When you have a flight delay, it's annoying.  When you have to pay 20 bucks to check in one bag, it's ridiculous.  But when you have WiFi on your plane, it's perfecto.

Thanks to the innovators at Virgin America, anyone can now access the Internet while sitting in their cramped, overpriced seat.  Delta, American and Southwest are even catching on to this fabulous trend.  Finally, an airline perk and not another snack charge (5 dollars for a bag of chips--come on now).

This new Internet option will drown out the crying baby two rows behind us, end the armrest war with our neighbor and get our jobs done faster.  Accessing our office computers and meeting remotely with co-workers is now possible from the air, thanks to GoToMyPC and GoToMeeting.

Technology lets us synchronize our work and lives once again.  So my fellow road warriors, tweet to your heart's content; update your Facebook page with video of your cat flushing the toilet, or whatever you consider funny enough to share with the world; and meet with colleagues and access your work applications and files.  Getting the job done and harmonizing your work-life balance are now possible no matter the altitude.

It's a new age--with a new flexibility to work, play and connect from anywhere, even 30,000 feet above the earth at 600 miles per hour.

Here are the advantages I see from having Internet access on planes:

• Travel updates: letting family, co-workers and clients know if there is a change to my itinerary
• Finishing projects: accessing my office computer to work on projects using GoToMyPC
• Keeping in touch: replying to the emails I've been meaning to get to, sending eCards, etc.
• Meeting with a colleague or client: using GoToMeeting's screen-share capabilities, chat, etc.
• Entertainment: watching my new favorite TV show, "Modern Family," or sending a picture of my aerial view to friends
• Staying in the loop: what if a natural or political disaster occurs while traveling?
• Studying up: catching up on industry trends, reading blogs, opinion articles, etc.
• Distraction: focus on the stuff I want, while tuning out the pains and discomforts of modern-day travel

As we know, the advances in technology and the benefit of mobility keep us connected.  The balance and mix between life and work will only become more integrated as the options to access our office computers, social networking sites and email accounts are available no matter the location.  So now, it's a coffee shop, it's a cubicle, it's super work in the sky.

Do you find any other advantages to having in-flight Internet?


More about Internet in planes


Photo Credit: davipt

Today's post is an interview with Todd Mera of AwardWallet.com, a very useful website that can track your award points and remind you of their impending expiration. Launched in 2004, Award Wallet it is gaining a following of dedicated users

So tell us a bit about your background, AwardWallet, and what motivated you to start it?
AwardWallet was started out of a need for me and my business partner to track our miles more efficiently. There were a couple apps out there that helped with this but they did not meet our needs. I was looking for something that was easy to use and available from anywhere, anytime. More and more people were using web based application and it made sense to build AwardWallet as a web application.

Sounds like you're a jetsetter. Do you workshift a lot? What are your necessary gadgets?
I like to think of myself as 'An Office of One'.  Meetings in a hotel lobby connected to the Wi-Fi doing a web demonstration with a global audience is not uncommon. My newest favorite gadget is my new Sony eReader.  I used to carry about 10 lbs of books with me everywhere I traveled.  I also remember ripping out the first 100 or so pages of a large technical book to read on a flight.  I just couldn't bring that 1500 page technical magna carta with me.  Now, I carry 1000s of digital books with me all the time.

What's the largest benefit you see AwardWallet offering workshifters?
If you are a workshifter, you are probably on the road a bit. AwardWallet will help you track and take advantage of the miles you are accumulating.  AwardWallet will allow you to see all of your frequent flyer miles, hotel points, car rental points and many more from a single screen.  AwardWallet will automatically update the balances and let you view all of your travel equity from a single screen.

Another great feature...AutoLogin.  From AwardWallet.com click on the program name, ie Delta, and we will take you to their site and automatically log you in allowing you to check in for you flight and do any other necessary business. All in all - Huge time saver!

What do you think is the single most important thing for the workshifter to keep in mind when using their award points?
DON'T LET THEM EXPIRE.  Frequent Flyer miles can expire in 12-18 month of no activity depending on the program.  You spent all this time earning those miles flying from here to there.  Don't waste them. AwardWallet will let you know if any of your miles are due to expire. With this info the workshifter can now create some activity on the account where the miles are about to expire and reset the clock.

