August 31, 2011
What do you do with a Jury Duty Summons when you know you’ll be out of town?
I’ve been called for both Federal and County jury duty multiple times. Each time I receive a date that I’m to report for jury duty, I already have travel plans for my business. I don’t mind serving as long as I’m in the state at the time requested. Since I travel more than 45 weeks each year, chances are I’ll be booked on a flight already.
If you’re served a Jury Summons and will be out of town, here are some actions to take:
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Random Thoughts, Travel |
August 30, 2011
Are you using a mobile navigation app? If so, which one? More importantly, does it work?
I have been using Navigon for my AT&T 3G iPhone for the past year, though a more correct statement is that I’ve been trying to use Navigon for the past year. It’s been hit or miss, with very few hits. Lately, all I get is the black screen of death saying “There is no GPS signal available” with reception never kicking in.
I really needed Navigon to work this weekend as I ventured into downtown Houston. With one-way streets and roads closed due to construction, I was going ’round and ’round trying to first find the Convention Center and then a nearby parking garage. This process repeated itself as I left the parking garage and had to find my way back to I-10. I made it, but with no help from Navigon.
Sure there can be issues with AT&T and my iPhone isn’t the latest model, but really – no GPS signal for 100 miles driven over 3 days?
Since I intend to upgrade my iPhone to the new model as soon as it’s out, what navigation app do you recommend (if any)?
Or are you going to tell me to turn into a guy so I don’t need to ask for directions!
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success … How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence,being published by Morgan James in 2011.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
August 29, 2011
If you’re scheduled for a business trip this week and it involves a flight to or from the Northeast, check out this post on Passenger rights when flights are canceled by MSNBC.com. It’s going to take several days before all flight schedules are back to normal after Hurricane Irene.
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com andPearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success … How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence,being published by Morgan James in 2011.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs |
August 26, 2011
I like maid service … every day. I like clean towels, a bed that’s made up, empty garbage cans and plenty of coffee.
So why did I hang the “Make a Green Choice” card outside my door on this visit to the Westin? I’d like to say it’s for the sole reason of “being green” and reducing the number of towels and sheets that need to be laundered, but that wouldn’t be the truth.
Here’s why the Green Choice card is dangling on the outside of my hotel room door:
- I want to try something different, get out of my comfort zone, and see how long I can deal with an un-maid room, and
- I’d like to see my SPG reward points grow a bit faster.
How am I doing?
Well, the sign wasn’t hanging outside my door today. Two days without maid service and I’m waving the white flag. I need my room cleaned!
I’ve been out of my comfortable zone long enough. It’s time to get this room back in ship-shape order.
A messy person I’m not, though I am spreading my stuff around the room more than normal since I’m not doing my morning pre-maid straightening up. When I return to my room in the evening, I feel let down that the hotel took my seriously about my “green choice.” I half-way expected my room to be magically cleaned up anyway.
Instead, here’s what my room looks like: Full garbage cans, no coffee bags and 3-day old towels. (Yes, I could’ve asked for more coffee or clean towels to be brought to my room but I wanted to do the full experiment.)
What have this experiment told me?
I tried something new. I survived. And I did reduce the amount of laundry to be washed. I also learned my limit –2 days of maid-free. And I recognized that I need a respite. Give me one day of maid service and I think I’ll be ready to do it again. I’m part-way through a ten night stay, so this happy medium may work out well – more reward points and more conserving of water – all good things.
What about you? Do you “do green” for green reasons? For points or money? Or do you prefer to not “do green” at all?
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success … How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence, being published by Morgan James in 2011.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Travel |
August 23, 2011
CAROL: This is Carol Margolis from SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com and I’m here at the Global Business Travel Association Meeting in Denver and about to go in to a session with Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Continental Holdings, Inc. There is picketing going on outside by United Pilots and Flight Attendants. I’m here with Garth Thompson, a pilot from United Airlines.
Garth, want to tell us why you’re out here and what your message is?
GARTH: Well certainly. Thanks for coming out to meet us. It’s been 15 months since United and Continental announced their merger and although the senior managers took large compensation increases immediately after the announcement, the rest of the employees have yet to receive a contract that covers the integrated workforce.
We’re out here to say that the foot dragging needs to stop, the buzzwords such as “working together”, “changing the culture” and these kind of things need to stop and we need to have earnest negotiations at the table.
CAROL: And how does this impact business travelers sitting behind you at the back of the bus?
GARTH: Well it never bodes well for a service industry to have labor disputes between management and worker bees, and it’s gotten pretty contentious and only promises to grow unless we see some movement at the table.
CAROL: So is there anything that we can help with as business travelers?
GARTH: Certainly. Jeff.Smisek@United.com is, I believe, our CEO’s email address. I would love for our most frequent flyers to send him a message today that he took care of himself, and now it’s time to take care of your employees.
