Daily Roundup--January 5, 2012

Happy 2012. Lots to talk about and catch up on after a needed holiday break.

American Airlines woes are continuing. As of today, their stock has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. It will now sell over the counter. The new symbol is AAMRQ.

Before the end of the month, new rules will take effect in the U.S. that require airlines to disclose all fees and taxes in ads and ban them from adding new fees after purchase It will also give passengers making certain  types of reservations the right to hold them for 24 hours without payment or to be able to cancel them without penalty during that same time period. Guess who’s not happy? The airline industry.

The European Union passed a carbon emissions trading scheme geared towards airlines. Since this will bring extra costs to the carriers, they plan to pass those charges to the passengers. Lufthansa has already raised its fuel surcharge fees and Delta Airlines will do the same. So far, only China Airlines said it will not pay the tax.

The TSA’s PreCheck trusted traveler program is expanding. New airports, including JFK in NYC, will start the program.

Thanks to Paula Bag Lass for sending me this list of the best and worst travel behaviour in 2011. (Note, I kept the Canadian spelling.  :)  )

Daily Roundup--December 22, 2011

The parent company of British Airways is buying BMI, a smaller British airline, from Lufthansa. Why would they want a money losing airline? They don’t. It’s the coveted landing slots at Heathrow, the busiest airport in Europe, they want. With the aquisition of BMI, BA will hold about 50% of the landing slots.

The union representing UPS pilots is challenging, in court, the recent FAA rulings about pilot fatigue. The union says cargo pilots, who fly similar aircraft as the passenger airlines, should have been included.

The TSA has started a new helpline for for disabled passengers and those with medical conditions,  who have questions about the screening process.

A little humor from Doonesbury

Daily Roundup--December 21, 2011

The FAA today mandated new rest rules for airline pilots. It’s been a long time in the making. Too bad, for safety’s sake, we have to wait two years for them to be implemented.

Some industry experts, however, say the new rules don’t extend to enough pilots.

It looks like Alec Baldwin isn’t the only one to not turn off electronic devices during take off and landing.

Daily Roundup--December 20, 2011

According to the Travel Goods Association:

eBags has announced sales are up 31.4% compared to last year’s holiday season.
• Mobile sales account for 8.6% of total sales
• eBags private label sales are up 98% compared to last year
• eBags sales through Amazon.com are up 100% compared to last year
• Luggage sales are leading the way, up 44% compared to last year

I wonder if this could be a sign that travel, as well as the economy, could pick up in 2012?

American Eagle is phasing out its ATR-42 turboprops from DFW. Routes previously serviced by the turboprops will now be served by Embraer jets. ATR’s will still operate out of Miami and San Juan.

Spirit, the only U.S. airline to charge for carry-on bags, will earn an estimated $50 million in 2011 from those exact fees.  Uh, oh.  Let’s hope other airlines don’t get too greedy.

Most of us know to be watchful when going through airport security checkpoints to make sure none of our stuff is taken. But are you just as vigilent on the plane itself? Airfare Watchdgog’s George Hobica points out a few things in this Huffington Post column.

As the holiday season has now officially begun, let me wish all of you a happy and  healthy holiday season. Safe travels to all who will be doing so this time of year. Daily Roundup will be sporadic through the New Year as we take time away from the computer to catch up on much needed rest. 

I am behind on the revamp of this site as real life has been busier than expected. Look for changes in 2012 to include not only a new look but also more blog postings featuring news, reviews, commentary and possibly even trip reports.

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Daily Roundup--December 19, 2011

Okay, you’re headed to Vegas for the holidays and  you meet that person of your dreams…well, at least your dreams for the time you spend in Vegas. But your new SO is hesitant to go further than a few cocktails—wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Take him, or her, to the soon to be opened wedding chapel at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.  Not only is it the first street level wedding chapel to look out over the Vegas strip, and allow passerby’s to look in, but they also offer a “faux” wedding ceremony for people who want to “try out” a wedding ceremony yet not have to deal with divorce later on.  Fake rings included.

Two new flight search websites help you find the best flights with your frequent flier account in mind. However, not all airlines are taking part.

Gear Review: Lenmar 2x USB Charger

Every now and then I come across a small item I like and will give it a quick review.

