TSA, American Airlines Testing 3D Screening of Carry-on Bags at JFK
October 2, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is starting to look at luggage in a whole new way. A way that’s faster, more efficient, and will get you through the security checkpoints much faster. It’s called 3D screening and it looks at your blag in three dimensions, not the traditional two.
According to an article in USA Today, the TSA announced plans to begin testing a 3D scanner for carry-on luggage. The device, created by Analogic, has already begun testing with American Airlines at New York’s JFK airport. The test began in late July and uses a ConneCT scanner.
The partnership with Analogic and TSA could transform aviation security by adding state-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) technology to the security checkpoints, according to José Freig, American’s chief security officer.
“At American, we are always looking at ways to invest in technology that raises the bar on global aviation security while improving the customer experience,” Freig said.
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Travelers Paid Airlines $4.6 Billion to Check Bags
June 26, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
If you don’t know how to pack light, be prepared to pay for the privilege of checking the luggage you need to accommodate your clothes and other essentials. According to a recent CNBC story, travelers paid $4.6 billion in checked bag fees in 2017 alone.
In other words, if you wanted to take a large suitcase, or even check a smaller carry-on, it could cost you anywhere from $50 or $60 for your first bag, and $100 for a second.
But as travel and luggage professionals, we know that many of these checked bags are only necessary because people don’t know how to pack wisely. They make common rookie mistakes like:
- Packing one outfit for every single day. This is especially bulky if you’re going to be gone for more than five days. Solution: wear certain items more than once.
- Packing things “just in case,” like a dressier outfit in case you go to a nice restaurant. Solution: Confirm your dinner plans before you leave to ensure whether you will or not.
- Packing individual, complete outfits. Solution: Pack mix-and-match outfits. If you’re traveling for four days, take two pairs of pants that go with each of the four shirts.
- Packing every comfort of home, like pillows or full bottles of shampoo. Solution: They have pillows at your destination. Also, buy your shampoo or other lotions, etc. when you arrive. I guarantee they don’t cost $100.
One way around the checked bag fee is to upgrade to an Economy Plus ticket, from the basic economy. Or use a credit card that gives you one free checked bag as one of your perks.
But the best way to ensure you never pay a checked bag fee again? Get a 21″ or 22” carry-on bag that will let you pack up to a week’s worth of outfits (as long as you pack correctly.)
When Travelpro’s sourcing and design teams travel to China for two-week trips, none of them check luggage. They can do so because they know that any of Travelpro’s suitcases will accommodate their needs, and they’ve perfected the art of traveling light. Travelpro specializes in making carry-on models that accommodate multiple days of clothing in one bag. The MaxLite® 5, Crew™ 11, and our brand-new Platinum® Elite collections are designed with features to help travelers pack efficiently and effectively,
regardless
the length of the trip.
You may not be headed out on the road for two weeks, but if your travel plans take you away from home for business or leisure this summer, scrutinize your clothing and luggage choices so you don’t waste money on unnecessary baggage fees.
How do you avoid baggage fees when you travel? What are your packing tips? Share them with us on our Facebook page, or on our Twitter stream.
Photo credit: Unknown creator (Pxhere.com, Public Domain)
Bleisure Travel Benefits Company, Employees
May 1, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
Have you ever found yourself scheduling a business trip in an interesting city, and trying to find a way to see some interesting sights in the city? Have you ever tried tacking an extra day onto your trip, or even extending it over the weekend? This is what’s called bleisure travel, the combining of business and leisure.
According to a recent Expedia survey, more business travelers are doing exactly that, and sometimes bringing their family in for the weekend
Expedia Media Solutions and Luth Research found that 43 percent of business trips are actually some combination of business and leisure, and 70 percent of business travelers report doing so every two to three months. According to a similar survey conducted by the Global Business Travel Association, those taking advantage of these opportunities aren’t who you might expect.
Only 33 percent of those between the ages of 35 – 54 said they extended their stays for vacation, while even fewer of those 55+ — only 23 percent — did so. The group with 48 percent participation in bleisure travel were the 18 – 34-year-old business travelers.
