Orbitz drops Skiplagged lawsuit

We recently told you about the lawsuits launched by United Airlines and Orbitz against Skiplagged. Here's the story, in case you missed it: Going into court with dirty hands? Airline and online travel site sue Skiplagged.com.
Today it was reported that Orbitz has dropped its lawsuit. Here are the details:

• Orbitz reaches settlement with fare-search site - Travel Weekly
• Skiplagged and Orbitz Worldwide Agree to Terms to Settle Lawsuit - Orbitz press release

The jury is still out on the United Airlines suit.

Going into court with dirty hands? Airline and online travel site sue Skiplagged.com

 

by Todd Romaine

Ever heard of Skiplagged.com before? If not, you should definitely check it out. It promises the lowest online airline fares through the use of some creative programming that allows travellers to fly to their desired particular destination at a discounted rate by pretending to fly somewhere else when they book. It does seem odd but routine that flying a shorter distance is many times more expensive than flights at a further distance. The most expensive flight options are direct flights, followed then by flights that stop in numerous locations (milk run) before your final destination. And in many circumstances you need to burn up more airline fuel flying all over the place to get that cheaper ticket.

This is where skiplagged.com comes into play... it searches for the cheapest milk run options and then you need to attempt to get off the plane in your desired location rather than carrying on to your ticketed destination. This requires you to travel with carry-on luggage only and quickly de-board and vanish into thin air. An example would be that you need to fly from Seattle to Minneapolis but find it cheaper to fly from Seattle-Minneapolis-Houston and therefore book the latter option. You show up at the airport and collect your boarding passes to Houston, cognizant you have no plans to go there.

Orbitz and United Airlines are now suing skiplagged.com because the website's circumvention around the system makes it seem unethical and could result in continued airline delays for missing passengers and empty seats. Yet arguably the system that charges people more money for going shorter distances seem unethical in itself.

A crowdsurfing site has already raised 50K to help skiplagged.com fight off the lawsuit and to continue its business to provide travellers with cheaper flight options. Seasoned online travellers have already worked the system for years but skiplagged.com has now raised notoriety for the practice and hence why a legal battle is now brewing.

If anything comes from this, perhaps airlines need to recalibrate how they tabulate traveler fares so that individual users pay the true cost for traveling and not zig zagging around the world to reduce costs for a direct flight.

Tip: follow @Skiplagged on Twitter - and @SkiplaggedDeals for the best hidden city deals

Related Resources

• Supporters donate thousands to Skiplagged defense fund
• The Real Story Behind Orbitz and United Suing the Hidden Cities Startup Guy
• Orbitz and United Are Suing a 22-Year-Old Who Figured Out How to Game Airlines
• Is It OK to Cheat Airlines if It Saves You Money?

Help! I left my iPad on the plane!

Enjoy your device on your flight, but don't leave it behind!

by Todd Romaine

Ever forgot your phone, iPad, iPod, book or glasses on an airplane before? Maybe you left it in the seat pocket, in the overhead compartment or simply on the seat.

Well unless you remember this shortly after you disembark from your plane and can chase down an agent, be prepared to delve into the frustrating depths of hell trying to get it back.

I left my iPad in the seat pocket on a flight from Heathrow to Edmonton. Admittedly, it was my own fault. I personally blame my own sleep deprivation after a 28 hour trip for such carelessness.

Once I got home, I quickly called Air Canada’s lost baggage department and quickly got a claim number from an Air Canada Agent in an overseas office. I was told in broken English that a system was in place to track down my lost item and once the airline cleaners found it it would be logged in the system, flown to Vancouver and that I would have 5 days to retrieve it before it is sent to the central lost and found in Montreal. Admittedly, it did cross my mind numerous times that the cleaners or another passenger could have swiped the device and have it reformatted but I had faith in humanity and Air Canada!

Over the course of 4 days I called the number I was given 12 times and to no avail they had no update and seem less inclined to go that extra mile and call the Air Canada Edmonton office to check with them on the recovery of any lost iPad.

I decided to then call the Edmonton Airport and request their assistance. It was made clear to me that there is a difference between Lost and Found at the Airport and Lost and Found with Air Canada. They were kind enough to forward me to one lady that works at Air Canada whom was able to track down my iPad at Heathrow!

Yes that’s right, my iPad flew from Heathrow to Edmonton and return without being noticed by the cleaners or the next passenger sitting in my seat.

She sent a note to Heathrow Air Canada to send me my iPad, and 2 days later I called again to check on the status and they never read her note so she sent another message... and still nothing. Since that time I have sent notes to the Heathrow Air Canada office as well as Air Canada customer relations and still nothing back.

