Travel Hack: Extra Items You Can Carry On a Plane for FREE

January 24, 2018 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 64 comments

As I was standing in line to board my Ryan Air flight back home to Milan from a travel blogging conference in Stockholm two summers ago, I was the vision of chaos.

There was the cardigan and scarf draped over my purse, an umbrella dangling from my wrist, and the bag of food I was holding from the Östermalms Saluhall food hall.

In addition to my purse (‘personal item’ in airline lingo) and my wheeled luggage.

I looked just a little bit different from everyone else in line holding their 2 allowed items and no more.

As everyone looked on in wonder, the flight attendants didn’t bat an eyelash and I boarded with no trouble at all.

No, they weren’t just shirking their jobs, it’s actually the *official policy* of many airlines to let all sorts of additional items on board that don’t count toward your baggage limit.

For those of you who may not know, Ryan Air is a discount European carrier that like most cheap-o airlines, make you pay extra for pretty much everything, including advance seat assignments.

But even with many (although not all) discount carriers, there are plenty of things you can wear or carry outside of the strict measurement limits for luggage when you board.

Extra Stuff You’re Allowed to Carry On

No, really!!

Many airlines even have these items explicitly listed in their official policy if you know where to look on their website.

There are actually a ton of things you can just carry in your hands if you somehow ran out of space in your luggage.

TIP! There are links to some sample policies from around the world toward the bottom of this post.

First of all, don’t squeeze the last ounce of free space out of your baggage on your way *to* somewhere, you’ll need all the wiggle room you can get on the return trip.

Inevitably, even if I don’t buy much along the way, it always seems harder to get everything to fit properly in my luggage when packing it all up on the final night of a trip.

So these tips are really intended for when you have that last item or two you just can’t squeeze in but still want to take back with you.

Here are all of the items that you can wear, hold, or have clipped outside of the allowed luggage dimensions when you board:

Jacket

Even if you’re not cold, even if you’re heading into a tropical heatwave, you can still wear your jacket when you board to free up luggage space.

And there’ll probably even be space in the overhead bin or under your seat if you don’t want to wear it for the entire flight. Or just drape it over your lap – plane rides can get very chilly sometimes.

Clothing Layers

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Sep 19, 2017 at 10:03am PDT

Coming back from my recent trip to Nicaragua, right before I boarded I needed to smush my purse into my backpack so it was a single ‘personal item’ for boarding.

Since the backpack was pretty full already, I wore my cardigan and scarf and tied my fleece jacket around my waist. Instant space creator.

You might not be able to wear all your layers for your security screening, but you sure can wear them to board the plane.

Neck Pillow

Many wheeled bags have a strap you can clip your neck pillow to if you can’t fit it inside.

This is probably the accessory you’ve seen carried separate from luggage most often besides a jacket, and some people even wear it around their neck to board!

Umbrella

I can often wedge this at the bottom of my wheeled back in between the two sides of the handle, but if you’re really strapped for space, it’s not a problem to carry this item separately.

Just put it somewhere on the plane where you’ll remember to bring it with you when you leave.

Camera/Camera Bag

In a pinch, I’ve strapped my bulky camera bag for my ‘fancy camera’ to the outside of my wheeled bag because I just couldn’t get that zipper to close with it inside.

Which is totally fine, because this is also an item that is allowed to be separate from your outer luggage dimension limits.

Hat

When you see someone boarding a place wearing their cowboy hat or wide-brimmed straw hat from the beach, it might not just be a fashion statement.

Wearing it to board can save you precious luggage space if you’re struggling to zip that bag.

Duty Free Purchases

This must be part of some secret backroom deal between airports and airlines.

No matter how bulky or numerous your duty-free items, it’s totally fine to bring them onto the plane with you in addition to your other luggage.

And in some cases, if you purchase alcohol, you won’t even receive your duty-free bag until right as you board.

Merchandise purchased at airport

In many cases, any kind of merchandise purchased at the airport (and especially takeaway food that you’ll probably consume in-flight anyway) don’t count toward your luggage.

Of course, it helps to have this in some sort of obvious container or bag as you board.

TIP! Whether you have the space in your luggage or not, liquids over the 3mL are great items to purchase once you’re through security. On my last trip, both the 500mL water bottle and the 200mL sunscreen I purchased served me well in my travels!

Reading Material

Just hold your book in your hand. There is so much queuing involved with boarding an airplane between getting scanned and making it through the jetbridge, I’m usually holding a book or e-reader in my hand to keep me entertained anyway!

Infant Accessories

I don’t have children, but if you do, there are extra allowances for bringing on board baby supplies, even if the infant will be sitting in your lap the whole time.

These include a car seat, collapsible stroller, and a bag up to 5kg/11 lbs – or more! – with food and diapers (nappies) to cover whatever the baby might need during the flight.

Medical Devices

The interpretation here can be broad, but at a minimum include a cane or crutches, collapsible wheelchair, and any oxygen or dialysis devices you’re dependent on.

All free of charge.

Of course, the exact specifications vary by carrier, and you’ll definitely want to check the specific policy of any airline you’re planning to fly.

Some strict carriers aside (hi EasyJet!), most airlines won’t stop you from boarding while holding any of the above items with you, even if it’s not explicitly mentioned anywhere on their website.

Carry-On Baggage Policies from Around the World

Many policies explicitly will list most, or all of the items above. And some carriers, like Avianca (see below) even allow balloons!

