7 Things Not to Do When Packing a Carry-on Bag Sarah Schlichter SARAH SCHLICHTER

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7 Things Not to Do When Packing a Carry-on Bag

There’s an art to packing a carry-on bag. Wise travelers must balance the requirements of airlines and airport security, make sure important items are easily accessible, and remember all the little things that will keep them comfortable in flight.

In the spirit of 10 Things Not to Do When Checking a Bag, we’ve gathered seven common carry-on bag mistakes. Steer clear of these, and you’ll save money, have a better flight and avoid running afoul of airport security.

Don’t Bring Liquids or Gels Larger Than 3.4 Ounces (100 Milliliters)

We’ll start with the basics: If you’re traveling with a full-size bottle of shampoo or sunscreen, it must go in your checked bag, not your carry-on. The world’s airports restrict liquid/gel items in your hand luggage to bottles no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters); they all must fit within a single quart-size (or liter-size) zip-top plastic bag.

This means that if you’re going to pick up a bottle of water or soda for the plane, be sure to buy it and stow it in your carry-on after security, not before. (We can’t tell you how many bleary-eyed travelers we’ve seen show up at an early-morning checkpoint with a cup of coffee they just bought, only to have to throw it away.)

Note that there are a few exceptions to this rule, including essential medications and food for infants or children.

RELATED:

Airport Security Q&A

Don’t Pack Other Prohibited Items

Each country’s government has slightly different rules about what can and can’t be brought aboard a plane, but as a general rule you should never put any of the following in your carry-on: firearms, explosives, baseball bats or other sporting equipment that could be used as weapons, self-defense sprays (such as mace), and sharp objects such as knives and safety razors.

Scissors are okay as long as the blades are shorter than 4 inches (or 6 centimeters in some countries). Nail clippers and disposable razors should also pass muster in most parts of the world. Swiss Army knives, however, are a no-go. Snow globes are not permitted unless they’re small enough to fit inside your quart-size plastic bag with the rest of your liquids and gels.

You can find lists of prohibited items for the following countries at the links below. If you’re flying to or from a different country, do a Google search for its security rules, or call your airline.

United States
Canada
European Union
Australia
New Zealand

Don’t Bury Your Liquids and Gels Deep in Your Bag

Save time in the security line by making sure your plastic bag of liquids and gels is right at the top of your carry-on or in an easily accessible pocket — that way you’re not digging around for it while the passengers behind you tap their toes in irritation.

The same goes for a laptop computer; unless you’re in an expedited travel line (such as PreCheck in the U.S.), you’ll have to take this out at the security checkpoint for screening.

Don’t Pack Too Much

You’re aware that checked bags are subject to extra fees if they’re overweight or oversized — but did you know that many airlines weigh carry-on bags as well? Both Qantas and Air New Zealand, for example, have a 15-pound weight limit for carry-on bags (7 kilograms), while Air France allows a more generous 26 pounds (12 kg) as the total weight of your carry-on plus your personal item. We recommend buying a small luggage scale to weigh your bag before you leave; that way you can redistribute or discard items in the privacy of your home rather than at the airport counter.

Many other airlines, including the biggest U.S. carriers, do not currently have weight limits for carry-on bags, but they do have size limits — and unfortunately, they’re shrinking. Double-check your carrier’s website before each trip to make sure your carry-on’s dimensions are still kosher.

For help packing light, see The Carry-On Challenge: How to Pack Light Every Time and What Not to Pack.

Don’t Assume Your Carry-on Won’t Be Gate-Checked

Even if your bag is perfectly within your airline’s weight and size limits, you might still have to check it at the gate if the plane is very full or it’s a smaller aircraft than expected. Just in case this happens to you, make sure everything truly vital — travel documents, pricey gadgets, medicine — is stowed in the personal item you keep with you, not in the carry-on you gate-check.

Also, make sure there’s a luggage tag on your carry-on; gate-checked bags are occasionally mishandled just as regular checked bags are, and you’ll want your contact information on the bag in case your airline sends it astray.

RELATED:

12 Best Travel Gadgets for Any Trip

Don’t Forget Your In-Flight Essentials

Especially for longer flights, we always stock our carry-on bag with must-haves such as earbuds/headphones (some airlines charge for these), antibacterial hand sanitizer (to help you avoid in-flight germs), an eye mask, a travel pillowand plenty of reading material. For more ideas, see The Quest for Perfect Carry-On Items.

Don’t Forget to Prepay for Your Carry-on (on Certain Airlines)

There’s a small handful of U.S. airlines, including Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant, that charge fees not only for checked bags but also for carry-ons. If you’re flying with one of these carriers, you will pay the lowest possible fee for your carry-on if you pay it online in advance.

Allegiant charges $50 for any bag paid for at the airport, but only $14 to $20 (depending on itinerary) if you pay when you initially book your flight, or $45 if you pay after you’ve booked but before you get to the airport. Meanwhile, Spirit charges a whopping $100 for a carry-on if you wait until you get to the gate to pay for it, but you can shell out as little as $26 at booking. Frontier’s fees range from $35 (online any time between booking and 24 hours before departure) to $60 at the departure gate.

The bottom line: If you know you’ll be bringing a carry-on aboard flights with any of these airlines, pay for it when you book.

Travel Etiquette: 5 Controversial Rules You Might Be Violating Caroline Morse CAROLINE MORSE

https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/09/14/controversial-travel-etiquette/?source=91&u=LIGIAOHBZG&nltv=536_a&nl_cs=38700918%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A536_a

Travel Etiquette: 5 Controversial Rules You Might Be Violating

Are you violating the basic rules of travel etiquette? From skipping lines to sharing the armrests, here’s how to correct your controversial behavior.

Travel Etiquette Rule #1: Sharing the Armrest

If you’ve ever been in a silent battle with the person next to you for control over your shared armrest on a plane, you’ll appreciate this advice from travel etiquette expert Christin Fraga, Director of Operations, Elaine Swann Enterprises: “When it comes to armrests, it is one armrest per passenger. Typically the armrest that has your media and electrical outlets will be the one you use. If you are comfortable speaking with your seatmate, have a short conversation and compromise with them. Two elbows can share a single armrest better than two arms.”

Travel Etiquette Rule #2: Reclining

Reclining your seat is the most hotly debated travel etiquette question out there. Some people view it as their right, while others see it as unspeakably rude.

Etiquette expert Courtney Fadler says: “Unless you are on a very long cross-country or international flight, the best etiquette rule of thumb is not to recline your seat. There is very little space these days for leg room, and reclining seats just takes that much more away from the person behind you. If you are on a very long flight (i.e. international flight) and will be reclining your seat for sleep or otherwise, make sure the person behind you is not in the middle of eating their dinner on the tray table before you recline. You can even take that extra step of consideration, and ask them if it’s okay if you recline your seat for a while.”

Travel Etiquette Rule #3: Cutting the Line If You’re Late

You’re running late for your flight (or connection) and there’s a huge line at airport security/customs. You’ll never make it. What do you do? Should you politely wait in line and miss your flight? Beg the people in front of you to let you cut?

I see two good options here: Throw yourself at the mercy of the people in front of you, asking them to let you go ahead so you can make your flight (I’ve seen this happen many times, and passengers rarely say no to a polite and desperate request); or find a TSA agent/airport employee to explain your situation too—they will usually help you skip the line to make your flight. But don’t cut without a good reason … and a good explanation for your fellow passengers.

RELATED:

16 Ways to Get Through the Airport Faster

Travel Etiquette Rule #4: Swapping Seats on an Airplane

It’s a moral dilemma when someone asks you to switch seats on a plane so that they can sit next to their travel companion, especially if you’ve carefully selected (or possibly paid extra for) for your seat

My view: The person asking for the swap should give up a better seat for a worse seat—for example, if they are in a window seat, the offer must be to switch with someone in a middle. That way everyone wins. If that’s not possible, ask the flight attendant for help. He or she can hopefully rearrange a few people to make everyone happy.

Travel Etiquette Rule #5: A Chatty Seatmate

Looking forward to a quiet flight so that you can nap or read your book, but the person next to you has other plans? Follow this advice from the Emily Post Institute: “If you can’t choose your environment, create your own. Bring an eye shade for napping, and use headphones to listen to music or movies (whether in the terminal or on the plane), or earplugs to block out unwanted conversations. If your seatmate won’t stop chatting with you, smile and say, ‘Well, it’s been nice speaking with you. I’m going to read for a bit now.’”

Natural disasters rock Mexico’s tourism industry

Natural disasters rock Mexico’s tourism industry

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El Pais reports that two earthquakes and more than 4,400 aftershocks in less than a month, which have caused hundreds of deaths, in addition to two hurricanes, have rocked the Mexican tourist industry, one of the country’s most buoyant (accounting for almost 9% of GDP and employing nine million people). Hotels in Mexico City, especially, are seeing day by day a constant flow of cancellations or guests checking out, especially in the colonies of Roma and Condesa, two of the oldest and most trendy neighborhoods of the capital. This is also the zone of the hecatomb, where debris and collapsed buildings have replaced the usual landscape of cafes, art galleries, bars and shops filled with foreigners and Mexicans.

In just one week, according to the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV), the number of foreign and Mexican tourists in the capital has decreased by as much as 50%, when the normal occupancy rate at this time is 66%, and 15% in the rest of the country.

(PHOTO: efe.com)

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Official sources say cancellations are 30% throughout the country and insist that the most sought after destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Acapulco have not been affected, but the contagion effect is feared. In fact, the Secretary of Tourism, Enrique de la Madrid, presented on Monday Sept. 25 in New York the campaign “Mexico, a world in itself” to promote the influx of foreigners.

“All destinations are open and there is no reason for travelers to cancel or change their travel plans because they contribute to the economy of local communities,” he said.

Many professionals in the sector are worried and maintain that their businesses are still open for holidays, pointing out that of the 300 hotels in the capital, only seven have had to close due to structural damage and another 15 have to undergo a review. Of the affected hotels, none is included in the tourist circuits, according to government sources, while 60 of those located in Roma and Condesa are among those that have suffered minor damage to façades and rooms. But when there is fear, the statistics are no consolation.

“After the earthquake and the following days we had 70% of cancellations,” says Homero Nava, owner of Villa Condesa Hotel, a boutique hotel in Colima Street, with few rooms and located in a restored mansion that suffered no damage during the earthquake and that became a real oasis of tranquility on that nightmare night for thousands of chilangos.

“It’s 30% less than last year. We want to think that it will recover when the media impact (disipates). In fact, we are receiving many messages of support from around the world and we tell them that the best way to support is to come,” he says.

A few meters away, in the luxurious Condesa DF, located on Avenida Veracruz, part of the Habita chain and frequented by celebrities, Óscar in reception confirms the trend. “We have had many cancellations, but I can not give you the precise information. Especially for the month of October, not yet for November or December.”

This assessment is supported by Israel Cruz, of the Mali House, habitual accommodation of foreign executives in front of the Park Mexico, that was forced to close some days for lack of services, but that now operates with normality. “We estimate that we are losing 20% ​​of the reserves,” he says.

The feared effect of any tourism catastrophe such as violence or terrorism is concentrated in very determined areas (all Mexico, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Morelos and Chiapas, account for 28% of tourism of the country) and affect a very specific segment, especially the Americans and Canadians (the majority visitors) who are the ones who demand the most about the security and location of the accommodations.

“When these phenomena happen people do not want to sleep, we have to return the cash and we will have no cash flow,” Rafael García, president of the Mexican Hotel and Motel Association (AMHM), told the media. Many establishments and airlines are thinking of offering an aggressive policy of discounts to attract visitors, with discounts that could reach up to 50% in places like Acapulco for the next three months.

Experts fear that even these measures can not clear a gloomy picture for Mexico, just when, paradoxically, it has almost completed its best year: 35 million tourists, a figure that had made it the eighth destination in the world.

Matriarchs are feeding the people of Juchitán Community kitchens feed the newly homeless in this city of the isthmus

Community kitchen in Juchitán.

Mexico News Daily | Saturday, September 30, 2017

Society in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca has long been matriarchal. Today, it is the women who have taken up the challenge of healing the soul of the people after the September 7 earthquake.

In Juchitán de Zaragoza thousands of families have lost their homes and have to sleep in the street, but the matriarchs are keeping them fed.

Thirty-nine community kitchens are operating in Juchitán, feeding the thousands people who found themselves homeless in just seconds. It is the Zapotec women who organize the cooking and distribution of meals, without any official participation.

Instead, the latter has come in the form of citizens’ mobilization. One such citizen is painter Francisco Toledo, who left his hometown of Juchitán 30 years ago. Relief efforts spearheaded by him have been among the strongest in the aftermath of the catastrophic quake.

After Toledo heard about the women and their community kitchens he decided to fund them to keep the effort going as long as it’s needed.

Every day, staples of the kitchens of Juchitán are served in the community kitchens: chicken and rice, black corn tamales, eggs, coffee and pastries.

“The kitchens are outdoors, on the streets, under plastic and tarps. The people gather and sit on stools, chairs or even on the curb to get their meal. Rain at times soaks the charcoal used to cook, but not even that keeps us from feeding our people,” said Micaela, one of the many cooks, in an interview with the newspaper Milenio.

Each kitchen can feed up to 200 people at a time, and although the hungry have to queue up, the wait is well worth it “because the touch of the women heads of families always heals the soul,” one of those in line said.

Although many are being fed, there are other demands — tarpaulins, for example, to keep off the exceptionally heavy rains the region has seen.

Government officials said 17,000 tarps have been distributed and more were on the way. But one obstacle to moving goods into the region is the cost of freight.

Local citizens have asked for a break on the price of fuel to reduce shipping costs. A single truckload from the city of Oaxaca can cost up to 10,000 pesos (about US $550).

Source: Milenio (sp)

Posada Brisa Marina (Zipolite, Mexico)

PABLO RAMIREZ - PARTY WEEKEND SEPT 2017 By P A B L O R A M I R E Z Edm, Pop, House, Remixes, Classics

PABLO RAMIREZ - PARTY WEEKEND SEPT 2017 
By P A B L O R A M I R E Z 
Edm, Pop, House, Remixes, Classics

https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/09/28/innovative-phone-cases-for-travel/?source=91&u=LIGIAOHBZG&nltv=&nl_cs=39131288%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A

8 Innovative Phone Cases and Accessories for Travel

It’s difficult to get through a full day without your smartphone, especially while traveling, so why not make the most of your phone’s case for some extra utility on the road??

Innovative Phone Cases and Accessories for Travelers

From anti-gravity cases that let you take a selfie almost anywhere to a super-thin battery case, here are eight innovative phone cases and accessories perfect for travelers.

PopSockets

I’ll admit I was confused by this phone-accessory trend at first … but then I tried it. For those with larger smartphones, this accessory is invaluable as a phone grip; PopSockets double as a stand for your smartphone as well, and they can be stuck onto the back of any case or phone back.

Popsockets are also great for helping hold your phone steady when filming a video or taking photos. The grip collapses flat, so you don’t notice anything extra on your phone if you keep it in your pocket. You can even buy a mount (a.k.a. PopClip) for your car vent that holds up the Popsocket.

RELATED:

 10 Controversial Travel Gadgets (That May Actually Improve Your Trip)

Anuk Wallet Case

 

A slidable-ID case is one of the best multi-purpose phone cases for travelers because it frees you up when you don’t need a full wallet on vacation—I usually get by with just an ID and debit or credit card. With this phone case, you can go wallet-free—and that means one less thing to worry about losing.

ThinOPTICS

 

If you need reading glasses and easily misplace them, ThinOPTICS multi-purpose phone cases are for you. The flat pair of glasses slides into the back of the case, and you can pick from a variety of frame colors and prescription strengths.

RELATED:

 7 Tiny Travel Gadgets You Can’t Leave Home Without

Apple Battery Case

 

While these innovative phone cases designed by Apple are on the more expensive side, the Apple Battery cases are your best option when it comes to charging your phone on-the-go. The cases are sleek and super thin, so you barely notice the battery pack. The battery lasts up to 18 hours when using LTE. Goodbye annoying lightning cables and spare battery chargers.

Ventev Charge Stand

 

I really like the Ventev Charge Stand for long flights; the combo charger-stand is great for viewing (while charging) shows on your smartphone. This gadget is compact enough that it won’t take up much room and works great for charging your phone on your hotel room nightstand, where outlets aren’t as conveniently placed.

RELATED:

 World’s Thinnest USB Charges Your Gadgets Anywhere

GOATcase

 

No it’s not magic. The GOATcase uses Nano-suction technology to stick to smooth and flat surfaces, like mirrors, windows, or tile—and is perfect for your travel selfies. Bonus: It’s washable.

Pictar Camera Grip

 

Miggo makes the Pictar Camera Grip, a set of innovative phone cases for avid travel photographers. Just slide the grip onto your phone and your smartphone instantly turns into a DSLR. Notable features for photographers include an exposure compensation wheel, “smart wheel” with preset settings, shutter release, and zoom ring. It also has a tripod mount and doesn’t cover your phone’s actual camera, so you can also use a supporting lens.

RELATED:

 12 Travel Photography Mistakes to Avoid

Adventure Port

 

This is one of the best innovative phone cases out there for travelers because of its multi-purpose functions: Not only is the Adventure Port a passport holder and phone charger, but this phone case also serves as a wallet and has RFID-blocking technology. The zip closure adds an additional layer of security. Pick from six trendy colors—it’s the only travel accessory you’ll need.