Tag: Air Travel

  • No Ticket? No Problem: TSA Is Bringing Back the Airport Gate Goodbye

    No Ticket? No Problem: TSA Is Bringing Back the Airport Gate Goodbye

    No Ticket? No Problem: TSA Is Bringing Back the Airport Gate Goodbye

    For nearly 25 years, one of the most human parts of air travel has been missing.

    You drive someone to the airport. You unload the bags. Maybe you get a quick hug at the curb. And depending on the airport, if you sit there for more than about 14 seconds, you start wondering whether airport police are going to make you circle the terminal again.

    Then your traveler walks through the doors.

    That’s it.

    You don’t sit with them before their flight. You don’t grab lunch together. You don’t walk them to the gate. You don’t watch their airplane pull away. And when someone you love comes home, you usually wait around baggage claim instead of being the first familiar face they see when they step off the jet bridge.

    For most of us, that has simply become part of flying.

    But TSA is beginning to change that.

    A new program called Gateside by TSA PreCheck is allowing eligible people who are not flying to pass through airport security and enter the secure side of participating airports.

    And I absolutely love this idea.

    What Is Gateside by TSA PreCheck?

    Gateside by TSA PreCheck allows eligible trusted travelers who do not have an airline ticket to apply for access beyond the security checkpoint at participating airports.

    In other words, you may be able to go through TSA without actually having a flight.

    Think about what that means.

    You could walk a family member to the gate.

    You could meet someone the moment they arrive.

    You could visit a friend who has a long layover.

    You could accompany someone who is nervous about traveling and stay with them until it is time to board.

    Or you could simply enjoy some of the restaurants, shops and other amenities located inside the secure portion of an airport.

    TSA launched the program in September 2026 at 13 airports, with the potential for additional airports to be added as the program develops.

    The initial airports include:

    Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona

    John Glenn Columbus International Airport

    Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

    Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

    Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport

    Indianapolis International Airport

    Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas

    Los Angeles International Airport

    Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock

    Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City

    Eppley Airfield in Omaha

    San Diego International Airport

    Salt Lake City International Airport

    You Still Have to Go Through Security

    This does not mean TSA is simply opening the doors and allowing anyone into the terminal.

    Gateside is built around the trusted traveler system.

    Participants need qualifying TSA PreCheck benefits and a Known Traveler Number or another eligible trusted traveler credential. You apply before your visit, receive approval, bring proper identification to the airport and go through TSA screening.

    Airport security rules still apply.

    TSA can also limit the number of Gateside visitors based on security conditions and airport capacity.

    So no, this is not a return to the completely open airport terminals of decades ago.

    It is something smarter.

    It combines modern airport security with the ability to bring back something air travel lost a long time ago.

    This Gives TSA PreCheck an Entirely New Kind of Value

    I already think TSA PreCheck is one of the better investments a frequent traveler can make.

    But Gateside changes the value of PreCheck in an interesting way.

    Until now, TSA PreCheck was something you used when you were traveling.

    Now it could have value when somebody else is traveling.

    Maybe you only fly a couple of times a year and have wondered whether TSA PreCheck is worth paying for.

    Now imagine your son or daughter is taking their first trip alone.

    Maybe your parents are flying somewhere and you want to help them navigate the airport.

    Maybe your spouse is leaving on a long trip.

    Maybe your best friend has a four-hour connection through your local airport.

    Or maybe a family member you haven’t seen in a year is finally coming home.

    Suddenly, your trusted traveler membership can be useful even when you are not getting on an airplane.

    That is a completely different benefit.

    And I think it is a very smart one.

    Airports Can Become Places Again

    Something changed about airports after September 11, 2001, and understandably so.

    Security had to change.

    Before 9/11, family and friends could generally accompany travelers to their gates. After the attacks, the security checkpoint became a dividing line between passengers and everyone else.

    That change served an important purpose.

    But we also lost something.

    Airports used to be part of the experience.

    People dressed differently when they traveled. Flying felt like an occasion.