Researchers weren’t able to say why definitively, but they speculated this younger group values traveling on someone else’s dime, having a weekend to explore a city when their employer has already picked up the airfare tab, and paying a lower negotiated rate for accommodations by staying at the same hotel they did while they conducted business on the company’s behalf. Expedia’s senior director of owner services stated that 84 percent of bleisure travelers stay in the same hotel they did for business, and the number one reason they move is because they can get a cheaper deal elsewhere.
The GBTA also said employers should encourage bleisure travel as a way to demonstrate they understand this demographic’s stated need for work-life balance.
So, how do you take advantage of a business trip and seize the opportunity to incorporate some leisure into it? Go in early or stay late. If you have business in a particular destination you’d like to explore, consider going in the weekend before those Monday and Tuesday meetings. You might become a hero to the accounting department by negotiating a lower rate because your stay is longer than the typical two-day booking made by most business travelers.
You could also schedule your business on Thursday and Friday and stay over the weekend, paying the same hotel rate and booking a cheaper return fare on Sunday. You may even be able to use the frequent flyer miles you’ve accumulated through other business trips to bring along loved ones or a friend, thereby reducing the cost for those you want to share your vacation time with.
Special Travelpro Bleisure Promotion
Platinum Magna 2 21 Expandable Spinner Suiter
If you’re considering a bleisure trip and you find yourself in need of new luggage, Travelpro has an extra incentive. Between now (Tuesday, May 1, 2018) and Friday, May 4, 2018, purchase any piece of luggage from the Travelpro website and receive a free, foldable nylon tote. This small, compact bag is great for carrying on those fun mementos from that bleisure trip that might otherwise not fit into your normal carry-on luggage.
Are you a bleisure traveler? How do you combine work and business travel? Do you have any suggestions or favorite destinations? Share them with us in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.
Photo credit: PXHere.com (Creative Commons 0, Public Domain)
Roll into Savings: The History of the Industry’s First Rollaboard® (15% off Rollaboards)
April 20, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
It’s hard to remember a time when it was a struggle to lug your luggage through an airport, but it did exist. Travelers had to literally manhandle their suitcases using the handles throughout the airport and to hoist 30 – 40 pound bags onto and off baggage carousels. But everything changed when one airline professional grew weary of the process and decided he could make it better.
Northwest Airlines 747 pilot, Bob Plath, crisscrossed the globe a thousand times over, suitcase in tow. He’d seen firsthand what happened to his luggage and those of others over time and saw the toll it took on travelers hauling it through terminals. He thought there had to be something better.
When he discovered there wasn’t, he invented it.
Travelpro Crew 11 Collection — with both spinner and Rollaboard bags
What Plath created in his garage in 1987 was completely revolutionary. Before his brainchild, all luggage was oriented horizontally. Heavy, inflexible suitcases with handles on top that had to be carried through airports. The only other integrated rolling option was a horizontal model featuring four small wheels and a strap for pulling, that collided with your heels due to the poor balance and ergonomics. Plath’s innovation began with reorienting his bag vertically, and placing larger, stable wheels and a retractable handle system.
Soon fellow pilots and flight attendants began asking him to make what he coined the Rollaboard® for them. When passengers began noticing and asking airline personnel where they had purchased their bags, Plath moved the operation out of his garage into a 185,000 square foot warehouse. He left Northwest in 1991 to focus solely on what has become the industry standard in luggage and the precursor to all other upright, wheeled luggage rolling through the world’s airports.
The Rollaboard changed travel in several fundamental ways:
- Airport security procedures and equipment were standardized to accommodate increased use of carry-ons.
- Airlines reconfigured their fleets with overhead storage bins that could hold the new carry-ons.
- The struggling luggage industry was revived as travelers replaced old horizontal luggage with the much easier-to-use Rollaboards®. Other manufacturers scrambled to develop products that would compete with the new standard.
- The tourism industry also received a boost as travel was simplified for everyone, regardless of their conditioning or physical limitations.