Here are some specific policies from around the world:

North American carrier

Click here for the United Airlines policy
Scroll to bulleted list

South American carrier

Click here for the Avianca Airlines policy
Scroll to “What Can You Take?” then expand “Additional Items”

European carrier

Click here for the Air France policy
Scroll down to yellow border with “Additional Items You May Take on Board…”

Middle Eastern carrier

Click here for the Qatar Airways policy
Expand “Hand baggage allowance” & see box with “Carry more on board”

Asian carrier

Click here for the Malaysia Airlines policy
See #2 and #3

Even if there is no mention in the official boarding policy of the airline you’re flying, so long as it’s not a discount carrier, in all likelihood, no one will stop you with any 3-5 (or even ALL) of the knick knacks listed above whether you’re wearing or holding them or they’re clipped to the outside of your luggage like a neck pillow or camera bag.

I’ve flown dozens of airlines, and never once been stopped with any of the above accessories as I boarded!

Happy flying!!
Lana

Do you usually carry any of the above items outside of your luggage when you board a plane? Any time that you were prevented from bringing one of them on? Anything I missed in terms of carry-on luggage tips? Let me know in the ‘Comments’!

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Practical Guide to Achieve Your Travel Goals this Year

January 11, 2018 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

Happy new year! January 1st is a fresh start for many people. Have you made resolutions for the new year? Or are re-energized for a project that has languished?

One thing I always think about leading up to a new year is what kind of travel I’d like to do in the year ahead. Sometimes my focus is on visiting new countries. Other times it’s exploring close to home. Or visiting friends in new places. It depends on the year.

Whatever my travel goals though, it always takes a bit of planning to make my dreams a reality.

Sure, planning is not as fun as ogling over pretty pictures on Instagram, but a little bit of preparation goes a long way.

Here’s what you’ll want to think about *soon* so this is the year you actually make it happen!

When You Can Travel

It sounds so basic, but the reality is that if you don’t start blocking off times now at the start of the year, weeks will turn into months and the time to achieve your travel goals will slip away.

The good news is that it doesn’t take much to get organized!

First, break out the calendar. I’m old school, so I still have a paper version that I maintain each year. You’re probably using some form of app or electronic calendar. Whatever the format, the process is the same:

When You’ll Be Busy

Mark holidays. Public holidays in the country where you’re living, plus any religious holidays not already on there or any special days off (like possibly in an election year).
Block off busy periods at work you won’t be able to travel. It’s important to merge work obligations onto your personal calendar so you don’t accidentally book a trip when you’re expected to attend a conference somewhere or have another conflict or big deadline.
List other obligations. I know I’ll have a cousin’s wedding this June, so I’ve already marked that date on my calendar. Last year was a big celebration for my grandmother’s 90^th birthday. If there’s anything you know is coming up, capture it now.

Time for Travel!

Anything not already marked off as a busy time is now fair game for all that travel planning you’re itching to do. You may want to consider things like having a weekend at home if you’re traveling for several consecutive weekends prior, but other than that, go nuts:

Block off times for top priorities. There are the travel goals you definitely want to achieve this year, so make those your top scheduling priorities whether it’s finding a weekend in common to travel with friends or blocking off two weeks in a row for a bigger trip.TIP! Of course, you’ll probably also want to think about the weather where you’re heading, so you don’t end up in Asia during rainy season – even if it’s a good time for you to vacation.
Ask for time off (if needed). If you have a full-time job like me, you probably need to request time off in advance. Some offices even approve limited vacation based on who asks first, so it’s definitely to your advantage to ask early!TIP! It’s also possible if you’re considering two different times (or comparing prices) to get tentative approval for both, and then later confirm what days you’ll actually be out of the office when you book.

Who to Travel With

Being back in the US after several years of living abroad, this is definitely the area where I struggled most last year.

In Milan, I had it easy. For many of the weekends I was looking to travel, I had a friend ready to go on an adventure with me, and it was also very affordable to travel solo.

This year I had some solo trips (including a week in Belize) and traveled several times on my own to visit friends in different cities – New York, Boston, Detroit, Washington DC – but I was far less successful managing a weekend escape with friends.

In the end, I only successfully planned ONE weekend trip with a friend this year. Everything else fell through.

I’m definitely getting on the planning for this much earlier than before (including reviving some of the trips that were planned but didn’t happen last year). I already have tentative plans with several sets of friends for weekend getaways and hope to get to some of those destinations early in the year.

Where to Go

Maybe your travel goals for this year include specific destinations, or perhaps you’re simply trying to visit 2 new countries and you’re not sure which ones to choose.

READ MORE: Top Travel Destinations of 2018

Here are some things to think about when deciding where you’ll go in the coming year:

Staying Close to Home

Many of us (myself included!) are guilty of gallivanting off to faraway places while leaving spots closer to home unexplored. I even did this when home was Perth, Australia and only when I was leaving for good did I finally explore the other parts of the country.