Today, it’s the Lenmar Dual USB Charger (ACUSB2/ACUSB2K). This is a small, portable USB charger for smartphones, cell phones, mp3 players, etc. (It’s probably not meant for a large tablet.)  It can charge two devices at once.

It’s dual voltage  (100-240v) so you don’t need a converter, and it has a fold down/flip-up plug.

Dimensions are 2.8” x 2.0” x 0.6” /70mm x 51mm x 15mm and it weights 2 ounces.

I have, and have reviewed, its larger cousin that charges 4 devices at once and comes with a set of propriety plugs so it can be used all over the world. I found I never needed to charge 4 devices at once and the set was bulky. This one is lighter, smaller, and I can carry a set of international adapters to use with all devices.

The charger retails for $14.99 but I got mine at Amazon, in black, for $10. They also have it in white for just under $14.

The Ipod Touch in the photos does not come with the device. I just put it there to give a size perspective.

I like it and it has now replaced the bulkier, larger and heavier charger I mentioned above.

Daily Roundup--December 16, 2011

Delta Airlines is upgrading both its facilities and services at Laguardia airport in New York. They are also increasing the number of flights available from that airport.

The Grand Canyon National Park will ban all disposable water bottles starting early next year.

The Dutch government has decided to postpone its ban on the sale of pot to foreigners until 2013. The ban was scheduled to take effect in 2012. I wonder if there are any leftover holiday flight deals to Amsterdam? 

Daily Roundup--December 14, 2011

Airlines may start to get tough when it comes to carry-on bags. It’s possible that they just might start enforcing their rules. Wouldn’t that be nice.

The F.A.A. is allowing pilots, who sit right next to all the controls and navigational equipement, to use Ipads instead of printed flight manuals, , even during take-off and landing. You and I must still turn off our Kindles during this time of we’ll find ourselves Alec Baldwinned.

Any engaged couples out there looking to get married on Valentine’s Day? Enter this contest. and an all expenses paid wedding in Jamaica may be yours. There is one small catch.

London’s Heathrow Airport  has recently made two videos; one for  arriving passengers   and one for departing passengers. .

One Day L.L. Bean Sale on Backpacks

Just got late word that today only, all L.L. Bean backpacks are on sale for 30% off…

That means the Quickload Travel Pack is $76.30 including free shipping.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/51615?page=quickload-travel-pack&shop_method=pp&np=Y&parentCategory=510312&feat=510312-tn&cat4=510311

Daily Roundup--December 12, 2011

While we’re groped, strip searched, and interrogated by people pretending to be law enforcement (see next story), some baggage handlers are treating their area like the wild, wild west.. Drug smuggling and theft from baggage are regular practices.

Did you know that the people  formerly known as airport  screeners are officially called “officer” and wear metal badges and uniforms like law enforcement officers yet have no law enforcement power?  Now one Congresswoman is sponsoring a bill in Congress saying that only properly trained law enforcement officers should be allowed such privileges.

Gear Review: Tom Bihn Cadet

A couple of weeks ago, Tom Bihn introduced a new bag called the Cadet.  Just prior to its release, the company gave me early access to their website so I could see the bag before most others. I so hoped this bag would finally be the first poorly designed Tom Bihn bag. The one I could tear apart. The one I would find fault with. The one that would allow me to belittle a Tom Bihn creation.

But that didn’t happen. In fact, just the opposite. The faults I found with some of his other bags—flaps, lack of zippers—weren’t there.

Then they sent me one for review. I opened the box. I gave the Cadet a once over. I quickly realized that my hoped for creative, harsh, critical review would have to wait. This was a nice bag.

Darn you, Tom Bihn.

The Cadet is a sleek, stylish, no-nonsense, mini-brief designed specifically for Apple Macs and Tablets but will fit many PC’s. It comes in two sizes: the 15/13 designed for the larger Macbooks  with dimensions of 16.25” x 12.3” x 4.5”. It weighs 1.7 lbs empty.

