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5184 Orinda Drive |
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Sparks, NV 89436 |
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775-626-7848 |
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Fax 775-626-7848 |
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Posted May 4, 2008
The guidelines below are
general and may vary by airline. Travelers are advised to check directly
with their airline or tour operator for specific requirements regarding
carry-on and checked baggage allowances, visa and security requirements,
as these can change at any time. Business and First Class are allowed
additional bags and weight on some airlines. Unless otherwise noted,
allowances are per piece of luggage.
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Airlines
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Checked Baggage
Standard Allowances
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Carry-On Baggage
Standard Allowances
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U.S. Major Airlines –
Domestic (U.S. and Canada)Examples:
American, Delta, Continental, United, Northwest, etc.
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Most airlines allow 1 piece
(eff.: May 5, 2008)
(Starting June 15 American Airlines will be charging
$15 for the first bag checked)
UNITED update- If you are traveling on or after August 18,
2008 on an Economy ticket or Economy award ticket purchased
on or after June 13, 2008, a $15 service fee will apply for
your first checked bag.maximum size*: 62”
Weight – up to 50 lbs.
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One bag and one personal item**
Maximum size*: 45”
Weight: up to 40-50 lbs, depending on airline
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U.S. Discount Airlines
(domestic and international)
Jet Blue, Southwest,
Virgin America, Spirit, etc.
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0 to 2 pieces, depending on airline.
Maximum size*: 62”
Weight – up to 50 lbs.
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One bag and one personal item
Maximum size*: 41.5 –
50”, depending on airline
Weight: up to 40 lbs.
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Transatlantic flights
(major carriers)
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2 pieces
Maximum size*: 62”
Weight – ranges from 44 to
88 lbs., depending on airline and class.
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One bag and one personal item
Maximum size*: 45”
up to 40-50 lbs, depending on airline
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Intra-Europe
Discount Airlines
Example: easyJet
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Many airlines limit to 1 piece, maximum weight 51 lbs.
Check with individual airline.
Total baggage weight allowance of 44 lbs. (20 kg).
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Only ONE item on flights departing the UK and for EU –
including transit flights. A handbag counts as one
piece of hand luggage
Flights destined for or departing the UK: maximum dimensions
22 x 18 x 10 in.
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Asia & South Pacific
Examples: Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air
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Standard allowance: 2 pieces
Maximum size*: 62”
Weight – ranges from 50 lbs to 70 lbs per piece depending on
airline and class.
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One bag & one personal item:
45” bag or 73” non rigid
garment bag per piece
Weight: up to 15 - 25lbs. per piece depending on airline.
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South America
(International)
(Domestic)
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Standard allowance: 2 pieces
Maximum size*: 62”
Maximum weight - 50 lbs
1 piece, 44 lbs.
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One piece:
18 lbs.
22 x 10 x 14 inches maximum
Applies to domestic and international flights
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*Maximum size (e.g., 45”) means the total of length, height and width.
This applies to both carry-ons and checked baggage. For instance,
22” + 14” + 9” = 45” is the standard for carry-ons on most airlines.
Dimensions for discount airlines may vary. It’s always best to
check your individual airline’s requirements.
**Personal items include but are not limited to: a briefcase, handbag,
laptop in carry
case, small backpack, camera and bag, one infant
article (diaper bag, car seat). In addition, passengers may board
with a coat, reading material, small bag of food and mobility aids
provided passenger is dependent on them.
Carry On Baggage
If your bag is an unusual shape but still within the maximum size
measurement, it still may be rejected because it may not fit. This
not only means you will have to check it, but you may be charged an
“excess baggage” fee.
Passengers must be able to lift their carryon baggage to the overhead
luggage storage.
If you don’t get an overhead space, you may need to store your carry-on
under the seat in front of you, which affords less space than the bin.
Try to take the smallest, rather than the largest, carry-on that you
need.
Checked Baggage
Excess, overweight or oversize pieces of checked luggage are charged a
fee, depending on the airline.