What advice can you offer workshifters on account management?
Know what you have Get points for everything.  Example, I only buy stuff with credit cards that allow me to earn points.  I then pay off the credit card every month.  I even buy all of my groceries with a credit card.

Use them. You earned them. Take a trip. They do not earn interest and they are not getting more valuable.  So go have some fun.


Photo Credit: Bob the Lomond

We have been advertising GoToMeeting in airport terminals and in airline magazines for many years.  Initially we lead with "Do More Travel Less" messaging.  For good reason, the airlines asked us to modify the message to speak more appropriately to their travel audience.  We adopted the message on a case by case basis, and one example of that was "Down Time is the new Up Time".



I am sensitive to the fact that travel industry is facing very challenging times.  However, by eliminating all GoToMeeting messaging, they are basically saying that travelers are so naive they will not possibly know these tools exist, so let's be really quiet and maybe they wont find out!

American Airlines considered our messaging to be "anti-travel".  Ok, I have to admit that if I were in their shoes, I'd see it that way as well.  Admittedly, my company's travel costs have declined as a result of using online meeting tools.  However, we still very much need to travel to see clients, family, friends...in other words, we are still human.  The new tools just allow us to be more selective about when we travel.  American needs to spend time getting at that information.  Which travel are we foregoing versus when is travel necessary?  If I was marketing for the airline, I'd get to that information and message to it.  I believe a climate where technology is promoted and integrated into the travel experience is a much more effective use of resources than viewing them as contributing to the demise of the travel industry.  We offered to change our messaging, and still, they declined.

Our latest airport creative in running at LAX and it speaks to the ability to present from anywhere...even while you're naked

 

It's not anti-travel, it's anti-ignorance.  What it says is you have the freedom to present, and the location is irrelevant.  I have used online meeting tools to present from an airport and even on the plane.  It's such a better use of my time when I travel to know that I can conduct business seamlessly.

I expect an airline to embrace technology, so as to improve the travel experience.  In a prior post I wrote about how we are all in the Unified Experience business.  Airlines are no exception.  This would have been a great opportunity to acknowledge that customers have a choice, and when they do need to travel they will encourage the use of the tools that help make the most of their trip.  A perfect example is GoGo Inflight internet access.  It's wonderful to be able to work in real time from an airplane.

We work with lots of great airlines and airports that have embraced technology and online meetings.  Here are a few:

Alaska
SouthWest
United
Virgin

Los Angeles
San Francisco
Chicago
Miami

As Workshifters and business travelers it is our responsibility to be an effective voice.  I don't recommend you read this and then bash American in the blogsphere.  See this as an opportunity to reach out in a constructive format and ask them to encourage the use of technology and even to consider promoting it.

American Airlines is still my preferred airline when I travel.  I'm going to stick with them because I believe they will come around. 

How will you help? What are your thoughts?
 

I used to get so worked up when preparing for a long trip. This feeling of a thousand pounds would start to weigh on me as I thought about what I needed to pack and how much of it I needed to take with me. Do you ever feel like that? I am not one to just throw clothes in a duct taped garbage bag (a la Tommy Boy), so I searched for a simple, efficient way to pack my carry-on with enough clothes for a week. I tried rolling my clothes up like a boy scout going to camp, I tried folding them in little squares like the metro clothing stores in the mall, and nothing seemed to work. Everything I tried, either took up too much space or made my clothing look like I had slept in them for three days. That was until I discovered the bundling method for packing.

This process allows you to reduce the used space of your packed clothing to smaller sizes without decreasing the volume. This method also minimizes wrinkles, guaranteeing you will show up to your client meetings or presentations looking first class. Last year we traveled to South Africa and Swaziland and I was able to pack for eighteen days into a medium suitcase and a backpack. The amazing part about the trip was, I actually had room in my bag for all the souvenirs I bought to bring back.

Below, I have included a few resources that will help you learn how to save space and travel efficiently.


onebag.com



What are your methods? Thoughts?
 

While sitting on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport I wanted to check in and share some of my inflight workshifting tips.  With all of the international travel that I've been doing lately, it has become essential to develop a method for working from the tiny confines of an airplane seat.

If you have trouble viewing this video, you can also catch it over on my Vimeo channel.




Do you fly a lot?  Make sure you check about these tips from Chris Brogan about what you can do pre-flight, inflight and once you land to help for smoother travels.

What are some of your inflight workshifting tips?