    Families went to the airport together.

    Kids stood at huge terminal windows watching airplanes taxi.

    People said goodbye at the gate.

    Someone returning home might step off an airplane and see an entire family waiting for them.

    Today, air travel often feels much more transactional.

    Get dropped off.

    Check your bag.

    Clear security.

    Find the gate.

    Board the plane.

    Repeat.

    Gateside brings a little humanity back into that process.

    Imagine the Arrivals

    This may be the part of the program that I like the most.

    Imagine a servicemember coming home and walking off the jet bridge to see family waiting at the gate.

    Imagine your grandson flying in to visit and seeing Grandpa standing there when he arrives.

    Imagine somebody coming home after being away for six months and seeing a ridiculous homemade welcome sign waiting for them.

    Those moments used to be part of flying.

    Now, at least at participating airports, they can be again.

    And I think that matters.

    There is something completely different about walking off an airplane and immediately seeing the person you came home to see.

    Not 20 minutes later at baggage claim.

    Not after navigating escalators, trams and crowds.

    Right there.

    At the gate.

    It Could Make Travel Easier for Nervous Travelers

    There is another side to Gateside that deserves attention.

    Not everyone loves flying.

    Some people are anxious travelers.

    Some people are flying for the first time.

    Some people have no problem with the airplane itself but find large airports confusing or intimidating.

    Until now, unless there was a qualifying circumstance that allowed an airline to issue an escort pass, friends and family usually had to say goodbye before security.

    Gateside creates another possibility.

    A trusted family member or friend may be able to go through security with you, help you find your gate, grab something to eat, sit with you and stay until boarding begins.

    It does not replace airline assistance programs or accessibility services for travelers who need them.

    It simply gives people another option.

    Sometimes having someone you know sitting beside you is the best travel assistance there is.

    And Don’t Overlook the Restaurants

    Frequent travelers know something that people who rarely fly may not realize.

    Airport food has gotten a lot better.

    Sure, there are still plenty of overpriced grab-and-go sandwiches that can make you reconsider every decision that brought you to that moment.

    But many airports now have great local restaurants, breweries, chef-driven concepts, shopping, lounges, art installations and other experiences beyond security.

    Gateside suddenly gives some non-travelers access to that world.

    Have a friend with a three-hour layover?

    You might be able to meet them for dinner.

    Want to take your grandchild to watch airplanes and grab lunch?

    Potentially.

    Want to spend another hour with someone before a long trip rather than dropping them at the curb?

    Now there may be another option.

    The airport does not have to be somewhere you only go because you are flying.

    It can become a place again.

    Philadelphia Travelers Already Have Something Similar

    There is an important distinction for travelers in the Philadelphia area.

    Philadelphia International Airport is not currently one of the airports participating in Gateside by TSA PreCheck.

    However, PHL already operates its own program called Wingmate Pass.

    Wingmate allows approved non-ticketed visitors to enter the secure side of Philadelphia International Airport to accompany someone to a gate, greet a domestic arrival or enjoy airport restaurants, shopping and other amenities.

    Unlike Gateside, Wingmate does not require TSA PreCheck membership.

    Programs like Wingmate are important because they show that airports have already been experimenting with bringing non-ticketed visitors back into secure terminals.

    What makes Gateside especially interesting is that TSA itself is now building a broader program around its trusted traveler system.

    That could make this concept much easier to expand.

    I Think the Golden Age of Air Travel May Be Coming Back

    I keep saying something that might sound a little crazy.

    I think we may be seeing the beginning of a new golden age of air travel.

    No, I don’t think everyone is going to start wearing suits and dresses to fly again.

    And based on what I see in airports every week, I think pajamas are probably here to stay.

    But I do think the travel industry is beginning to think differently about the customer experience.

    For years, so much of flying has been focused on efficiency.

    Move people through security faster.

    Board the airplane faster.

    Turn the aircraft faster.

    Move passengers from Point A to Point B.

    Those things matter.