Today, our garment bags, suitcases, executive rolling briefcases, rolling duffel bags, rolling totes, and checkpoint-friendly backpacks are the choice of over 90 airlines and frequent travelers worldwide. This week, we’re celebrating how our founder’s revolutionary innovation changed travel as we know it by offering you 15 percent off all Rollaboard® models from our TPro® Bold™ 2.0, Maxlite® 5, Crew™ 11 and Platinum® Magna™ 2 series when you visit www.travelpro.com.
Are you old enough to remember those hand-carried suitcases? Or are you fortunate enough to have never been saddled with them? Do you have any great stories to share about the first time you ever used a Rollaboard, or the last time you hand-carried your luggage? Share them with us in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.
Luggage the Weight of Your Chihuahua: Travelpro Debuts Maxlite® 5 Collection
March 20, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
The operative word in luggage shouldn’t be “lug,” and Travelpro knows you need the freedom to pack everything you need without being weighed down as you navigate the airport terminal, hotel lobby, or cruise ship gangplank. The Maxlite® 5 Collection — the result of its latest efforts in innovation, functionality, and durability — is up to half a pound lighter than its predecessor, the Maxlite® 4.
Basically, it weighs as much as your average Chihuahua.
At just 5.4 lbs., the Maxlite® 5 21” Exp Spinner and 22” Rollaboard® retain all the quality materials, rigorously tested durability, and thoughtful design you’ve come to expect from Travelpro’s collections. It just weighs less so you can thoughtfully pack as much as possible without being concerned about your bag adding excess pounds to your business trip or vacation.
While other soft-sided luggage might seem lightweight, words such as strong, tough, and durable mean what they say when we talk about the Maxlite® 5 Collection. Built using lightweight materials that resist wear and tear, even through the most rigorous use, this Collection has 16 options, from carry-on totes, garment bags, and backpacks to smooth gliding Rollaboard® and 4-wheeled Spinner models in multiple sizes, Maxlite® 5 is a comprehensive assortment.
Just because you’re choosing Maxlite 5 doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing anything! Let’s start with the Rolling UnderSeat Carry-On, which, just like its name implies, fits under seats of most major domestic airlines. With its many compartments and specially-designed pockets, such as a removable plastic compartment for cosmetics, office supplies, or electronics accessories, you’ll be so organized you won’t know how you ever traveled without it.
The 21″ Expandable Spinner and 22″ Expandable Rollaboard maximize your packing power and allow you to glide through security to your gate on their high-performance wheels. Both are only 5.4 pounds, and for those who are planning longer getaways that necessitate checking your luggage, the 25″ Expandable Spinner is only 7.3 pounds.
All bags feature Travelpro’s DuraGuard® coated fabric that resists water and stains, as well as extra strong PowerScope Lite handles on rolling models and many pockets to help you pack to the max. All are backed by the Built For A Lifetime Limited Warranty. In addition, if you register your bag within the first 120 days of purchase or gift receipt the new Trusted Companion Promise enhancement gets activated which covers damage caused by airlines or other common carries for the first year! That’s a major warranty upgrade!
If you’re traveling abroad and want an ultra-lightweight carry-on that will go the distance, check out the Maxlite® 5 International Carry-On, both in 2-wheel Expandable Rollaboard® and 4-wheel Expandable Spinner models. Both models meet the carry-on size restrictions for most international airlines, you’ll find either of these compact but capable, allowing you to travel light and travel right.
All models in the Maxlite 5 Collection are available in black and exclusively on Travelpro.com in midnight blue, and other color options include azure blue, slate green, and dusty rose.
American, Delta Ban Smart Luggage If Batteries Are Not Removable
January 4, 2018 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
If you received smart luggage for Christmas, we don’t mean to spoil your new year, but three major airlines — American, Alaska, and Delta — have already banned suitcases and carry-on bags that are equipped with integrated lithium-ion batteries and external charging ports.
Crew Executive Choice 2 Backpack – with REMOVABLE phone charger
If you bring your luggage into the cabin, you can leave the battery in place, but you must have the option to remove it in case the airline needs to move everyone to a smaller plane.
