Daily Roundup--February 2, 2012

Okay, can you guess the top amenity travelers want from a hotel?

Starwood Hotels is trying something new with its best customers—checking in and out when they want. That’s right, no more abiding by a set check-n/check-out schedule. These customers will get a full 24 hours regardless of the time they check in.

Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest carrier, becomes a full member of the OneWorld alliance in March.

A TSA agent at JFK airport has been arrested for taking $5,000 out of a passengers coat pocket. The thieving agent was turned in by one her own fellow agents who witnessed the crime. And anoter TSA agent, this time at DFW, is under arrest for stealing Ipads out of checked luggage.

Daily Roundup--February 1, 2012

Busy day for the daily roundup:

UK Airport operator BAA has lost its appeal and will have to sell London’s Stansted airport. BAA owns Heathrow, Southampton and three airports in Scotland as well as Stansted.

American Airlines is dropping service to Halifax, Nova Scotia beginning in April. But that’s not the big AA news today. The bankrupt airline also announced plans to cut its workforce by 13,000.

Did you know your frequent flyer miles may be taxable? Citibank thinks that in some cases they may be and is sending out 1099’s. (But not to everyone.)

I’ve never flown Spirit Airlines. My desire to fly them didn’t increase when they started charging for carry-on bags. And with this new charge, I want to fly them even less.

Delta Airlines has redesigned their boarding passes.

Do you enjoy a cocktail while traveling yet abhor the exhorbitant fees the arilines charge? If so, this may be the best advice you can get. And after reading it, the contents of my 3-1-1 bag may change. LOL

Have you ever met someone special on a plane and then regretted not getting their contact information before parting? Well, now there’s a new service that might help you reconnect.

Thanks to our friends at Frommers, a slideshow of “What Not To Wear While Traveling.” Okay, come clean, who’s actually worn some of these?

How about another slideshow? This time, “The World’s Smallest Countries.” How many have you been to?

Gentlemint

We just joined “Gentlemint.”

Check it out and let’s hear your suggestions of what other websites I should “mint.”

Gentlemint.

The good folks at Tom Bihn “minted” us and sent us the invitation to join so we reciprocated.

Daily Roundup--January 31, 2012

American Airlines has tranformed its terminal at LAX into self service check in only. No more counters.

Airbus is considering raising the weight limits  of its A330 aircraft. This means more fuel and longer range.

Westin is revamping their hotel gyms to include energizing blue lights among other things.

Anyone want to venture what city in the U.S. of A has the most congested skies and aircraft delays?  I’ll give you a hint. In song: “Start spreading the news. I’m leaving today…..”

Daily Roundup--January 30, 2012

Hungary’s Malev airline has run out of cash. Fortunately, the Hungarian government has offered help to keep the airline out of bankruptcy.

United Airlines has added economy plus seating to all its international 757’s.

 Two UK citizens planning to visit the U.S. found out what happens when you send “tweets” with a message than can be misinterpreted.

Daily Roundup--January 27, 2012

Spanish airline Spanair has ceased operation as of today. It ran out of money.

Choice Hotels will soon start a systemwide upgrade to its Comfort Inn and Comfort Suite hotels.

Mokulele Airlines, a tiny Hawaiian based regional airline, will soon offer flights between Honolulu and London (Luton) with a stopover in Rockford, Iliinois. And I’m not kidding.

American Airlines is currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Delta is thinking about buying American. USAir is also thinking about buying American. As of today, Delta is thinking about buying USAir. You need a scorecard just to keep track.

And if you’re really confused about all of this, and flying through San Francisco (SFO), you can relax in their new Yoga room.

Daily Roundup--January 26, 2012

Starting today, airline advertising must include all mandatory fees and taxes when quoting fares. No more $50 fares that wind up costing $400 after all the fees and taxes are added. You’ll know from the start what it will cost. However, extra fees such as for checked baggage, premium seating, etc., is considered optional and will not be included. 

Alaska Airlines will no longer distribute prayer cards with the meals. I wonder if it’s because they no longer distribute meals?

