Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

Extra Baggage: Airlines Increasing Charges

Pack lightly, because airlines are cracking down on baggage charges for 2009 and 2010. Many airlines offer perks programs which exempt or reduce frequent customers these charges, and discounts for pre-paying charges online. Overweight, oversized, and internationally travelling bags may be charged more or less, and all baggage fees are subject to change. For all the airports listed, a carry-on and personal item are allowed on board. Charges apply both ways for round trip travel. These charges apply to economy or coach-class tickets and usually vary for higher class tickets. This list is in order from best deal on baggage charges to most expensive.

Click here to see the current list.

Some argue that baggage allowances should be universal, but the counterargument is that differing baggage allowances allow airlines to be competitive, and customers can use these differences as a deciding factor when booking flights. Most flyers, however, rely on factors such as cost of flight, whether or not miles will apply to their frequent flyer points, amount of stops, and reputation of airline to make their chose their flying partners. When people have their mind set, extra baggage costs may just be… well, extra baggage.

For more on airlines from RTM, visit our Airline Rules section.

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What To Do When You've Lost Your Luggage

Airlines around the globe mishandled about 1 percent of the 3 billion bags checked last year. Airlines in the U.S. alone lose roughly 10,000 pieces of luggage a day. Although airlines claim to return roughly 98% of lost luggage within a few hours to a few days, it makes traveling, and more importantly, enjoying your vacation, difficult.

So, what can travelers do to avoid lost luggage? The simplest solution is to ship it directly to your location, eliminating airlines altogether. UPS and FedEx are more reliable than the airlines, and they have much better tracking technology in place.

You should also note that if your bag is not on the carousel, wait around. Frequently, bags that don't make the right flight end up on the airline's next flight. If all else fails and your luggage is lost, be sure to file a complaint with your airline immediately. Some airlines will only have a small window of time for filing one.

For more expert advice on how to avoid lost luggage, check out RTM's Airline Rules Section.

Preventing Lost Luggage

Losing your luggage stinks. Plain and simple. So to make your chances of having your luggage there upon arrival follow these tips.

·  Have your luggage shipped directly to your destination: For a fee, there are many services out there that will ship your luggage directly to your destination, cutting out the airlines all together.

·  Use a Global Tracking service such as GlobalTag.com, a unique item retrieval service enabling you to register your valuable items on a secure database.

·  Book direct flights. Connections and extra flights increase your chances of lost luggage.

·  Remove any old airline stickers from your luggage. You don't want there to be any confusion about your bag's destination.

·  Make your luggage stand out. There is a sea of Black luggage out there and if yours is Black too, it's that much more difficult to find. Buy colorful luggage or use yarn, tape, neon luggage tags, or bright straps to make it more noticeable.

Click here to view a complete list of luggage tips.

Fighting Jet Lag

Anyone who has ever flown is likely to have experienced some degree of time zone change disorder, commonly known as jet lag. People may experience jet lag in varying degrees. In general, the severity of jet lag symptoms is directly related to the number of time zones crossed by a flight. It is now included as one of the 84 known or suspected sleep disorders and affects millions of people each year, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Symptoms of jet lag include:

·  Daytime sleepiness

·  Nighttime alertness (insomnia)

·  Loss of appetite and other

·  Gastrointestinal dysfunction

·  Mood disturbances

·  Difficulty concentrating or focusing

Learn more about fighting jet lag.

Lost & Found: What Happens to Lost Luggage

Traveling can be stressful enough when you have your bags with you so lost luggage can create a vacation nightmare. Even if you've never lost a bag before doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared.

Airlines around the globe mishandled about 1 percent of the 3 billion bags checked last year. Airlines in the U.S. alone lost 10,000 pieces of luggage a day. Although airlines claim to return roughly 98% of lost luggage within a few hours to a few days, it makes traveling, and more importantly, enjoying your vacation, difficult.

What should you do when your luggage is lost?

Read some expert advice on avoiding and recovering lost luggage. 

Tips for Traveling by Air

If you're traveling by air, there are a few tips that will make your trip less stressful and more enjoyable. Here are the key things to remember:

1. Trip Preparation
- You'll need your paper ticket, e-ticket confirmation, airlines itinerary or boarding pass to get through the security checkpoint.

- Bring proper photo identification — a valid photo driver's license, active passport or employee ID from a county, state or federal agency. Passengers traveling internationally must carry a passport.

- Pack any sharp objects, such as scissors (with blades longer than four inches) and knives, in your checked baggage. Visit TSA.gov for a detailed list of items prohibited in aircraft cabins.

2. Airport Check-In
Make sure to allow the following amount of time before your flight is scheduled to depart from the gate:

- Domestic flights: Check bags at least 2 hours prior; be at the gate at least one hour prior. Aircraft doors close 5 minutes prior.

- International flights: Check bags at least three hours prior; make sure to be at the gate at least an hour and a half prior. Aircraft doors close 5 minutes prior.

More tips on making your flight stress free

Tips to Get Through Airport Security

In an era of heightened security awareness, it is more important than ever to be a savvy and prepared traveler who can efficiently navigate airport security checkpoints - and get on with your trip.

Here are some helpful tips to get you through airport security without a hitch.

1. Pack your laptop so you can easily remove it and send it through in its own plastic tray. Make sure you label your laptop; these are the most frequently forgotten items.

2. Store all undeveloped film and cameras containing film in your carry-on baggage. Ask for a hand inspection if you want to ensure that your film is not damaged by the X-ray machine.

3. Avoid over-packing to prevent personal articles from spilling out of your bag if it is opened for inspection. Think carefully about the personal items you place in your carry-on baggage as screeners may have to examine its contents.

4. If you are bringing a gift, wrap it after you arrive at your destination. Otherwise, you might have to unwrap it to get through security.

More tips to get through airline security.