Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
17/09/2008 – Using Your Credit Card Internationally : Inform Your Credit Card Company Before You Cross The Border
Last week my fellow photographer from Canada.....we'll call him "Edgar" (the same one with the Passport issues in this post : 12/03/08 - Keeping Your Passport Current & Paying Attention To Visas) was traveling through Newark Liberty Airport, in New Jersey, only to have his credit card declined multiple times.
"Edgar" knew his credit cards were current, but could not figure out the problem. What was the problem? "Edgar" had left the country without informing his credit card company. Many people travel internationally every day with giving their credit cards a second thought, however many credit card companies require you to inform them of when you're leaving the country to prevent fraudulent use of the card.
Some credit card companies have this policy on new cards, others want to know what countries you'll be in, some just want a simple call and other companies don't care or need to be notified.
If you travel internationally and have a new card,or even an old card that has never left the country, it always a good idea to make sure your credit card company is aware that you'll be using the credit cards internationally.
So before you pack your passport and check your drawers for some clean socks, give a quick call to your credit card company and make sure you're card won't be frozen when you try and use it in a foreign country.
Happy Flying!
Showing posts with label travel tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel tips. Show all posts
17 September 2008
13 August 2008
Don't Lose Your Laptop In The Airport (and if you do get it back again)
Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
13/08/2008 - Don't Lose Your Laptop In The Airport (and if you do get it back again)
Every week an average of more than 10,000 laptops are lost at airports in the United States. Approximately 40% of these laptops are left at the security checkpoints with another 23% being left at the boarding gate.
Surprisingly most laptops found at have no owner identification easily found on them. The lack of easily locatable owner information results in most laptops not being returned to their owners.
I know, you're reading this thinking "I'd never leave my laptop behind," but accidents happen, especially when you're late and in a hurry. I have witnessed multiple people over the past few years pick up their laptop from the X-Ray bin, set it down next to their bag, repack their bag and walk away without placing the laptop into the bag. On quite a few occasions I have watched business travelers in an airport lounge get up and walk out while leaving their laptop on the table they were sitting at (more often than not they come running back in a few minutes later to claim their laptop).
What can you do to make your contact information easily found on your laptop?
The easiest solution is to make a simple label with your name, phone number and e-mail address (if you can access your e-mail without your laptop).
My 15" Apple PowerBook has two labels side-by-side on the keyboard. These labels have my name, web address, e-mail and phone numbers for me on three continents. My 13" Apple MacBook has a label on the top left of the screen casing, this label has my name and phone numbers in both the US & UK (I am switching it over to the two side-by-side labels before my next international trip).
Should you become separated from your laptop make sure anyone who finds it can easily contact you and return it to you.
Below are two photos so each of my travel laptops depicting where my labels are placed and information available to get the laptop returned to me.
Happy Flying!
--Click Images To Enlarge Them--
13/08/2008 - Don't Lose Your Laptop In The Airport (and if you do get it back again)
Every week an average of more than 10,000 laptops are lost at airports in the United States. Approximately 40% of these laptops are left at the security checkpoints with another 23% being left at the boarding gate.
Surprisingly most laptops found at have no owner identification easily found on them. The lack of easily locatable owner information results in most laptops not being returned to their owners.
I know, you're reading this thinking "I'd never leave my laptop behind," but accidents happen, especially when you're late and in a hurry. I have witnessed multiple people over the past few years pick up their laptop from the X-Ray bin, set it down next to their bag, repack their bag and walk away without placing the laptop into the bag. On quite a few occasions I have watched business travelers in an airport lounge get up and walk out while leaving their laptop on the table they were sitting at (more often than not they come running back in a few minutes later to claim their laptop).
What can you do to make your contact information easily found on your laptop?
The easiest solution is to make a simple label with your name, phone number and e-mail address (if you can access your e-mail without your laptop).
My 15" Apple PowerBook has two labels side-by-side on the keyboard. These labels have my name, web address, e-mail and phone numbers for me on three continents. My 13" Apple MacBook has a label on the top left of the screen casing, this label has my name and phone numbers in both the US & UK (I am switching it over to the two side-by-side labels before my next international trip).
Should you become separated from your laptop make sure anyone who finds it can easily contact you and return it to you.
Below are two photos so each of my travel laptops depicting where my labels are placed and information available to get the laptop returned to me.
Happy Flying!
--Click Images To Enlarge Them--
11 August 2008
The "Jetiquette" Card : Passenger Etiquette Revisited
Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
11/08/2008 - The "Jetiquette" Card : Passenger Etiquette Revisited
A frequently discussed topic on Flying With Fish is that of passenger etiquette. Etiquette seems simple enough, etiquette for travelers is straightforward and not terribly formal, yet many flyers seem to disregard it.
A few days ago while reading Jetiquette Blog (blog.jetiquette.org) by The Sky Steward (www.skysteward.com), I spotted the "Jetiquette Card." The "Jetiquette Card" is much like the aircraft safety instructions found your seat back pocket, except it has the top 10 rules for good traveling "Jetiquette.”
These rules are simple and easy to follow
1) No shouting on your cell phone. Speak softly into your cell phone.
2) Please control your children. Do not allow kids to kick the seat in front of them.
3) Do not irritate your neighbour with idle chatter. Know when to shut up.
4) Do not put trash in the seat back pockets or leave your tray table dirty. Please give all trash to the flight attendant or take it with you
5) Do not invade the space of your neighbour. Do not cross the imaginary armrest line.
6) Do not pull on the seat in front of you to get out of your seat. Use your armrests for support.
7) Don't hot the overhead bin space. Use the least amount of overhead space.
8) Don't change your baby on the tray table. Use the changing table in the bathroom.