The TSA has started using advanced imaging machines at 25 more airports.

Eagle Creek has come out with a new line of superlightweight packing cubes and folders. I saw some in a store today and they are really lightweight. (Very similar to the Sea to Summit sil fabric.)

Happy Australia Day to all of our friends from “Down Under”!!!!!!!

Gear Review: Tom Bihn Aeronaut--updated

Four and half years ago, Brad, the founder of this site, did a review of the Aeronaut. You can find it here:

 OBOW Review of the Tom Bihn Aeronaut.

Please read that review because much of what I would say was already said in that  review.

Go ahead. Read it. You will be tested.

Okay, now that you’ve read it….You did read it?……No…..go back and read it. I’ll wait…………

All right, I’ll take your word that you read it. (But I know some of you are cheating.)

I agree with just about everything Brad said. (Oh, you’ll note that it seems like I respond in the comment section. That’s not me, that’s Brad. When I took over the site all of the webmaster postings were changed from “Brad” to “Frank@OBOW.”  It’s a technical problem with no fix from Squarespace. Sorry.)

First, let me update a few changes to the bag since that review:

—there are the famous Tom Bihn “O” rings in every compartment of the bag including the mesh pocket on the main compartment flap. (The pocket on the inside of the main compartment flap is now mesh.)

—the Breve is no longer available. (There is a “Breve” but it’s not a junior Aeronaut. The name is now used for a streamlined Ipad case.)

—prices on everything have gone up. The Aeronaut is now $240.

—two compression straps have been added to the main compartment.

—-some colors have changed.

—an optional waist strap is available.

I, too, give the Aeronaut 5 stars. To be honest, I’ve wanted this bag for a long time. And even though the good folks at Tom Bihn have sent lots of items to review, I paid my own, hard-earned, much coveted, personal money for the Aeronaut, associated packing cubes, and a few other pieces of “Tom Bihn bling.”

I haven’t regretted spending one cent.

I own eight carry-on bags. (While that seems like a lot, when you run a website like this one, lots of “light travel” products seem to arrive at my door.)

But this will soon change. At least half of those bags will be sold. Why bother keeping them to collect dust? With the Aeronaut, I can’t imagine too many scenarios when I will need anything else.

The Tom Bihn Aeronaut is now my number one go-to bag. It is the King of my carry-ons.

Need I say anything else?

Okay, I will say something else. Unless you are restrained, it is possible to put so much stuff in this bag it will weigh as much as a baby elephant. I don’t know if Tom took a weekend course at Hogwarts or something, but this bag just continues to take more and more stuff. And to some that’s dangerous. Especially to those whose packing philosophy is to keep going until the bag is full.

But on the bright side, if you don’t pack it to the gills, and leave a little “breathing room,” the bag can be “molded” to fit almost any airline sizer or overhead compartment. (With the square main section, I find rolling clothes to work better than folding.)

I should mention, since receiving the Aeronaut, my Tri-Star has been giving me the cold shoulder now that it has been relegated to second place. I don’t own a Western Flyer—well, at least not yet. Or a Co-Pilot, or a ……oh, no, here we go again. Some people collect stamps, others snow globes, I collect travel gear.

I admit it,  I’m a travelgearaholic.

Daily Roundup--January 23, 2012

I guess you could call this article “Ode To The Overpacker.” I don’t think any of those interviewed will be coming to this website.

Carnival Cruises is offering the passengers of the Costa Concordia 30% off their next cruise. Wow, what a deal!!!!!

Pricelline is killing off Captain Kirk!!!  Well, not really. However, starting today, the discount travel service will begin airing a commercial where The Priceline Negotiater (played by William Shatner) is killed off. RIP

Sen. Paul Rand (R-KY) had a little run in with TSA this morning  in Nashville. Was it a glitch in equipment or did it have anything to do with the fact that the Senator is an outspoken critic of the agency? You decide.

We were included in the article 60 lilnks every student traveler needs.

