Parents Want Policy Revision

With the holiday season swiftly approaching and schools all across the nation release students from the confines of the classroom for winter break, travel plans are underway for jetsetters of old and young. While most families will travel to their Christmas destinations in packs, several youths are preparing to make their airway treks alone. If you think the airports are hectic for you, imagine the view from a height two feet shorter than your own!

While it is generally thought completely safe for children to fly alone, several heated parents have recently voiced complaints about the less-than-adequate travel accomodations provided by airlines for unaccompanied minors. MSNBC recently reported a story highlighting personal horror stories from shaken parents that sent their own children on troublesome trips.

Susan Cole booked a trip for her son, Danny, to fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Houston, Texas on Southwest Airlines. The mother of the 12-year-old accompanied him all the way to the gate, but received a shock when airline employees not only refused to let him on early to avoid the slew of rushed passengers, but would not promise to help him meet up with his father once the plane landed.

A Southwest executive says the employees were just following company
policy. Southwest escorts children 5 through 11 who are traveling alone,
but "once you hit 12, you're considered a youth and not an unaccompanied minor,"
said Teresa Laraba, the airline's vice president for ground operations.

I was quite surprised to find that airlines are not required to report incidents involving unaccompanied minors. Though, parents do complain to the federal Transportation Department regarding the policies for unaccompanied minors, which vary throughout the industry.



There have even been instances of groups of unaccompanied children traveling together and getting seperated, because the airline was required to watch over the younger children while those ages 12 and above were left to fend for themselves.



As divorce rates seem to continually increase, I can only forsee the number of unaccompanied minors traveling the airways raising as well. So unless the industry institutes a successful remedy, this problem can only get worse. Perhaps if more attention was given to the possible consequences of unknowing minors traveling alone through packs of strangers, much needed attention would be given to this growing problem.

Philly Flight Delays

In today's world of air travel, vacationers have come to anticipate plane delays as an inevitable facet of the airways. Most travelers even count on the delays to which they have become accustomed to give them just a few more minutes of leeway to make those early morning flights. Although it seems that every airport is subject to this downfall, Philadelphia's outdated airport has been labeled as the absolute worst in on-time air travel.

As reported online by MSNBC, holiday travelers should not expect improvement in the punctuality at Philadelphia International Airport for decades. Federal Aviation Administration officials, airlines, air traffic controllers and other experts say Philly plays a major role in delays across the coast due to poor airport design, unaccounted for bad weather, heavy traffic, and the city's close proximity to New York.

" 'If you wanted to show an airport that shows the opposite of what efficient is,
Philly would be the poster child,' said Don Chapman, local president of the
National Air Traffic Controllers union."

Nationwide, the airline industry as a whole produced its worst on-time performances in 13 years through the month of September. In the month of September the nation's 20 largest carries reported that nearly a quarter of all flights arrived late; this accounts for the largest number of late arrivals since the industry started keeping track in 1995. During this period, 68 percent of departures were on time in Philly. These markings only proved better than New York's JFK International, Chicago O'Hare International, and Liberty International in Newark, New Jersey. Report show that less than two-thirds of arrivals were on time in Philadelphia during that period.

Philadelphia has been named a "pacing" airport, because it sits in the middle of the bustling East Coast air corridor. This airport is believed to have been the driving cause behind these nationwide delays. And with the Thanksgiving holidays in tow, we can only anticipate worsened conditions. The airport's plans to extend one runway for admittance of larger planes is expected to ease delays by the end of next year, which provides no ease to our present holiday travel plans.

While nationwide travelers are in favor of the talks of an airport redesign that could go into effect next month, they will have to battle the will of Philadelphia residents who have verbalized their opposition to the ordeal. The residents have rightly complained that the change will force more flights over their homes and reduce property values.

In the midst of this controversy, Philadelphia's mayor-elect, Michael Nutter, urges travelers to remain patient and encourages them not to allow delays at the city-owned airport to tarnish Philly's historically high marked reputation.

"None of these challenges are insurmountable," Michael Nutter said the morning after he was elected Nov. 6. "I'd like to remind many of you that the city of Philadelphia does not handle baggage, nor do we fly airplanes."

Bomb Spotting

These days airport security treats even the most harmless of travelers as hardened criminals. I myself have been yellow flagged, pulled aside, patted down, and interrogated as if I was a standard border crossing druglord. Although the ever improving safety precautions of the air industry should provide a haven for travelers, many people feel that the stress of these lengthy safety precautions far outweighs the perks of travel.

The Government Accountability Office, also known as the GAO, decided to put these seemingly faultless new security standards to the test. Investigators passed undetected through security checkpoints at 19 U.S. airports with bomb constructing components in their luggage and on their person. GAO officials are expected to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today.

Based on review of public information, the GAO identified weaknesses in the Transportation Security Administration, and took advantage of these findings to make it through airport security. According to reports from CNN,

"According to the testimony, a transportation security officer barred one of
the investigators from bringing an unlabeled bottle of medicated shampoo through
the checkpoint. But the security officer allowed a liquid component of the
improvised explosive device to pass through undetected, although that item is
prohibited by the TSA."

So, what are these weaknesses? Although they were collected from review of public information, the GOA refuses to reveal them, as they are considered sensitive safety information. But, the GOA investigators found these weaknesses by the same means as terrorists have before, and continue to today.

Just last week, a plane at LaGuardia Airport was searched after a bomb threat was reported. Although, the plane was moved away from other aircraft for the search, the airport remained open. Authorities have yet to report their findings. I find this report particularly frightening, as I have flown in and out of La Guardia several times.

