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Category: Travel Page 19 of 29

This Is Where We Part Ways, US Airways

By

On August 1, 2008

In Travel

I think I’ve got a pretty high tolerance for airline ridiculousness, but this?  This will make me pick another carrier over US Airways, on general principle:

Charging for checked luggage and legroom isn’t enough for some carriers — starting today, coach passengers flying aboard US Airways Inc. must pay for a drink of water.

This morning, US Airways began charging fliers $2 for bottled water and sodas and $1 for teas and coffees.

If you seriously need to charge $2 for a 30 cent bottle of water, raise your fares.  Or get out of the ()@*#@ing business all together.  And just to show you what brilliant people they’ve got working there, lets add in this quote:

If a desperately thirsty passenger does forget a few extra dollars, US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant says flight attendants will likely “err on the side of the customer” and give him or her water. After all, the airline wouldn’t want its customers drinking tap water from the aircraft bathroom. That water is safe to drink, just not very palatable, according to Durrant.

“Frankly, that’s just not classy,” he says.

Seriously.  Just pack it in and send everyone home US Airways.

DHS: We’ll Be Keeping Your Laptop, Thanks

By

On August 1, 2008

In Law, Policy, Travel

It’s been well-understood for some time (in the legal community, at least) that the border is some sort of no-man’s land, where Constitutional protections really don’t apply.  In practice, however, it hasn’t really been an issue, and the public is generally unaware of just how much power border agents can exercise over them when crossing.  Well, I think that’s been changing, especially in light of the ridiculous practices of the Department of Homeland Security.  The Congressional hearings earlier this month finally wrangled the DHS policy guidelines out of DHS, and, well, look what we have here:

Federal agents may take a traveler’s laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.

Also, officials may share copies of the laptop’s contents with other agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two DHS agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Anything, anytime, for as long as they feel like it.

You trust them, don’t you?

TSA: Protecting You From News About Them

By

On July 24, 2008

In Policy, Society, Travel

CNN Senior Investigative Correspondent Drew Griffin did a series of reports about TSA’s practices in May, and guess what?

[S]hortly after I began a series of investigative reports critical of the TSA. Eleven flights now since May 19. On different airlines, my name pops up forcing me to go to the counter, show my identification, sometimes the agent has to make a call before I get my ticket,” Griffin reported. “What does the TSA say? Nothing, at least nothing on camera. Over the phone a public affairs worker told me again I’m not on the watch list, and don’t even think that someone in the TSA or anyone else is trying to get even.”

The TSA, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, said Griffin’s name wasn’t even on the watch list, and the agency blamed the airlines for the delays the reporter experienced. The airlines, on the other hand, said they were simply following a list provided by TSA.

Forced to clear himself 11 times in two months, just to get on a plane?  Yeah, he’s not on the list at all.  And it’s this sort of petty – yet effective – harrassment that will help subtly shape norms and discourse around TSA’s practices.

US Airline Fee Chart

By

On June 22, 2008

In Travel

Hidden surcharges and fees are one of those things that I let get to me out of proportion to their actual import.  I think it’s the generally dishonest nature of them.  If you advertise a service at a price, you should deliver that service for that price.  If you can’t, advertise at a price for which you *can* deliver that service.  Not complicated.

Anyway, I was galled by one yesterday when I walked up to a counter in an airport and bought a ticket.  The ticket was $XXX, along with a “$25 administrative service charge.”  Wait.  I just walked up to your desk in your airport, and you want me to pay another $25 for the privilege of buying a ticket from you?  WTF?

Anyway, in the spirit of these things, here’s a very handy chart outlining the current US domestic airline fees.

(Link courtesy of the comments section of the always interesting Travelvice)

Moving

By

On June 19, 2008

In Travel

Back online soon, I hope.

Waiting

By

On June 16, 2008

In Personal, Travel

Friday Music: Fences, Walls, and Borders Edition

By

On June 13, 2008

In Music, Personal, Travel

David Byrne – Don’t Fence Me In

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3p_Rf0AY6E[/youtube]

Johnny Cash – The Wall (live in Berlin, 1987)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpxQXAjbv5g[/youtube]

M.I.A. – $20

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g[/youtube]

With a bonus from Gogol Bordello, which I first discovered because some woman sitting in the same row as me on a CDG-JFK flight was wearing one of their t-shirts:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jv3b0VKec8[/youtube]

Deadline Tonight: Credit Card Foreign Fee Settlement Claims

By

On May 30, 2008

In Law, Travel

The deadline for electronic filing of your claim in the credit card foreign transaction fee settlement is tonight (May 30th).  More info about the settlement and your options here.  The official site is here.  I’m just posting this as a reminder to those of you that, like me, put this to the side with the intent to sort it out later.  Well, later is just about too late.  Have fun paging through your passports.

(No, I don’t know if you’re eligible, whether there are any extensions available, etc.  Please don’t ask, because I don’t know.  Really.)

Oh, Jaipur

By

On May 13, 2008

In Society, Travel

Just yesterday, I had recommended Jaipur as a “breath of fresh air” to a friend considering traveling there.  Jaipur was, in fact, the highlight of a trip through India a couple of years ago.  My impression of the place was one of refuge, of education, of being apart from it all.  And then today I see that there was a multiple bombing of this city.  This doesn’t change any of those impressions, but it does cast a sad pall over them.

Tramvaje No. 18

By

On May 13, 2008

In Travel

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