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Rule #4:
I love airports! The combination of boutique and duty-free
shops to browse, watching planes take off and land, people-watching
and having undisturbed time to zone into thoughts and ideas that
can’t be thought through at home or at the office, creates
a unique incubator for the TRAVELHOST readers to reach new heights.
My best ideas developed at 35,000 feet! So I make a day out of
the day I fly! No more arriving at an airport 30 minutes before
departure! I try to fly in the afternoon or evening, arrive at
the airport 4 hours before departure to clear security hours before
the flight so I don’t have any pressure about making the
flight. Planned right, you can get to the airport in the lull
between when the morning crowd and evening crowd are in rush-hour
periods. Airfares are often less expensive in the after-the-rush
periods as well. Plus, that gives me lots of time to find a great
spot to have a meal or snack and get some work done! All that
being said, I’m still not crazy about standing in long security
lines. Even with new TSA US restrictions, security check-point
lines have been speeding along! Limitation on checked items and
having liquid items packed in plastic zip-top one-quart food storage
bags for easy TSA viewing have made lines move more quickly. Wear
slip-on shoes for easy footwear inspection and don’t be
afraid to tell the never-traveled passengers in front of you to
get prepared by unlacing their gladiator boots, taking off their
jackets and outerwear, and getting their computers out of their
cases to help speed things up for everybody! If you are traveling
in an upper-class of service, in many international airports you’ll
often encounter a Fast-Track for security, immigrations and baggage
collection to speed things along for you!
Rule #5: For the ultimate
in speeding through security, keep an eye on a new company called
Fly Clear (www.flyclear.com). Currently in operation in Orlando
and JFK airports at press time, with plans to expand to another
half-dozen airports in 2007, Fly Clear offers road warriors an
opportunity to get in-depth security clearance. Once cleared,
passengers use a special fast-track lane just for Fly Clear travelers.
Those interested in being cleared for this program have to provide
more than just information about themselves. Unlike the mortgage
company that asks you for the title to your house, the title to
your car and the title to your favorite song, the Fly Clear service
requires fingerprints and retinal prints among the identification
requirements. If you can deal with the Orwellian privacy issues,
this could be of value for the frequent traveler to have a fast
lane through security.
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