USA Today reported that security screeners failed to find pseudo bombs hidden on undercover agents in more than half of investigative tests conducted last year. This particular series of tests used three airports as case studies, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. The investigators attempted to pass through gates with bomb materials hidden in everyday carry-ons, including toiletry kits, briefcases and CD players.

Security experts were stunned at the failure rates at the Los Angeles and Chicago airports. The San Fransisco International Airport screeners operate under a private company instead of the TSA, and interestingly missed about 20 percent of the bombs, a great deal less than those missed by the other two airports.

Perhaps we should be thankful that these holes in the air travel security system were uncovered by investigative officials, in contrast to a much more tragic alternative. We can only hope that the TSA and other private security institutions will take these findings to their advantage to make air travel as safe as possible.

Cruise Catastrophes

The sun, the sea, and the open waters provide a combination that promises nothing short of paradise. There is no other vacation getaway more relaxing than a luxurious cruise away from reality... or is there?

Passengers boarded The Spirit of Nantucket early last week in hopes of spending their next ten days floating tranquilly from Alexandria, Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina. The water-goers relaxation was interrupted on Thursday when the ship collided with an unknown obstruction and began taking on water. Coast Guard officials were immediately on the scene after the ship's Captain grounded the vessel. All 66 passengers were rescued promptly, as the ship anchored close to Virginia Beach.

The Spirit of Nantucket is not the only ship that has recently encountered waterway mishaps. Nantucket's collision provided a one day prelude to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Enchantment of the Seas anchor dragging that led the cruise liner to crash into a barge. Foul weather drug the anchor that led the ship to crash into the barge located just off the coast of George Town, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. The incident caused no injuries, but provided just a minor jolt to those aboard, in addition to port side dents and scrapes.

Cruise ships once seemed like the safest bet for any vacation, from family getaways to couple's honeymoons, but of late, the media has presented nothing but frightening facts related to Meridian misfortunes. The cases of missing persons and accidental drownings are perhaps more frightening than the cruise crashes themselves.

The entire nation was on alert when newlywed George Smith disappeared from his honeymoon cruise on the Royal Caribbean line on July 5, 2005. Exactly what happened to the missing groom in the murky waters between Greece and Turkey is still a mystery, but the questions left in the minds of potential boat-goers is no enigma.

In March of last year a fire broke out on a Jamaica-bound Star Princess cruise ship. While several people suffered complications from smoke inhalation, the fire prompted a heart attack that killed one passenger. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Doss said, "The blaze affected passenger decks 9 through 12, about 100 cabins."

Have all these accidents of late culminated to deter vacationers from bouts on the high seas? Personally, the thought of being confined to a vessel surrounded by liquid depths and virtually no escape is enough to hinder my reservation for a spring break cruise. I think I might spend more time looking over my shoulders than sunning them.

Even though it is merely the beginning of November, my friends and I have already begun talks of Spring Break locations for March of 2008. And while we have opted for Padre-esque beach locale in years past, as seniors we have been looking forward to more of a relaxing break from our last hours of college courses. To my slight dismay the vote looks like its pointed to a cruise.

And, although all these cruise line incidents are fret-inducing, I have to remind myself that vacation mishaps are not limited to the waterways alone. Therefore, my Spring Break plan is to simply place my fears behind me. Now, all I have to worry about combating is sea sickness.

In a New York State of Mind

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and if your luck is as good as mine, you've probably been volunteered to play hostess for the whole family this year. Which means that you will spend your entire vacation planning place settings and having reveries about recipes rather than relaxing. While stuffing a raw turkey is tempting, why not forgoe the honor of carving the bird this year for an exciting escape for the holidays?


The season's winter weather is in full swing, and although you'll have to battle the bustling streets packed with pre-holiday shoppers, there is no experience quite like New York City during Thanksgiving. From shopping to shows, the city is byfar the best vacation location for your holiday getaway.


If you can't splurge on vacation...when can you? So don't let those price tags deter you from that fabulous scarf that you surely won't find anywhere else. Manhattan's 5th Avenue is ideal for the first class conoissuer in the finest merchandise. And when in New York...everyone is is an expert shopper!


The world reknown FAO Schwarz is the perfect playplace for the kids, as well as a virtual kingdom of gifts for the little ones in your family. You might even find yourself calling on your own inner child when you spot the giant piano from Tom Hanks' 1988 classic, "Big." And for the more sophisticated tourist, take a liesurely stroll ten blocks over to Saks Fifth Avenue to get a taste of the finer side of NYC shopping.


The infamous Canal Street is an adventure in and of itself. Dart through koisks and race around corners to land in one of New York's best kept shopping secrets. Canal Street is known for the hidden rooms filled from floor to ceiling with the most authentic knock-offs on this side of the globe. If you had to pass up that Chanel in Saks, you're sure to find its twin on Canal Street. Besides, who's going to know the difference?


Don't fret if you weren't able to globe-trot this year, because Little Italy is just a twenty-minute walk away from Canal Street. New Yorkers and tourists alike flock to this area for a taste of Italian culture, where the exquisite dining is matched by the authentic atmosphere. Whether you're searching for family friendly or romantic and candle-lit, Mulberry Street is lined with unbeatable restaurants, such as Da Nico and La Bella Ferrara.


The infamous Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade provides for a memorable family adventure. Even the poutiest of children can't help but smile when they giant Snoopy sails overhead. Line the packed sidewalk of Broadway with millions of other local New Yorkers and tourists alike to marvel at the unmatched line up, from celebrity A-listers to classic Disney characters that may bring back a taste of your own childhood.



New York City is the perfect Thanksgiving getaway to relax and spend time with the ones you love. So instead of working yourself into a cooking-induced coma this holiday season, take a trip to the City That Never Sleeps!