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In this issue
March 22, 2010
Yossi Klein Halevi: Was Obama's confrontation with Israel premeditated?
JWisdom.comWhy Hollywood and Timelessness don't flash-back, flash-forward or mesh with Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair (7 minutes)
Kevin Baxter: Boxer has a will to win, and to worship
March 19, 2010
Rabbi Berel Wein: The Divine is in the details
JWisdom.com Stewards of sacrifice with Rabbi Sroy Levitansky (5 minutes)
Caroline B. Glick: Why Obama is waging war on Israel
March 18, 2010
Cal Thomas: Israel's New Enemy: America?
JWisdom.com Love me not? with Rabbi David Aaron (5 minutes)
Jonathan Rosenblum: Washington Throws a Tantrum
March 17, 2010
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Orwell, Santayana, and Me
Jonathan Tobin: How Many Lives Is Biden's Pride Worth?
March 16, 2010
Steven Emerson: Combating Lawfare
JWisdom.com How to perform a miracle with Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair (4 minutes)
Anne Bayefsky: Behind Obama's Dangerous Overreaction on Israel
March 15, 2010
The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Father's obligations toward minor children
JWisdom.com Moody, Grumpy, Irritable Children with Sarah Chana Radcliffe (5 minutes)
Judith Graham: Get the whole picture before a CT
March 12, 2010
Rabbi David Aaron: You CAN have Heaven on Earth
JWisdom.com Manufacturing mediums with Rabbi Sroy Levitansky (4 minutes)
Caroline B. Glick: The march of the Red-Green brigades
March 11, 2010
Glenn Garvin: Conspiracy theories, why people believe them and how they spread
JWisdom.com For Yourself, Not By Yourself with Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff (8 minutes)
The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer : Turn leftovers into tasty New England hash
Paul Richter: Biden promises 'viable Palestine' is in the offing
March 10, 2010
Paul Greenberg: Death Checks In
JWisdom.com How To Get A (Real) Life with Rabbi Warren Goldstein ( EXTENDED EPISODE)
Paul Richter: Israel exerts soverign right to its capital as Biden looks on astounded
Richard A. Serrano: 'Jihad Jane' indictment alleges threat from within U.S.
March 9, 2010
Wesley Pruden: Joe's Israeli adventure
JWisdom.com Free To Be (Responsibly) You and Me! with Rabbi Naftali Brawer ( 8 MINUTES)
David G. Savage: Supreme Court to rule on free speech in case of soldier's funeral
March 8, 2010
The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Make a fuss about those who cuss?
JWisdom.com Finding or Losing Yourself? Here's How! with Rabbi David Aaron ( 5 MINUTES)
Steven Emerson: America must learn from the UK about the future of Islamist subversion
March 5, 2010
Rabbi Berel Wein: Golden Calf still with us --- except it has multiplied
JWisdom.com The Limits of Eternity with Rabbi Sroy Levitansky ( 4 MINUTES)
Caroline B. Glick: Biden's lost cause
March 4, 2010
Alan M. Dershowitz: How About A Real Campaign Against Abuses?
JWisdom.com Using Things, Loving People with Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff ( 7 MINUTES)
Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel's Everything's Relative
March 3, 2010
JWisdom.com Grasping The Name of Your Life Game with Rabbi Warren Goldstein ( 8 MINUTES)
The Kosher Gourmet by Marialisa Calta : A cowboy's recipes for really good grub
March 2, 2010
Rabbi Avi Shafran: Someone's there
Diane Toroian Keaggy : Have we misunderstood Michelangelo?
March 1, 2010
JWisdom.com Whole in One with Rabbi David Aaron ( 5 MINUTES)
Michael Muskal: Hillary meets with Israeli official, discusses gefilte fish dispute
Feb. 26, 2010
Rabbi Francis Nataf: The Megilla of Spring
JWisdom.com A Biblical Secret for a More Powerful You with Rabbi Sroy Levitansky ( 5 MINUTES)
Caroline B. Glick: When rhetoric rules the roost
Feb. 25, 2010
The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: When walking away from your mortgage is both economically sound and makes ethical sense
JWisdom.com The Second Most Important Question in Your Life with Rabbi Yehoshua Karsh ( 5 MINUTES)
Seema Mehta : U.S.-Israel relations raised in California's Senate race --- by conservatives
Feb. 24, 2010
Rabbi Avi Shafran: The gift of the ‘prayer bomber’
Steven Emerson: Why Religious Freedom Commission is under attack
Feb. 23, 2010
Dennis Prager: Government, Yes! The Divine and Parents, No!
JWisdom.com The Last Laugh of Enlightenment with Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair ( 5 MINUTES)
Anne Applebaum: Prepare for war with Iran --- in case Israel strikes
Feb. 22, 2010
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Is it not refreshing Tiger Woods' career has crashed and burned so dramatically?
JWisdom.com Esther and the third Truth with Rabbi David Aaron ( 9 MINUTES)
Kelly Brewington: Going smoke-free may raise diabetes risk

Jewish World Review May 6, 2008 / 1 Iyar 5768

Put an escape hatch in your travel plans

By Vicki Lee Parker


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) Let me just put it out there: Air travel this summer is going to be downright miserable.