But no more. Wherever you are in the world, there is something (& probably several somethings) that are notable in your area, whether it’s a museum or restaurant or amazing spot in nature.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Jan 5, 2018 at 6:29am PST

Think about:

What is in your town (or village or city)? There is this glorious thing called the internet – which you can obviously access if you’re reading my blog! – that let’s you search for anything and everything. Even if you’ve lived in the same place all your life, you might be surprised about what information is out there. Find bloggers who write about things locally, or simply search for things like “Best Brunch in <your city>” or “Best Instagram Spots in <your city>”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZn8hXoHWe4/?hl=en&taken-by=travelsavvygal

What hidden gems are nearby for a day trip? You’ve maybe never looked at your hometown or where you currently live from a tourist perspective, but there may be a quirky museum you’ve never heard of before or a beautiful spot in nature within a half-hour drive. I’ve found great information about various cities I’ve lived around the world by searching for things like “Best day trips from <insert your city here>” or “Best Hiking in <insert your state or country>”

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Dec 19, 2017 at 8:59am PST

What is in driving distance for a weekend? For me, if I am driving somewhere for the weekend, I try to keep it around a 3-hour drive or less if I can. There is actually quite a lot encompassed in that area, from beautiful national parks to beaches to ski destinations to wonderful city escapes. This past year I enjoyed the beach in Delaware and Maryland, towns in Virginia like Richmond, Williamsburg, and the adorable college town of Charlottesville, and a girls’ hiking weekend. Figure out what towns you have yet to explore that are nearby – they might surprise you!

Heading Further Afield

Where can you get to easily by bus or train? For me, traveling by bus or train gives me a bit more flexibility with my travel plans, as I can relax more or be productive on the way (there’s usually WiFi) as opposed to when I’m driving. When I lived in Milan, Italy, there were a ton of adorable small towns just a train ride away, plus cities like Florence, Venice, Rome, Naples, and Geneva, Switzerland. Check out the routes of where you can get to easily. Some of the destinations may be unexpected!

Lotus flowers in Bangkok, Thailand - a direct flight from Milan! — Lotus flowers in Bangkok, Thailand – a direct flight from Milan!

Where will a short, direct flight get you? Okay, so nowhere is exactly easy to get to from Perth, Australia, but Bali is only a 3-hour plane ride away. From Milan I flew direct to places like Seville, Spain and Bangkok, Thailand and Tel Aviv, Israel. And from Baltimore there are all sorts of spots easily accessible around the US, Canada, Caribbean, and Mexico. A quick search will tell you all the places you can get to directly from your local airport. Short flights make it especially easy to squeeze in a weekend escape without having to take any time off of work.

Tel Aviv, Israel - another direct flight from Milan! — Tel Aviv, Israel – another direct flight from Milan!

What are your top destination priorities for longer trips? Last year for me this was Vegas for a long weekend, a week-long solo trip to Belize, and visiting several spots in the Caribbean on a cruise that left out of my current city, Baltimore, Maryland. For this coming year, I have a few priorities set including a return to Central America and several weeks in Europe. Longer trips are the hardest to schedule, so get these on your calendar early!

Booking that trip!

This is the hardest part for most would-be travelers. There are always endless reasons to delay actually committing to a trip, which means if you wait long enough, you’ll never actually make it anywhere. So even if it makes you a bit nervous to commit to that train ticket or flight, JUST DO IT!

Some of my least-stressful travel planning has been when I’ve booked a bus or train or flight several months in advance. There’s none of that back-and-forth of debating whether to go or not the week before, or analyzing if it is a good weekend for a trip. You already have a ticket and you’re going!

Do you already know of some trips you’d like to take this year? Look at flights RIGHT NOW!

With your transportation taken care of you can focus on getting excited for the trip, even if you do minimal advance planning before you actually arrive. I’ve taken trips where I’ve researched extensively beforehand and others where I only first started looking into what to do as I was at the airport waiting for my departing flight. Either way, I always have a great time.

And if you’re not staying with friends or family, take the time early on to also book where you’ll stay. I like to arrange my accommodations through Booking.com, because most properties allow you to cancel with no penalty up until a few days before the trip.

You can find Booking.com prices and other sites on TripAdvisor for hotel bookings, where you can enter your dates and it will show you availability at the top-rated places to stay, including comparing the cost across multiple booking sites so you can get the best deal. So no need to worry, just lock in something now that can be cancelled later – and you can always re-book if you find a better spot.

And when I’m looking to have a kitchen to do my own cooking or am finding hotels to be a bit pricey, I check out what’s available on AirBNB. I’ve stayed in properties around the world and have had mostly positive experiences. Plus, if you run into any issues, their customer service is excellent.

(If you’re new to AirBNB & book using this link, we’ll both get travel credit!)

My Travel Goals This Year

This year’s travel goals for me are a combination of doing more exploring close to home and also making it to at least 3 new countries. Close to home for me in part includes doing more in Baltimore where I currently live. Despite having lived here before and a year and counting now, there is still plenty left to explore.

I also have some new US cities in mind for a visit, like Denver, Colorado (where family just moved), Savannah, Georgia, or Asheville, North Carolina. Plus, some cities I’d like to re-explore after a long while like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mexico City, and Quebec, Canada.

READ MORE: The Best Advice to Travel More

In terms of new countries, I’m already booked for a January trip to Nicaragua! I hope to explore other new countries on a European trip, possibly Malta (which has been on my bucket list for a while) and Norway (where a friend recently moved).

What My Travel Plans Look Like So Far

This month I’m headed to Nicaragua for the first time! I locked in flights back in November, and arranged my accommodations shortly after, so now I just need to finish with some planning and get on that plane.

I do take my own advice of course, so I’m working on confirming dates for other trips I’d like to take. The biggest one is a return trip to Europe where I haven’t visited since moving back to the US a year ago. Of course I want to see old friends in familiar places as well as hit up some new spots.

Just as important though is identifying weekends to block off for all those other shorter trips! My focus is currently on some weekend ski escapes this winter, and making it to some of those US cities I can get to easily by train or a direct flight. I’ve already made tentative plans with friends for a foodie weekend in Philadelphia and a trip to Savannah, Georgia – now we just need to lock down dates.