Daily Roundup--January 20, 2012

Southwest Airlines has named six more cities that will be dropped from AirTran’s routemap this August.

Carnival, the owner or the Costa Concordia, says it will conduct a “a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures” across all nine of its brands.

When you travel outside your home country, do you take out travel health and medical evacuation insurance? Or do you at least check to see if your own health insurance will cover you?

Daily Roundup--January 19, 2012

Heathrow Airport will operate a temporary terminal on August 13, to expedite the departure of approximately 10,000 athletes from the area. That’s the day after the Olympics end. My suggestion: not a great day to travel to, from, or through London.

More cracks are being found on the wings of Airbus 380’s. Airbus says the planes are safe. No word as to why an Air France A380 enroute to Toronto today declared an inflight emergency and returned to Paris.

While there are lots of hearings being planned in wake of the cruise ship tragedy in Italy, including one by the U.S. Congress, experts say don’t expect to see any major changes anytime soon.

President Obama signed an executive order today to help make international travel to the U.S. easier.

Daily Roundup--January 18, 2012

We don’t talk much about cruising on this website but in lieu of the terrible accident in Italy last week, would that stop anyone here from taking one? The cruise industry thinks it it may hurt them in the short term.

 “TSA Pre,” the screening program aimed to get some passengers through the process faster, has begun at LAX.

Next month, American Airlines will start offering free wine and beer on most of their international flights.

Southwest Airlines is updating its cabin interiors including  new, lightweight seats which will weigh less, recline less and offer more underseat storage for carry-on bags.

SOPA/PIPA

I’m sure many of you  have noticed today that some major websites have gone dark or have changed to protest the proposed SOPA and PIPA bills before Congress.

While the intent of these bills is to stop “foreign” copyright infringement, the way they are written, all internet website owners and bloggers could be subject to both fines and jail time for what is written by either them or their contributors. This includes  forums and bulletin boards.

Should these bills pass, it would be more than likely that I would have to close this website. I would be so limited in what I could write for fear of being sued or having federal agents outside my door with an arrest warrant.

I wouldn’t be able to do honest gear reviews for fear the owners of the product I was reviewing would say I infringed on their copyright by either calling it by name or taking pictures of it. I wouldn’t be able to comment on any company for the same fear. I would be forced to shut the Reader’s Forum.

I urge all American citizens who  like this website to go to the link below, sign the petition and let your elected representatives in Washington know you are against these bills. Thank you.

Google: End Piracy, Not Liberty.

On some websites, people are urged to contact their elected officials directly. However, it seems the Senate doesn’t want to be bothered and has blocked the contact pages from the Senate website. Isn’t it nice to know your elected officials really don’t care what you think, only the thoughts of their corporate contributors.

Daily Roundup--January 17, 2012

How would you like to be flying over the Atlantic Ocean and hear an announcement telling you the plane was about to make an emergency landing in the water? That happened on a recent British Airways flight between Miami and London. Luckily, it was an error.

Delta Air Lines and Westjet will soon start codesharing some of their flights.

Virgin America begins service to Philadelphia in April. Flights will be from LAX and SFO.

Did you know there are plenty of places on the web where you can get free e-books for your e-reader?

Gear Review: Battle Lake Outdoors--Sports & Travel Bag, Small

A few weeks ago, one of our readers alerted me to a bag that he thought looked very similar to a Tom Bihn Aeronaut

Except for the large front rectangular pocket, it looks something like the Aeronaut, especially with those two end pockets.

So, I contacted the company, Battle Lake Outdoors, to see if they’d be interested in sending one for review. They were, they did, and here it is.

First, let’s get the big question out of the way. It is not an Aeronaut, it is nowhere near an Aeronaut and if you turn the bag around, it looks the same. And…no backpack straps whatsoever.

But wait. Don’t stop reading. This is still a bag to consider.

Let’s get the specs out of the way. It measures 22 x 10 x 8 (2200 cu in) according to the website and by my calculations weighs about 1.3 lbs empty. It’s made of 1000d Cordura Plus  and has YKK zippers throughout. (Top of the line in material and zippers.) The bag is unlined but does have double stitching.