Somewhere out there, my iPad is sitting on a shelf somewhere in an arena of corporate indifference to my plight to have back a device that contained many of my life’s contents. :(

The land of 1-800-anywhere...

Here are some tips if you are ever in the same situation as me:

• Make it a habit to ensure every item is packed away and ready to go 20 minutes before the plane touches down. This includes removing everything from the seat pocket that belongs to you. In your hand should be your passport, tickets, and immigration card, alongside your phone
• Never leave the airport without your stuff – if an agent tries to direct you towards a 1-800 number push back and force the issue for them to retrieve your item right away, if possible.
• If you need to handle this matter once you are home, try to go local. In other words, try in desperation to get an airline contact number at the airport where your item was left, otherwise they will put you into the nebulous 1-800 land where wait times are long and answers are few.
• Here is a good reference site for tracking telephone numbers: GetHuman.com (the site helps you get through to a human at 1000's of companies).
• Otherwise beg and plea with the local airport to direct you to the local airline number.
• If nothing is occurring, make a trip out to the airport and make demands to speak to managers there to elevate the issue. This has a chance of them elevating your request versus the 1-800-somewhere else agents whom are rather indifferent about your personal plight for a lost item.
• If you lost something at an airport, contact the airport’s lost and found department.
• Check out MissingX.com, a system used by the lost and found departments in many airports.

Related resources

• Stolen iPad found within 2 hours using 'trace' function
• What To Do If Your iDevice Is Lost or Stolen
• How to track your lost iPhone or iPad without a tracking app
• How To Track Your Lost Android Phone Without Installed Tracking App
• Leave something on the airplane? Here's how to get it back
• Oops! iForgot My New iPad On the Plane; Now What?
• Dealing with lost luggage

London: Closest Airports to LHR Heathrow Airport

Headed to London? Check out our Closest Airports to LHR Heathrow Airport page.

Headed to London?

We`ve got a great page on our website that we think you`ll really like.

Our Closest Airports to LHR Heathrow Airport page provides alternatives to flying into busy - and often overwhelming - Heathrow Airport.

By flying into a different London area airport, you may:

• Have more flight options to choose from
• Get an airport closer to your destination
• Possibly even save money

Airports Closest to LHR Heathrow

Alternative London airports are listed along with their distance from Heathrow and how many airlines fly there.

Click on any of the airports for:

• General airport information
• A list of airlines that serve the airport 
• Ground transportation options: taxi, train, shuttle, bus, limo or car hire.

If you are headed to London, lucky you! We hope you find our airport planning tool helpful, and say hi to Big Ben for us!

Airport of the Future

Ever wonder what the airport of the future would look like? This infographic gives you an idea:

Click for enlarged view and report from Amadeus

What do you think? How do you think airports will change in the next 20 years? Or what do you hope will change?

What Can I Take on the Plane?

With a business or pleasure trip just around the corner, packing your luggage can be both fun and stressful. Not only do you need to account for the clothing that you will need during your trip, you will also need to think about overall weight and what you will place in each piece of your luggage to avoid security issues.

You also need to plan if some of your luggage decides to take a vacation of its own. The IHateTaxis.com team have packed up our luggage so many times for so many different trips, be it for that relaxing week in Hawaii or the five week safari in Tanzania complete with a Kilimanjaro hire.

 All IHateTaxis.com team members have had the experience of losing our luggage for several days or have had to deal with a security issue since something we packed was not allowed to go on the plane.

So with lots of experience and the latest security information, we have complied a guide of "what you can and cannot take on the plane", complete with all of our experiences to make your trip as stress-free as possible.

What Can I Take in my Carry-On?

Carry-on luggage refers to your belongings that may be brought with you into the cabin of an airplane. Airlines and airport security have many restrictions regarding carry-on luggage. You must consider the number of bags, their sizes, weights, and most importantly their contents. We here at IHateTaxis.com also have some tips with respect to your carry-on luggage.

Due to limited room available in the cabin on the airplane, all airlines will limit the number of bags you may bring on board. This limit is usually one bag, although small purses and handbags are usually permitted in addition to this bag. A few smaller airplanes will have more restrictions, simply because there is limited room for anything larger than a purse. Some airlines allow their business and first class passengers a greater number of carry-on bags. Regardless, it is always important to check the limitations with the specific airline you are flying.

For most airlines, the dimensions of the carry-on luggage must not exceed 45 linear inches or 114 linear cm (this is the luggage's height + depth + width) and its weight must not exceed 40 lbs or 18 Kg. The check-in area at most airports have a scale and measuring tools to ensure that your bag is the appropriate size to be carried on board. Once again, we strongly recommend that you confirm the maximum allowable size of your carry-on luggage before arriving at the airport to prevent having to re-pack at the check-in counter.