And of course, there’s my wish list of places to go. I’d love to get to the countries of Portugal, Georgia, and South Africa for longer trips. Closer to home is maybe Belize for a return trip or a weekend in Puerto Rico once hurricane recovery is further along. A road trip along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or in Yosemite National Park would be amazing, plus city escapes large and small around the US.

READ MORE: My Travel Lists

Now granted, now that I’m living back in the US many of my wish list items are those spots close enough for a weekend trip, which means it’s centered around North and Central America.

Certainly my wish list has shifted every time I’ve moved continents – and yours should too! Think about spots that are close enough that you’ll reasonably make it there. And keep an actual list of where you’d like to go so when you’re itching to go somewhere it’s already handy.

I wish you the best year of travel yet – now go make those plans!

What are your travel goals for 2018? What travel challenges can I help with? And what topics should I cover in this year’s blog posts that would be most helpful, so this is the year you achieve your travel goals?

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YOU Could Book A Flight Today

February 17, 2019 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 2 comments

How many months into the year is it when you are reading this? And how many trips have you actually booked already for the year ahead?

Are they all the travel you hope to take? Do you have travel goals for this year? And are you on your way to achieving them?

For most of us, the answer is probably no.

But, why not? What is holding you back?

READ MORE: 10 Reasons to Travel Anyway

Many of us have a bad habit of over-complicating things, and planning travel does not have to be one of them.

All you need is to “Just do it”:

1. Pick dates

2. Ask for the days off of work, if needed – although this could also be for a weekend trip outside of work hours, where the only person needed for the decision is YOU

3. Pick one or several locations you’d be interested in – the more flexible you are, the easier it is to definitely take a trip

4. Find the best/cheapest option and BOOK A FLIGHT!

***Congratulations*** now you’re traveling somewhere!!

All smiles on my Emirates Airline flight

When I recently booked my flight to Denver, I was excited and posted on Facebook that I was “all set.” My sister, who I’ll be visiting, countered with a long list of things yet to be determined – where we’re skiing, where we’ll stay overnight by the slopes, and arranging my ski rental.

My perspective?

If I’ve booked the ticket, I’m going on the trip! The rest is just details.

Of course we’ll figure out where to ski and arrange a place to sleep. Ski rental spots abound. But I’m so excited to be traveling! And now that I’ve booked a flight, I will be =)

How much effort or research does it usually take you to book a trip? And at what point do you feel like you’re “set” for your travels?

With two flights booked this week, I was just tossing around another weekend trip with a friend. We’ve discussed going away somewhere for the weekend before, but have never gone anywhere.

Why not, you say? Well, we’ve never booked flights.

What will make the difference this time around – whether or not we book flights to actually go somewhere. Then, it’ll be a trip.

So, my challenge to YOU —

Forget about all of the reasons not to go.
Forget about the cost keeping you grounded. Depending on location, your time away can be cheaper than what you’d spend staying at home.
Forget about whether you have a travel buddy or not.

With or without a travel buddy, pick a day sometime in the next week, and book!

(If flights are very expensive where you are, or at the time you’re looking to travel, you’re not off the hook – find a good bus or train fare and lock it down.)

Or use one of these excellent mailing lists or website features to help inspire you:

Mailing Lists to Join (I subscribe to all 3!)

Airfare Watchdog

This is focused mostly on US departing cities, but offers a lot of information about international destinations as well, and is targeted to your preferred departure point.

The Flight Deal

This is a US-centric newsletter offering great deals on itineraries. Their motto is “Just because it’s a great fare doesn’t mean it’s a great deal” provides a bit of an insight into their philosophy. It’s very friendly to browse deals on their website as well.

Scott’s Cheap Flights

Offers a free and premium version. If you’re planning to book one of the heavily discounted deals or mistake fares, paying for the premium version could be worth your time. Even with just the free version, you’ll get deals e-mailed and access to the private Facebook group.

Catching sunrise over Europe from a plane

Searching Online for Cheap Destinations or Itineraries

Kayak Explore
This is one of my all-time favorite website features. Not only can you compare fares on multiple airlines with lots of details specified, like flight time, budget, and number of stops, but you can also search without a specific destination in mind! To browse possible flight options, you can even zoom in on certain regions of the world and see which destinations fall within your budget anytime, or on a set of specific dates.

TIP! Not all discount airlines will have their fares appear on Kayak, so also check those websites directly for any discount airlines at your departure and arrival city before booking.

Skiplagged

This site is similar to the Kayak Explore feature above, with the ability to customize your departure city and browse options anywhere in the world. Skiplagged specializes in heavily discounted fares you won’t see on other sites, although do be aware of any flight results using the controversial practice of a ‘hidden city’ flight, as airlines have begun to crack down on passengers who don’t fly all the legs of their itinerary.

With a little flexibility on destination and dates, and some clever internet sleuthing, there is a trip out there in your budget and waiting for you.

You know what this means – no excuses!

So browse some possible options, and commit to booking that next flight in the week ahead.

You can do it.

Happy travels!
Lana

Have you booked all your travel for this year yet? What obstacles usually keep you from booking a trip? Are there any other resources you find helpful for booking flights that I missed? Let me know in the ‘Comments’ below!

And when you do book your next flight, keep me posted with where you’re heading!

