Forbes has put together its list of the 20 top time-draining airports based on categories such as late-aircraft-related delays, cancellations, weather-related delays and the percentage of on-time arrivals and departures.
McCarran International, in Las Vegas, Nev., ranked 18th, but I really didn't have any problems flying from there yesterday. Almost any airport in the New York Tri-State Area, however, is an entirely different matter, as echoed in Forbes' list. . .
The top 10 most time-draining airports in the U.S. are as follows:
10) Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. — Minneapolis St. Paul International
9) Atlanta, Ga. — Hartsfield-Jackson
8) Philadelphia, Pa. — Philadelphia International
7) Boston, Mass. — Logan International
6) San Francisco, Calif. — San Francisco International
5) Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas — Dallas/Ft. Worth International
4) New York, N.Y. — La Guardia
3) New York, N.Y. — Kennedy International
2) Newark, N.J. — Newark Liberty International
1) Chicago, Ill. — O'Hare
Trains, Not Planes
The time it takes to get to your destination may be longer, but Ecogeek (via Consumerist) has determined nine benefits to traveling on trains in lieu of planes. Here is a particularly good one:
5) No NAGGING: It's a frikkin pleasure not having someone bug me about my seatback and tray tables and whether my electronic device is approved for that particular segment of the trip. And no seatbelts at all! Whether or not that's technically safe, it's certainly more comfortable.
And one that is especially close to IMT's heart:
9) You handle your baggage. If you lose your bags on a train, it's your fault. There's no waiting at the baggage claim and no worrying about how the baggage handlers (or TSA) will treat your bags.
As Portfolio.com discussed last fall, the government says that airlines are "mishandling" checked bags at a record clip. That's bad enough when they throw in the service for free. But along with their luggage-handling inefficiency comes a barrage of niggling new rules and fees.
Most Annoying Airline Fees
Forbes Traveler has put together a list of the top 10 most annoying airline fees:
10) Fuel Surcharge: $30-$300
9) Airport improvement: $4.50-$20+
8) Paper Ticket: $50-$70
7) Changing a Reservation: $30-$200
6) Traveling with a Child or a Pet: $10-$100 and up
5) Curbside Check-In: $2-$3+
4) Rewards Redemption: $75-$100
3) Seat Preference: $10-$20
2) Talking to Real People: $10-$25
1) Checked Baggage: $10-$100
Possible Alternatives?
Today there is a new generation of third-party specialty services for getting your luggage to your destination with minimal hassle. Among these: Luggage Forward, Sports Express, Luggage Concierge and the Luggage Club.
Top Rental-Car Services for Biz Travelers
The following are the top five best rental car companies for business travelers, according to About.com:
5) Enterprise Rent A Car
4) Dollar Rent A Car
3) Thrifty Car Rental
2) Alamo Rent A Car
1) Budget Rent-A-Car
Best (and Worst) Wi-Fi Hotels
Last month, Hotel Chatter released its annual rankings of the best and worst hotel Wi-Fi in the U.S. Top hotel chains for wireless broadband include Thompson Hotels and most Marriott branded hotels (which include Courtyard, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inns, TownePlace Suites and Residence Inns), most of which offer free Wi-Fi to guests.
In addition to these, the following are the tried-and-true hotels that consistently top Hotel Chatter's Best WiFi Hotels list:
- Kimpton Hotels;
- Best Western;
- Holiday Inn;
- Omni Hotels;
- JDV Hospitality;
- AB Hotels; and
- Jeff Klein Hotels.
Among this year's list of the worst hotels for Wi-Fi are Four Seasons Hotels and many Las Vegas hotels like the Bellagio — where an ethernet hookup costs you $12.99 a day (plus $10.99 if you forgot your cable).
Rich Roaming
International business travelers are racking up an average of nearly $700 in cell-phone roaming charges per business trip, according to a study by global cellular communications provider Brightroam earlier this year.
Another study from the company, released last month, found that 68 percent of U.S. travelers report paying costly roaming fees charged by domestic carriers for cell phone use overseas.
I Flew All the Way Here for This?
Over at Seth Godin's Blog, the business author/speaker recently offered up his "new standard for meetings and conferences."
"The new rule seems to be that if you're going to spend the time and the money to see someone face to face, be in their face," Godin concludes. "Interact or stay home!"
BOSTON, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Reports, more than 1.3 million bags were reported to have been "mishandled" (lost, delayed, damaged) by U.S.-based airlines between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2007. It's no surprise that with the recent increase in mishandled luggage, overage fees and airline restrictions, many families are dreading summer travel. Luggage Forward offers a solution by providing door-to-door luggage and sports equipment delivery to and from more than 200 countries or territories.
Playing Pebble Beach? For under $100, visitors can "luggage forward" their golf clubs from their door to the course within two business days. Traveling abroad? Families traveling from the U.S. to Europe may be faced with the weak dollar, but they can still enjoy Luggage Forward's extremely competitive international rates, up to 40% less than other shipping companies. Likewise, Europeans exploring America this summer can breeze through customs by shipping home the extra bag of goodies they accumulated during their stay.
"You can haul your bags to the airport, pay the extra baggage fees, then play luggage roulette with the system, or you can book with us. We'll simplify your trip and guarantee your bag arrives safely at its destination," Zeke Adkins, co-founder of Luggage Forward says. "We think the choice is simple. Once you try Luggage Forward, you may never go back."
Luggage Forward was recently selected as the exclusive luggage delivery partner of the renowned Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, Starwood's international ensemble of fine hotels, and Exclusive Resorts, the leading vacation destination club, further affirming the company's leadership position in the emerging luggage forwarding industry.
Gift certificates are available and make great Fathers' Day or hostess gifts. Visit http://www.luggageforward.com for more information.
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