    But somewhere along the way, the experience itself became secondary.

    Now we are starting to see technology and new programs being used to make travel enjoyable again.

    United Airlines, for example, is currently testing a program at Newark Liberty International Airport where eligible passengers can order food, drinks and certain travel essentials through the United app and have those items waiting for them at the gate.

    United has said Houston is also expected to receive the program later in 2026.

    Think about how useful that could be during a tight connection.

    Instead of getting off one airplane, sprinting through Newark, standing in a restaurant line and then running to your next gate, your food could already be there waiting for you.

    That may sound like a small change.

    It isn’t.

    Small improvements like that can completely change how stressful a travel day feels.

    I’ll be talking more about that program in another Pags on the Go article.

    Maybe the Airport Can Be Fun Again

    I don’t expect us to recreate air travel from the 1960s.

    And frankly, we probably shouldn’t.

    The so-called golden age of aviation gets romanticized. Flying was much more expensive relative to household income, far fewer people could afford it and there were plenty of things about the experience that were not nearly as glamorous as the old photographs make them look.

    But there was something about travel that I think we lost.

    It felt special.

    Going to the airport meant something.

    Leaving meant something.

    Coming home meant something.

    Maybe the next golden age of air travel does not need to look like the old one.

    Maybe we create a new version.

    One that keeps modern aviation security but uses trusted traveler programs intelligently.

    One where technology removes some of the frustrating parts of travel instead of creating new ones.

    One where airports become places worth spending time again.

    One where families can walk together to the gate.

    One where a nervous traveler does not necessarily have to say goodbye before security.

    One where a child can stand at the terminal window with Grandpa and watch airplanes taxi.

    And one where somebody can step off a plane after a long journey and see the person they love standing there holding a sign.

    That may seem like a small thing.

    I don’t think it is.

    Travel has always been about more than moving people from Point A to Point B.

    It is about leaving.

    It is about arriving.

    It is about who you are going to see.

    And sometimes, it is about who is standing there when you get there.

    Gateside by TSA PreCheck brings a little piece of that back.

    I hope it comes to a lot more airports.

    Travel smart,
    Tommy Pags

  • American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines Is Bringing Seatback Screens Back. Good. They Never Should Have Left.

    American Airlines just announced that seatback entertainment screens are coming back to its narrowbody fleet.

    My first reaction?

    Good.

    My second reaction?

    Why did they take them out in the first place?

    American is reversing a strategy that dates back to 2017, when the airline decided its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft would not have seatback entertainment screens. At the time, American’s argument was that more than 90% of its passengers already brought a phone, tablet or laptop onboard, so it made more sense to invest in streaming entertainment and connectivity than screens built into the seats.

    On a PowerPoint presentation in a conference room somewhere, I can see how that probably made perfect sense.

    In the real world?

    I think it completely misunderstood the customer.

    Just Because I Have a Screen Doesn’t Mean I Want to Use It

    I travel with an iPhone and an iPad on virtually every flight I take.

    And ironically, I am probably not American’s best argument for bringing the screens back because I usually watch something on my iPad anyway.

    But that’s my choice.

    There is a big difference between saying, “Most passengers carry a device,” and saying, “Most passengers would prefer to use that device instead of a seatback entertainment system.”

    Those are two entirely different things.

    Your phone might be charging. You might want to text someone using the Wi-Fi. You might want to check your email while watching a movie. You might have a child with you who doesn’t have a device. Maybe you didn’t download anything before the flight. Maybe your battery is dying.

    Or maybe you simply don’t want to hold your phone or balance an iPad somewhere for three hours.

    Having a phone in your pocket doesn’t make the screen in front of you unnecessary.

    Sometimes Companies Stop Watching Their Customers

    I’ve worked in enough companies, departments and leadership teams over the years to see the human side of how decisions like this happen.

    Consumers normally see the finished decision.

    They don’t see the meetings.

    They don’t see the personalities.

    They don’t see the person who walks into a room convinced that he or she has the answer, or the people around the table who might disagree but eventually stop arguing.

