I suppose that as part of this blog, I should talk about necessary accessories that will make a traveler's life easier/more difficult. After I received my job offer in the mail and turned in my resignation at my prior job, I went a little nuts in the travel department and bought a bunch of things I would need for travel. Let's discuss the absolute basic requirement.
#1 on the list for anyone and everyone that is in this line of work should be a decent carry-on bag. If you watched Up in the Air, you would know that you lose an average of X amount of minutes per flight just on luggage. Multiply that by x amount of flights that you took during the year. Divide that number by 60 to get the amount of hours, and then divide again by 24, and you have the amount of days you have lost just by waiting for your luggage. It adds up quick. If that doesn't dissuade you from checking luggage, then maybe the $25 fee per bag will. If not that, then maybe the thought of the airline losing your luggage will. You don't lose luggage when it is by your side at all times. US Airways has lost my luggage. TWICE. I just got lucky that happened when on my return leg. One of the times, I got a call from UPS who stated that my bag was underneath my deck in the back (because it was raining).
There is news that a lot of airlines are now charging for carry-on luggage. $25. I know that people would rather pay $25 and have the airline actually provide a service (i.e. take bag, stow bag, deliver bag at final destination), but I think if I had to pay, I'd rather have the bag with me...just in case. Besides, if you are flying on business, the $25 will get reimbursed anyway.
Tangent: While with my last job, I was sent to Dallas for a conference on principles that make the workplace more efficient, dealing with difficult associates, and smoking decent brisket. Ok, I lied about the brisket. I got picked up by a co-worker who lived right down the street from me, and we flew from Boston to Dallas on American (the airline is a non-factor in this story). The day before the flight, I say to my co-worker "Let's carry-on our luggage. It'll save the company money, and we won't have to wait when we get back to Boston. We can just go home". He agreed. Fast forward to the second night into our trip, and he meets up with his cousin who lives in Dallas. Next thing I know, he is checking a bag full of fake Prada and Gucci purses. So not only is he peddling illegal wares, he is also causing us to do exactly what I said we shouldn't do, and added another 20-30 minutes to the time we touched down to my bed hitting the pillow. What a donkey. I should have just driven myself.
My suggestion is to carry-on. If you are traveling for less than 1 week, carry-on. If you have time to spare such as being on vacation and you have money to burn, then check. Otherwise, carry-on. And when you do check, look at what you are bringing. Fill up your suitcase as you normally would, and then discard 1/3rd of your stuff. It'll make your suitcase lighter, and you won't end up needing any of the stuff you tossed. Besides, the last thing you want is to have your suitcase weigh more than the allotted 45lbs and you pay more than the initial bag fee. Ouch.
As part of this blog, I said I would give some names where I deemed relevant. I went to the Tumi store in the Wrentham Outlets and bought myself a Tumi 22 inch wheeled suitcase with suiter. I know I didn't have to spend that much on a carry-on, but I wanted something with style that will also last a long time. I hear great things about the Eagle Creek packing system. My mother swears by 4 wheels and having them be able to turn 360 degrees. If you have money to spend, see if you can buy a set that has the briefcase/small bag attach to the larger wheeled carry-on. It'll make life easier when breezing through the terminal. I've never owned a hard-shelled suitcase, so I can't say as to whether or not they are worthwhile. If you feel more secure in a hard-shelled suitcase, then by all means. I guess it comes down to your budget, your comfort level and your style. I wanted something a little more professional looking, so I went with the Tumi. I could have easily gone with Briggs and Riley, but I preferred the Tumi. Samsonite and TravelPro didn't have anything that truly piqued my interest. Their prices were better, but you can tell that the quality isn't the same as the Briggs or Tumi. I have a TravelPro bag that I utilize for checked luggage, and that has lasted over 6 years, but like lots of things, when you get older, you need to upgrade. So I did. Now if I can get my hands on a Calatrava, I will have truly upgraded. Anyone want to loan me $20-25k?
I mentioned US Airways losing my luggage twice. It's true. They did. They also found my luggage and sent it back to me, albeit being underneath my deck. However, I like US Airways. I was hoping to continue with them, but they don't have a direct flight out of Boston to my destination. I traveled with them constantly while working at my first job and except for a few hiccups, they really were pretty decent in the grand scheme of things. So while it may seem as if I am trying to CYA a little bit by not completely ripping the airline a new one, I am being honest when I say I would definitely fly them again (unless they routed me through the Philadelphia airport. That place should be condemned. It reminds me of that stretch of highway in Jersey that is littered with factories that claim they are 95-98% cleaner, yet it smells like, well, Jersey).
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