9) Do not walk around bare foot. Please go into the lavatory with shoes on.
10) Do not leave a mess in the bathroom. Clean up after yourself (aim correctly).
I have considered printing up some of these "Jetiquette" cards and carrying them with me for when I encounter an exceptionally rude passenger. I know handing these cards out may be bad "Jetiquette" but it might help get the point across.
Happy Flying!
--Click Image Below For A High Resolution Image Of The Jetiquette Card--
11/08/2008 - The "Jetiquette" Card : Passenger Etiquette Revisited
A frequently discussed topic on Flying With Fish is that of passenger etiquette. Etiquette seems simple enough, etiquette for travelers is straightforward and not terribly formal, yet many flyers seem to disregard it.
A few days ago while reading Jetiquette Blog (blog.jetiquette.org) by The Sky Steward (www.skysteward.com), I spotted the "Jetiquette Card." The "Jetiquette Card" is much like the aircraft safety instructions found your seat back pocket, except it has the top 10 rules for good traveling "Jetiquette.”
These rules are simple and easy to follow
1) No shouting on your cell phone. Speak softly into your cell phone.
2) Please control your children. Do not allow kids to kick the seat in front of them.
3) Do not irritate your neighbour with idle chatter. Know when to shut up.
4) Do not put trash in the seat back pockets or leave your tray table dirty. Please give all trash to the flight attendant or take it with you
5) Do not invade the space of your neighbour. Do not cross the imaginary armrest line.
6) Do not pull on the seat in front of you to get out of your seat. Use your armrests for support.
7) Don't hot the overhead bin space. Use the least amount of overhead space.
8) Don't change your baby on the tray table. Use the changing table in the bathroom.
9) Do not walk around bare foot. Please go into the lavatory with shoes on.
10) Do not leave a mess in the bathroom. Clean up after yourself (aim correctly).
I have considered printing up some of these "Jetiquette" cards and carrying them with me for when I encounter an exceptionally rude passenger. I know handing these cards out may be bad "Jetiquette" but it might help get the point across.
Happy Flying!
--Click Image Below For A High Resolution Image Of The Jetiquette Card--
25 July 2008
Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
25-July-2008 - Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
With the airline industry sudden reduction in flights, and a recent escalation in cancelled flights, I'd like to revisit on old topic.........the topic of beating your fellow passengers to a rebooked seat.
Whenever a flight is significantly delayed, or cancelled, there is always a frenzied rush to the podium to get seats rebooked. With 150+ passengers trying to get rebooked by two (maybe four) agents this process is slow and frustrating. The process is not only frustrating for the passengers, but also for the airline gate agents as well. Passengers are angry and the gate agents only have the information in front of them to help passengers get rebooked.
How do you avoid standing in line for two hours, getting angry and going face with an agent who is frustrated because they have to tell you "I'm sorry there are no seats on the flight connection that will get you from Chicago to Bakersfield tonight"?
When you travel make sure you have some important basic information with you
1) Potential alternate routes with your airline and the partner airlines of your carrier
2) The phone number of the airline you are traveling with
3) Your 'current' travel information, including not only your intended flight information, but also your 'Record Locator/PNR' as well. This information on your booking documents, even when you book through sites such as Expedia and Orbitz.
With this information, as everyone lines up fuming you can find a quiet place to sit down, call the airline (get put on hold), re-read your info and have the airlines phone agents rebook you. Agents on the phone do not have a line of people yelling at them. Agents on the phone also have more latitude to find alternate routes to get you to your destination. If you are a frequent flyer, you can also request a few 'compensation miles' for your troubles.
This information is extremely handy if you are traveling during peak times, such as during a holiday vacation period. Flight cancellations during these periods bring out the worst in people. When rebooking a cancelled flight you want an airline representative who is in a relatively good mood to help you out, not one who has just gone toe-to-toe with 100 other angry passengers.
Happy Flying!
25-July-2008 - Getting Rebooked From A Cancelled Flight : A Simple Way To Reduce Stress & Increase Results
With the airline industry sudden reduction in flights, and a recent escalation in cancelled flights, I'd like to revisit on old topic.........the topic of beating your fellow passengers to a rebooked seat.
Whenever a flight is significantly delayed, or cancelled, there is always a frenzied rush to the podium to get seats rebooked. With 150+ passengers trying to get rebooked by two (maybe four) agents this process is slow and frustrating. The process is not only frustrating for the passengers, but also for the airline gate agents as well. Passengers are angry and the gate agents only have the information in front of them to help passengers get rebooked.
How do you avoid standing in line for two hours, getting angry and going face with an agent who is frustrated because they have to tell you "I'm sorry there are no seats on the flight connection that will get you from Chicago to Bakersfield tonight"?
When you travel make sure you have some important basic information with you
1) Potential alternate routes with your airline and the partner airlines of your carrier
2) The phone number of the airline you are traveling with
3) Your 'current' travel information, including not only your intended flight information, but also your 'Record Locator/PNR' as well. This information on your booking documents, even when you book through sites such as Expedia and Orbitz.
With this information, as everyone lines up fuming you can find a quiet place to sit down, call the airline (get put on hold), re-read your info and have the airlines phone agents rebook you. Agents on the phone do not have a line of people yelling at them. Agents on the phone also have more latitude to find alternate routes to get you to your destination. If you are a frequent flyer, you can also request a few 'compensation miles' for your troubles.
This information is extremely handy if you are traveling during peak times, such as during a holiday vacation period. Flight cancellations during these periods bring out the worst in people. When rebooking a cancelled flight you want an airline representative who is in a relatively good mood to help you out, not one who has just gone toe-to-toe with 100 other angry passengers.
Happy Flying!
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