I don’t know about you, but every time I’m in an airport I find it almost impossible to keep up with all of the necessary paperwork: my passport, tickets, itinerary, boarding passes, etc. It would sure be great if someone would invent a simple electronic method of capturing all this information — something that could be easily carried in a coat pocket, with no paperwork, no tickets or boarding passes.
Wait a minute; they already have. It’s called your cell phone.
According to news.com, Continental airlines is currently experimenting with a new system that allows passengers to check in using their cell phone, and have an electronic boarding pass sent directly to their phones, allowing them to pass through airport security and board their flight without using any paper tickets or passes whatsoever.
Of course ticketless flights had been around for a long time, mostly using a passenger’s credit card as identification. But using a mobile phone as your ticket and boarding pass has never been tried before. That is, until Continental began experimenting with the procedure this year.
Other airlines, including Continental, Delta, and American have already allowed passengers to check in the other cell phone, but they were still required to print out a ticket or boarding pass before being allowed through security and onto the plane. Continental’s new strategy is an entirely electronic ticketing and boarding process, that will use no paper at all.
So far, Continental’s passengers seem to be responding very favorably to the cell phone check-in and boarding pass process. Research shows that more and more travellers have been printing their boarding passes from their home computers to avoid the long flight check-in lines. But for those traveling on business or in a strange town for the first time, it is not always easy to access a printer.
By digitizing the entire process, and having both your ticket and your boarding pass linked to your cell phone, passengers can simply arrive at the airport and go directly to security. After that, they simply board the plane using the electronic boarding pass on their cell phone. It certainly sounds like a much quicker process than most of us go through when trying to make a flight.
So far, Continental is only using the cell phone ticket and boarding pass procedure on flights from the airline’s hub in Houston. But the results so far been very positive, so the airline will likely expand the service to other airports by late spring.
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Now that the horror of flying in Thanksgiving is past us, we can look forward to another holiday rush in transportation: Christmas. Whether or not you celebrate this festivity, you’ll still be affected as long as you travel. But there are simple tricks that can help you reduce your time on air and avoid the rush:
1. Know the difference between non-stop and direct. Non-stop flights are flights that go directly to the intended destination. These flights maybe a little bit expensive compared to other flights but once you are on board, you’re practically there after a few hours of sitting. Non-stop flights are different from direct flights. This type of flight will take you there BUT it will be stopping by in one of the key cities. That stop usually lasts for at least an hour depending on air traffic.
2. Fly early. Morning in airlines means they can start over serving their customers with a little bit of delay. As the day progresses, the time of delay is multiplied and when afternoon comes, one hour delay in airlines is an understatement. The last flight of the day means you’ll have to prepare for the longest delay of the day – with the possibility of flight cancellation.
3. Get an originator flight. Originator flights are the first flight of that airline in a specific schedule. Non-originator flights are the type of flights that stop over in your airport to get more passengers. Think of it as a bus stop. Delays usually happen in non-originator flights since they are not anymore compelled to fly on time. Call the airline and ask them if the flight you are interested in is an originator flight.
4. Fly in the middle of the week. If you have a free schedule, go for a flight in the middle of the week. There are more travelers in weekends, Friday and Monday compared to flights from Tuesday to Thursdays.
5. Go to smaller airports. Major cities always have more than one airport. The busiest of them are of course the major hubs. Check for a flight that arrives in a minor hub in the same city. Smaller airports don’t have the rush compared to airports with big names. Just target these airports as a destination and not the origin. Flights that go out from smaller airports are usually cheaper but have multiple connections.
Aside from those tips, check out these websites for more information regarding a single flight:
Avoiddelays.com – this information intensive website will give you almost everything you need to know about your flight. Just type in airport, date and time and flight time, and type of plane and even security times in that particular hour will be displayed.
Flightstats.com – the interface looks like avoiddelays.com but it can also be used for international flights. Major hubs in different countries are highlighted in a map and when you click on a major airport, you can easily access the flight status in most flights in that airport.