    Good leadership, in my experience, isn’t simply walking into the room with the best idea.

    It’s bringing together people with different experiences, listening to them, challenging assumptions and then making the best decision possible for the customer and the business.

    Sometimes companies do that extraordinarily well.

    Sometimes somebody falls in love with an idea.

    And once that happens, an organization can spend years defending something customers never really wanted.

    I can’t tell you exactly what happened inside American Airlines in 2017, and I’m certainly not suggesting one person made this decision alone.

    But from the outside, this has always looked like one of those decisions where the spreadsheet won over the customer.

    Here’s the Research I Would Have Done

    This part isn’t complicated.

    Get on an airplane.

    Sit in economy.

    Look around.

    I do it every week.

    When I’m on an aircraft equipped with seatback entertainment, plenty of those screens are being used. My completely unscientific observation from flying is that on many flights it looks like more than half the cabin has something playing.

    Movies.

    TV shows.

    The moving map.

    Kids programming.

    Sometimes people aren’t even actively watching. The map is simply running while they’re doing something else.

    That’s customer behavior happening right in front of you.

    And here’s the important part: those passengers often have phones sitting next to them too.

    The seatback screen didn’t replace their device.

    It complemented it.

    That distinction seems obvious today, but apparently it wasn’t obvious enough in 2017.

    American Is Now Making a Very Big U-Turn

    This isn’t American putting screens on a handful of new airplanes.

    The airline says it plans to install seatback entertainment at every seat across its narrowbody fleet, including both new aircraft and retrofitted planes. New aircraft deliveries with screens are expected to begin in 2028, with the broader rollout continuing into the early part of the next decade.

    And these aren’t going to be the clunky airline screens many of us remember from years ago.

    American says the new system will include:

    • 4K displays
    • Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones
    • USB-C fast charging
    • Personalized entertainment
    • Enhanced flight maps
    • Movies, television, music and games
    • Integration alongside American’s upcoming Starlink Wi-Fi

    American is also increasing premium seating on its narrowbody fleet from roughly 25% of seats today to about 40% in the coming years.

    So clearly this is part of something bigger.

    American is trying to make its domestic product feel more premium and compete more directly with Delta and United.

    That makes sense.

    This Reminds Me of the CarPlay Debate

    There’s a similar corporate mindset happening in the automotive industry.

    Some automakers have moved away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of their own integrated systems.

    Again, maybe there is a terrific business case for doing that.

    But there’s a simple customer question that has to come first:

    What does the customer actually want?

    People already live inside the ecosystems on their phones.

    They have their apps.

    Their music.

    Their messages.

    Their navigation preferences.

    Their contacts.

    Their podcasts.

    When someone buys a $50,000 vehicle, telling them they can’t use the interface they already prefer because the manufacturer has decided something else is better can feel incredibly tone deaf.

    The airline screen decision strikes me the same way.

    Technology should give customers more choices, not take choices away from them.

    Want to watch your iPad?

    Great.

    Want to stream American’s entertainment to your phone?

    Great.

    Want to put your phone down, connect your AirPods to the screen in front of you and watch a movie?

    You should be able to do that too.

    But There’s Still Something More Important Than the Screen

    I give American credit for reversing course.

    Companies don’t always do that.

    Sometimes the hardest words for a large organization to say are essentially, “We got this one wrong.”

    And American is putting real money behind the reversal.

    But if I’m American Airlines and I’m making a list of what passengers really want from me, a beautiful 4K entertainment system isn’t at the top.

    Get me where I’m going.

    Get me there safely.

    Get me there reasonably close to the time you told me I would arrive.

    Handle disruptions well when something goes wrong.

    Treat customers like human beings when their travel plans fall apart.

    Then we can talk about the television.

    The entertainment system absolutely affects the experience, particularly when American wants to position itself as a premium full-service airline.

    But reliability is still the product.

    Everything else is an amenity.

    My Take

    I think American made the wrong call in 2017.

