9/05/2008 - Weekly Roundup: Protecting Your Bags In Airports; The TSA's New Security Line Scheme; The North Face Surge Backpack

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

9/05/2008 - Weekly Roundup: Protecting Your Bags In Airports; The TSA's New Security Line Scheme; The North Face Surge Backpack

This week started for me at Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS) where I would take off probably for the last Trans-Atlantic flight of my life on an airline I have had a long standing love/hate relationship with. This is not because I am quitting flying, nor am I dying, it is not even because the airline is going away. My flight on Northwest Airlines (NW)Flight 97, from AMS to BDL, is probably my last over-the-water flight on NW because they will soon become part of Delta Airlines. In a few short months, as Northwest and Delta navigate the business and political maze of airline mergers this flight (if it survives the route restructuring) will be on a white plane with a red-white-blue tail rather than on a silver plane with the easy to spot red tail.

It is unclear to me whether the long standing Northwest-KLM partnership will become the Delta-KLM partnership. I used to love watching the rare sight of Northwest/KLM DC-10 fly over my parents house that was painted in Northwest colours on the body and the KLM logo on tail on one side, and the KLM colours on the body and the Northwest logo on the tail on the other side. The partnership between the two airlines is deep, unique and I'm not sure how it will continue under the new Delta merger.

On what I believe to be my final Northwest Airlines Trans-Atlantic flight I chose to sit in seat 1A at the front of the plane. I sat back and worked for the 7+ hour flight, but upon our approach into BDL I watched the red-winglets of Northwest 757-200 touch down for probably the last time in my life as a passenger. Goodbye Northwest Airlines.

Flying With Fish kicked off the week with a two part entry on keeping your bags safe while in transit and in the airport. Both entries are simple and basic ways to secure your bags to keep unwanted hands from either entering your bags or walking off with your bags. You can get tips on securing your bags at the following entries
6/05/2008 - Protecting Your Bags In The Airports 101 – Part 1
7/05/2008 - Protecting Your Bags In The Airports 101 – Part 2

After many years of flying around with the North Face Borealis backpack I have been using the newer North Face Surge backpack for the last month. After flying with this backpack for nearly 30,000 miles in the last month, taking it over the Atlantic 3 times, over the Pacific once and crossing through 7 countries with it on my back I have learned that I really enjoy the North Face Surge backpack. You can read my full review of this fantastic bag here: 8/05/2008 - The North Face Surge Backpack - An Updated Version Of An Old Favourite

The last entry on Flying With Fish this week addresses the TSA's new innovative way to try and shorten security line times in the United States. The new concept is interesting, it has some great potential, while it also has the potential also slow up the process as well. How is it possibly fantastic and terrible at the same time? The new system depends on passengers self governing themselves to accurately know their skills as a traveler. I hope it works, I hope people are honest when they enter the new "Self Select" lines, because this new system can make everyone's life easier. Read the details on the TSA's Self Select System here: 8/05/2008 - New TSA "Self Select" Security Lanes - The Good & The Bad

Below is an old promo photo of the old Northwest-KLM DC-10-30 that I used to enjoy watching fly over my parents house in New York.

Happy Flying!

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Protecting Your Bags In The Airports 101 – Part 2

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

7/05/2008 - Protecting Your Bags In The Airports 101 – Part 2

Traveling with bags can be a challenge in any environment. An experienced traveler knows the safer locations to rest and can sense when a location is not ideal. At times we all end up in the "not ideal" situation. I have ended up overnight in New York's Penn Station waiting for a train and I have overnighted in airports that I felt unsafe in. I have also had moments were I was sure someone was trying to set me up to rob me in places where I normally felt very safe and comfortable. While a location and its environment can remain stable, the change of people in that environment can alter its sense of security very quickly.

For many quick situations I use three or four small "Sentry Locks" with a short cable to secure my bags to an immovable object. While the lock & cable combination works often, there are times I want a nearly impenetrable security system to protect my bags and my equipment. When I want significant security of my bags, such as when sleeping in airports, I use the PacSafe line of Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protectors.

The PacSafe Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protector is an ingenious, compact, light weight, way to not only prevent a thief from entering your bags or leaving with your bags, but it is an outstanding on-sight deterrent. PacSafe's design uses its "eXomesh" system to create a complete barrier between the outside world and your bag, while also securing your bags to an immovable object with an integrated locking cable. This design blocks nearly any chance a thief could have to unzip your bag and remove items through the eXomesh exterior, especially if you lock the zippers within the Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protector and lock the zipper lock to the eXomesh it's self.

Using the Anti-Theft Protector is simple, you open the case, you slide out the Anti-Theft Protector, you slide it over your bag, secure it tightly, use the integrated cable to secure your bag to any immovable object. The sheer sight of the Anti-Theft Protector should deter nearly any thief. While you should never get up and walk away from your bags in an airport or a train station, having your bags enveloped in this simple item should allow you to put your head back and sleep soundly knowing that your bags next to you are not going anywhere.

When staying in a hotel you can also use the Backpack & Bag Protector to secure your camera equipment, computer or other valuables. What I like to do is place anything of value in a single bag, often a North Face Offsite bag, secure the bag inside the Backpack & Bag Protector, lock the bag zippers shut, place part of the eXomesh inside the lock it's self, then lock the Backpack & Bag Protector to the bed frame or the desk. By securing my bag in this manner, unless someone enters my room with a bolt cutter, I can go out and do my job without worrying about what I left behind in my room.

For those of you trekking through a high-risk area, you can also place the Anti-Theft Protector around your bag, loop your shoulder straps through it, and wear your bag while it is inside this protection system. I don't personally travel this way, but I have tried it out, and if you are wearing a shirt you'd never feel a difference between carrying your backpack without the Backpack & Bag Protector.

The PacSafe Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protectors come in a variety of sizes to accommodate everything from a smaller backpack to a large duffle bag. The lightweight compact design of he Anti-Theft Protectors makes them simple to use and extremely easy to travel with. With basic packing skills these Anti-Theft Protectors, made from PacSafe's eXomesh, take up virtually no space in your bag.

For me this item is a must have for all travelers.

You can check out the PacSafe Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protector, in sizes 55, 85, 120 and 140 on PacSafe's web site at www.pacsafe.com

Below are four photos of my PacSafe 55 with the Mountainsmith Parallax (it's a very tight fit) and with my North Face Surge Backpack. The PacSafe 55 and North Face Surge bag show my bag secured to a bench I was napping on at Amsterdam-Schiphol Int'l Airport (AMS) two nights ago.

**As a slight disclaimer to the photos below, the Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protector normally fits on my bag in a MUCH more snug manner, I threw mine on after being awake more than 24hrs, on only 2 hours sleep, and just wanted to secure my bag quickly while sitting down for a few minutes. When I am going to sleep I make sure the Anti-Theft Backpack & Bag Protector is on completely correctly and as snuggly as possible.**

Happy Flying!

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