CO Reducing Carry On Bag Size 11/1

Carry-on Baggage

Things To Know About Your Carry-on Bags
When you bring your bag onboard, you save time - avoid lines at the check-in counter and waiting at baggage claim - so you can ease in and out of the airport.

If you are traveling with any liquid, gel or aerosol items, here's a few things you should remember:
Travelers departing the U.S. may bring carry-on bags through security and aboard the aircraft with trial-size toiletries (3.4 ounces or less) which can be purchased at any drug store.
Toiletries must fit comfortably in one, quart-size (7.5" x 8"), clear plastic zip-top bag. Zip-top bags will be provided if needed.
The zip-top bag may need to be presented separately at airport security so make sure it is easily accessible when you approach the screening area.
Additionally, beverages or toiletries purchased inside the airport beyond the security checkpoints will be allowed onboard the aircraft.
Items greater than 3.4 ounces and/or not contained in a zip-top bag may be allowed on board but must be declared to the TSA at the security checkpoint for screening. These items include baby formula, milk (to include breast milk), baby food, juice, medications and liquids/gels that are needed for diabetic or other medical conditions.
Restrictions vary for flights departing from non - U.S. locations. Travelers should check with the departure airport for specific security restrictions.
It's always a good idea to check the airport processing times before departing for the airport to ensure that you allow enough time for additional processing when required.
Additional references with detailed information and examples of allowable items may be found at the TSA's Web site.

Wrapped Packages

Due to higher security levels at airports worldwide, gifts and packages are subject to the same inspection as your carry-on baggage. To reduce delays at the airport security checkpoint Continental recommends that you travel with your packages unwrapped. This will allow for easy inspection, if necessary.

Carry-on Bag Policy

Departing from: All locations, except India and the United Kingdom
No. of Bags: 1 bag and 1 personal item (see description below)

Size: For travel on or before Oct 31, 2008 51 linear inches or 130 cm (L + W + H)For travel on or after Nov 1, 2008 - 45 linear inches or 115 cm (L + W + H)

Weight

40 lbs or 18 kg

India and United Kingdom, except Belfast

1 bag and 1 personal item (see description below)

45 linear in or 115 cm (L+W+H)
40 lbs or 18 kg

Belfast

1 bag

45 linear in or 115 cm (L+W+H)

40 lbs or 18 kg

Personal items

In addition to the one carry-on item, you may bring free-of-charge the below items:
one small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item
personal aid devices such as wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices and walking sticks, provided passenger is dependent on them
one infant article such as a small collapsible stroller, a diaper bag or a government approved child seat (larger strollers can be checked in the jetway prior to boarding the aircraft)
full-size video game consoles (for example Playstation®, X-box®, or Nintendo®), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes (must be removed from carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening)
CPAP breathing machines (must be removed from carrying case and submitted separately for x-ray screening)
Small and portable electronic items do not need to be removed from their carrying cases.
For flights departing Delhi, the following items may be carried on in addition to the one carry-on item:
Purse, coat, rug or blanket, camera or binoculars, reading material (reasonable amount), umbrella or walking stick, infant food and bag, collapsible wheelchair or assistive devices and Duty Free items
Note: Most knives are not allowed past the security checkpoint (including, but not limited to, pocket knives, folding or retractable blades regardless of blade length or composition, box cutters, X-Acto knives, scissors with a pointed tip, straight razors, Leatherman or Swiss Army Knives). Plastic and round-bladed butter knives are permitted in carry-on baggage.
Battery operated personal air-purifying devices are prohibited onboard all Continental flights.
Only one item (either bag or personal item) is allowed on flights departing the UK. Additional carry-on baggage restrictions may apply on certain flights

Laptop Computers

Effective Aug. 16, 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow passengers to leave their laptop computers in bags that meet new “checkpoint friendly” standards. For a bag to be considered checkpoint friendly, it should meet the following standards:
A designated laptop-only section
The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt
No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section
No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section
Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.
For details of checkpoint friendly designs and guidance on use, go to tsa.gov.*
Note: Baggage allowances for Continental's codeshare partners or Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. or Chautauqua Airlines may be different. If your itinerary includes any of these carriers, please contact a Continental representative for additional information.

*Given TSA’s use of random screening protocols, TSA reserves the right to re-screen any bag or laptop regardless of the design of the bag.