    Not because phones and tablets weren’t becoming more important. American was absolutely right about that.

    The mistake was assuming one technology had to replace the other.

    Nearly a decade later, American seems to have reached the same conclusion.

    Your phone isn’t replacing the airplane screen.

    Your airplane screen isn’t replacing your phone.

    They can coexist.

    And sometimes the best market research isn’t another survey, consulting report or executive presentation.

    Sometimes you just need to sit in 28C, look around the cabin and watch what your customers are actually doing.

    American finally appears to have looked around.

    Better late than never.

    Travel Smart,

    Tommy Pags

  • Three Airports Are Replacing TSA Screeners. I Hope Every Airport Is Next.

    Three Airports Are Replacing TSA Screeners. I Hope Every Airport Is Next.

    Three Airports Are Replacing TSA Screeners. I Hope Every Airport Is Next.

    Private security will still operate under federal standards, but it could bring something airport screening desperately needs: accountability.

    Three major airports are preparing to replace federally employed TSA screeners with private security contractors, and I think it is a fantastic idea.

    Tampa International Airport, Charleston International Airport, and Des Moines International Airport are set to become the first participants in a new program called TSA Gold+. Current projections call for the transition to begin at Des Moines in January 2027, Charleston in February 2027, and Tampa in May 2027.

    Before anyone pictures airports abandoning security regulations or returning to the inconsistent system that existed before September 11, that is not what is happening.

    TSA will continue setting the security standards. It will oversee the contractors, conduct inspections, perform covert testing, and retain federal security directors at participating airports. The private screeners must meet the same federal training and certification requirements as TSA officers. What changes is who employs the screeners, who manages the checkpoint, and, under the expanded Gold+ program, who can purchase and deploy some of the technology.

    In other words, this is not an elimination of federal oversight.

    It is an attempt to combine federal security standards with private-sector accountability.

    And I hope it works.

    Government Agencies Do Not Operate Like Businesses

    This is not intended as a personal attack against TSA officers. Most TSA employees are ordinary people trying to perform a difficult, repetitive, and frequently thankless job.

    The problem is the system surrounding them.

    A government agency does not operate under the same incentives as a private business. If a TSA checkpoint develops two-hour lines, passengers miss flights, families become frustrated, and the entire terminal backs up, TSA does not lose the airport’s business the following morning.

    There is no competing federal screening agency waiting to take its place.

    The airport cannot simply fire TSA and select a better provider. Travelers cannot choose a different checkpoint operator. The agency continues operating and continues receiving government funding.

    A private contractor works under a very different reality.

    Its contract can include measurable requirements for staffing, wait times, training, threat detection, customer satisfaction, and checkpoint throughput. Its performance can be reviewed. Its contract can be penalized, rebid, or ultimately given to another company.

    That does not guarantee perfection, but it creates accountability.

    TSA’s existing Screening Partnership Program already requires private screeners to provide security equal to or greater than the level provided by federal screeners. TSA has also established performance standards covering hiring, training, and the ability to detect threat objects during testing.

    The difference is simple: one organization is permanently assigned to the airport, while the other must continue earning the right to operate there.

    Security Must Be About More Than Looking Secure

    The most important argument for private airport security is not shorter lines.

    It is safety.

    TSA has experienced some deeply troubling results during undercover security tests.

    In 2015, officials briefed on a Department of Homeland Security Inspector General investigation said TSA screeners failed 67 of 70 undercover tests. Investigators were reportedly able to move simulated weapons and explosives through checkpoints in 95 percent of the attempts.

    Another round of covert testing in 2017 again found serious vulnerabilities. The official results were classified, but reporting at the time indicated that screeners or screening procedures failed more than half the tests, with one source describing an estimated 80 percent failure rate as being “in the ballpark.”

    Those tests are not current performance measurements, and TSA has made changes since they were conducted. But they demonstrate an important point: simply making screeners federal employees does not automatically make a checkpoint secure.