The smaller version, the 11/Ipad, is 13.5” x 10.5” x 4.5”. It weighs 1.4 lbs  empty. (I have the smaller one and that’s the one I’ll be reviewing. )

The exterior of the cadet is made of 1050 denier ballistic nylon while the interior is specially made Japanese Dyneema ripstop nylon. All zippers are YKK with the main ones having a splashguard. Foam padding is sewn into the front, bottom and back of the bag giving it its shape and added protection to any contents carried within. There are two clips to add a  shoulder strap which is included. Mine came with an upgraded Absolute Strap which is available for an additional $20.

Each bag has three compartments. The front compartment is shallow and lined with ultrasuede. It was specifically designed to carry an iphone without scratching.

The second compartment has two iphone/camera pockets and three pen pockets. There are also two “o” rings with a removable key strap attached to one. (Photo of center compartment is of the larger bag with three iphone/camera pockets.)

It’s in the main compartment where the fun begins. This compartment, the largest, is divided into to open sections. The front section is empty and a good place for papers, a journal, book, etc. The rear portion contains two “rails” made of webbing. Attached with gatekeeper clips is a cache to hold your computer or tablet. This rail and cache design makes the bag checkpoint friendly.

Everyone knows when  you go through airport security, you have to remove your computer. Not so with this bag. Rather than take the computer out and expose it, all you need to do is slide the cache out of the Cadet until it is fully exposed. It is, however, still attached to the bag. There is no chance of leaving it behind or having someone with sticky fingers make off with it. Once through security, just slide the whole thing back in. For a good series of photos to see how this works, go to the Cadet website.

My Cadet came with an Ipad size cache. I don’t own a tablet, yet, so I tried putting my netbook in. Its dimensions are just under one inch longer than an ipad, about the same width, and twice the depth. It didn’t’ fit. I could have ordered a slightly larger cache in which it would fit but since I no longer take my netbook with me while traveleing this was not a problem. (I am  planning to get a tablet.) This main compartment also has two “o” rings. (Oh, I did put my netbook in it’s own cache that wasn’t part of the bag and it all fit nicely into the Cadet. I was able to fit my Kindle and my folding Bluetooth Keyboard into the Cadet Ipad Cache at the same time.)

If you don’t need the cache, it is easily removed. You can even order the Cadet without the cache and save $30.

On the rear of the Cadet is an open pocket for a newspaper, magazine or book. Should you be traveling with……..a wheeled bag…….there, I said it…….this open compartment has a zipper at the bottom. Unzipped, it becomes a sleeve and slides over the handles of your wheeled bag.

As most of you know, I prefer to travel with just one bag meaning my smaller day or business bag must fit into my main carry on.

I tried putting the Cadet into the center section of the Tri-Star. It wouldn’t fit.  (To clarify, while technically the Cadet will fit into the center section, My Cadet was filled to the point is was pushed to its widest thickness. So thick that when placed in the center section it pushed the dividers out taking away most packing space from the outer sections.  My Cadet had a netbook, charger and writing portfolio.)

The Cadet did fit snugly into my new Aeronaut.

BTW—the larger Cadet, which will technically will fit into some carry-on bags, will take up so much room  it’s not practical.

About the flaps and lack of zippers I mentioned earlier. I personally find the flaps on bags make it difficult to get into them while being worn. I also didn’t like the fact that many of those “flapped” bags didn’t have zippers for their main compartments. Easy pickings for a thief on crowded public transportation.

But the Cadet has no flap and not only does it have zippers, but ones that are easily locked or secured.

All in all, the Cadet is a great bag for someone looking to downsize their current laptop bag or briefcase yet keep a professional appearance. It can also double as a leisure day bag should you be combining a trip for both business and pleasure.  In reality, this is an every day work bag and not just one to be used for travel. Personally, I’ve replaced my Large Cafe Bag with the Cadet as my daily around town work bag. (The LCB now just comes out for fun.)

Pricey at $170 but you’re paying for quality. I believe it’s worth the investment.

The Cadet is made in the USA.

I used photos in this review that were made available by Tom Bihn because most people here know that I rank as one of the world’s worst photographers.

Gear Review: MyBlueBoost

A few months ago I reviewed a few small gadget chargers in a review titled Brigade of the Light Chargers. Since then, the Fueltanks I was using to charge and power my devices when not near an electric outlet started to work intermittently and I decided to look for something new.

