http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons This is the podcast giving the voice of the traveler, it\'s more about the journey than the destination. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:27:33 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Ponemon Institute claims that over 12,000 laptops are lost every week in US airports, two-thirds of which are never recovered.  In research sponsored by Dell Computer, which used the study's findings as a key selling point for their new laptop tracking and recovery service, Ponemon surveyed airport officials at ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/07/06/12000-laptops-lost-in-airports-every-week-hmmm/ Today's Chicago Tribune gave front page coverage to a US Department of Transportation consumer forum on air travel. The story's title, You Are Now Free To Take A Flying Leap, says it all. The reporter's conclusion is disheartening realistic -- "airline passengers received an unapologetic warning at the ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/06/26/in-case-you-thought-it-would-change-anytime-soon/ I've re-uploaded Podcast #65 correcting an editing error. For some reason, Adobe Audition slid the TSA Theme Song clip forward (couldn't have been user error). For those wanting to listen to the Bar & Grille Singers' masterpiece uninterrupted, here's a direct link to the podcast file. Thanks ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/06/23/corrected-podcast-65-posted/ Recorded in the TravelCommons studios outside of Chicago after taking a month's break. We see if there's anything to the TSA's recent attempts to reduce security line waits -- the Clear Registered Traveler and the Diamond Lane Self-Select programs. We also take a look at Southwest's attempts to attract ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/06/21/podcast-65-new-ways-to-the-front-of-the-line-southwest-skips-nickel-dimes/ I've had first hand experience with a couple of the TSA's recent attempts to provide an "overall increase in throughput" -- the Registered Traveler program and the Diamond Lane Self-Select program. To save you the suspense, neither is going to create a sudden outpouring of love for the TSA. As ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/05/27/jumping-the-line-using-clear-registered-traveler-and-diamond-lane-self-select/ Finally recorded in the Brooklyn Marriott in New York after hauling my recording gear across the Atlantic to Amsterdam, over to Minneapolis, and finally to New York. In this episode, a number of listeners comment on airport security, we talk about breaking out of the "travel bubble" that insulates so ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/04/29/podcast-64-escaping-the-travel-bubble-marks-travel-tips/ Gearing up for the 3rd anniversary of TravelCommons next month, here's a link to the first "greatest hits" episode -- the Best of TravelCommons 2005. Listening to it again after a couple of years, the medley of hotel bathrooms is a chuckle, but the the travel story excerpts is ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/04/07/flash-from-the-past-best-of-2005/ Recorded in the TravelCommons studios outside of Chicago after a week of skiing in Colorado. In this episode, we talk about some of the difficulties faced by today's frequent travelers. A listener gives a blow-by-blow account of the myriad of lines he faced trying to get home from ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/03/30/podcast-63-the-733-mile-stare-tsa-cant-help-themselves/ It wasn't that bad a day -- for LaGuardia. Some strong gusts of winds in the morning resulted in two-hour departure delays by the end of the day. I had snagged a rare first-class upgrade on the 7pm flight back to O'Hare, but when I got to LaGuardia ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/03/08/a-head-hanging-day/ Recorded in the Newark Liberty Airport Marriott in scenic Newark, NJ. We cover a lot of ground in this episode -- why business travel and Disney resorts don't mix, some choices that can make our personal air travel a bit greener, my experience with Southwest Airline's new Business Select program, ... http://boardingarea.com/blogs/travelcommons/2008/02/28/podcast-62-flying-green-evolution-of-connectivity-return-of-the-travel-agent/