Most airlines have maximum baggage requirements for excess weight,
ranging from 70 – 100 lbs per piece.
Requirements for intra-European flights are usually more stringent.
Pack to meet the most rigorous requirements, taking into consideration
all of your flights.
Do not put film in checked luggage to protect it from new screening
machines.
General Packing Tips
Do not lock your checked luggage, since it may need to be opened for
inspection.
Always place ID tags both inside and outside of all luggages.
Do not overstuff, which can add inches
Take into consideration wheels and carry handles, when measuring your
luggage.
Security Requirements
Domestic Flights and Flights
Departing the US
3 oz bottle or less for all liquids, sprays and aerosols;
1 quart-sized, zip-top, clear plastic bag; 1 bag per passenger taken out
of carry-on and placed in screening bin separately.
Prescription medications, baby formula and food, and medical- or
disability-related items are allowed in larger quantities but must be
declared.
Limit quantities to what is needed on flight.
Gifts should not be wrapped so they can be inspected.
Any liquid, gel or aerosol purchased after you pass through security is
allowed on board.
Due to Transportation Safety Administration screening requirements,
there are now luggage acceptance cutoff times, ranging from 30-60
minutes before departure (depending on city, or domestic or
international flight), after which the airline neither guarantees that
the luggage will make it onto your plane nor is responsible for shipping
the luggage to you if you do not arrive at the same time as your
luggage. Customers arriving at the boarding gate less than 15 minutes
before departure (30 minutes for international) may lose their
reservation. Check airline for approximate processing time.
For updated information on security requirements to and from the US:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
International Flights
For EU and Australia, liquid requirement is the same as US: 100ml or
less of all liquids and semi-liquids, 1 clear plastic bag per person.
For flights originating at non-U.S. airports, travelers should check
with transportation security in the country-of-origin. Check on
www.tsa.gov
for more details.
Some countries (ie Argentina and China) require Visas for entry along
with a valid passport.
Luggage That Meets the Guidelines
TravelSmith has prepared a complementary chart to illustrate the types
of luggage and carry ons meeting the above requirements:
www.travelsmith.com/luggagerules
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By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL, AP Fashion Writer Thu
May 22, 4:01 PM ET
NEW YORK - It's time to think of the inside of your carry-on suitcase as
real estate: Make the most of what you've got, keep it functional and
make neatness count.
The carry-on bag could be the solution to some of the summer travel
season's likely woes — including checked baggage fees on American
Airlines and possibly other carriers — but it also has the potential to
cause headaches. You don't want to find a rumpled mess when you arrive
at your destination or spend your vacation shivering or sweating because
you weren't ready for the weather.
It is possible to pack fashionable clothes in an efficient way. Some
tips from the pros:
_CHOOSING A GOOD BAG
Wendy Perrin, consumer news editor for Conde Nast Traveler, uses a
standard rectangular-shaped bag with wheels for business trips because
clothes are less likely to become wrinkled. For recreational travel,
however, she prefers soft-sided duffel bags.
"One way to pack play clothes to fit into space more economically is to
roll them and stuff them into a bag like cigarettes into a cigarette
box," she says.
Perrin doesn't buy into bags with a lot of compartments, mostly because
all those zippers, flaps and folds add unnecessary weight. Instead, she
separates undergarments and socks into one zip-top plastic bag, tech
gear such as cords and batteries into another, and toiletries all in yet
another. (Any liquid needs to be stored in a see-through bag.)
"You want to start with the empty cavern and make your own compartments
with smaller packs," agrees travel-gear store Flight 001 founder Brad
John.
John says that you might be asked to open carry-on bags during a
security check. It will go much more smoothly if items are organized
than if everything comes spilling out.
But Deborah Lloyd, co-president and design director for Kate Spade,
insists her bag has a roomy outside pocket for easy access to her laptop
computer, which is kept in a protective sleeve, and her magazines.
Carry-on bags tend to be treated more gently than checked bags so Lloyd
says there is an opportunity to choose more of a fashion-forward bag
than basic black. Plus, she adds, a bright color or graphic print —
she's starting to use a black-and-white pattern bag with black patent
leather stripes — will make it easy to find your bag in the overcrowded
overhead bins.