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Travel Superlatives of 2017: To Inspire Your Next Adventure

December 20, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

This year has involved quite a lot of transitions. I started my first full-time job in quite some time (hint: it’s not blogging) and have been slowly figuring out how to balance it with my passion for blogging, travel, and you know – life, the universe, and everything!

This also marks a full year spent back in the US after five years abroad, and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. I was shocked at how much my post on moving “home” resonated with readers, and continues to resonate with many others experiencing the same challenging transition. It is the post when I felt the most vulnerable clicking that “Publish” button, but such a lesson to me that it is when you really put your authentic self out there that you connect the most with those around you.

And that’s really what my travel superlatives come down to. It’s a collection of moments in far-flung places and spots close to home when I connected with those around me. Sometimes through an experience and sometimes a meal, but all were opportunities for wonder with some excellent company to share it all with. And a bit of adventure.

I hope you enjoy my stories from the road and perhaps even find some travel inspiration for the year ahead. Here are the moments resonating with me from the past year:

Best Nature Adventure: Belize’s ATM Cave

I love caving and adventure, plus the tour to Belize’s ATM Cave (you must be on a tour to enter) was touted by every operator as the top day trip to do from San Ignacio, Belize. The tour itself was absolutely incredible, involving plenty of strolling, swimming, and even a bit of rock climbing to navigate the internal passageways of the cave, including ancient Mayan sites. Wow, just wow.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Jul 12, 2017 at 11:17am PDT

Best Tour: Hoover Dam insider “Dam Tour”

The Dam Tour is limited to 20 people every half hour and can only be purchased in person on the day. But it is worth an early start to guarantee a spot on one of the coolest tours I’ve ever been on. Due to security concerns, the insider tour no longer includes a trip to the Power Plant floor, but in its place you get to wander behind the scenes through the inside of the dam itself in areas that were never intended for visitors. There is amazingly cool graffiti and other markings along the way, plus some killer views through vents peering from the inside out!

Best Wine Tasting: DelFosse Vineyards in Charlottesville, VA

I spent the weekend before my birthday on a getaway to Charlottesville, Virginia, a pretty easy drive from the Baltimore/Washington, DC area. I had been a few times before and one of my fondest memories from a weekend I spent in 2007 was of a barrel tasting at a winery up a gravel road a bit outside of town. My return visit to DelFosse Vineyards a decade later was just as memorable, with a personable and delicious journey through their wine collection during the tasting. Both their whites and reds are something special. And yes, there’s still a gravel road for those last few minutes.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Jun 12, 2017 at 5:20pm PDT

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Jul 8, 2017 at 11:00am PDT

New Go-To Activity: Hiking

I’ve always liked hiking and mixed it in with my city escapes, but this is the first year that I’ve headed into some weekends with an intense desire to get out in nature – at which point I hunted down a hiking buddy or headed out on my own. Maybe it’s my mentality shifting with age, but nothing helps to reset my mind than exploring nature’s beauty with my own two feet.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Dec 19, 2017 at 8:59am PST

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Sep 6, 2017 at 5:49pm PDT

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Sep 13, 2017 at 4:04pm PDT

Most Memorable Bites: Cambridge, MA & Charlottesville, VA

Let me start by saying that I had some pretty epic meals this year. From cooking my first-ever rack at lamb at home to savoring meals at high-end restaurants serving up 20+ course tasting menus, there have been some very delicious bites (yes, I’m a lucky lady!). But the two most memorable dishes of the year for me are the ones that were unique and flavorful and even months later stand out in my mind.

The first is a a crab and kimchi stew that I enjoyed at The Table at Season to Taste in Cambridge (Boston), Massachusetts. It was such an incredible overall (solo dining) experience that I boldly wrote a whole blog post about it as my best of 2017 all the way back in March and it still rings true all these months later.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on May 11, 2017 at 5:15pm PDT

The other most memorable dish is a crispy scallop appetizer that I enjoyed at Brasserie Saison in Charlottesville, Virginia. It doesn’t sound like all that much but it stands out in my mind both for being something I have never seen before (Crispy scallop outside and smooth-as-silk inside? Amazing!) and also because it was so perfectly executed that every bite was a piece of heaven.

READ MORE: How to Spend a Weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia

Best Art Exhibit: Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors

I first saw Yayoi Kusama’s art in Stockholm, Sweden and was so in awe of her unique style that I waited in a crazy line to get access to another exhibit of hers this year in Washington, DC. This latest exhibition included multiple ‘infinity rooms’ that were basically giant cubes you could step into with mirrors on all sides and see incredible lights and designs reflected all around you. Check out my blog post for more on the mesmerizing art, plus details on how to get access and when this exhibit may be headed your way – in 2018 it will be in Los Angeles, Toronto, Cleveland, and Atlanta!

Today was my 2nd time seeing Kusama's wonderful dot-filled art, and I definitely frolicked. I had seen pictures from DC friends who had been before, but didn't realize until I was there in person today that it's not paint splotches on the wall, it's stickers! And everyone who visits get to place their own anywhere they want. I love interactive art experiences like this. Have you ever frolicked through an art installation?