10 reasons why first class air travel is the best way to fly

by Scott Carmichael

Call me a snob, but when it comes to flying abroad, there is nothing like sitting up front in the first class cabin. Sure, it may still be the same metal tube the rest of the passengers are traveling in, but there is something to be said for three course cuisine over a bad sandwich, or 1 flight attendant for 6 passengers instead of one per 50. Unlike the 50's and 60's, when flying in first class involved wearing your best suit, nowadays the front of the plane is occupied by all kinds of passengers. You'll still find the well dressed CEO, but you'll also run into the roughneck oil worker on his way home from a 6 month gig. Of course, "F", is also the cabin of choice for most celebrities. During some of my trips, I've sat close to celebs like Naomi Campbell, Sir Elton John, Reverend Desmond Tutu and even No Doubt, on their way home from a concert I had seen the night before!If you have never had the pleasure of sitting up front, let me list ten reasons why I consider it to be "the best way to fly".

Elite check-in lines and security

The "F" experience starts as soon as you reach the airport. In front of the terminal are usually signs telling arriving passengers which door to use, and you'll often see that first class passengers get their own little corner of the massive departures area, where they can check in with a little more dignity. Once you are checked in, you can usually proceed to a dedicated line to have your bag inspected. Of course, these premium check-in and security lines are also available to passengers flying coach who have elite status with the airline.Do you want to experience flying a premium airline, in a premium cabin? Check out our Gadling 4th anniversary giveaway where you can win 2 PREM+ tickets from New York to Amsterdam on OpenSkies!

Lounge access

Which would you prefer? Sitting in the departure area with 500 other passengers fighting over a seat and tripping over other peoples luggage, or sitting in a serene lounge with top shelf booze and full dinner service? Yeah, me too. The lounge is often a tranquil place where you are surrounded by others flying in first or business class, who just want to relax, have a drink, and wait for their plane to board. Most North American lounges are fairly basic and run down, but airports like Hong Kong and London Heathrow have lounge facilities with everything from a spa service to a noodle bar. In some lounges you will also find the tools you need to get some work done, like free wireless Internet access, and even a business lounge with computers and printers.

Pre-boarding

Gate lice. No, this is not contagious, nor does it really involve lice. It is a phenomenon best described by our own Grant Martin in this article. Gate lice are the people that gather around the departure gate area, in the hope of pushing their way onto the plane before anyone else. They are usually the ones carrying the most bags who plan to run onto the plane and grab all the overhead bin space. Gate lice are also the ones who have probably never flown before, because they don't realize that most airlines call passengers aboard based on their cabin and frequent flier status. What this means to you, as a first class passenger, is that you'll usually be one of the first to board the plane, probably right after families with small children are aboard. What this also means, is that you can slowly stroll onto the plane, without the fear of running into a full overhead bin, or someone trying to sneak their way into your seat. Walking onto a plane and being greeted with a glass of champagne and some warm nuts is so much more civilized than walking into a cabin with 200 people trying to claim their space.

The seat

Ah, the seat. When push comes to shove, it is the seat that makes the first class ticket worth its money. The first class seat is usually a highly adjustable leather recliner, with a large fold-out table. Some seats feature lumbar support and even built in massage controls. Many seats convert into a fully flat bed, often with quality bedding and plush pillows. Leg room in an average coach seat is measured in centimeters, in most first class suites, leg room is measured in meters. The amenities of a coach seat usually include nothing more than a folding arm rest and a pouch for the vomit bag, but in a first class suite you'll have ample storage space, folding drink holders, several magazine pouches, a large table, a foot rest and more. With some first class suites, the first 10 minutes after boarding are spent figuring out how to take advantage of all that space.

Power ports

Don't underestimate the importance of being able to work during the flight. Having access to a power outlet at your seat can make the difference between 10 hours of boredom, or 10 hours of productivity. Of course, not all of us fly for work, so having power at your seat also means you can charge your iPod or other media player. In addition to regular power outlets, some airlines have started adding USB power jacks, and even network ports.

The food and beverage service

An average coach class menu still has a strong emphasis on the old "chicken or beef" concept, and while some airlines are even working on removing that amenity, the first class cabin is still where you'll find the good stuff. Premium cabin passengers are usually handed a menu when they board, and you'll almost never have to worry about them running out of your choice when it is your turn to order.I've been fed some of the best Asian food I ever tasted (at 35,000 feet), prepared for me by a famous Chinese chef who had access to his own airplane rice steamer.Many premium airlines also stock top shelf alcoholic beverages, and serve a scrumptious breakfast prepared exactly as you like it. Forget that soggy cheese sandwich at 5am, waking from a long nap in your flat sleeper seat to a freshly prepared omelet is just such a better way to start the day.