Many of us who workshift travel a lot, perhaps more than we'd like. Although I had the pleasure of a summer pretty much free from business travel, things are starting to ramp up again for fall. And while I love the opportunity to meet with clients and colleagues live and in person, I hate the drain traveling puts on my productivity. It's just not easy getting day-to-day work done from airports, taxis and hotels. Throw in delays, bad food, sick seat mates and time away from family and friends, and business travel is a necessary burden, not a pleasure.

But I have found ways to mitigate the impact. Here are a few friendly tips:

• Designate a carry-on bag that you take on every trip, and leave the things you know you need on the road in the bag. In my experience, these should include business cards, noise-canceling headphones, ear plugs, hand lotion and/or no-wash anti-bacterial gel, a notebook and pen, and breath mints.
  
  
• Invest in extra chargers for your cell/smart phone and PC. Then, leave them in that designated carry-on bag, so you always have power for your critical business tools.
  
  
• Pack healthful snacks for your trip--as many as possible to cover you for the duration. I like nuts, dried fruit, pretzels and hard cheeses. Then, I toss in some fancy chocolates, for a late-night treat. I also keep an empty water bottle on hand, and fill it when I'm past security. This lets me get smart calories and a reliable energy boost, without the crash of processed foods--and without the high airport and mini-bar prices. And it guarantees I won't go hungry or thirsty on the flight if we're stuck on the tarmac for hours on end.
  
  
• Check into your flight from home or the hotel, and print your boarding pass ahead of time. (Most hotels will let you do this free in their business center, or at a computer/printer by the front desk.) Also, print out directions to the hotel and any other locations you'll be visiting, and make sure you let the hotel know you'll be late checking in if, in fact, you will be.
  
  
• Request a room with no connecting door. TV noise and loud voices carry in the space underneath the doors, so you're more likely to get some peace and quiet with a solid wall between you and your neighbors.
  
  
• Try to get in a workout whenever you can, whether that means hitting the hotel health club or going for a run in the neighborhood before your first--or after your last--meeting. Stretch in your room, and take the opportunity to walk whenever you can, even if (especially if) you're in front of clients all day.
  
  
• Plug your devices into an outlet whenever you can.  There's nothing worse than running out of juice mid-trip, and not being near a power source when you need (or simply have the time) to get work done. Consider investing in an extra battery for your phone and PC, too (and then leave them in your travel bag).
  
  
• Make a list of tasks you can reasonably expect to get done on your trip during your down time, but don't be too ambitious. Sometimes, it's nice to take advantage of being disconnected from the regular slew of calls and e-mail--a nice benefit of being on the road. 

What tips have you found that are useful to YOU for staying more productive while traveling?

Photo by: Chris Brogan

Anyone that spends a lot of their life on planes has surely enjoyed the pains caused by lostluggage.  I usually use carry-on rolling suitcase to avoid having to check to avoid any issues as well as the delay it causes while having to wait for the bags to be unloaded onto the belt. 

But, last weekend I had to check baggage as I was going on my honeymoon for 8 days to St. Maarten.  We were flying JetBlue from Boston through JFK then onto St. Maarten.  Upon arrival into St. Maarten our bags didn't arrive.  It took 3 days and tons of phone calls to locate our bags.  What was even more distressing was that we were on our honeymoon.  If it had been a business trip I don't think I would have cared as much.  When we flew back to Boston, our bags were again lost at JFK.  Well, actually they weren't "lost", an entire cart wasn't loaded on the plane so there were about 15 of us who didn't receive our bags that night.  The next morning JetBlue put the bags onto their first flight from JFK to Boston and had them delivered to us a few hours later.

While it was a hardship and worried my wife and I not having our luggage with us, especially while we were in St. Maarten, there were a few things we had done which made life a little easier:

1. We were able to provide JetBlue with a lot of detail about our luggage.  This helps especially when you have standard looking baggage.  I was able to provide such details as "there's an orange Philippines inspection sticker on the right side of the suitcase in the middle".  I can bet no other luggage had that exact marking on it....
   
   
2. I always believe in dressing for the place I'm flying to.  Therefore, even if it's the dead of winter in New England, I'll wear shorts and a t-shirt if I'm headed to the airport on vacation.  Though not winter around Boston right now, I had worn basketball shorts, a t-shirt and sandals.  This let me still go swimming, be comfortable while walking around and have fun on the beaches until our suitcases arrived.
   
