit now is to become a pilot or read The Cockpit Chronicles. Wien talks about flight schedules, airplane technology and design, and shares humorous and interesting on-the-job anecdotes. He takes great pictures from the sky, too, showing views that you can only get from the front seat of the plane.

Reading these stories makes me feel like an especially savvy traveler, as Wien explains all the airline lingo and how they operate. If you’ve ever been curious about the life of an airline employee, Cockpit Chronicles is a must-read. One thing that surprised me is that even with 15 years under his belt with one airline, Wien is still pretty junior on the seniority ladder. 80% of the pilots flying out of Boston with him have more seniority — if 4/5ths of the pilots have stuck with their jobs for 15+ years, there must be something good about the work. I’ll keep that in mind next time I consider signing up for flight school…