Scary Flight??? There's an App for That

<---- You are kidding me, right?

With over 100,000 applications available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, some don't live up to the hype. Virgin Atlantic's Flying Without Fear is most definitely one of the those.

Let me start my rant by saying I understand there are more than a few jittery travelers with flying phobias. Rational or not, I also understand there is real fear involved. I have been in two very real (to me) close encounters on planes, one on an American Eagle puddle jumper off Puerto Rico in 1987 and another in September 2001 (this one we won't discuss). I do empathize with those who have been involved, or those whose friends or relatives have been involved in aviation accidents or close calls. I am not here to ridicule anyone with flying anxiety, just the fear mongers who try and profit from it.

Also, I am sure this $4.99 iPhone/iPod Touch Application won't help.

Flying Without Fear basically strings together everything my twelve year old schnauzer knows about the fears of flying and wraps it beautifully around Sir Richard Branson's "comforting" words. By the way, my dog tries to dig a hole in the floor behind the washing machine every Fourth of July. And when we lived in Central Florida, the lightning capital of the world, this dog shook for three straight years; this dog understands FEAR. But she is a dog!!!

And what does Sir Richard have to offer? Oh yeah, he has "an App for That". How did he get a Title? I bet...he bought it. Unless it comes with a prescription of Xanax, I wouldn't waste the five bucks. I guess Sir Richard wants to upgrade his title to "His Majesty, the King".

One last thing, Virgin Atlantic claims a 98% success rate using this tool (application). By all means, please tell me how this is measured.

Happy Holidays,
Al, the Travel Valet

Prepping for the Holidays....

So, as I'm getting ready for the holidays and my family's London vacation, I finally remember to transfer all my pictures from my camera's memory cards to the portable hard drive via the computer. This is a task I always forget. Not sure why. Hum? Maybe it's my age and I'll still think I can just go buy extra 35mm film.

Anyway, I never seem to remember this and as I'm traveling I'm forced to be very selective in my picture taking because I'm limited in my memory space. This stinks because I like to take at least 25-50 of these every time I visit Cabo San Lucas....


and one of these every time Ben tolls.

I can take 200 pictures of seals sun bathing at Fisherman's Wharf and forty pictures of the Golden Gate engulfed in fog. I justify this camera abuse utilizing the "artistic license" card. Maybe the light will be different 20 seconds from now or the seal blinked. For whatever reason, this strikes me as funny. If I was really still buying 35mm film, this foolish pleasure would never happen.


Happy Holidays!

Al, the Travel Valet and very amateur photographer

Just Picked This off Snopes.com

I know I try to stay away from politics and religion here on the Travel Valet, but I just can't let this go...

Check out the picture on your left. Have you seen it yet?.......What you are looking at are two Democratic Representatives from the State of Connecticut playing solitaire on their notebook computers while the Republican House Minority Leader is pleading in the background for Congress to submit a balanced budget. In this economy, don't you think your representative would at least listen even if he and she she did not agree. Now, I'm not a constituent of either of these representatives, but if I were there would be some HELL to pay. Are you a constituent of either of them? If you want their names and addresses I have them and all you have to do is send me an email to thetravelvalet@gmail.com and then I'll forward the info along to you. Unbelievable!!!

Al, the Travel Valet

So Long US Airways Part II - The Final Chapter

Continuation of the true US Airways story...

"Well," as I turned to face him, "what would be your suggestion?" I was starting to steam. I focused hard with my eyes into his face hoping my Superman super powers would ignite his little blue smock. Yea, with might, I tried. But my valiant efforts went unrewarded. The smock must have been laced with Kryptonite. He stood defiant.

"Well," His ferret-like head bobbed in beat on his bony shoulders with his short, quick reply, "I suggest you take your luggage to back of the plane. There should be plenty of storage in the rear." This is the very same attendant who pleaded with passengers to cough up the $30 check the bags below. LIAR!!!

I almost "outted" him right there, but decided I could rise above it and pick my fight after I arrived at my destination. I really didn't want to spend another minute at the airport nor have to defend myself to airport security when I am "the customer" who paid several hundred dollars for each of the seats. I bit my tongue and turned toward the rear of the plane. The aisle was crammed passengers jostling with their own carry-ons. This would take awhile. My first attempt to roll one of our suitcases in front of me and the other behind didn't last long. I couldn't manage my way around the passengers. So, I threw both cases over my shoulders and carried them as the Greek Titan, Atlas, supported the Earth. It was ridiculous. I'm not Atlas and was very concerned one of the cases might fall from its perch onto an innocent's head. Mark made zero attempt to offer assistance, and his crew mate standing at the back near the galley, just watched. I really was angry and humiliated now.

Eventually, which equals about five minutes, I found room for one and then the other farther back, near the lavatory. I was now standing directly in front of the rear-stationed flight attendant sweating profusely. She just stood there staring blankly into my eyes. Not once offering assistance or even saying a word. I was aghast. Why are they called flight attendants, anyway?? What exactly do they "attend" to? They no longer offer food unless your are willing to swipe your credit card for a six dollar bag of "gourmet" Lays potato chips. But what I find really entertaining is they will walk by six times with a trash bag in hopes you will do their work for them. That is hilarious. They don't offer anything that we can discard, but just in case we bring aboard a $4.95 bottle of water that we had to purchase on the concourse after the security check, these blank-staring "attendants" want to make sure we have at least six opportunities to discard the bottle before we consider cramming it into the magazine pocket before us. Wow!

Now, what is exactly is their purpose? If they don't attempt to accommodate, can't we just have a giant list of rules plastered to each bulkhead and an "aisle" monitor with an Uzi to enforce them. Seriously, why not?

I'm done with US Airways. I hope they go the way of Braniff and Eastern. That is something, I'll help them with and they don't need to walk by me six times with a garbage bag. I'll do it myself, thanks.

PS: What was really ironic in this tale was pretty much everyone saw what transpired and several offered to help me by bringing my bags forward since I was sitting in Row 4. Of course, the attendants made no effort.

Al, the Travel Valet

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Pick of the Day(59-13-1)...NCAAB -Western Kentucky -6.5