    The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General identified problems involving personnel, equipment, and procedures. A later Government Accountability Office review found that TSA improved its covert-testing program, but had not fully established an effective process for resolving vulnerabilities discovered during those tests. As of September 2018, nine vulnerabilities identified since 2015 had not been formally resolved.

    That is where private-sector accountability could matter.

    If a contractor repeatedly misses weapons, fails inspections, understaffs checkpoints, or ignores corrective actions, there should be contractual consequences. Security failures should threaten the company’s ability to keep the business.

    Private screening will never eliminate human error. No serious person should promise that it will. But a system in which performance directly affects whether a company retains its contract creates a much stronger incentive to identify weaknesses and correct them quickly.

    Innovation Should Include the Entire Experience

    Airport security innovation is usually discussed in terms of equipment.

    New scanners. Better identification technology. Automated screening lanes. Artificial intelligence. Touchless identity verification.

    Those developments matter, but technology is only part of the checkpoint.

    Real innovation should also examine how passengers enter the line, how bins are distributed, how bags are returned, how families are assisted, how staffing changes during peak periods, how travelers receive instructions, and how quickly lanes can be opened when passenger volume suddenly increases.

    A private operator has a reason to study every step.

    Under TSA Gold+, participating contractors may be able to fund and deploy technology on a commercial schedule instead of waiting through the full federal procurement and appropriations process. Tampa International Airport says that could allow technology to arrive faster while improving throughput, security, and customer experience.

    Tampa also reported that its passenger satisfaction score for TSA screening fell to its lowest level during the most recent government shutdown, ranking 45th among 56 participating airports in the Airports Council International customer survey.

    That matters.

    Travelers are not cargo being processed through a warehouse. Security must be thorough, but it can also be organized, professional, understandable, and respectful.

    A safe checkpoint does not have to be a miserable checkpoint.

    Private Screening Is Not Entirely New

    TSA Gold+ may sound like a radical experiment, but private screening under federal oversight has existed for more than two decades.

    Approximately 20 airports already use private screening contractors through TSA’s Screening Partnership Program. Participating airports include San Francisco International Airport, Kansas City International Airport, Atlantic City International Airport, and Orlando Sanford International Airport.

    San Francisco is particularly significant because it demonstrates that private screening is not limited to tiny regional airports.

    SFO is a major international airport and one of the busiest airports in the country. Its private contractor operates the checkpoints while TSA retains federal authority and oversight. Aviation security experts have pointed to San Francisco as evidence that the model can work at scale.

    The model has another advantage: stability during government shutdowns.

    Federal TSA officers are classified as essential employees and must continue working during shutdowns, even when their paychecks are temporarily stopped. As shutdowns continue, absenteeism can rise and checkpoints can become understaffed.

    Private screening contractors are generally paid through previously funded federal contracts, allowing their operations and payroll to continue. San Francisco officials have said that arrangement helped the airport maintain screening operations during previous shutdowns.

    Airport security should not depend on whether politicians in Washington can pass a budget.

    Private Does Not Automatically Mean Better

    There is an important warning that cannot be ignored.

    A private company can also perform poorly. A contractor could cut staffing, reduce training, chase profits, or attempt to meet the minimum standard at the lowest possible cost.

    The Government Accountability Office has previously found that comparisons between private and federal screeners contained enough methodological limitations that broad conclusions about which group performed better could not reliably be made.

    That means privatization alone is not the solution.

    The solution is privatization combined with strong federal standards, independent testing, transparent performance measurements, meaningful contract requirements, and the willingness to replace companies that fail.

    TSA should remain the regulator.

    It should establish the security requirements, conduct inspections, perform covert tests, certify workers, investigate failures, and enforce national standards.

    But it does not necessarily need to employ every person operating every checkpoint.

    The government can set the rules without running the entire operation.

    I Hope More Airports Follow

    I would be happy to see every airport in the country seriously consider moving to private security screening under TSA oversight.

    Not because private companies are automatically perfect. They are not.