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on May 3, 2017 at 6:11pm PDT

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Best Way to Experience My New Home City: On the Water

Part of my adjustment back living stateside has been to express gratitude and focus on all of the benefits of being back after time abroad. Certainly the convenience of American life and access to ethnic food top my list, but being in the city of Baltimore specifically means that I live quite close to the water. I can walk there in around 5 minutes and there’s even a free commuter water taxi stop nearby that will take me to a few different spots across the harbor. And my running route takes me along the water’s edge by Fort McHenry, where the Star Spangled Banner (the American national anthem) was written. Some of my favorite Baltimore water views from the past year:

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Hidden Gem City Escape: Detroit, Michigan

When you think of ‘Motor City’ you’re probably imagining car production or dangerous neighborhoods, but the Detroit of today is so much more. My highlights from a long weekend there included fancy cocktails bars, craft breweries, apple cider mills, some delicious bites, and all sorts of notable art and architecture. Detroit’s revitalization is still a work in progress, but it is already soaring and a spot I’d return to in a heartbeat!

READ MORE: Finding Zero Mile in Detroit

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Hidden Gem Outdoors: Sanibel Island, Florida

My first flight of the year was in January to visit my dad who now lives in Florida. Of course, the primary goal of the trip was to spend some quality time together, so I specifically refrained from doing too much research. Even the lovely stroll we took through an ecological preserve was something I spotted in a brochure after I arrived, not a bucket list item I had planned in advance.

So when we ended up taking a detour to Sanibel Island, I innocently took a stroll only to encounter loads of people with buckets and walking with their eyes glued to the beach. As it turns out, Sanibel Island is considered by many to be the best shelling beach in all of North America! Even though I’m no expert, it was exciting to see so many beautiful shells and even some of the sea creatures that had washed ashore.

Favorite Getaway: Staying with Friends by the Beach

I could pretend I had some posh chalet in the mountains somewhere, but let’s be real, I’m not that fancy. The place that I spent the most weekend getaways in 2017? With friends by Bethany Beach in Delaware. It’s been a perfect haven and relaxed getaway on many a weekend, with great food and wonderful company. Thanks for hosting and for all the great experiences this year!

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Most Random Visit: Berlin Wall in a NYC Office Building

When I visited Berlin, Germany for a long weekend, I of course made it a point to see several sections of what remains of the Berlin Wall, including the open-air East Side Gallery. Across the ocean in New York City, the Berlin Wall was the last thing I expected to see in a random office building, and yet there are several panels that can be visited in the lobby for free!

I've been to Berlin, but this section of the Berlin Wall I encountered yesterday in the middle of Manhattan! Located in an office building in Midtown, there are 5 panels of the original Berlin Wall that the building owner purchased and has been displaying in NYC for decades. It's one of New York's hidden treasures – you need to know where to look or you'll never stumble upon it. P.S. You can find it in the Jefferies Office Building between 53rd and 54th, and 5th and Madison Avenues. In the lobby. Happy weekend, everyone!!

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on Apr 14, 2017 at 4:17pm PDT

Biggest Bucket List Item: Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon

Starting with my college years, plenty of friends have talked up Las Vegas as a site for gambling and debauchery. And the ones who really know me well touted the foodie scene there. But the biggest attraction for me has always been the rock climbing I’ve been hearing about for ages in the nearby Red Rock Canyon. My guided trip there was just as wonderful as I had imagined, with incredible scenery and a lot of fun on the rock.

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Best Travel Experience: Hitching a Ride on a Boat in Bermuda

I was excited at having bought the Bermuda-exclusive loquat liqueur at the Goslings store in downtown Hamilton, the Bermudian capital that was half an island away from my cruise ship. The feeling of accomplishment slowly melted into apprehension as I realized that because it was Sunday, the ferry turned out to be on a truncated schedule and the last one had already left back toward the dock where my cruise ship was anchored about 20 minutes before.

I was quite annoyed at this point – Why hadn’t I checked the schedule properly beforehand? Why didn’t I realize it was a sign taking a taxi into Hamilton from the beach was a bad idea when no one else was headed that way? – I probably should have seen the signs ahead of time, given that I’m an experienced traveler. But fortunately we had another day in Bermuda, so I wasn’t exactly in a rush. At least the cruise ship wouldn’t leave without me if I didn’t get back by a certain time.

I started running through possibilities in my head. There seemed to be a local bus station nearby, and many buses had passed through the main street downtown. Surely it would be cheap to take the route to the far side of the island, although the trip might take a while and who knows how long it would be before the next bus. A taxi was an option, but probably a $60 one. So it wouldn’t be a cheap mistake, but at least I’d make it back to the ship for dinner.

One consolation was that I wasn’t alone, there were actually 4 of us from the cruise strip stranded at the now-closed ferry terminal. But as possibly the most assertive one of the bunch, I was tasked with asking around and trying to figure out our best option to get back.

It was at this point that I noticed a boat crew at the far side of the dock that seemed to be cleaning up for the night. There was a decent chance they were locals and could hopefully point us in the right direction, maybe even let us know if buses were still running or if our best bet was to hail a taxi to get back.

I couldn’t tell you exactly what I said in my first thirty seconds of talking, but the guy who seemed to be the head of the crew approached as I was chatting with one of the deck hands and said, “Actually, we have to get this boat back over to the Dockyard for a tour in the morning, do you want a lift back?”

What?!? By opening myself up and asking strangers for help did I really just score all of us a free ride back to our cruise ship?

“As long as you don’t mind loud music and will buy drinks on the way, you can ride back with us.”

Um, YES PLEASE.

The older couple in the group was a bit skeptical if this was some sort of scam, but this was not only super convenient and generous, the crew explained that this was what your typical everyday Bermudian hospitality was all about. Plus, they were headed that way anyway.

Within minutes we had dark-and-stormy’s in hand (the local cocktail) and were cruising through the harbor on a catamaran with music blasting. I would have called it the best private boat tour of my life, but it was just locals helping out some clueless tourists and letting loose at the end of a long work shift.