CAROL: Garth, your message is getting across and you have an audience out here. Thanks for your input today.
GARTH: Thank you for your time.
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs, Travel |
August 20, 2011
… if you’re age 12 and under AND if you’re traveling through one of six airports, that is.
TSA launched a pilot program earlier this month where kids age 12 and under can leave their shoes on as they walk through the metal detector or body-imaging machine.
I learned this today as I was going through security at the Orlando airport. There are no signs announcing this. I happened to overhear a TSA agent telling this to a family of five as they entered the security line.
TSA will test the new procedures at select checkpoints at the following airports: Boston Logan International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Miami International, Orlando International, Houston (IAH) and Denver International.
This is a huge time-saver for parents, especially with so many families traveling out of Orlando after their visit to Disney World. I did read that the program is operating at the west security checkpoint at Orlando, not every security checkpoint. I went through security by United and Continental, so that may be the west security checkpoint (I’ve never seen a sign indicating the names of the security checkpoints either). This pilot program will continue until national results are tallied. If the results are positive, the program will be adapted at airports nationwide.
The new procedures also allow kids to pass through the machines more than once, if necessary, to determine the reason for any alarms. That should reduce, but not eliminate, pat-downs of children.
For more details, see Screening Pilot for Passengers 12 and Under at the TSA website.
Ah, to be 12 again -:)
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Travel |
August 12, 2011
There are now 191 airlines on Twitter, while only 179 airlines have loyalty programs according to Travel Daily News. Though the Pareto Principle applies here, as it does most things in life, with 30 airlines accounting for 84% of the tweets. Delta leads the pack by sending and receiving the most number of tweets. For some airlines, it seems as if their social media strategy includes having a Twitter account but not actually using it, as more than half of these accounts are infrequent posters.
What is all the tweeting about? Not surprisingly, 99.9% of the tweets are from consumers who have issues with customer service, timeliness, food and luggage. Only .1% of the tweeting is social conversation.
If you do need help from an airline and contact them via Twitter, be as detailed as possible and yet don’t expect an instant answer. For example, if you have a flight delay issue where you need help rebooking a connecting flight, tweet your request, flight number and reservation number to the airline. The airline can possibly help via a tweet if they have facts as compared to “this airline sucks and I’m never flying them again!”
Since each airline has their own strategy for social media and staffing thereof, responses to a similar request to each airline will have different responses. Thus, always have an alternative plan for communication for dealing with immediate flight needs or questions. (Keep your airline’s toll-free customer service number in your phone for this very reason.)
Here are some of the airline Twitter names:
@AmericanAir
@Continental
@DeltaAssist
@JetBlue
@SouthwestAir
@United
@USAirways
@Virgin America
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Travel |
August 9, 2011
This morning at Orlando International Airport TSA gave me the finger — that come hither finger (no, not that other finger signal!) signaling that I was selected to go through the Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) unit (aka the “full-body scanner”). Since these machines have been put into operation, I have gone through them numerous times, with a miniscule fear that the radiation emitted would pose a health risk. To me, this was preferable to the full body pat-down alternative.
Back in March, USA Today reported that the TSA would be re-testing airport body scanners for radiation after they found maintenance records for some of the machines showed radiation levels ten times higher than expected. TSA said these records reflected math mistakes and that the machines passed all inspections. My miniscule fear grew. I’ve since tried to avert these machines by using lanes that have a regular x-ray machine (much less radiation here, right? Please say yes!).
Then today I read this article on Radiation Overdose at the Airport reporting that “A large number of workers have been falling victim to cancer, strokes and heart disease.” This got my fear ball growing.
Just how far does this radiation reach? Could people standing in the nearby x-ray lane, just a few feet away, be affected by this radiation, as well? What is the cumulative impact of going through (and standing near) these machines? Add to that the radiation we’re exposed to by flying on a plane and then what does the impact of radiation look like?
While I await scientific answers to the above, I’ll be more attentive to what security lane I enter. I’ll be looking for a lane where the full body scanner isn’t in operation and thus will get the regular x-ray lane by default. If a regular x-ray machine is abutting a full-body scanner lane, I’ll head to the x-ray lane and keep my conversation to myself.
I think what got me the ‘come hither finger’ today was that I said a friendly Good Morning to the TSA Agent standing at the entrance of the full body scanner. When our eyes met, ‘the finger’ came next!
Here’s a recap of your options to avoid the full body scanner:
- Opt out of the scanner and submit to a full body pat-down;
- Be vigilant in getting into security lanes with the old-style x-ray machines;
- Avoid flying and instead take a car, a bus, a train, a boat, or charter a private plane
And watch out for the ‘come hither finger!’
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Health, Travel |