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Over the last decade the Internet has grown by leaps and bounds. With the increase in high-speed DSL, WiFi, mobile Internet, and other technologies now readily available in most areas of the United States, it seems like there are very few places left that are unconnected. Except, of course, for airplanes.
You can go online in your car, at a hotel, at coffee shops, and with mobile Internet technology, pretty much everywhere else. But up until now, airline flights have remained “off limits” for high-speed (or any speed) Internet access.
And ironically, airline flights are one of the places where we need Internet access the most. I think by now we are all sick to death of the lame in-flight movies and brittle plastic headphones offered on most flights.
We could certainly pass the time much better by checking our e-mail, laughing at stupid videos on YouTube, or adding MP3s to our music collections on Amazon.com or iTunes. And now, JetBlue Airways is proposing a solution to the usual boring no-net flights.
Beginning next week, JetBlue will offer “limited” e-mail and instant messaging services for free on some of its flights. However, this initial effort to include in-flight Internet access will begin very meagerly. For example, passengers will not be able to download or open e-mail attachments, or do any general web surfing because of a limited bandwidth on board.
The service will be available to laptops and palm tops with WiFi access limited to e-mail and text messaging via Yahoo. So if you prefer to use Gtalk or AIM, you’re out of luck for now; but (perhaps) it’s better than nothing.
Blackberry users will also be able to connect via WiFi and check personal and business e-mail, but the service is limited to only two current Blackberry models that have inbuilt WiFi capability.
On a brighter note, American Airlines is one of several carriers planning to experiment with a fee-based in-flight Internet service that will provide greater flexibility than JetBlue’s limited Yahoo-only connection. With any luck, by mid-2008 there may be a lot of competition for in-flight Internet access, leading to lower prices, and a greater degree of flexibility for surfing “in the air.”
And speaking as a bona fide web aficionado, I think I can safely say that what we really want on planes is high-speed wireless Internet access that can be used with any Internet ready device. Of course, this also means no bandwidth limitations, and the ability to surf the Web just as we would at home. Considering how the airlines have dragged their feet when it comes to in-flight Internet though, this may be asking a lot.
At any rate, at least JetBlue is making an effort. And with American Airlines and other carriers hot on their heels, hopefully it won’t be long before we are all just as “wired” in the air as we are on the ground.
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The European aviation company Airbus has just unveiled the largest “super jumbo” commercial airliner in the world. The new Airbus A380 seats a whopping 455 passengers, and promises to be an expansive, luxury liner. But does the world really need a commercial plane this big?
Economically, of course, the new A380 makes a lot of sense. With airlines around the world struggling to maintain profit margins, larger “super jumbo” planes save money, while lowering fuel expenses and operating with smaller crews.
The A380 uses a double-decker body design, and true to its name, looks more like a giant double-decker bus with wings attached. In other words, it’s not exactly sleek or pretty. But aesthetic considerations aside, the real question facing the new Airbus is, “is it comfortable to passengers.”
I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember ever thinking, “this flight is OK, but what it really needs is more people on board!” Any time 455 passengers are packed together on a flight, the potential for overcrowding and uncomfortable seating is always present. Furthermore, if you think the meal service is slow on a standard size jumbo plane, can you imagine how cumbersome it could be with 455 passengers on board?
Air Singapore is the first carrier to test out the new Airbus A380, and recently completed the maiden voyage for the new airliner on its established Singapore to Sydney route. First reports indicate that the flight went well and customer satisfaction was in the adequate to good range. However, a few passengers did comment on the amount of time taken to board the plane in Singapore, and disembark in Sydney. But I suppose this is to be expected when carrying so many travelers at once.