Along the way, the crew pointed out a few famous Bermudian houses on the water, but mostly we sang and danced together the whole way. We pulled up and docked just a short distance from the cruise ship, as the catamaran was part of an organized tour the next morning. And when we tried to pay for our drinks, they just shrugged and wished us well.

This is how close the catamaran got us to the cruise ship.

What were some of your highlights from the past year? Or your most memorable travel experience? Anything from my round-up that you’ll seek out in the year ahead? Let me know in the ‘Comments’!

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Bringing Common Sense Back to the Discussion after the United Airlines Fiasco

April 20, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

When the media frenzy started about the passenger dragged off a recent overbooked United Airlines flight, I watched the video in horror, like many of you. And then – probably unlike many of you – instead of heading straight for my social media soapbox, I had a bit of the opposite reaction. I instead wanted instead to run away from the incident and bury my head in the sand.

But Lana, you say, you’re a travel blogger, surely your initial instinct should have been to weigh in.

Well, I think that to some extent, wanting to weigh in right away is exactly the problem with reactionary responses to viral videos and news. Of course, the available, partial information is presented in a certain light. Most people will then follow the lead of the media and have the expected reaction without taking the time for research and critical thought.

Like with all controversial situations, there is more than one side to the story. And not all facts come to light right away. What circulates initially on social media is one of those perspectives, but certainly not the only one.

But I digress. This all started way before the latest “injustice” making the rounds on social media.

Collectively, let’s all take a step back for a minute. Yes, you over there jumping up and down about how United Airlines is evil, this means you. Here I take what I’ll characterize as the logical, fact-based approach. Trying to get a full picture of what happened, and where to go from here.

For me, the bottom lines are as follows:

Were the actions taken by United on the right side of regulations currently in place? Unclear.
Was this good PR for United? Certainly not.
Was this good for United’s bottom line? No to this one as well.

Now, let’s break down each of these points.

#1 | What was the correct way to handle this situation based on regulations?

To reiterate the basic facts of what happened, this incident took place on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Louisville. After the passengers boarded, 4 United staff members who needed to get to Louisville arrived at the gate. Airline staff tried to get 4 volunteers for passengers to give up their seats, first by offering $400 in vouchers, then $800.

When no one took these offers, 4 passengers were chosen to deplane based on the airline’s algorithm. One passenger who was a doctor, David Dao, refused to give up his seat. He said he needed to see patients and couldn’t be delayed. Airline staff then called local airport security to remove this passenger. He resisted, and was dragged screaming up the aisle.

During this time Dr. Dao was injured and appears to have become unconscious. His injuries include a concussion, a broken nose, and two teeth that were knocked out. He was bloodied as he was dragged, and also when he arrived back on the plane a bit later disoriented. All taped by passengers, which you can see in this You Tube video.

I know, it’s horrifying. Horrifying to watch and equally horrifying to consider that the situation could have happened to any one of us. But just because it is graphic and scary, doesn’t mean that there is a clear right and wrong in terms of what should have occurred.

Honestly, the correct way for the airline to handle this particular situation is actually unclear, despite the many people claiming otherwise. On both sides of the argument.

United keeps pointing to its Contract of Carriage. Which is convenient, but despite being quite lengthy, actually does not specifically cover this situation. The Rule about “Denied Boarding Compensation” does just that – describes how to handle compensation for passengers who are not allowed to board the plane.

But what about passengers already on board? If they’re unruly or haven’t paid for their ticket or are intoxicated, or a bunch of other very specific scenarios, then Rule 21 about “Refusal of Transport” applies. You can be removed from the aircraft. By force, if necessary.

But if you don’t meet these conditions? Was it outside of the Contract of Carriage for flight attendants to contact security to forcibly remove Dr. Dao? This is where things get fuzzy.

It is unclear (or at least open to interpretation) as to whether Dr. Dao violated the Contract of Carriage. If he did, and failed to comply with crew member instructions, removal would be justified. If he didn’t, then he was within his passenger rights to keep his seat once he boarded and the airline had no grounds to remove him.

For a detailed legal analysis of the situation, a law professor from Cornell talks about the nuances of the situation. And you can read The Points Guy doing a bit of backtracking and arguing that the blame belongs on United.

However, many people have been quick to point out that traveling on an airplane is a bit of a different situation than many of the analogies being offered as to why United Airlines is in the wrong.

This is usually part of the safety briefing about “complying with all crew member instructions.” It sounds very serious. And it is, because you can be kicked off of a plane if you don’t.

At the end of the day, the safety of the crew and other passengers is dependent on everyone flying being able to follow crew member instructions.

As Mike Rowe noted in his passionate argument for all airline passengers complying with directives from flight attendants,“I don’t want to fly across the country in a steel tube filled with people who get to decide which rules they will follow and which they will ignore.” Fair enough.

Angelia of The Pilot Wife Life blog has a similar take, arguing for air safety for all. Especially as the wife of a pilot, and especially after past hijacking incidents (including September 11^th). As she noted:

“If a federal law enforcement officer asks me to exit a plane, no matter how royally pissed off I am, I’m going to do it and then seek other means of legal reimbursement. True story.”

And Angelia also pointed out the nuances of the must fly situation, in which a few members of airline staff must get to their destination to staff a flight. Because it is displacing a few people to keep hundreds more on track with their travel plans and also because it is federal regulation to do so.

Confused yet? You should be. The issue has a lot of complexities, and there is not a clear right and wrong in terms of the specific incident with Dr. Dao. I imagine that ultimately the courts will decide this one.

