The MacroLuggage Blog » 2007

January 15, 2007

Luggage Buying Guide

Having the right luggage can make or break any trip, whether it’s for business or pleasure. Don’t get caught holding the wrong bag. Use the following as a guide when buying your next set of luggage. First I’ll touch on small luggage choices.

Carry-on luggage: Carry-on luggage is small enough to be easily carried in one hand and to stow under your seat on an airplane or the floorboard of your car. They usually measure around 20” give or take a couple inches. Carry-on luggage is available in hard, semi-soft, or soft varieties.

Duffle bags: Duffle bags are soft-sided bags, usually elongated in shape. They will carry a lot of clothes and other travel items. They can get heavy when full, so be sure to get a duffle bag with handles and wheels for easier travel.

Garment bags: Garment bags are used to pack suits, dresses, and other special clothing items on hangers, so they stay in reasonably good condition while traveling, free of wrinkles and such. Garment Bags are available in a variety of sizes, from 40” to 60” lengths, garment bags can usually carry up to four items.

Backpacks: Backpacks are designed for more casual traveling, camping, and other outdoor trips. They are perfect for those who want to pack light. They can have several pockets for small items, and are usually very comfortable to carry.

Briefcases: Business cases can hold your laptop, important documents, and various other small items.

January 15th 2007 Posted to Getting Ready to Travel, Luggage Tips

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January 12, 2007

How To Put Your Stuff In Your Luggage

So you have the luggage and you have your tickets, how do you get ready to go?

Whatever you pack your gear in, be sure to clearly tag your luggage on the outside with your name, address, and phone number. (You might want to use a business address or PO Box instead of your home address.) Also put a piece of paper inside with the same information, in case the tag gets stripped off.

If you are traveling internationally, you should pack your own gear, then either lock it or keep it close to you at all times. If someone else packs your gear or you are separated from it, the best that could happen is that the airline will grill you about your luggage and possibly go through it. The worst that can happen is your airplane exploding from a bomb you inadvertently brought on.

Organizing The Space
You will undoubtedly want to organize the space in your luggage so that items are easily accessible once you get to your destination. Plastic Bags are Your Friends when it comes to this. You can pack your undies in one bag, your socks in another, your toiletries in another, and so on. (Don’t forget to pack an extra bag for your dirty laundry!)

Avoiding Wrinkles
My former neighbor tells me that the best way to avoid wrinkling suits is to roll them up carefully, then put them in a plastic bag.

Avoiding Breakages
If you are traveling with anything breakable, surround it with soft and squishy items. Put your CD player inside a plastic bag, then put it inside a plastic bag filled with your socks. Put your Listerine bottle inside your one of your boots.

You might also want to put your breakable item inside a cardboard box stuffed with foam or packing “peanuts”, then putting that box inside your suitcase.

The best way to avoid breakage is to take the item as carry-on, if possible.

Maximizing Space Utilization
If you are having trouble fitting everything in, look for ways to use nooks and crannies. Fill the area around books with socks. Put your modem cables inside your shoes.

Also, you can cheat a little bit on the carry-on. Wear your jacket on the plane instead of putting it in your suitcase. (This is not a bad idea anyways, since airplanes are frequently cold.) Put your toothpaste, earrings, modem, or even a few pairs of underwear in your coat pockets.

January 12th 2007 Posted to Getting Ready to Travel, Luggage Tips

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Airlines - The Best and the Worst

Few would dispute that managing an airline is a far more complex endeavor than running a hotel and or car rental company. Notwithstanding, major US airlines have perennially been plagued by weak management, and levels of service are widely considered to be average-at best.

* Southwest has demonstrated that an airline can consistently meet the expectations of the customer and be profitable at the same time. Of course, that may be true because the expectations of Southwest customers are not as lofty as executive travelers paying thousands of dollars for the “privilege” of flying business class on British Airways. Southwest Airlines is hardly upscale-no preassigned seating or first class cabin, and no elite status recognition programs for frequent flyers, who must stand in line (sometimes very long lines!) alongside the once-in-a-decade leisure traveler. Southwest simply promises to get the passenger from Point A to Point B for the least amount of money possible with friendly (and sometimes funny) flight attendants and a consistently good on-time record. They do have an excellent customer service department, which will respond favorably to customer complaints provided the problem is legitimate and reasonable.

* JetBlue is emerging as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to competing against Southwest. While JetBlue’s prices rival those of Southwest, it does offer preassigned seating, and every seat has a TV monitor hooked onto network television via an on-board satellite antenna.

* Perhaps the best kept secret among domestic travelers seeking first class comfort at coach prices is the “not-so-little airline that could”-Midwest Airlines. Midwest Airlines gets rave reviews, operating as a financially stable scheduled carrier to all major US cities from its hub in Milwaukee. Every seat is leather and as wide as other airlines’ first class seats, all offered at coach prices. Unfortunately, Midwest Airlines does not fly outside the US, although miles accrued in their frequent flyer program can be redeemed for tickets on American and Jamaica Airlines.

* Continental Airlines has received widespread praise for its turnaround over the past few years, but the airline’s staff often exudes an arrogance not merited by the mediocrity of service provided. Letters of complaint rarely elicit an appropriate response-and sometimes receive no response at all. Continental provides few extra benefits for its most loyal elite frequent flyers; for example, the airline makes no attempt to block the middle seat for elite flyers, exhibits a general rudeness towards very frequent flyers asking for seating assistance, and makes it almost impossible to redeem frequent flyer miles, even when reservations are made over six months in advance. The only benefit for Continental’s most loyal elite customers is the possibility of receiving a free upgrade, and even that depends on the fare paid and route flown.

by Theo Brandt-Sarif of Travelexpert.com

January 12th 2007 Posted to Getting Ready to Travel, Foreign Travel, Domestic Travel

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Tips for Traveling Abroad

If you are traveling abroad here are the top 10 tips you need to make your trip easier:

1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport!

2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit.

3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, the U.S. Constitution does not follow you! While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.

4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives. Carry the other with you in a separate place from your passport.

5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.

7. Prior to your departure, you should register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website . Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts may not be released without your express authorization. Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other citizenship documents with a friend or relative in the United States.

8. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards.

9. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.

10. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest U.S. embassy.

from the U.S. Department of State website

January 12th 2007 Posted to Getting Ready to Travel, Foreign Travel, Security Issues, Tourism

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