The A380 uses twin bridges for boarding passengers, however on the plane’s maiden flight only one of the bridges was operational. Passengers also had to wait a bit longer to receive their off loaded luggage. So-called “premium” passengers received their luggage approximately 30 minutes after landing. Economy and business-class passengers had to wait up to 20 minutes longer before their luggage arrived.
But the new Airbus does offer several luxury amenities to make flying more comfortable. For example, every seat has its own 10.6 inch personal video screen, and most seats also have power plugs for laptops or personal DVD players. The economy class seats are also 19 inches wide — slightly better than average, and the A380 carries a larger crew, which can reduce the waiting time for in-flight services.
After the limited success of its first flight with the A380, Air Singapore is planning to use the new Airbus on its Singapore-London route beginning sometime next spring. The long flight between Singapore and London will be the real test of comfort for the new Airbus “super jumbo.”
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Renting a car is more economical compared to purchasing plane tickets, especially when you are traveling with your family or a group of friends. Instead of buying separate tickets, you’ll just have to rent one car and everyone will be there. Major car rental companies operate their own website where you can conveniently reserve the car that you need in a certain airport or pick-up place. However, before you go and make that reservation, here are some things that you need to consider before confirming the reservation online.
First you need to know that the car you reserved online is not guaranteed until you pick it up. I’m not saying that there won’t be a car. You will still have your car, but it might be a different make and model than what you originally had. What will be taken into account though is the capacity of your car. Your SUV will be different, but you will still have the same capacity for you and your friends. The trick is to book locally. If your reservation will not be picked up at an airport in another state and you’re dealing locally, you can always ask for a favor to make that reserved for you. Of course, it still will not be guaranteed but you will have the upper hand since you called in to ask for assistance.
Next is to make sure all the things that you need in your car are there. Whether a baby rack, a ski rack or a GPRS, make sure you have them by calling at least 24 hours before you pick up your car. It’s best that you call the national toll free and the local number to make sure you have them. You don’t want to find yourself without the things that you need so make sure you have them even before you pick them up.
Lastly, you need to make sure you know how much you’re going to pay. Each car rental company has different sets of additional payments so you may need to look closer. Most fees would be state taxes, gas and other additional payments you may need to pay before you pick up your car. An exception is the additional payment you must make once you return the car. Make sure you have the car returned on time or else you’ll wish you just flew by plane instead of embarking on a road trip. There would be additional fees if you requested additional things to be placed on the car: GPRS, Satellite Radio and racks are the common add-ons that you can request for a certain fee.
If you are using the car, and you picked it up at the airport because you flew in, make sure to return them at least TWO hours before your scheduled flight. With all the security that you have to go through right now, you’ll just miss your flight if you get in the airport with your car in less than an hour.
So do your homework and ask questions before you complete the reservation. You may not need to pay anything upon reservation, but you will be strapped in cash if you don’t take a look at the hidden fees.
Flying domestic nowadays is really easy. Even with all the hassles at the airport, the preparation for a flight or even for a vacation is quite easy. One of the most convenient developments with all the airlines is the change in the form of the plane ticket known as the electronic ticket.
Electronic tickets are basically tickets that don’t require any printing at all. The printed tickets that are brought by the customer that they purchased online or from their booking agent are just proof that they purchased the ticket or a receipt.
Electronic tickets would still require identification for the flight, but one of the great things about them is the fact that there is no concern about losing them. If you lose the printed receipt from the purchase of your ticket, either online or with the booking agent, you can just print another or just write the booking ID or the ticket number(s) for your flight. Since you already have an ID in your hand, the attendant will just look it up and give you your boarding pass without a problem.
E-tickets can also be used at airport kiosks. Kiosks are placed by individual airlines to remove the need for check in attendants as much as possible. If there are no complications to your flight (delays, cancellation change of schedule, etc) you can just walk up to the booth, enter the ID or ticket number and a boarding pass will be printed for you. This is used best if you don’t have additional baggage.