The airlines cited concerns about inflight fires, as happened with the now-famous Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and kids’ hoverboards. You may also remember the Federal Aviation Administration’s short-lived ban on laptops with the same batteries in cargo holds on incoming international flights.
The ban goes into effect January 15 on American, Delta, and Alaska Airlines, even as United Airlines says they will soon follow; Southwest Airlines is reviewing their policy as well. Delta’s statement cited “the potential for the powerful batteries to overheat and pose a fire hazard risk during flight.” American declared its internal safety team evaluated these bags for necessary “risk mitigation” and deemed they “pose a risk when they are placed in the cargo hold of an aircraft.”
The Crew 11’s built-in power port is a great way to keep your mobile devices powered up and ready to go, but you can still remove the battery.
Before you return your smart luggage, make sure your replacement bag has the option where the battery can be removed or disconnected. Even if you toss the battery into the main compartment of the luggage, you can carry the bag onto the plane with you. But it has to be removable.
Travelpro has two Collections which feature a dedicated exterior power bank battery pocket which allows users to insert their own battery, connect a charging cable, and make use of an external USB port. Because the battery is not provided by the company, nor is it integrated into the hardware of the suitcase’s frame, travelers can remove it at any time within seconds. This puts all Travelpro’s luggage in compliance with any airline or FAA policy, current or future.
The collections which feature the dedicated power bank exterior pocket and external USB port include:
- Crew™ 11 Softside and Hardside Collections, available in various carry-on models including the 21″ Expandable Spinner and 22″ Expandable Rollaboard® Suiter
- Crew™ Executive Choice™ 2 Collection which includes a Pilot Brief, Checkpoint Friendly Backpack and Wheeled Brief
The FAA has a longstanding policy of banning spare lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage, while allowing passengers to stow them in carryons.
Did you get a smart bag for the holidays? How does this news impact you?on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.
Our Favorite Travel Gear for Business Travel
November 28, 2017 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
When you’re traveling, being distracted from the sights and sounds of your destination by your luggage or day bags should not be part of your itinerary. With some planning, you can streamline your experience, travel in comfort, and focus on the people and places you’re visiting.
Platiinum Magna 2 Backpack and Briefcase
The first two items you need to consider when planning your travel is your personal item and your carry-on suitcase. Our Platinum® Magna™ 2 Collection has multiple options to choose from but two suggestions are the Platinum® Magna™ 2 20” Expandable Business Plus Spinner and the Platinum® Magna™ 2 Check Point Friendly Backpack, to outfit you for the road. The suitcase comes well equipped with patented MagnaTrac® Spinner wheels that always roll straight and don’t pull to the left or right when pushing as well as padded storage for your electronics.
The Check Point Friendly Backpack includes laptop and tablet sleeves, and other organizers for anything you want to pack, as well as a TSA-friendly feature that allows you to pass through security without removing your laptop.
After you’ve determined what kind of luggage you’ll need, organizing its contents can go a long way toward maximizing your trip. While they may seem extraneous, packing cubes help you maintain a place for everything and everything in its place. Only accessing what you need, instead of pawing through everything you own, will reduce your stress and increase your ability to engage your destination. A well-appointed toiletry kit will also keep you from hunting through your suitcase or backpack to locate that rogue toothbrush and toothpaste. We suggest a multi-function, waterproof one with see-through, zippered pockets that includes a hanger or Velcro loop for easy access.
Because it’s every bit as important to enjoy the journey as you do the destination, you may want to consider some in-flight travel gear comforts. If you want to catch a nap, think about including a travel pillow in your backpack. Noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones will also help you create a “cone of silence,” whether you’re in a plane or in your hotel room.
If hands-free travel is your goal, consider this unique travel gear option: SCOTTeVEST. Designed to conceal almost everything you could possibly need while en route, the system’s extensive interior pockets will allow you to carry all your tech and travel items on your person with fellow passengers being none the wiser. To get through security, simply remove your vest or jacket, lay it on the conveyor belt, and retrieve it after the scan. Your items remain secure and invisible, and you’re not fumbling with or searching through an extra bag to find your phone, tablet, passport, or e-reader.