    Not because every TSA officer is doing a poor job. That is clearly not true.

    I support it because the current system separates performance from consequences.

    A better model would make security companies compete on safety, efficiency, technology, staffing, and the passenger experience. It would allow airports to demand improvement. It would give operators a reason to innovate. Most importantly, it would create a mechanism for replacing an organization that consistently fails to perform.

    Airport security is too important to become a permanent government routine where long lines, outdated systems, inconsistent instructions, and security failures are accepted as unavoidable.

    Tampa, Charleston, and Des Moines are about to test another way.

    I hope they succeed.

    And I hope every other airport is watching.

    Travel smart,
    Tommy Pags

  • Why It’s “Too Hot to Fly” in Las Vegas, and What Smart Travelers Should Do About It

    Why It’s “Too Hot to Fly” in Las Vegas, and What Smart Travelers Should Do About It

    Why It’s “Too Hot to Fly” in Las Vegas, and What Smart Travelers Should Do About It

    If you’ve ever heard someone say, “It’s too hot for planes to fly,” it sounds ridiculous.

    After all, airplanes fly through deserts every day.

    But this week in Las Vegas, it became reality.

    As temperatures climbed well above 110°F, several flights at Harry Reid International Airport were delayed, and in one widely reported case, passengers were actually asked to volunteer to get off the airplane because it was too heavy to safely depart in the extreme heat.

    I’m actually in Las Vegas this week for the Summer Las Vegas Market, and let me tell you, it’s brutally hot outside. Walking between buildings feels like opening an oven door.

    So what’s really happening?

    The Science Is Actually Pretty Simple

    Airplanes fly because their wings generate lift.

    The hotter the air gets, the less dense it becomes. Think of it as the air becoming “thinner.” Thin air doesn’t give the wings as much to push against, and jet engines also produce slightly less thrust. The result is that airplanes need more runway and more speed before they can safely lift off.

    If the aircraft is carrying too much weight, there may not be enough runway available to safely accelerate and climb.

    That’s when airlines have a few options:

    • Delay the flight until temperatures cool.
    • Offload cargo or baggage.
    • Reduce fuel and make a fuel stop later.
    • Ask passengers to volunteer to take a later flight.

    Safety always wins.

    Las Vegas Makes It Even Harder

    Las Vegas is already challenging because of its desert climate.

    Now combine:

    • Temperatures over 110°F.
    • A busy airport with constant departures.
    • Aircraft loaded with passengers, luggage, and fuel.

    It’s the perfect recipe for weight restrictions. Fortunately, Harry Reid has one of the longest runways in the country, which helps, but even that has limits during extreme heat.

    Here’s the Real Travel Lesson

    The weather itself isn’t the story.

    Preparation is.

    One thing I’ve learned after hundreds of flights is that the travelers who recover the fastest are usually the ones who knew there was a problem before everyone else.

    Don’t just check the weather where you’re leaving.

    Check:

    • Your departure city.
    • Your connection city.
    • Your destination.

    A thunderstorm in Denver can affect your flight from Philadelphia to Salt Lake City. Extreme heat in Las Vegas can impact departures all afternoon.

    Weather anywhere in your aircraft’s journey can become your problem.

    The Biggest Mistake Travelers Make

    When a flight gets canceled, something interesting happens.

    Every single person on your airplane is suddenly trying to get to the exact same destination you are.

    If 180 passengers are stranded, they’re all competing for the same handful of available seats.

    That’s why speed matters.

    If you’ve already been watching your flight, already know your alternate flights, and already have the airline app open, you can often rebook before half the cabin has even stood up.

    I’ve seen travelers spend twenty minutes waiting in line at the gate while someone sitting in Row 22 has already secured the last available seat on the next departure using the airline’s app.

    My Advice

    Weather is one of the few things airlines can’t control.

    What you can control is your awareness.

    Know what’s happening before you leave for the airport.

    Watch your inbound aircraft.

    Know your backup flights.

    If things start going sideways, act quickly.