It was then I came across MyBlueBoost. It claims to charge small devices such as Ipods, Android phones and Blackberry’s. I contacted the company and they sent me one for review.

It comes with either a retractable charger or a ten plug “octopus” cable depending on the device you need to charge (You order by telling them what kind of device you have and they include the right cable.) The Ipod Touch in the photos is there to give you size perspective and is not included.

In a nutshell: MyBlueBoost is easy to use, it does the job, what more do you want?

Oh, you want more.

Okay…the specs….it charges small devices (no tablets, just the small stuff.) It measures approximately 3 1/2” x 1 1/4” x 1 1/8”  and weighs 3.6 ounces including the battery. As for the technical stuff, I suggest going to their website because there is so much information. They not only tell you how they developed this product and why they chose the things they did but they have both written and video instructions on how to use it. It’s a real “mom and pop” operation where the couple who owns the company are the ones you deal with.

When I got the product, I decided to use my retractable cables rather than the ones they provide to see if they would work. (By coincidence, one of the cables they sent was exactly the same brand as mine.) I tried my Ipod Touch, Kindle, Blackberry Bold and a small mini-USB speaker. All recharged with no problems.

The only downside I see is that there is no way to know how much charge is left in the device.

The big upside is that the rechargeable battery is replaceable. So many of these USB charging devices have batteries that can’t be replaced. Once the battery is dead, you have to buy a new device. And that’s costly. (They even suggest if you’re gong camping to take a second charged battery and exchange it when the first battery runs out of juice. I’m going to get a second one not for camping but in case I get stuck somewhere with a lack of adequate plugs, like an airport, and need to recharge or operate a device for a long time.)

I’m not going to go into how the thing works as they have done an excellent job with instructions and videos on their website.

Back to the nutshell….it’s small, it’s lightweight, and I can definitely see myself using this on my next long international flight. It’s already been repacked into my “electronics” bag  for my carry-on.

MyBlueBoost comes with a recharging cable and a small blue carry bag. $39.95 to $49.95 depending on the number of cables needed. Assembled in the USA. As of this writing it is only available from the manufacturer.

Daily Roundup--December 7, 2011

Today is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Our thoughts go out to the brave men and women who fought to preserve our freedoms. 

American Airlines will begin codesharing with Open Skies, the discounted all business class airline that flies between Newark and Paris’ Orly airport. Flights between Washington Dulles and Orly start again next spring.

And speaking of American Airlines, it seems it’s gotten itself into a little word tussle with Alec Baldwin.

First read this.

And then read this.

Daily Roundup--December 6, 2011

Let’s face it, there are lots of us who criticize the TSA. One security expert thinks the past was a big waste but the future may hold some promise.

The first privately owned Airbus A380 is being built. To say it’s opulent is an understatement. Rumor has it that the plane is for a Middle Eastern prince. Makes me wonder….how much are we overpaying for oil?

Megabus is offering 200,000 free tickets for travel in early 2012.

FAA chief Randy Babbitt has resigned after being charged with DUI over the weekend.

Daily Roundup--December 2, 2011

Travel e-tailer Magellans and travel retail Colorado Bag N Baggage are merging. It should be interesting to see in which direction they go. I know the Colorado Bag N Baggage store near me closed earlier this year.

Light travel news day….have a nice weekend.

Daily Roundup--December 1, 2011

There’s a new Steri-Pen on the market. It’s called the Freedom and it’s smaller and lighter than the other Steri-pens. It’s also USB rechargeable.I’ve been thinking of getting a Steri-Pen and I like the sound of this new one.

I am not making this up. The U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning reminding people it’s not safe to travel to…..Afghanistan. Thanks for the reminder, Washington, I totally forgot it was not safe. I guess I should cancel my vacation plans for Kabul.

Daily Roundup--November 30, 2011

There’s a renewed push in Congress and by airports to hire private baggage screeners.

FAA is proposing new solutions to prevent the tarmac delays like the ones encountered in Hartford this past October.

The parent company of United and Continental Airlines has gotten the go ahead to to operate as one airline.

It’s shopping season and some of you might want to take a “shopping trip.” Here’s a list of America’s America’s most visited malls.