#2 | Was it good PR to select 4 passengers to deplane when no one volunteered? Absolutely not.

I think we can all agree here, with the subsequent backlash and bad publicity, United Airlines now has a huge public relations, or PR, challenge on its hands. Whether their actions were in the right or not is pretty irrelevant when it comes to customer perception.

Frankly, right now, whether it’s accurate or not, United is coming across as the evil company who cares more about its bottom line than its passengers.

First, from the airline staff booting confirmed and paying customers who had already boarded the plane, instead of paying for another way for those staff members to arrive in Louisville. And second, for capping the compensation offered for volunteers at $800, and not increasing it until they had identified 4 willing volunteers to deplane.

One of the interesting points here is that the compensation caps for the airlines were designed for enticing customers to voluntarily give up their seats before boarding. Game theory tells us that the perceived value of something is in fact higher after someone has taken ownership.

Irrational? Perhaps. But that is how the world works as is so expertly explained in this NPR overview on how game theory relates to airline booking.

As the article points out, the value people place on an item changes based on whether they have it yet. It may sound irrational, but that is how the human mind works apparently.

In the example in the article, a person might offer a price of $5 in the hypothetical of being asked to judge how much a coffee mug is worth. Once they’ve received the mug and you’re asking them to part with it? The “person is likely to want considerably more money, say $10. And, it’s the same thing with airplane seats.”

The monetary cap that is usually enough to get volunteers to give up their seats before boarding is unlikely to be enough once passengers are seated. And United should have taken this into account.

#3 | Was it good for United’s business and bottom line to remove these passengers? Don’t think so.

There was a market loss for United Airlines stock after the incident with Dr. Dao, and subsequent response by the United CEO. A #boycottunited effort is underway.

But I think the real unknown here in terms of how this will impact United’s bottom line is down the road. How this will impact future bookings and the company’s bottom line in the long-term?

How This Situation Could Have (Possibly) Been Avoided

Are there slight changes that would have possibly changed the outcome, and avoided the situation of Dr. Dao being forcibly removed from the flight? Probably.

A few thoughts on what might have led to a different outcome:

Airline staff showing up sooner (aka before boarding) to check in for a destination they needed to reach for work. Then United could have offered incentives or bumped passengers following the exact guidelines of their Contract of Carriage.
Other passengers volunteering to deplane, although if you read through the section of #2 above about game theory, this was less likely once passengers were already settled in their seats. Without substantially more enticement.
United staff requesting (and getting) approval from higher up the chain of command to offer a higher value of vouchers, or cash, for passengers willing to deplane.
Even though I think it’s questionable whether Dr. Dao was in violation of United’s Contract of Carriage and whether United had the right to remove a paying customer once he had boarded (see #1 above), when the request was made, had the passenger followed directions to deplane, despite feeling wronged in that moment. And then taken the issue up later with the airline.

But since we can’t travel back in time and change the outcome, instead of focusing on all of the “what ifs,” let’s look forward.

The Good News in All of This?

While it will probably take years for the courts and legal challenges around this specific incident to be sorted out, the good news is that airlines are enacting measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. American carriers are stepping up to alter or clarify existing policies, and adopt new ones to avoid another similar incident.

One of the contributing factors to the incident was that staff members who needed to fly to Louisville checked in at the counter after passengers had boarded. Which they were allowed to do per United Airlines policy at the time, up until the moment a plane left the gate.

In terms of United, the biggest change is that staff now has to check in at least 60 minutes before flight departure and no crew member can bump a passenger who has already boarded. Both key distinctions for how they will handle similar situations moving forward.

American Airlines has since updated the ‘Oversales’ section of its Contract of Carriage to state that “American will not involuntarily remove a revenue passenger who has already boarded in order to give a seat to another passenger.” Which wouldn’t actually cover a similar situation of airline staff who needed to fly, but is at least a start in clarifying what actions airline staff can take for passengers who’ve already boarded.

While United has not released whether it has placed a new monetary cap on compensation, Delta has announced higher caps on compensation amounts. Delta gate agents are now authorized to offer up to $2,000, and supervisors can offer much more if needed, up to $9,950.

Certainly it is up to the airline to decide when and how often it is worth paying very high monetary amounts to avoid incidents with passengers and save face publicly.

In general, airlines at pretty successful at enticing customers to volunteer. Of the approximately 500,000 people who were asked to give up their seats in the US last year, nearly 92% did so voluntarily. Only 40,000 of those were involuntarily bumped. And all of those passengers received compensation of some sort.

I imagine that in the long-term, the consistent policy of overbooking will be under review. Overbooking is designed to ensure a full airplane in most situations, since there are almost always some people who have bought tickets who will be delayed or cancel their flight at the last moment. This works most of the time.

Of course, the policy of overbooking usually makes the airline more money, but at some point the money or vouchers given to passenger volunteers will outweigh those other financial gains. Especially with a larger cap on compensation.

And I imagine whatever legal action Dr. Dao chooses to take may result in updated regulations for airlines and clearer rights for passengers who’ve purchased tickets.

Only time will tell…

Alright, folks, thanks for reading. I’ll get off my soapbox for the moment.

Now back to your regularly scheduled TSG travel inspiration, intel, and tips…

And happy travels!

Lana

Have you ever volunteered to give up your seat or been bumped involuntarily? How do *you* think the airlines should be addressing what happened? Are the new policies enough? I would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences in the Comments.