Airport Parking Site

by Adrienne Wilson on

If you happen to be one of the few that has extra time to check out one last thing before heading off to the airport, perhaps you’d like to look into the airport parking low-down. I can tell you now, this probably isn’t a site for me only because I don’t drive to the airport too often and leave my car and after three-times checking for all my toiletries, underwear, and weather conditions in my final destination I don’t need another thing to check before checking in! Someone out there completely opposite of me needs this, I know and for that reason I pass onto you my discovery as found on Geeky Traveller.

About Airport Parking dot com lets both business and vacation travelers check the status of airport parking in over 400 American airports before driving out. When you first click onto the site you’ll notice a list of the country’s more popular airports with the current airport status. Click on the tab marked find parking and it will take you to a list of parking facilities located around the airport and includes the day rate. Click further to get a Google map to help you to the destination before the destination prior to your final destination. It’s just that easy, should you have the time.

Flying on the Busiest Day of the Year

by Adrienne Wilson on

Philadelphia watch out! I’m going to be famous! Okay, not really famous, but maybe famous for thirty seconds or so… After shuffling off my flight from Tampa, FL, I made way down to baggage claim where I noticed the news folks out and about with their cameras ready to make some news. First they nabbed a mother of one (easy target) and probed her on today’s flying situation. Being a mother of what looked to be a well behaved child I imagine she still had some minor complaints, but that’s just my thinking negatively. Perhaps all went well, maybe TSA didn’t give her any grief – what do I know? Anyhow, almost immediately after I ended my phone call I became prey to Philly’s Channel 6 News crew.

First they kindly asked for my name which I thought Adrienne was enough, but apparently the full government name was in need so I disclosed my last name, but only after requesting some I.D. (I kid.) Once the formal introductions were said and done it was time to spill the beans. They asked what flying on the busiest day of the year was like and my summary went something like this:

Adrienne: Um, well flying out of Tampa wasn’t that bad. The security lines were a little longer than any other day, but they were handing out the little plastic baggies and all went smoothly.

News Reporter: (Laughs) So the little baggies helped? Everything was operating well?

Adrienne: Coming out of Tampa, FL I’d say so…

New Reporter: Well that’s great! Thank you for your time.

Exciting stuff, eh? In all honesty that’s the way things went for me this morning. I got there a bit early, waited in line, played the dress-up game with security, took out my lap-top and wished all happy holidays. I did without any liquids, gels and other suspicious items this time so I didn’t even need the free plastic baggies they were passing out. Sigh… Now I assume there will be similar stories to mine, but was flying for anyone else pure hell today? In the event you didn’t get interviewed by the local news crew consider this an exclusive opportunity from Gadling to share your comments, rants, complaints or fuzzy feelings about flying during the holidays!

This is Adrienne Wilson reporting from the Philadelphia International Airport.

TSA Thief Red-Handed and Arrested

by Adrienne Wilson on

While a few days old now, this news on TSA theft comes out of Milwaukee where a TSA employee was caught red-handed and arrested for guess what – stealing. Apparently times must have gotten hard for the 26-year-old woman, an employee for the Transportation Security Administration for four years who is now out on bail. The incident occurred at Mitchell International Airport while the woman was screening carry-on luggage at Concourse D. A co-worker, who spotted her taking money from a passenger’s wallet and stashing it behind a magazine rack rightfully snitched and investigators, went in for the kill.

How much money did they find? $235 behind the magazine rack and only $20 had come from the wallet that was seen being pick-pocketed. As mentioned earlier and according to the Milwaukee Channel news piece, the TSA thief is out of jail on $200 bail. Now, what is this news telling the good traveling citizens of America? Here are some of my thoughts: First, $200 bail is not justice and probably doesn’t come close to what the suspect may have possibly stolen in the past. Second, watch your check-in, your carry-on and your back now folks. If someone could be so bold to take your money during the screening process they’re bound to come snatch the shirt from your very back.

Oh, where will it end?

A TSA spokeswoman told the local news that only 1% of those who have donned the TSA uniform since August 2002 have been removed from employment for theft. 1% of the 80,000 = 800 and is still far too many for my comfort level, how about you?

via Jaunted

Teeny Tiny Airport Finds

by Adrienne Wilson on

Normally, I wouldn’t post such a rambling blurb on all the small discoveries to be found in the airport, but sometimes they either really amaze me or really annoy me. On my trip into Philly this past week I had the opportunity to go thru three airports I had never seen before. Surprisingly one of those cities was Philadelphia’s Intl’ Airport and the other two: Detroit and Indianapolis. (Note: Routing like such occurs when you buy a ticket the night before your flight.)

So now, once I passed through TSA and made sure that all my glosses and lipsticks were safely stored in my check-in luggage, I took the little time left to explore these exotic airports. Detroit’s shocked me! I was very impressed with their terminals, tram and the food selection to be sampled on a long layover. What I did not like was hiding in the women’s restroom. Who on Earth thinks that everything automatic and hands-off or free is a good idea? First it was the faucets and now it is the soap. Here are a couple of observations with this automatic-soap-dispensing-business: Either it works or it doesn’t. It’s like once it gets started there’s no stopping it and who knows how much soap was wasted. The same applies for Philadelphia’s restrooms. Am I alone here or does the automatic soap bug anyone else?

On the cooler side of things, I found Indianapolis has neat iPod vending machines. If you haven’t gotten one yet or are in need of accessories you can swipe your card and wa-la! You’ve got yourself a hip piece of modern technology all without having to go through the trouble of purchasing with a human being.

Okay, that went longer than I thought, but if you’ve got any airport finds from anywhere please share. I’m easy to entertain.

Effects of Terrorism – New Airline Restrictions

by Adrienne Wilson on

Ugh, it’s Friday evening and here I am riding the bandwagon by putting my teeny blog piece on the possible long lasting new airline restrictions in place at the moment into the blogosphere. Before the month end I’ve got a few airports to fly in and out of and I’m already dreading the process. Double UGH! What it must be like for the real Road Warriors/Business travelers out there, I don’t ever want to imagine, but reading this CNN article takes you there, man.

By this time we’ve all probably heard the no liquids, no beverages, no lotions and no hair gel restrictions, but how much further will it go? A friend of mine flying back home from Europe tomorrow tells me they won’t be allowed to take any carry-on luggage on the plane at all. What a nightmare! Think if they really were to keep a restriction like no carry-on luggage in place for a while. Longer waits at baggage claim would only be the beginning.

Anybody out there just getting in or out of an airport with all this commotion happening? If so, tell us what airport did you flew through and what the situation was like.