December is usually milege run month. The time when frequent fliers take to the skies just to gain mileage so they keep their elite status the following year. Delta is making it easier for these “runners” by allowing them to buy miles instead of taking flights. Normally, purchased miles could be used for free flights but not elite status. With this program a passenger can purchase up to 10,000 miles that will count towards that top level status. Not cheap, though.

Packing Lists and other items

I was glad to hear from so many of you saying you enjoy the site and especially the daily roundup. I literally go through hundreds of postings and I try to pick out a few items that would be of interest to light travelers and some for pure entertainment.

One suggestion I liked was the posting of packing lists. If you look at the smaller subheadings on the top of this page you’ll see one marked “Packing Lists.” It has a list that Brad posted for a trip he took some time ago. But at the bottom of it he wrote:

“Please submit your suggestions and your own personal list so I can share them with others”

If you post your packing list in the Readers Forum, I’ll transfer it to the “Packing Lists” page so others can see it and get ideas. I’ll date them and put the newest ones at the top. (Considering the limitations of this platform, that’s the best I can do for now.)

There are a few other things I’d also ask you include:

1) The bag you used? (As in the make and model: Ebags Weekender, L.L. Bean Quickload, etc. )

2) The final weight if you know it.

3) Your packing method: bundling, packing cubes, just throwing stuff in.

4) Type of travel: business/pleasure, plane/train/bus/car, weather expected (were you going to the beach in summer, or Canada in December.)

5 Did you use a daybag/briefcase/laptop bag, etc? Which one? Did you carry it separately or did you put it into your main carry-on? The final weight of that if you have it.

I might make some small notes such as if someone posted they used a Reddox Air Boss, I might note somewhere that this is a three compartment bag for those who might not be aware of that fact.

If you feel uncomfortable posting the list, you can always send it to me. There’s another section up top marked “Your Tips and Questions.” Use that and I’ll then post it. I’ll only use your screen name when posting the list and no other personal info. If you send the list privately, please tell me what name you want me to use.

Next, you’ll also see a section up top marked “How to be a Onebagger.” The content was outdated. I removed it and was trying to figure out what to do with it. My idea is to let you help me fill it. If you have come up with some practical travel tips to help others be onebaggers, post it on the forum. I’ll take the best and transfer it to the new section. Once again, I’ll put the newest ones on top. (And, if you prefer, you can send them to me privately.)

The more we experience, the more we know. The more we share the better we can all be at onebagging. No one person knows everything, but together we sure know a lot.

Tom Bihn Citizen Canine

This is not a gear review but just an announcement of a third product Tom Bihn introduced this week. It’s called the Citizen Canine. It’s made specifically for dog owners. 

I didn’t get one for review because 1) it’s not travel related; 2) I don’t own a dog.

But if you do you might want to check this out. Oh, and for everyone sold, $5 will be donated to Old Dog Haven, an organization that helps care for elderly dogs.

There are some who accuse me of showing favoritism to Tom Bihn and his products. I don’t believe I am. But how can you not like a company that makes a great product, makes it in the USA, treats their workers with respect, and cares about both its customers and the community.

What is my hope for this website.

This has been one of these days, if not weeks, where the extremists, trolls, haters and those benefiting from this site have voiced their beliefs.

Yet very few understand what I’m trying to accomplish.

So, let me spell it out.

I am trying to promote the concept of light, one-bag travel and offer information on how to accomplish that.

I’m not trying to get everyone to travel this way or insist it’s the only way to travel. Just the contrary. We all must figure out what is best for us. That might change depending on the type of trip we’re taking. Each of us has our own preferences, needs and wants. It is imperative that we abide by them and not someone elses.

Once we can get past this wheeled/non-wheeled fiasco, I hope the people coming to this site realize that most of the tips, gear reviews,  and concepts shared will work in either kind of bag.

Personally, having kept an eye on the negative postings, it seems that there are a few people who are coming here just to stir up trouble. And unfortunately, they’re taking up too much of our time.

It’s time to get back to talking about light travel. In the next few days I’m going to try to catch up with my gear reviews. With the holidays coming, some of you might be looking for travel related items to give to loved ones.

One last thing, if you are not interested in light, carry-on travel, please don’t waste your time at this website. It’s not for you. There are plenty of other travel web sites where you will find people who, in our lingo, like to pack heavy.