RSSFeb|28|2010
Aviation Safety and the Power Distance Index (PDI)
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips, Transport, Trivia
People often choose airlines based on ticket prices, service, perks and safety. When it comes to the first three factors people often base their decisions on research and actual experience. You can after all easily compare fares just by surfing online or asking your travel agency for quotations. Service and perks are also really easy to judge once you’ve flown in different airlines. What is harder to research though is safety records. Sure airlines have safety records that can be accessed publicly. Those with good safety records even advertise their record to encourage passengers to choose their airlines. However, what people don’t usually consider when choosing a flight is a factor called Power Distance Index (PDI).
Power Distance Index and its effect on aviation safety was discussed by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers“. There he explained why a plane manned by a …
Jan|10|2010
Make Airport Security Checks Less Painful
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips, Transport
Flying is not always everyone’s number one choice when it comes to traveling. We have to admit, though, that in many cases, it is the most efficient way of traveling – that is, if you don’t get high blood pressure during the security check. In order to avoid this headache, prepare yourself (in all aspects!) before you fly.
Prepare yourself mentally. Tight security means longer waits. It also means you having to put up with pat downs, open bags, taking your shoes off, and more. Even before you leave for the airport, get yourself mentally ready for this. Your attitude will make a whole lot of difference!
Prepare your bags in such a way that you’ll find it easy to open and close them. As much as possible, bring one bag. If you …
Dec|29|2009
Sitting Atop Someone’s Shoulders: A Caramoan Experience
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Transport, Travelogger
It’s my second day in Caramoan, and I have to say that I am feeling a varied mix of emotions. The trip didn’t start off so well, thanks to my not getting any sleep the night before. It didn’t help that the plane we took was smaller than I am used to. The flight was uneventful, though, and I slept through it.
Getting to La Playa Resort is not an easy task, I am telling you now. From the airport, you have to get to the Filcab terminal in Naga City. Airport cabs will charge you 200-300 PHP. If you want them to take you directly to Sabang Port, you’d have to shell out 1000-1500PHP. Naturally, we took the Filcab alternative. That cost us 200PHP for the cab and then 90PHP for the public van to the port.
At the port, everything was chaotic. …
Nov|20|2009
Last Minute Thanksgiving Travel MUSTS
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips, Transport, United States
One more week and the turkey holiday will be here. I know that many of you have already made plans, and some may already have had a head start. If you belong to the other group – those who are more “flexible” and who like winging it – try taking a look at these MUSTS. They might just help you have a more pleasant Thanksgiving travel experience.
Lots of luggage? Why not use a courier service? Not many people go this route when traveling, but if you think about how much the airlines charge for baggage these days, it might be cheaper to just send your bags to your destination ahead of time. This is even more appropriate for big families who have LOTS of things to lug along. Send your bags three days ahead …
Oct|26|2009
Book Your Holiday Travel Tickets NOW
Posted by Noemi as Tips, Transport, United States
The holidays are just around the corner and I am pretty sure that a lot of you haven’t bought your tickets yet – if you’re traveling, that is. If you have travel plans for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, then you really shouldn’t wait any longer to purchase your tickets. Why?
Here’s another bulletin from travel experts – after this weekend, you will be hard pressed to find fares that are reasonable and your chances of getting seats on the flight that you want will be very very low. This, obviously, is about Thanksgiving travel.
How about Christmas travel? You have about until November 10 or 15 to book your tickets for that holiday. After that, the same thing applies.
You may be thinking that you might be able to get your hands on some cheap tickets at the last minute. …
Oct|18|2009
How To Get Holiday Travel Deals
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips, Transport, Trends
I was watching the news earlier and they had this travel editor from Virtual Tourist as the guest. His predictions about holiday travel were not good – he said that it is unlikely that airfares would go down for Christmas, so it is a good idea to book now. That got me thinking about looking for more holiday travel tips. After all, everyone could use some savings these days. Here are some of the best tips I found.
I’ll be home for Thanksgiving…
…rather than Christmas, that is. The travel editor seems to be right. If you look at various web sites, you’ll find that the ticket prices for Christmas travel are considerably higher than the prices for Thanksgiving travel. If I were you, I’d consider going home for the turkey holiday.
Be flexible!
If you have already …
Aug|22|2009
Traveling To Cuba
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Destinations, Tips, Transport
Previously, I wrote about the excitement being felt in the US travel sector due to the possibility of leisurely travel to Cuba. Unfortunately, it seems that a reader took things the wrong way – sorry about that. Jumping on a plane “to look at the poor suffering people in Cuba up close (as if you are visiting a circus)” is definitely NOT what I have in mind.
In any case, I have been doing my homework and looking at tips for traveling to Cuba. I found a very informative site called Go Cuba. It provides tips from packing to legal issues to getting around the country.
From what I read, when it comes to attire, you do not have to worry about being too formal. Casual attire is what’s in, especially during the day although if you …
Jul|31|2009
Getting Bumped From A Flight Is Not That Bad
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Features, Tips, Transport, United States
These days, not too many people are flying – at least not as much in the old days. This means that airlines are offering fewer and fewer flights, even in the peak of summer. As such, it is still possible that you get bumped off your flight. Alternatively, you can also have your flight canceled. Either way, you might find yourself grounded at the airport.
Some people do not mind being bumped from their flight or having their flight cancelled. This is especially true for those who are in no particular hurry. And why not? More often than not, people in this position find themselves getting a lot of freebies. But this is not always the case. And if ever you do find yourself out of a flight or your flight gets cancelled, …
Jun|27|2009
Prediction: July 4th Travel Low
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Features, News, Tips, Transport, United States
What are your plans for July 4 weekend? Year in and year out, this weekend is celebrated by all Americans with abandon. While some people opt to stay at home, many opt to travel and take advantage of the mid-year holiday.
According to auto club AAA, however, this year’s July 4th will not be focused on traveling. Their prediction is that, in spite of the fact that gas prices have gone down considerably and continue to do so, fewer people will be hitting the roads during the holiday period. The rationale behind this prediction is the fact that economic situation is still uncertain and a lot of people have become victims of it. Some may have recently lost employment while others may be in danger of finding themselves in the same boat.
However, AAA seems to be focusing …
May|03|2009
Biden Stirs Hornets Nest With Travel Comments
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Americas, Announcements, Health, News, People, Transport, United States, Warnings
A lot of people are on the edge these days. It’s not only due to the economic problems, but also other issues that crop up on a regular basis. The swine flu, for example; we know that this kind of occurrence will definitely affect the travel industry. This is even truer when people in authority release statements.
This is what VP Joe Biden did last week when he appeared on NBC’s Today Show. What might have been a personal opinion (I didn’t see the interview so I don’t know if he actually encouraged the nation to do as he said) has ruffled a lot of feathers. CBS News reports:
Transportation officials around the country found themselves scrambling this week to reassure worried commuters in the wake of Biden’s controversial comments Thursday on NBC’s “Today Show” that he …