Also, be mindful of your airline's size limit for carry-on bags.
American's, for example, is 45 linear inches.
_WHAT TO PACK
Perrin chooses a neutral color palette — maybe blue and tan, maybe black
and white — and then sticks with it for the trip. By limiting the number
of colors and patterns, everything matches and there's no need for that
extra sweater to go with the lime green skirt. To keep her wardrobe from
being boring, she'll pack colorful scarves, which, she notes, take up
very little room in a bag.
Susan Foster, author of "Smart Packing for Today's Traveler," tucks her
accessories into her shoes, filling up what would just be wasted space.
And bring things you love: If you're going to wear the same sweater
several days in a row, make sure it's one that makes you feel good, says
Foster, who also runs
http://www.smartpacking.com.
"If I have my favorite choices, I don't mind wearing them day after day.
You can always wear them in different combinations," she says.
Jersey fabrics, as well as washable silks and athletic fabrics, usually
pack flat and travel well, according to Foster. She recently became sold
on The Limited's new travel suit, made in a polyester-wool-and-Lycra
blend, because it has a slimmer, more modern cut than most
travel-specific clothes.
Perrin believes in the layered look, with enough T-shirts, camisoles or
shells for each day, but only one sweater and light, water-resistant
jacket to go on top.
Toiletries tend to take up a lot of room and liquid products are also
subject to the 3-ounce security rule, so Foster has moved toward dry
products, such as a stick deodorant and mineral cover-up makeup, when
she can. She'll also pack shampoo with a built-in conditioner and
moisturizer with SPF.
Some business travelers are forgoing the toiletry hassle altogether,
ordering travel-size products (she recommends
http://www.minimus.biz) to be waiting for them at their
hotel.
_WHAT TO LEAVE HOME
"A different outfit for every day is the worst strategy because you
might need different shoes, a different handbag and different
accessories for each one," Foster says.
Instead, she suggests, switch out only the pieces that other people
notice. "Change the tops, scarves, etc., but who'll notice which black
pants I'm wearing today?"
Jeans might be the basis for many vacationers' wardrobes, but not
Foster. They're too bulky, can't effectively be washed in the sink and
take too long to dry, she says.
Too many shoes are the downfall of many packers. Women shouldn't travel
with more than three pairs, says Foster, and men, simply because their
shoes have a larger profile in the suitcase, shouldn't have more than
two.
For most trips, she can live with a comfortable pair of walking shoes
and a pair of dressier shoes for dinner.
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Posted May 4, 2008
BY MARTHA BRANNIGAN
mbrannigan@MiamiHerald.com
As U.S. cruise operators pursue ambitious European
expansions and European lines add their own new ships and
itineraries, the old continent has more cruise options this year
than ever.
While Europe remains a high profit zone for cruise lines,
the big growth has created some bargains for consumers,
especially those who are flexible on travel dates and
itineraries in Europe.
''We began to see some softness for new European bookings
probably [at] the beginning of this year,'' says Frank Del Rio,
chairman and CEO of Miami-based Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent
corporation of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
``It could be a combination of the increase in capacity and the
weak economy.''
AIRFARE SUBSIDIES
''Cruise lines are resorting to subsidizing airfares to
Europe,'' says Stewart Chiron, CEO of the Cruiseguy.com, a
Miami-based cruise marketing company.
Celebrity recently offered a 12-night cruise with a suite
on the Century from Copenhagen to the British Isles -- including
business-class airfare from Miami -- for $3,799, for example.
A seven-night Mediterranean voyage from Venice to
Dubrovnik, Croatia, on MSC Cruises' new MSC Poesia was recently
available for $1,949 per person, including airfare, he adds.
Children travel free in a limited number of cabins. ''Bundled
packages'' -- those combining cruise and air -- ''are looking
attractive,'' says Pam Kressley, president of
thecruisehound.com, an online cruise agency based in Orlando.
