U.S. Airports Just Now Installing Charging Stations?

by Justin Glow on

I was reading this story over at Yahoo about U.S. airports installing electric charging stations to “bring precious energy more conveniently to millions of travelers who rely on a plethora of battery-powered devices.” Hmm, I thought… that sounds familiar. And then I remembered why.

When I was in India, there wasn’t a single airport I visited that didn’t have something like this. These were the same airports that had dogs running around on the tarmac, and women in saris perched several stories high on bamboo scaffolding to repair a broken P.A. speaker. Point being, these were most definitely NOT high-tech airports, yet they had the same power options that American airports are just getting around to installing. I wonder why that is?

I browsed around my photo collection, but unfortunately could only find a shot of a “facility for charging mobile phones,” which is pictured above. This was taken at the domestic airport in Mumbai.

So what’s been your experience with power options in U.S. airports? Good or bad? Personally, I’ve never had a problem — domestically or otherwise — finding an outlet to use, whether it was part of a charging kiosk or otherwise.

Clear Traveler: Register for a Fast Pass Through Airport Security

by Jamie Rhein on

Willy wrote about the Clear Registered Traveler Program in February, but last week when I heard yet another story about someone who keeps getting pulled in for hours of questioning because of his name, I wondered if this pass might help fix that situation.

Let’s say you’re one of those people whose names (or looks) gets you stopped for hours of questioning each time you meet up with airport security. Maybe your name is on the No-Fly list. Or perhaps, airport security moves too darned slowly for your tastes–you’re a frequent traveler, and if you were paid for the hours you’ve waited in airport lines, you’d be a rich person.

As Willy wrote, the Clear Registered Traveler Program serves as an early security check-point that, once you’ve been approved and pay your membership fee, you get to breeze through the subscriber security line at the airport using your Clear pass. Here’s a recap of how it works. First, you go through a background check for TSA approval, and once you are found to be a-okay, you’re issued a card that has your encrypted fingerprint image or an iris scan. This is not a through the mail process, but involves an in-person visit.

At the airport, you insert your card into a kiosk that reads it and matches the card with your fingerprint when you put your finger on the scanner. Once cleared, you get a clearance stamp that shows TSA you are good to go. You and your baggage still have to go through TSA screening, but I assume this is faster? Otherwise, what’s the darned pass for? Still, it does sound very James Bondy or something. This is biometrics, baby.

Not all airports have this service, but the list is growing. Clear security lanes in La Guardia in New York are the lastest ones–they were to open this month.

The membership fee runs about $100 per year. Here’s the link for how to join. If your security status changes, your membership is revoked. By, the way, I’m not sure if this would work if your name is on the No Fly List even though you are not the person who is the security threat, but a person who has the same name.

10 tips for smarter flying


TSA Pours Out Coffee, Ignores Boxcutter

by Justin Glow on

Remember the pudding incident? Another BoingBoing reader had a similar experience — this time, Shannon Larratt‘s girlfriend forgot she had a boxcutter in her purse, but the TSA didn’t notice/care. They were more interested in throwing away the cup of coffee she had just purchased at the terminal cafe.

What’s scary is this probably happens pretty regularly, but not everyone thinks to sneak off to the airplane bathroom and snap a photo of the incriminating device. One commenter writes,

“I’ve done the same thing a half dozen times. I use my mess bag both for biking and travel, and I’ve at times forgotten to thoroughly de-terrorize it. I’ve been let on planes with an assortment of knives, bike tools and folding tools, no problems.”

What I’d like to know is if a passenger or flight attendant somehow finds out that there’s a boxcutter on the plane, whose fault is it? The person who accidentally forgot it was in their purse, or the TSA official who didn’t notice it?

Larry Craig’s Infamous Bathroom Stall a Tourist Destination

by Catherine Bodry on

Airports may be scrambling to entertain delayed passengers with art galleries and primo shopping, but the Minneapolis airport has something none of the others do — the bathroom stall where U.S. Senator Larry Craig was arrested for his toe-tapping shenanigans.

Reuters reports that the bathroom has been drawing crowds of photo-snapping tourists. “It’s been crazy,” says one shop owner. “People have been going inside, taking pictures of the stall, taking pictures outside the bathroom door.” I imagine that many feet have been photographed peeking out from under the stall as well, in a reenactment of the events leading to the Idaho Republican’s June 11 sex-sting arrest.

If you’d like to make a pit stop at the infamous stall, you’ll find it by the Lottery shop, right next to the shoeshine shop.

Rent Baby Gear on Your Next Trip for Easier Packing

by Jamie Rhein on

We traveled with my son from India to Thailand when he was three months old. This wasn’t his first trip, but it was his first international one. Along with us came his car seat carrier, baby stroller, baby sling, and diaper bag. He slept with us, so that took care of the where to let him sleep. We stacked pillows around him whenever he was in bed alone. The baby stroller was also handy for transporting our own personal items through the airport and up to the gate. Strollers are hand-loaded onto an airplane and since you get it back as soon as you land, it’s mighty handy to have one.

There were times on other trips when we lugged along a portable playpen, but he really never used it. I can’t recall why not, but bringing it turned out to be a waste of energy and space. Probably because he never used it at home either, so why would he use it elsewhere? The what to bring along when traveling with a baby can be a stumbling block for folks whose child needs certain items to feel comfortable in an unfamiliar environment. I too pondered this before every trip away from home.

To help people who want to travel with their young ones, but hesitate with the thought of the stuff they could be dragging along, there are companies who are offer solutions. (see article). Baby’s Away rents out full-size cribs and stuff like ExerSaucers. The Traveling Baby Company rents high end strollers, baby bathtubs, car seats, baby monitors etc. You can also order stuff like baby food and supplies to have on hand when you arrive at your destination.When visiting friends and relatives, having a crib readily available could come in handy–it actually isn’t a bad idea to have some food at the other end too. Not that you can’t get any, but to not have all those jars to pack sounds divine. When traveling in some parts of the world, commercial baby food just seems a safer bet.

This summer was the first time we drove to New York without the jogging stroller. It was always such a pain to pack. Trying to keep the wheels from tumbling out each time the hatch of the station wagon was opened and closed was an issue. I can see how it might have saved us some grief if we could have rented a stroller for the few times we actually used it. As far as renting a car seat goes, since you can carry them to the gate and have them hand put on at no extra charge, I’m not sure why a person would rent one, unless you are one person traveling with a child and can’t manage to carry it too. I could be dense, though, and just not get it.

The photo by Six Continents Chick on Flickr shows what traveling with three adults and one infant can look like in the stuff catgory. Read the description and you’ll see what I mean.