Better entertainment options

Entertainment options on most airlines have greatly improved in recent years, but the best in entertainment is still reserved for the first class cabin. Many airlines have at least switched from antique video tape systems to computerized video on demand libraries, offering thousands of hours of entertainment. On some airlines, you'll even find in-seat games, Internet access and iPod connectors. The better the cabin, the larger the screen, so some airlines currently offer flat panel screens as large as 15" in the first class cabin.

Flight attendant to passenger ratio

As I mentioned earlier, the larger the cabin, the more passengers there will be for each flight attendant to look after. Flight attendants are awesome, and I've been treated like royalty by many of them, but when each poor flight attendant has 50 passengers to attend to, it's not surprising that it may take a little longer to get that bottle of water. In most first class cabins, there will be one flight attendant for about 5 or 6 passengers. You'll also notice that they have more time for the little touches, like making sure your drink is never empty, or placing a bottle of water next to you in your suite, for when you wake up from your nap.

Room to work

Thankfully I have never become the victim of a "reclining seat related laptop injury", but I do know several people who have lost their precious laptop when the passenger in front of them decided it was time for a nap without looking back, slamming the top of their seat into the laptop screen. Laptops are not designed to be crushed by a seat, and the seat usually wins the battle. Thankfully this problem does not exist in the first class cabin; you usually have your own table, and it is impossible for the person in front of you to get even remotely close to your screen. Room to work means room to be productive. Especially on daytime flights, being able to plug in, sit back with a drink and some music, and get some work done can be more productive than any time you'd ever spend at the office.

Quieter cabin

No, the first class cabin is not completely sealed off from the rest of the plane, but there are two things that make it a quieter environment. The cabin is almost always up front, away from the jet engines, and there are fewer passengers. There is also no nice way to put it; there are also fewer loud passengers. In a coach cabin with 200 people, there will always be some people that are inconsiderate of others, the first class cabin tends to be a slightly more sophisticated place, where passengers are more aware of others. In an upcoming article, I'll describe several ways you can fly first class, without having to take out a second mortgage, or sell one of your kids to scientific research.

Qantas to pay passengers on problem flight

Hello All BlkAv8tor2003 Checkin' In,

This is a very misleading story that could lead to many rumors. Airlines paying passengers for getting hurt on the plane, I know this sounds like the "American Way" of getting paid but let me just put a couple things out there before you run off hoping for the same payday!

(CNN) — The Australian airline Qantas plans to offer refunds and other compensation to passengers who were on a jet that suddenly changed altitude this week, injuring 74 people, the airline said Thursday.

Where were all these passengers sitting? "Sitting" this is a novel idea aboard an airplane but 74 people were hurt. Did this flight crew let that many passengers be up and moving about the cabin at once....was there a conga line or something?

Qantas Flight 72 was flying from Singapore to the western Australian city of Perth when a sudden change of altitude caused abrasions, contusions, fractures and other injuries. The cause of that change remains under investigation.

These were passengers hurt on a flight out of Singapore and I hate to play the race card but how many passengers were of Asian background? The reason I ask is as many times that I have flown to and from the Asian Rim I have noticed that most Asian passengers are not big on getting up and walking around for the hell of it (like Americans do). This would be frequent or vacation travelers. I don't have the info on the injured passenger breakdown but it's just a question.

Now sudden change of altitude can be caused by many different things and I won't speculate here I'll wait till some better more detailed info is available. So why were the passengers or at least so many possibly out of their seats or at least have their seat belts off? First thing you do and hear about is your seat belt when you get on a plane so what's the deal?

The pilot of the Airbus A330-300 made an emergency landing in Exmouth, Australia.

The 74 people who were hurt include 14 who were flown to a hospital with serious injuries, 30 who had less serious injuries that nonetheless required hospitalization and another 30 who received treatment for minor injuries, Qantas said.

This sounds a little weird and it sounds like there was some type of auto mechanical failure and whatever happened made the aircraft change pitch and subsequently altitude at a very rapid rate which is what many of the injuries sound like...We will just have to wait and see until more info is available.

FYI, ladies and gentle man put your seat belt on and leave it on at least loosely fastened about 1/2 a the size of your fist distance between the seat belt and your lap. Turbulence doesn't need weather there is C.A.T. (Clear Air Turbulence) and it can be very violent and it's never seen hence the name. Better to be uncomfortable for a little while than hurt or injured and damaged physically for a long time.

Keep an eye out for an update on this one!!!

Keep the "Blue Side Up!"

BlkAv8tor2003