Things to Pack in Your Carry-on

Some airports even sell baggies
for your toiletries, like this one
at London Stansted Airport (STN)

Carry-on luggage restrictions are much greater than for checked luggage, so we at IHateTaxis.com have our recommended list of things you should consider packing in your carry-on.

One way to think about your carry-on is "what items are absolutely essential should my checked luggage be lost?".

Our suggested list includes:

• Wallet or purse (with credit cards, bank cards, cash, travellers cheques/checks)
• Passport
• All medications (prescriptions or otherwise) and medical supplies
• Glasses (in hard-cover case)
• Highly-valued items (camera, laptop, tablet, reader, music player, phone, etc - and cords/chargers)
• Jewelry (note that some high valued gems and stones may require proof of ownership if travelling across borders - better yet, don't take any!)
• Snacks (note that some food types may not travel across borders. For example meat, fresh fruit and veggies, and some dairy products)
• Baby Supplies (bottles¹, diapers and wipes, a toy, pacifier, change of clothes, etc)
• Change of clothing (consider the climate at your destination when packing spare clothing)
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste¹, floss, brush/comb, make-up¹, hygiene products¹, perfume¹) 
• Child/Infant Car seat (may be permitted if you have purchased a seat for your child)
• Empty water bottle²
• All required documents (paper or etickets for travel, visas, hotel confirmations, travel insurance, etc)

1 All liquid or gel products should be packed in a clear 1 L bag for inspection and in many locations this bag must be removed and scanned separately from your carry-on at the security point. Sandwich-sized Zip-Loc bags are perfect for this and some airports will provide a bag upon request at the ticket counter or security checkpoint. The bag must seal shut and no individual product inside the bag may exceed 3.4 fluid oz or 100 mL. You are permitted only one 1 L bag per person. Baby items (formula and milk) are often exempt from this rule, although rules do vary between countries.

2 Water bottles are allowed on board, provided they do not contain fluid when you go through the security check. By carrying an empty water bottle and refilling (should a water source be available) after security will enable you to stay more hydrated during your trip. Commercially sealed water bottles purchased before security are NOT allowed, unless you empty them first.

Carry-on Items Prohibited

Do not pack any of the following in your carry-on as they will likely be confiscated by security. Some of these items may be placed in your checked luggage and some cannot travel by commercial air.

Carefully consider why you would need any of these items at your final destination or if they may be obtained when you arrive.

Carry-on items prohibited include:

• Firearms (pistols, flare guns, rifles, BB guns, toy guns, paintball guns) and ammunition
• Knives (including jack-knives, scissors³, swords)
• Weapons (including replicas)
• Tools (power tools and most hand tools³ 
• Greater than 100 mL of any fluid or gel (baby supplies are often exempt from this rule, provided you are travelling with a baby)
• Select toiletry items (razors, metal nail files, or any items with a sharp or pointed edge³
• Explosive materials 
• Sporting goods (hockey sticks, baseball bats, skates, surf boards)
• Gases⁴
• Pressurized containers (e.g., hair spray bottles, shaving cream, spray paint)
• Matches (usually one package of safety matches or one standard lighter is permitted, but rules do vary)
• Poisons (e.g., fertilizers and other toxic materials)
• Infectious material (laboratory specimens)
• Fiberglass resins
• Peroxides
• Radioactive materials
• Strong magnetic materials
• Corrosives (e.g., drycleaners, car batteries, acids, alkalis, lye, mercury)
• More than 4 lbs or 1.8 Kg of dry ice

3 Note that some countries and airports do allow small nail files, scissors under 4 inches or 10 cm blade length, and smaller tools (screwdrivers, etc). But we strongly recommend packing these in your checked luggage to avoid problems unless you will absolutely need them during your flight.

4 If you require oxygen during the flight, this should be discussed with your airline well in advance as rules and regulations vary. Note that containers that have contained gases or flammable liquids (e.g., camping fuel bottles) are not allowed due to residues.

Please note that the above list is a simplified version derived from multiple government and airport websites and is not complete. Rules and regulations may differ between countries and even between airports within the same country.

We hope you have found our tips for carry-on luggage helpful. If you have your own tips to add, we welcome your comments!

This is just the first of a series we will be doing on luggage - stay tuned for more!

You might also be interested in:

• Our Smart Travel Advice series
• Do We Really Hate Taxis? - the story of how we got our name