``There are great deals to be had.''
SAMPLE DEAL
For example, she says, a 10-night Mediterranean cruise on
Oceania's Insignia, an upscale ship, departing Barcelona Nov.
14, including airfare from most gateway cities was recently
priced at $2,299 for an inside cabin, with an ocean-view as low
as $2,699.
Such shoulder-season trips in October and November, well
after the summer peak, are often the best bargains, Kressley
says. The less expensive, interior cabins are typically the ones
still up for grabs. ``Europe has been extremely popular, and the
ships are full. By and large, the promotions are to top off the
ships and fill the last cabins.''
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Posted: Jan 28, 2008
Today, Americans are logging longer hours on the job than ever, more than medieval peasants. We're working ourselves to death, said the national coordinator of the "Take Back Your Time" movement.
"It's not good for our health, for our families and communities, or for our environment,"
"We don't have to make work the center of our entire lives."
But many do. The average American works nine weeks more each year than their European counterparts, according to the book, Take Back Your Time.
We also have the shortest paid vacations in the industrialized world, an average of two weeks, compared with the four or five weeks paid leave many Europeans get by law. Twenty-six percent of workers take no vacation at all.
The toll is tangible. An annual vacation can cut a man's risk of heart attack by 30 percent and a woman's by 50 percent, citing research studies.
Europeans over 55 are only half as likely to have the kinds of chronic diseases from which many Americans suffer, including heart disease and hyper-tension.
"We are by far the least healthy nation (among industrialized nations) and we spend twice as much on health care."
De Graaf blames the overworking of America on several factors, including the failure of our leaders to guarantee paid family leave, vacation time and sick time, the widening gap between the rich and poor and the grip of "affluenza," the disease of always wanting a bigger house, a better car, and more stuff.
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Posted: January 14, 2008
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule establishing minimum security standards for state-issued drivers' licenses and identification cards. The rule sets uniform standards that enhance the integrity and reliability of drivers' licenses and identification cards, strengthens issuance capabilities, and increases security at drivers' license and identification card production facilities. The final rule also dramatically reduces state implementation costs by roughly 73 percent. REAL ID will address document fraud by setting specific requirements that states must adopt for compliance, to include: information and security features that must be incorporated into each card; proof of the identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status of an applicant; verification of the source documents provided by an applicant; and security standards for the offices that issue licenses and identification cards.
The first deadline for compliance with REAL ID is Dec. 31, 2009. By then, states must upgrade the security of their license systems, to include a check for lawful status of all applicants, to ensure that illegal aliens cannot obtain REAL ID licenses. Some states are expected to be compliant well before that time. Compliance will be needed for access into a federal facility, boarding commercial aircraft, and entering nuclear power plants. Federal agencies will continue to accept licenses for official purposes from residents of states that comply with the law.
DHS is making approximately $360 million available to assist states with REAL ID implementation -- $80 million in dedicated REAL ID grants and another $280 million in general funding as part of the Homeland Security Grant Program. The 73 percent cost reduction -- from an original estimate of $14.6 billion to approximately $3.9 billion -- was achieved mainly by giving states greater flexibility in issuing licenses to older Americans. Enrollment will be completed for all individuals under 50 years of age by Dec. 1, 2014. For all others, enrollment may be extended three additional years to Dec. 1, 2017. At that time, all state-issued drivers' licenses and identification cards intended for official federal purposes must be REAL ID compliant. REAL ID was a core 9/11 Commission finding and mandated by Congress in the REAL ID Act of 2005. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
The Travel Industry Association and Travel Business Roundtable applauded DHS for the flexibility it has provided states as it develops REAL-ID compliant driver's licenses. DHS As these more secure forms of credentials will be the normal form of identification required to travel in the future, TIA said, DHS's reasonable accommodation serves to further the goals of security and facilitation. No American should be denied the right to travel because of disagreements between federal and state lawmakers. "We hope that DHS will take a similar reasonable approach with other policies affecting cross-border travel," TIA said. For more information, visit www.tia.org or www.tbr.org.
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