What are your favorite travel gear items? Do you have any tried-and-true products or new items you want to try? Share them with us in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.
Business Travelers Can Continue to Carry Laptops in their Carry-On Luggage
July 25, 2017 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
The United States Department of Homeland Security has ended a four month ban on laptops in carry-on luggage on U.S. bound flights from the Middle East and North Africa. The ban was originally enacted because terrorism experts were concerned that explosives could be concealed in electronics as large as laptops and mobile tablets. It affected ten airports and nine airlines that are based in the Middle East.
The King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was the final airport to have the ban lifted, after they and the other airlines and airports implemented new security measures designed to check for explosives in the large electronics.
Officials visited the ten airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, and confirmed that the security measures were in place.
The airports originally affected include Amman, Jordan; Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Turkey; Jeddah, Saudia Arabia; Riyadh, Saudia Arabia; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; Dubai, UAE; and Abu Dhabi, UAE. The carriers most heavily impacted by this ban were Egyptair, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, and Turkish Airlines.
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New Warning about Luggage Tags
June 20, 2017 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
As if air travelers don’t have enough things to keep track of when navigating an airport terminal, a recent report now suggests you need to be aware of potential hackers trying to access your flight reservations and other private information from your seemingly innocuous luggage tag.
The six-digit identification number located on your boarding pass, as well as on the accompanying luggage tag of your checked bags, is all a hacker needs to access all kinds of personal information — your email address, your phone number, your address — as well as your flight itinerary and frequent flier account.
This has become such a target-rich code for hackers because the airlines’ global reservation systems are antiquated and vulnerable. Put in place in the 1960s, their software coding does not account for personal privacy laws that have been instituted since that time.
Since the onus is on the traveler to be alert and protected, here are a few suggestions to stop would-be hackers:
- Don’t post your boarding pass on social media. Hackers know our tendency to unwittingly overshare, so all they have to do is Google “boarding pass images” to reap a harvest.
- Consider only using a virtual boarding pass that comes to your email and uses a scannable image to get you through TSA. If you aren’t carrying a physical record that can be misplaced, lost, or captured by a hacker with a cell phone who takes a picture of what you’re carrying in your hand for anyone to see, your personal data is safer.
- Create complex passwords for your data so that if someone gets your information, they don’t have easy access. There are numerous apps available that create random, unique, strong passwords that are difficult to hack. The days of using one password for everything are over.
- Take your boarding pass when you exit the plane. Don’t stash it in the seat pocket in front of you. Doing so leaves that valuable code accessible to anyone who happens to find it.
Travel safety involves more than using a money belt or backing up valuable data before you leave. It also means taking steps to avoid getting hacked, even on something as simple as a boarding pass.
What are some extra security steps you take to protect yourself? Do you have any special tricks or even gadgets that you like to use, such as an RFID-blocking wallet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.
Photo credit: Tony Webster (Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons 4.0)
Travel Top Five: Tips for Traveling Light
February 24, 2017 by Matt Sill · Leave a Comment
The ability to travel light seems to be the golden ring every business traveler is reaching for. Some have the knack for it, while others struggle. Here are a few tips to help you choose what to bring with you on your next trip. For the purposes of this article, we’re assuming you want to avoid baggage fees, skip the luggage carousel, and be in control of your experience from start to finish.
Number one, truly, is plan what you’re going to wear and stick to it. You may think you need an extra outfit for a special occasion, but unless you’re attending a formal event that requires certain attire, you can pretty much wear anything else you’ve planned and it’s going to be sufficient. If you want to be successful at traveling light, take a hard look at what you must have versus what would be nice to have. Then keep the former and leave the latter.
Platinum Magna 2 International Carry-on Spinner
Next, learn the art of packing by color family or using neutrals interchangeably. For example, if you know you need to dress warmly where you’re going, choose your favorite sweater that’s appropriate for all the engagements you have. If said sweater is navy, then everything else you pack should coordinate with navy. Creating an entire week’s worth of outfits using black, white, and khaki is another option that lets you mix and match without looking like you’re wearing the same clothes over and over again. Trust us, no one will notice.
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