Another advantage comes in when you want to make some changes in your plans. For paper tickets, any changes in your reservation require that the booking company have your physical paper ticket back before doing the actual exchange. This is real bad when you are dealing with an online travel company since you still need to send those tickets and call them constantly to monitor if the tickets have been received and when you want to change it. In the case of electronic tickets, just call or visit your travel company and they can process it for you over the phone and without the need for printed papers.
We might think that electronic tickets are perfect in itself. It’s definitely better, but it’s not perfect. The flaw also comes from the fact that it’s electronic. The problem is that some airline companies don’t share the same system or codes that would enable its customer to transfer from one airline to another. Even though you can’t do that on a paper ticket, electronic ticket will just make it harder since it will stick to its system and leave you with very few options.
The best way to avoid inconveniences if you have an electronic ticket is to stick to the plan. Purchase your tickets as soon as possible so that changes can be made as early as possible without any “code share” problems. With preparations, your e-ticket will work for you and not against you.
Going around the country is really easy. Competition between airlines resulted in cheaper prices and better accommodation. Online, you can always book in advance and print your e-tickets to avoid long lines in purchasing them at the airport. Instead of lining-up to get your boarding pass, you can simply get it printed at kiosks installed in most of the airports. There is virtually no need to contact someone regarding a ticket nowadays.
However, before you purchase a ticket for your flight, remember some things before you complete your booking online or with a booking agent. The following are the facts you need to know about your ticket just in case your planned vacation or business travel has to change or be cancelled.
First, tickets are definitely non-transferable. Beg all you want but airlines just can’t delete the name and change it to another person’s name. Even before 9/11, transferring of flight credits was not allowed. The only option for you is to purchase another ticket for someone else and just use your credit for your future flight. However, there are companies who contact the airline for business purposes. These flights are transferable, but also under heavy restrictions.
If you want to change anything in your flight plan such as date, time or destination, make sure to contact your airline or booking office as soon as possible. Expect some change fees from any airline: JetBlue charges around $30, Delta Airlines will bill you for at least $50 and American Airlines and US Airways will charge you up to $100 for any changes of plans. Aside from the usual change fee, you also need to pay the fare difference between the old ticket and the new ticket you will have changing the ticket. If you change your flight days before the travel, you might have a chance of not paying anything else. To be sure, just expect additional fees aside from the usual change fees.
Cancelling your flight is a different story. Remember to always call them at least 24 hours before the actual travel time. This will ensure that you save the credits of your flight for your future plans. Most of the tickets you will be purchasing are non-refundable unless you specify it to your booking agent. Since its refundable you wonder what would be your credit. Since you didn’t use your flight credits you can still use this flight credit for your future travel within one year from the day your purchase your flight. However, expect some fees if you rebook your flight, most of time it would be the same as the change fees of most airline. If you fail to call your airline to cancel your ticket, everything will be lost and you can’t even use a single cent of your ticket for any flights at all.
Lastly, make sure of the name you will place on the ticket. Copy the exact name printed on your government issued ID to avoid any problems in the airport when you check in. Flight attendants and check-in-personnel will give you a hard time if the ID and your ticket name will not match. Better to be safe than sorry.
Whether you’re planning on seeing the world or visiting your favorite local destination, you’re more than likely going to need an airline ticket. Aside from it being faster than driving across the country, it’s also more comfortable and relatively safer. However, you need to plan your itinerary well in order to take advantage of cheaper airfare tickets if you want to save a little bit of money to spend on leisure and entertainment.
Before you start your search, you need to get a couple of things settled. First, you need to determine where you’re going and from where you’re coming from. If you’re rather experienced with traveling, you’ll know that traveling via a direct flight is often more expensive than ones with connecting flights. You may also have the option of looking at discount airlines operating in your destination because they offer cheaper rates than regular airlines. Just be sure of the terms and conditions attached to the tickets.
