Good News

Looks like the TSA will relax airport-liquid restrictions sometime next year.

The head of the TSA told the WSJ's Middle Seat Terminal blog that the TSA is "within a year of having the ability to differentiate threat liquids through the screening process."

Apparently, X-ray software that can detect liquid materials used in bomb-making is almost ready for wide-spread use.

And that means that the TSA's most ridiculous rule — because, seriously, how does putting all your liquids into a ziplock sandwich bag make anyone any safer? — is on the way out.

This fits what? Toothpaste, shampoo, a teeny deoderant, moisturizer, and a lipstick?

[Side story: last month, one of my family members (who will go unnamed here) was traveling to my sister's wedding and, because she was running late, decided not to check her luggage. Now, this luggage contained hair spray and, though the TSA does not catch all liquids, they did catch hers.

She had to go back to ticketing and try to check her baggage, but by that time, her plane (which her kids and other family members she was traveling with were already on) was leaving. I think she ended up taking a flight later that evening and prolly checking her baggage.]

At any rate, as someone else who likes to use beauty products (and, yes, more than fit inside the sandwich baggie. I didn't even bring shampoo and conditioner with me because I didn't have any of those little bottles) and paid more than $3 for 12 oz. of juice last month, this is good news.

The Flying 7-Eleven

Anyone who knows me knows I get cranky when I fly. I'm sorry: I'm impatient, I can't stand downtime, I hate other people, I always think I'm running late even when I'm running right on time, I don't like to use airplane lavatories, the list goes on and on ....

I just want to get on the plane, read my book, take off at the appointed time and get to my destination/connecting flight at the appointed time, and have my luggage arrive there safely and conveniently with me. (It occurs that this will be the second post in a row I should tag as "hassles.")

My sister and I are flying American in a couple of weeks and were recently discussing the $15 surcharge for checking your bags.

Neither of us plan to check our bags for the upcoming trip (it's only a weekender) but she, unfortunately, has to bring a full-length satin bridesmaid dress with her. I have no idea how she's going to do it. She says she's going to vacuum-pack it, but I suspect she may have to wear it, airplane courier style.

A bad bridesmaid dress on Katherine Heigl

It is going to be an interesting trip. It will be my first time flying since they instituted the surcharge for checked baggage, so I'm expecting it will be tense.

But there may be one group of people that have it worse than airline passengers: airline flight attendants.

If you're interested, the NYT had a good piece yesterday on flight attendants and what their jobs are like now ...

Said one flight attendant: “Who would have thought, after 30 years, that we’d be a flying 7-Eleven."

Update: At least I'm not flying United. They've upped the price of a second checked bag from $25 to $50.

Wheels up, flights down

In light of news that Delta and Northwest pilot unions have worked out a tentative deal with Delta management, USA Today has an interesting graphic on decreasing flight capacity.

Using airline schedule data for October 2008, the paper showed a 6.7 percent decrease in flight capacity for Tennessee.

Specifically, MEM is expected to be down 7.6 percent, BNA (Nashville) is expected to be down 5.7 percent, and surprisingly, TYS (Knoxville) fares the worst with a drop of 8.7 percent.


That doesn't necessarily mean fewer daily flights, however. Airlines can decrease capacity by cutting the number of daily flights or by using smaller planes for regular routes.

Only eight states — Washington, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Colorado, Vermont, Maine and Louisiana — were expected to see an increase in flight capacity.

Flights Not So Fancy

Yesterday, American Airlines announced it was going to start charging passengers $15 to check their first bag each way. That's in addition to the $25 it's already charging passengers for their second checked bag.

And the other legacy carriers are thinking about following suit.

Of course, my first thought involved curse words.

My second thought was, well, finally, a reason I need this humongo giraffe weekender. (Altho, now that I'm looking at it again, I'm wondering if it's too big for a carry on and whether or not it has a zipper. There's nothing worse than having all your underwear spill out in the overhead compartment.)

The NYT has a story today about the change — and about all the fees and charges the airlines are adding to try to make up for rising fuel costs — and this is my favorite part:

"'I’m constantly surprised at the creativity in the wrong direction of airline management,' said Claes G. Fornell, a professor of business administration at the University of Michigan.

This week, the university’s American Customer Satisfaction Index rated the airline industry last among consumer businesses measured in the study.

In this light, American’s move 'seems really, dare I say it, stupid,' Professor Fornell said."

American reps said something about many passengers don't check their baggage anyway, so it shouldn't be a big deal, tho it will save them gobs of money.

And that's sort of the rub: Pre-fees, why aren't people checking their bags?

Because it's more convenient (generally) not to. Because they're afraid the airline might lose them and then they'll spend their entire vacay in the same pair of pants.

So their brilliant business model is to ask us to pay a convenience charge for something that's not necessarily more convenient? And, according to the NYT, "American does not plan to offer refunds if suitcases do not arrive with the plane."

Are you kidding me? If I pay an extra fee to check my bags, they better arrive with me, or I better get my money back. At least.

You know, people have lamented that travelers don't dress up anymore to fly, that it's just like taking the bus. And, really, are they surprised?

If you're going to have to hold your boarding pass and all your stuff while taking off your shoes, belt, and jacket, book it through the terminal to make a connection (after your connecting flight left an hour late), and schlub your giant giraffe weekender the entire time, it doesn't matter what you start out wearing. You might as well be comfortable.