If you manage to get through a trip without a major delay, flight cancellation, lost bag or overnight stay in a strange city, consider yourself an exception.

Airlines are cutting flights, raising fees and in some cases, shutting down. Add the usual summer storms and heavy traffic to the mix, and it'll be messy.

Most travelers will benefit from packing a travel contingency plan.

Don't have one?

Here are some tips from those who travel best - frequent fliers.

Marco Fregenal, CEO of Raleigh, N.C., software firm Carpio, racks up more than 150,000 air miles a year traveling to offices in Panama, Mexico and Brazil.

Over the years, he has learned flight attendants' names and schedules, which flights from Newark, N.J., are usually delayed and which seats on American Airline's planes have the least amount of leg room.

He also has figured out some timesaving tricks. One helps him avoid standing in line for hours, waiting to clear Customs on international flights.

Fregenal finds out how many planes are scheduled to land in the country where he has to go through Customs. If there are two or more, he tries to get a seat on the first flight landing there in order to be the first in line.

If his flight is canceled, he doesn't bother to run to the counter to rebook. Fregenal keeps at least two airline numbers on his cell phone's speed dial.

"I'm immediately on the phone, getting a seat on the next flight out," he said. "There is only one person at the counter, but there may be 100 people waiting to take your call."

Before trips, he often goes to the airline's Web site to research his flight. There, he can find out what percentage of the time the flight lands on schedule. If it's less than 80 percent, he might try to find another flight.

Bill Mann, a lawyer at Ragsdale Liggett in Raleigh, said he travels with only a carry-on bag. He estimates that when he was making about 60 flights a year, carrying his luggage on board saved him about 90 minutes per trip. It also saved him from worrying about lost luggage.

Mann said that he knows of frequent fliers who FedEx their bags to the hotel they are traveling to - a common tactic among corporate salespeople who transport stacks of sales brochures and packages. But Mann has never tried it because of the cost. According to www.shippingsidekick.com, it can cost more than $100 to ship an early-arrival, 10-pound overnight package from Raleigh to Manhattan.

The expense might be easier to swallow as airlines begin charging for the second checked bags.

Mann has had so many canceled flights that at one point in his career, he had memorized the toll-free numbers for four airlines, as well as his frequent flier numbers.

Now when he books his reservations online, he prints a list of alternative flights with dates and times so he will have backup flights handy just in case.

Sometimes he uses airline-tracking sites such as www.flightstats.com, www.flightguide.com or www.oag.com. Travelers can also use the sites to check airport delays, set up flight alerts and find out who flies where.

Most airports have wireless Internet connections, so travelers with laptops can hop on the Internet to rebook or track flights.

Tony Maupin, owner of Maupin Travel in Raleigh, suggests that if you book your flight through a travel agency, call the agency first if your flight is delayed or canceled.

An agent can book you on the next available flight. The service is usually included in the fee you pay when you purchase your ticket.

Maupin also suggests:

  • Try not to book the last flight of the night. If it's canceled, you'll have to stay overnight.

  • Avoid booking flights on the busiest travel days. The best days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

  • Use major airlines that will rebook you on another airline. Many charter airlines do not have such arrangements with other carriers.

  • Have someone drive you to the airport. During the summer, airport parking lots fill up quickly.

  • Download and print boarding passes before going to the airport.

  • Check luggage curbside to avoid the ticket-counter line. However, luggage for international flights must be checked inside.

  • Carry an airline contract with you. Each airline has rules that cover different circumstances. Make sure the airline is providing you with all the services outlined in the contract.

  • Finally, don't yell at gate agents. If you are calm and understanding, they will serve you better, Maupin said.

    Do you have other frequent flier secrets? Send me more if you don't mind me sharing them.

    Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

    Vicki Lee Parker is a columnist for The News & Observer. Comment by clicking here.

    Previously:

    Put up or shut up for card companies
    Don't fall for rebate check scams
    Recall agency needs help
    Account can help you save
    Gift refund made him feel cheated
    7 gifts to build wealth
    Dump your bank escrow account, earn some interest
    Enticing e-mail may lead to viruses, ID theft, malware
    Ask to receive discounts
    Learn from a con man
    Nitrogen: pricey way to keep tires pumped
    Buying private health coverage
    Better Business Bureau ramps up
    Two beeps, one item: Listen for overcharges
    Recalls: What to do next
    Do your homework before home repairs
    To tip or skip it: Gratuity must be earned
    Advice is free, if you look
    Hire a cleaner who won't clean you out
    Teach children smart money tips that will keep them busy all summer long
    Warning: Don't trust the ATM
    Reasons to beware of ‘We Buy Homes’
    Too wise to fall for a scam
    Untethering cell phone from carrier
    Re-check your credit card rewards
    Treasure might be buried in medical bills
    Tax-time saving tip: Free filing is available
    College money is waiting; don't procrastinate
    Extended warranties rarely worthwhile
    Too busy for tax planning? It'll cost you


    © 2007, The News & Observer Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

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