Second, you need to identify when you’re going and returning. The date and time of departure are important because these things are usually the basic information that agencies and ticketing offices will require from you. It’s also best if you give a little bit of leeway between your departure and arrival dates and times to give a little bit of flexibility in case of emergencies. Traveling on weekdays is usually cheaper compared to weekends. And taking the earliest flight out is also the safer route because weather disturbances generally tend to occur in the afternoons. It pays to know the peak and off-peak seasons in major travel destinations as you can get big discounts not just from airfare tickets but also on hotels and resorts. It’s also a good idea to stay more than 6 days as cheaper tickets usually include weekend stays.
Now that you have all these information, it’s time to do some searching. When it comes to airline tickets, the general rule of thumb is to search and compare through several different sources. You have so many choices to look at – there are online travel booking agencies and consolidator websites (you’ll need a PC and Internet access to handle this). You also have local travel agencies (you’ll only need a phone though they also may have their own websites). And the airlines themselves have their own contact numbers and websites. Having your expected date of departure and arrival ready will come in handy as most of the online sites allow you to search their databases based on these details.
When you’ve short-listed your ticket vendors, it’s advisable to book as early as 3 weeks. You can even book a year in advance but be careful of the conditions and restrictions imposed should you change your plans.
Another tip is you can take advantage of frequent flyer miles. It may be your own, your family’s or a friend’s. The thing about frequent flyer miles though is that in case of delays due to weather disturbances, the airline is not obliged to transfer you to a different flight or another airline. And the availability of frequent flyer seats may also be limited depending on the time of your travel.
A word of caution too when looking for cheap flights – consider the overall value of the ticket and not just the bottom-line price. It may be the cheapest, but you’ll have too many connecting flights, hidden surcharges and fees or there are no perks along the way. Decide on your comfort especially if this is a vacation that you’ve been waiting for a long time.
The most significant aspect of the planning a trip to the Walt Disney World is budgeting. While making a proper budget certain pivotal things are to be kept in the mind and renting a car is one of them. If you are not confident enough with driving in an unknown area or if you are planning to visit the Sea World and Universal as well along with the Disney park, then renting a car is probably the best option for you. A rented car is again the best option if you are planning to stay in a hotel, which is not serviced by the monorail. With the understanding that driving a car in an entirely new place may be really nerve-racking, it is better to plan for renting a car and enjoy the sap of the magical experience in the world of dreams.
Whether you are planning to stay at any of the Walt Disney resorts or an off Disney hotel, renting a car will always prove to be the wisest gesture, as it provides you with numerous options. A rented car is an incredibly wondrous option if you want to go to the Kennedy Space Center or Universal Studio or if you want to visit the awe-inspiring Sea World. Since the regular monorail does not service the parks, it is better to opt for the rental car to go to the amazing spots like Animal Kingdom or Disney MGM studios, the Water Park. After the daylong enjoyment the story usually comes to an end with hopping from one restaurant from the other in search of the best dinning spot. This is again a situation where renting a car turns out to be the best decision.
However, for any off-Disney properties the car is not only the best but also the only convenient and easy option. This is due to the fact that the other transportation options are highly inconvenient for almost all the off-site properties.
Disney Transportation For Downtown Disney
If you are planning to travel to the Downtown Disney, Disney transportation is however, very useful – especially during the weekends when car parking tends to be too difficult. The Downtown Disney is a place where you will like to spend times during the evening to enjoy the magic of the Pleasure Island with no headache and without worrying about driving. Hence, it seems to be comparatively feasible to opt for the Disney transportation instead of renting a car. It would be wise enough to try for the Disney transportation at the first place and it is only in case of failure that you should go for the rental car. However while making the budget, emphasize should be made on both the transportation systems.
As a matter of fact the rental car gives an immense convenience while venturing the awe-inspiring Walt Disney World. Especially for those who are loath to waste times, waiting for the public transport system, renting a car is really nice decision, although it may prove to be comparative expensive. However, the importance of the Disney transport system also cannot be denied.
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