Blame President Obama for the Delays in Air Traffic

The sequester was his idea after all.  Obama in one of the egregious examples of poorly thought out solutions, wanted to increase taxes and a higher debt cap but didn't want to cut anything from the budget.  Well of course the Republicans wasn't going to allow the increases without cutting so what did Obama do, he proposed the sequester.  The Republicans agreed to it and this is how we end up with all these flight delays.  And it doesn't have to be this way.  Obama had sent out a missive to all the agencies that when it comes to the furlough, they were to make it as painful as possible.  It's ridiculous.  The sequester is basically a 5% over a ten year period.  This was done to lower our debt by 1 billion dollars.  Well guess what, under Obama, the government has overspent one billion dollars each year for the last three years.  So whatever the sequester was designed to do in lowering the national debt, the Obama administration has made sure that the debt has increased.  It's all politics and every traveler out there should let the Obama administration know that this sort of nastiness from the supposed leader of our country would make things difficult for us so that he can make a point.  Go to the White House website and make your displeasure known.

How to Fly First Class -- Cheap!

I like to get a good bargain when I travel, who doesn’t? Now that the airlines have reduced their capacity so that there are fewer flights, the airplane seems more congested than ever. But there are ways to still enjoy a free first class or business class upgrade inexpensively.

Travel on Saturday to get an inexpensive upgrade to Business or First Class. Saturday flights are slow travel days and that’s basically because there are no businesspeople flying. It’s usually the businesspeople who accumulate a lot of frequent flyer miles and often get an upgrade to First Class as a reward. But on Saturday, they are home enjoying a late day, and It’s those Saturday flights when first class upgrades are available for a ridiculous price. I flew from Cancun to Atlanta on AirTran and upgraded to Business Class for only $69 for a 1 ½ hour trip. That seat would have cost five times that much if I had bought in advance. What did I get for that $69? A much roomier, cushier seat, alcoholic drinks and really good snacks. By the time I got to Atlanta, I was very happy all the way through customs. If your flight is two hours or longer with some airlines, you even get a meal. Granted, it might cost you more than $69, but that Business/First Class seat again would have cost you five times as much as your coach fare.

Avoid the Baggage Fees

Also, do you have at least two bags that you need to check in? Then it might be a good buy to pay extra for the first class upgrade. For most airlines, a first class seat entitles you to two free bags. Currently most airlines charge $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second bag. If you buy a first class upgrade at $100, then that upgrade helped you to save $60 on your bags or if you want to look at it another way, that first class seat only cost you an extra $40. Also, if your trip consists of a connection, it might be worthwhile to pay a first class upgrade on one part of the trip so that you still get your bags free.

Use one frequent flyer membership for the whole family so you can accumulate miles faster and get benefits. If you are a family of four, it doesn’t make sense to have four frequent flyer numbers if three of you don’t travel as much. Consolidate all your frequent flyer miles on one membership so that you attain an elite level and get a free upgrade faster. As an elite member you are usually allowed to have one free companion accorded the same benefits as the elite member.

Choose the frequent flyer program that has the airlines that you fly frequently in order to attain a level to get free upgrades. If most of your flying is done on United, Lufthansa, and US Airways then use the Star Alliance Program. If you fly on American Airlines and British Airways then be a member of the One World Program.

Check and see whether it’s inexpensive to buy the miles so that you can get your upgrade sooner. Depending on how many miles you have already accumulated, buying miles might be cheaper than buying that Business/First Class seat.

Grab Airfare Bargains When You Spot Them!

Airfarewatchdog(TM), the most inclusive source of airfare deals, researched and verified by experts, today urged travelers to not panic about media reports claiming that expensive airfares will be commonplace during peak holiday travel this year. The site's founder, George Hobica, notes, "Some routes, especially those served by a large number of airlines, have experienced wide fluctuations in price, and not just in the up direction."

Airfarewatchdog found fares from Newark to San Francisco, departing the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and returning the Sunday after, for over $600 round-trip including taxes. Two days later, seats could be had for $389 round-trip with taxes and two days after that, fares had begun to climb again.

To find a holiday airfare bargain, Hobica also suggests that travelers:

•Check fares every day, several times a day, and when travelers see a fare they can afford or consider reasonable - grab it.
•Don't hesitate to book a fare if they find a peak holiday airfare for long haul routes under $400 round-trip with tax, or under $300 on shorter haul routes.
•Fly airlines that give full "fare drop" refunds. Three airlines--Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska--will refund the difference in full if a fare goes down between the time they buy and the time they fly. Refunds are in the form of a credit good for future travel; other airlines offer refunds, but deduct $100 to $150 from any money due, often wiping out any savings.
•Check airline sites directly, since airlines don't always share their entire seat inventory with third party search and aggregator sites.

Source: PRNewswire

Don't forget to use deodorant!

With the weak economy and fewer business travel warriors roaming the skies, the airlines have been forced to reduce capacity either by reducing the number of flights and/or downsizing the planes. What this means is that there are fewer empty seats on each flight and more passengers are being forced to get cozy with each other. It is more important than ever to be thoughtful of your fellow passenger by observing the rules of good hygiene.

1. Eliminate as much body odor as possible. This can really be done effectively by taking showers regularly and using deodorant. Now there are some individuals who feel that a body's natural aroma should not be denied; you must be European, feel free to use European airlines such as Lufthansa or British Airways and so forth. However if you are flying on an American airline, you should follow American hygiene practices. Your American seatmates will thank you for it. Otherwise, trade seats with an American who is sitting with a European and everybody will be happier.
2. If you use perfume, cologne, after shave, eau de toilette etc. use a scent that is not overpowering and use it sparingly. Less is more in this case.
3. Control your halitosis (aka bad breath). Always have a supply of minty tasting gum or breath mints.
4. Watch what you eat before your flight; try not to have anything garlicky or any strong smelling spice. I myself love garlic. Life without garlic is a life without flavor, but I don't want people to know what I had for lunch and I'm not interested in what other people had for lunch either.
5. Before your flight, don't eat anything that will cause you gas. You'll have to expel it either through the front door or the back door, either way, it is rude. It's always a good idea to have tissues with you to discreetly burp. If you feel a fart coming, please hold it until you get to the bathroom.

Of course the above is just a starting point. Anything you want to add I'll consider to the above list.