 |
    |
|
|
Notes from 20,000 feet.
Straight From Travel Show.
Get me in a convention center full of luggage and I'm like a kid in a candy store. Each year we ago to the Travel show with the anticipation of something exciting. Mostly there isn't much but this year luggage manufacturers have really gone out on a limb: they've finally introduced colors. Yet with all to choose from still the best luggage was our travel-tested and still true Healthy Luggage, now in cool exciting colors. What was fun was to see all the retailers and dealers who were wheeling their own Healthy Luggage through the show (holding all their samples and brochures), you can be sure it's good when the professionals sport it!
You have my assurance that all of our products are the highest quality. We only select items backed by manufacturers dedicated to quality workmanship. I personally select each item in our catalog. I test products for ease of use, functionality, performance and usefulness, as well as value. Products are then further evaluated by a select panel of travelers whose needs, concerns and opinions are important criteria in CC product benchmarking. It's a lengthy process and here are the latest to make the grade - straight from the travel show. See Brand New Products
Pillow Talk.
First it was cramped seats and no legroom, then it was no movies, then no peanuts, then it was no meals, then no pointy things and now it's NO Pillows. Will it ever end? I hate to get cynical (but I will) but pretty soon you'll have to bring your own seat when you fly!
I haven't been a fan of airline pillows and blankets ever since I learned that the cleanliness of them is pretty suspect. I'd like to see an episode of CSI where they test an airline blanket and pillow for evidence - germs galore and total gross out! I've been advising against the use of these items for years as I've witnessed first hand that they don't clean pillows and blankets between flights.
When I learned that the airlines were removing pillows from their domestic flights I figured it wasn't for our health - more like their financial health. It's all about saving money, American Airlines, the world's largest, announced that tossing pillows off their domestic flights will result in an estimated savings of $375,000 a year! As the saying goes in the airline biz, "when one does it, all the rest won't be far behind." Delta Airlines has already announced that they've adopted this smart cost cutting measure also. It's been noted that by eliminating pillows saves money not only in purchasing pillows and replacement of soiled ones, but will also in cabin clean-up, plus adding more room in those overhead bins. They claim it will speed up and improve on-time performance. Okay, when was the last time "your" flight was delayed over a pillow fight?
So what if customers are just a little more inconvenienced? We're use to it, aren't we? The saying used to go, "its not the destination but the journey." My motto is, "be prepared, the better prepared you are as a traveler the better the journey!" So bring your own Comfort items.
Food Fight - Improving Customer Service?Delta Airlines announced that they've stopped offering food for sale as a measure to "improve" customer service…I'm not making this stuff up! They are nixing their short lived food for-sale program launched in July of 2003 and have now opted to serve a wider assortment of free snacks in coach class on domestic, and some Latin American, and Caribbean flights (longer than 90 minutes).
The wider assortment of snack offerings include name brand snacks including multigrain chips, honey roasted peanuts and wheat crackers. In coach class on flights longer than 3-1/2 hours a snack pack of crackers, cheese, Oreo cookies and Sun-Maid raisins will be offered.
Bring More Money.You may no longer be able to pay for a meal but you'll still need correct change for other frills. What you save in airfare by shopping for discount flights will be lost if you wish to have an adult beverage. Delta also announced the price of alcoholic beverages is going up from $4 to $5 on both domestic and international flights.
Want to watch a movie - check out your carrier's website for what they have to offer. In-flight personal DVD players are replacing the standard movie screens where you used to purchased a headset and watched what everybody else was watching. Airlines are going hi-tech. My last cross-country flight on Alaska Airlines offered personal DVD rentals at $10 per unit (one head set per unit* - sharing is possible if you don't mind hearing the movie in one ear and sitting really, really close to your seat mate). For your $10's you have a choice of: 9-recent movies, several hit TV shows, music videos, cartoons shows, along with destination information (mostly ads for restaurants), and airport maps (currently not that helpful). The number of units on a flight can be limited and not everyone who wants one, gets one. However, you can reserve a unit from the airline website (at least 30 hours prior to flight time) - you must print and bring your receipt as proof of pre arranged rental. Free to 1st class passengers. Be sure to contact your air carrier for what is offered on your flight.
* Hot Tip: You can purchase a spliter and another set of earphones (the plugs are standard) from Radio Shack or equivalent and two can listen.
Sign up on our e-mail list to be notified of other new travel tips. Meanwhile, I hope you'll share your travel tales, experiences, likes and dislikes with us at: travel stories and travel tips .
Please let me know how I can assist you with your travel needs.
Cheers,
Annette
President & Co-founder
Specials!
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |