Lost Luggage

*This is the second part on our series about luggage.
Thanksgiving -- as well as other holidays -- will soon be upon us. If you travel to visit your family be careful and try not to lose your luggage.

Losing luggage is no laughing matter; it makes you feel lousy. If this has happened to you, try not to lament. Over a million people lose their luggage each year. This is not a new, or relatively recent, phenomenon; at least logistically.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics -- http://www.transtat.bts.gov/ -- there are ~ 620 million enplaned passengers with 9,098,000 departures per year. Statistically speaking somebody or something is bound to get lost.

As the comic writer below shows, losing luggage is a likely occurrence.

Being put on the wrong flight, left behind, or "we don't have the foggiest idea where they're at" are just a few of the excuses airlines will give.

The next comic shows where luggage really ends up.

There are a few things you can do to minimize and mitigate the risks:
1. Know your luggage. The ability to describe its shape, color, brand and any other identifiable markers will be advantageous when you need to file your report.

2. Include contact information. If somebody finds your luggage they need to be able to contact you.

3. Mark your luggage. Adding a bit of color will help make your luggage stand out from the sea of black suitcases. Adding a bit of flair

The video below reveals the right way to recover lost luggage.

Washington Redskins

*We interrupt our previously planned series on luggage to bring you a special report on Washington Redskins football.



During the spring and summer baseball games were a common and often requested ride. Now it is fall and that means one thing: Football season. Since many of our clients are sports fans we have decided to cover the Redskins in today's blog as they are in our backyard.

Below we have reproduced the Redskins schedule with the time for all of the home games.
Schedule
9/19 Redskins vs. Texans 4:05 PM
10/10 Redskins vs. Packers 1:00 PM
10/17 Redskins vs. Colts 8:20 PM
11/15 Redskins vs. Eagles 8:30 PM
11/28 Redskins vs. Vikings 1:00 PM
12/12 Redskins vs. Buccaneers 1:00 PM
1/2 Redskins vs. Giants 1:00 PM

All home games are played in the town of Landover, Maryland at Fedex Field.
The address is:
1600 Fedex Way
Hyattsville, MD 20785

It's a relatively short drive and all of our drivers know how to get to the area.

The stadium opened in August 1997; it holds 91,704 people; and the nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Another option, in case you can't get ahold of tickets, would be to take a tour of the Redskins stadium. Tours last 90 minutes and start every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 A.M. The price is much cheaper -- $15 an adult, $10 for children 4-13, and free for children under 3 -- when compared to tickets to a regular season game.

For more information, visit the Redskins website at: http://www.redskins.com

This link will help you find hotels near the stadium if you are coming from out of town.
http://hotelguides.com/maryland/fedex-field-md-hotels.html

Airline Luggage

*This is the first in a three-part series on baggage. The first will deal with baggage fees; the second with lost luggage; and the third on the different types of luggages. We plan on showing a video to accompany our articles. The first is a news clip with customers venting their frustration.

Almost all of our clients will, at one time or another, fly: air travel is ubiquitous; a part of the modern landscape. Baggage fees, unfortunatly, are a concomitant by-product. In today's blog we will bring to your attention the relatively recent rise of baggage fees as a way for airlines to raise revenue.

In a recent article from travelandleisure.com, there has been a 2,186% increase in airline revenue from baggage fees from 1990 to 2009. In 2009 alone the airlines generated $2.7 billion in baggage fees; a 488% increase from 2007. This rise can be traced back to 2007 when Spirit became the first contemporary U.S. carrier to charge for bags regardless of weight.

The baggage fees were -- at least at first -- ostensibly tied to fuel costs. However, even after fuel costs dropped by 2/3 the extra fees have remained. The best bet to beat baggage fees? Use your carryon.

http://www.kayak.com/ has a table that lists fees from the major airlines. Included on the list: checked baggage, meals, pets, unaccompained minor service, and seat assignment/legroom. A cursory glance at the list of fees show a large variance but a few general points can be made: the first bag is sometimes free; bags get progressively more expensive; and checking bags online makes a difference.

The following rules and regulations are from the Transportation Security Administration regarding carryon items:

Per TSA regulations, carryon items are limited to one bag plus one small, personal item.
Personal-type items include purses, briefcases, cameras, food containers, or laptops (case included).
Southwest Airlines limits carryon bag dimensions to 10 x 16 x 24 inches.
All Customers and Employees and their items are subject to a thorough, physical search.
The following items are not considered carryon bags or personal-type items and are not counted against the "one-bag plus one personal-type item" limit:
A child restraint device for a ticketed child with a reserved seat or when complimentary, available space exists.
Assistive/mobility devices for individuals with a disability. There is no limit to the number of assistive/mobility devices a Customer can bring onboard the aircraft.
Outer garments or other wearable articles of clothing.
Food for consumption during flight contained in disposable packaging.
Walking canes or umbrellas.

http://www.tsa.gov/