    In travel, information is often your biggest advantage.

    Travel Smart,

    Tommy Pags

  • TSA Is Finally Cracking Down on Oversized Carry-Ons. Good.

    TSA Is Finally Cracking Down on Oversized Carry-Ons. Good.

    TSA Is Finally Cracking Down on Oversized Carry-Ons. Good.

    If you’ve flown recently, you’ve probably seen it.

    Someone shows up at the TSA checkpoint with a carry-on that’s bulging at the seams, barely zips shut, and somehow is expected to fit through security, into the overhead bin, and not delay everyone else.

    That may be coming to an end.

    The TSA is rolling out advanced 3D CT scanners at airports across the country. Besides providing much better security screening, these machines have a smaller opening than many of the older X-ray scanners. If your carry-on won’t physically fit through the scanner, you may be sent back to the airline counter to check it before you can continue through security. In many cases, that means leaving the security line, checking the bag, and starting the process all over again. (New Jersey 101.5)

    The Rules Aren’t New

    This is an important distinction.

    The TSA isn’t changing carry-on size limits.

    The airlines already have those rules. For most major U.S. carriers, the standard maximum carry-on size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, although every airline publishes its own baggage policy. (Yahoo Travel)

    What’s changing is enforcement.

    For years, many travelers pushed the limits. Overstuffed bags, oversized rollers, duffel bags that somehow became twice their normal size. Sometimes they made it through security only to be gate checked later. Sometimes they somehow squeezed into an overhead bin after holding up the boarding process.

    The new scanners don’t care how persuasive you are.

    If the bag doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit.

    This Is One TSA Change I Completely Support

    I know this probably won’t be a popular opinion with everyone, but I’m all for it.

    If you’ve followed Pags on the Go, you know I’m constantly looking for ways to make air travel smoother.

    The biggest slowdowns at an airport usually happen when something falls outside the normal process.

    That could be:

    • An oversized carry-on
    • A bag stuffed beyond its intended size
    • Someone trying to bring unusual items through security
    • Travelers who aren’t prepared when they reach the checkpoint
    • People reorganizing their luggage in the middle of the line

    Every exception creates friction.

    One person takes an extra minute, then the next person waits, then the next, and before long the entire checkpoint slows to a crawl.

    Multiply that by hundreds of travelers every day, and the delays become significant.

    Frequent Travelers Already Understand This

    There are different types of travelers.

    Some people fly once or twice a year for vacation.

    Others live in airports.

    Business travelers and frequent flyers aren’t trying to rush because they’re impatient. They’re trying to eliminate unnecessary delays.

    That’s why they enroll in TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, or Digital ID.

    That’s why they board efficiently.

    That’s why they pack consistently.

    And that’s why they appreciate anything that keeps the line moving.

    When everyone follows the same process, the entire airport works better.

    Better Technology, Better Security

    The new CT scanners aren’t just about baggage size.

    They produce a three-dimensional image of your carry-on that allows TSA officers to rotate, zoom, and inspect its contents far more effectively than older X-ray systems. At many checkpoints, they also allow travelers to leave laptops and other electronics inside their bags, reducing the amount of unpacking at security. More than 250 U.S. airport checkpoints have already received these scanners, with additional installations planned. (New Jersey 101.5)

    So while stricter carry-on enforcement is getting the headlines, the real story is that airport security is becoming both smarter and, in many cases, faster.

    My Advice

    Before your next trip:

    • Measure your carry-on instead of guessing.
    • Don’t overstuff expandable luggage.
    • Check your airline’s published carry-on dimensions before you leave home.
    • If your bag is questionable, check it before getting in the TSA line.

    A few extra minutes at home can save you from being sent back to the ticket counter after you’ve already waited in security.

    For once, I think this is a change that benefits everyone.

    Less arguing.

    Less congestion.

    Fewer oversized bags competing for overhead space.

    And hopefully, a faster trip through the airport.

    That’s something I can get behind.

    Travel smart,
    Tommy Pags