13/6/2008-Weekly Roundup: Go Flying On Fish Winners; Flying With Fish Quoted In Major Newspapers; The Think Tank Skin Set; New Airline Fees!

Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com

13/6/2008-Weekly Roundup: Go Flying On Fish Winners; Flying With Fish Quoted In Major Newspapers; The Think Tank Skin Set; New Airline Fees!

This week’s weekly round-up begins with this.....the announcement that Flying With Fish will be launching an entirely separate business-to-business venture in the near future. I'd spill the beans now, but I think I need to keep a lid on it for another week. I am really quite excited at the potential this new venture can have, and it should also help me keep Flying With Fish ad free (which has been my goal for quite a while).

I like the idea that Flying With Fish is a free unbiased resource for those seeking information on travel. I like to keep my thoughts unshaped by sponsors and advertisers. The problem with keeping Flying With Fish as a non-revenue generating source is this.....I now have a demanding full-time job (my photography career) and Flying With Fish that occupies roughly the same amount of time as a full-time job. Researching information, tracking down contacts and sources for information, and handling the sheer amount of e-mail I receive takes its toll.

The answer to this? A non-competing entity aimed at business-to-business travel information built on the information I founding Flying With Fish on!

Stay tuned..............


This week Flying With Fish kicked off with the announcement of not one, but TWO, winners of the 'Go Flying On Fish' contest. I could not choose just one winner for the US$100 Southwest Airlines flight credit. Rather than feel conflict on who the winner should be, based on the merits of their contest entries, I chose John Davis is a political science graduate student and aspiring professional photographer, from Sparks, Nevada and I also chose Trenton Moore, a high school student and very talented macro photographer, from Central Florida. You can read why I chose these two contest entrants to each receive a $100 Southwest Airlines flight credit here: 9/06/2008 - 'Go Flying On Fish' Contest Winners Announced.... Yes 'Winners,' I Chose More Than One!!

On Monday and Tuesday of this past week I was prominently quoted in stories in both the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times regarding the new TSA "Self Select Lanes" now in use at some airports. To read how I was quoted, check out these two posts on Flying With Fish
9/06/2008 - Flying With Fish & The TSA Self Select Lanes Quoted In The International Herald Tribune
....and
10/06/2008 - Flying With Fish In The New York Times

This week I wrote a two-part entry on the Think Tank Skin pouch system, and a great way to combine the Think Tank Skin kit with a backpack to turn two carry-on bag kit into a single legal carry on bag for nearly any airline you'll fly. Over the past two months I have traveled with Think Tank Skin kit, flying approximately 45,000 miles through more than half-a-dozen countries, and I don't think I could have designed a better system if I was given an opportunity to create my own pouch system. You can read the details of the Think Tank Skin set in these two entries:
9/06/2008 – Think Tank Skin Pouch & Belt System : Light, Easy & Simple Solution For Traveling With Your Camera Gear
....and
11/06/2008 – Combining Two Bags To Create A Single Carry On For Flying Photographers

The end of this week came with irritating news from both United Airlines and US Airways. United and US Airways have announced that they will begin to charge for the first checked piece of baggage, following the lead of American Airlines. US Airways also announced other changes, such as charging for drinks in-flights, including water, soda and coffee. US Airways has further stripped out their frequent flyer program making it possibly the worst program of any legacy carrier of "global alliance airline" in the world. You can up on the new baggage policy changes here: 12/06/2008 – United Airlines Adds Baggage Fee : US Airways Takes Its Nickel & Dime Tactics To A Whole New Level!

In addition to the new baggage fees being instituted by United Airlines and US Airways, it seems that American Airlines has found a new way to force passengers to check their carry on baggage.

I have heard from multiple frequent flyers that American Airlines appears to now be doing random spot measuring and weighing of carry on bags at their hub in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). This random spot-checking is at times resulting in forced checking of carry on bags and the collection of $15 on the spot for the checked bags. I find this to be a horrible and unethical practice by American Airlines.

Flying in the United States I have only had one airline deny me boarding with my Think Tank Airport Addicted Backpack (which is legal carry on-size). This denial of boarding happened three times, all three times were while connecting flights on American Airlines at DFW back in 2005. This practice, which I have never encountered at any other US airport, or with any other US carrier, had been the single reason why I have chosen to not fly American Airlines in the past 3+ years.

Happy Flying!