There are five zippered external pockets—two large rectangular ones, two end pockets and one smaller zipped pocket on the outside of one of the end pockets. The other end pocket has an external open pocket that has a key fob.

It comes with a shoulder strap and the bag has not two but four “D” rings to allow you to choose how to carry it. There are end pulls that are attached to the top of the bag, not the actual ends. The main compartment has a large u-shaped zippered opening.

The bag is made in the USA (Minnesota) and costs….are you ready…….$67.

In a nutshell, this is a bag to consider if you are very good at packing light, don’t need any real bells and whistles, like lots of external pockets, and don’t need  backpack straps.

I’m not sure how well it would stand up to the rigors of constant airline checking but with this bag you shouldn’t have to check it. (Although, when packed to take photos, the bag measured 21.5 x 17 x 9.5 which is oversized as a carry-on for most airlines. Pack carefully.)

If you plan to carry a computer or tablet, don’t rely on the bag alone for cushioining. I’d suggest some type of padded case.

The bag comes with a shoulder strap but do yourself a favor and get a Tom Bihn Absolute Strap especially since there are no backpack straps. I also wish the main carry handles were a little longer. They’re very short.

With all that, this is still a bag I can recommend. Even if you’re just looking for a good quality gym or overnight bag, this is a good, affordable choice.

The company has lots of other bags and travel related products all of which are made in the USA.

You can buy the bag directly from Battle Lake Outdoors.

Daily Roundup--January 12, 2011

It looks like AMR Corp, the parent company of American Airlines, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection, may, as they say on Wall Street, be “in play.” The WSJ is reporting that USAir, Delta and a private equity group are all thinking of making a bid for the legacy carrier.

Daily Roundup--January 11, 2012

In an effort to save money, some airlines have replaced their widebody aircraft on transatlantic flights with the narrow body Boeing 757. This saves lots of money especially on routes that didn’t normally fill the larger planes. Except, there’s one problem. the 757 doesn’t have the range of the widebodies and in case of bad weather they need to make an unscheduled stop to refuel. This has been increasing over time and caused many passengers to miss connections. So, if you’re flying across the “pond” and have a connection at either end, you might want to check out the type of plane you’re flying.

How about a positive TSA story? A screener at Newark Liberty airport found $5,000 in cash  on the floor and turned it in.  It was found loose,  near a United Airlines check in desk for elite flyers. No cameras around. So far no one has claimed the money or filed a report for the missing money.

Daily Roundup--January 10. 2012

Remember the cupcake TSA confiscated in Las Vegas just before Christmas? Well, they’ve now officially responded as to the reason. What I really love is the last line: “The TSA points out that fliers are permitted to take cakes, pies and cupcakes through security checkpoints, but adds that such items may be subject to additional screening.” I guess it’s true; the real purpose of “enhanced” pat downs is to grope my cupcakes.

Admission fees will be waved this weekend througout the entire U.S. National Park System in honor of the 3 day Martin Luther King holiday weekend. And you know what free admission means?  Crowds.

Daily Roundup--January 9, 2012

American Airlines will close both its Burbank and Delhi stations. That means the end of flights from  Dallas to Burbank  as well as Chicago to Delhi. Personally, I will miss those DFW-BUR flights. I’d much prefer to fly into Burbank than LAX.

Weighing of Carry-On Bags

I’d like to start a non-scientific survey geared towards NON-WHEELED bag travelers.

If you are a non-wheeled bag travelers and have flown an airline with a carry-on weight restriction of say less than 9kg (19 lbs) or so, please answer the following questions:

1) Airline & weight limit
2) Boarding city and destination
3) Make and model of bag
4) color of bag
5) Was your bag weighed?
5a) If your bag was weighed and overweight, was it checked or were you allowed to carry on?

(Sorry to those who travel with wheels. Nothing against you but it’s not pertinent to this survey.)