   
3. My wife packed a carry-on that had a lot of her clothes in it including changes of clothes for different activities (dining out, water sports, swimming, etc.).  While I wasn't that smart, it helped her out a lot.
   
   
4. I ALWAYS bring all of my electronics, chargers, books and anything else to keep me constantly entertained in my carry-on.  While it can sometimes be a pain going through security, I just feel more at ease having it with me.
   
   
5. We tried to just enjoy our honeymoon instead of worrying about our luggage!

While these definitely aren't meant to be tips, it was some of the experiences that I had which I was reflecting back on over the past couple days.

But, I turn to you, and want to know what are some of your tips to make life easier when your luggage is lost?

Photo by:  Chrispitality

Hi, my name is Brad and I'm addicted to frequent flyer miles.

If there is a group for Flyer Miles Anonymous, sign me up.  There's just something about watching those miles accumulate while I dream about a free flight to a exotic destination that gets me every time. (Then reality hits and I cash them in for a business trip to Walla Walla, Washington. Oh well.)

If you're like me, then you'll want to check out this offer from Northwest and Delta.  They are currently matching any miles you transfer 100%. It's a great time to rack up some extra miles and get those stale miles out of your friend / coworker/ family member accounts with a bonus.

This deal is set to end on May 31st, so if you're interested here's what you need to do.

If your miles are with Northwest, start here.
If your miles are with Delta, start here.
(And if your miles are with one and you want to switch them to the other, you can currently do that for free because of their merger!  Start here.)

You can transfer 30,000 miles per year to someone, so plan your move ahead of time.  Here's what I did.

I took 30,000 miles from my Northwest account and transferred them to my wife for $325.  She got 30K + 30K bonus, leaving 60,000 in her account.  She transferred 30,000 miles back to me  for $325, giving me 60,000 miles in my Northwest account.  She then transferred the remaining 30,000 across to Delta for free and transferred them to my Delta account for $330, giving me 30K + 30K bonus.  I then transferred my 60,000 miles from Northwest to Delta for free, giving me 120,000 miles in my Delta account.

My 30,000 Northwest Miles turned into 120,000 miles on Delta for $980. The total cost was .8 cents per mile; buying them costs 3 cents per mile.

So now when I find that tropical vacation ticket in range and more expensive than $980, it'll be time to cash the miles in.

Otherwise, it's off to Walla Walla I go.

During my weekly travels I am always quick to strike up a conversation on a plane or in the terminal, and I usually come across other workshifters. Horror stories of travel are swapped and tips and tricks are shared, but I am always amazed at how many of these regular travelers aren't aware of the sites that make my life much easier than it used to be.  Over time, I've come up with my 5 sites for better flights to share with other workshifters and road warriors.

1. Kayak.com
This is where every trip begins for me.  Kayak, named 'Best of the Web' by BusinessWeek, is a site that searches hundreds of travel sites based on your search terms.  Most major airlines are included, but you'll need to go check a few separately (Southwest and JetBlue, for example). After you enter your initial search terms you can use the sliders to narrow down the specific flight you need.  Leave before 7:30am from IND and get to BDL by 11am but leave BDL before 6:30pm that night and get home before midnight?  Yeah, it can take care of that. You can also uncheck boxes to remove certain flights from the results.  I always remove 2+ layovers, and anything going through Chicago O'Hare, and typically check the SkyTeam flights to help with my quest towards the elusive Platinum Elite status.

2. SeatGuru.com
After getting your flights arranged, head over to SeatGuru to figure out where you should be sit on the plane. Just choose your airline and then the plane you'll be traveling on. Seats are ranked as green, yellow or red with remarks in regards to why the seat is rated that way.  Red seats typically are near the lavatory or limited recline. A bulkhead seat might be yellow due to the lack of under-seat storage in front of the seat.  Green seats = exit rows.  Get them while they're hot. (My favorite green seat: 14F on the Continental 737-300... just look at all of that legroom for my lanky 6'3" frame.)

3. TripIt.com
After you set up an account on TripIt, just forward those confirmation emails to plans(at)tripit.com and your itinerary is created. From there you can add hotels, car rentals, and other items for your itinerary.  Download the iPhone app for a quick glance of your trip and be one touch away from maps of addresses in your itinerary, as well as phone numbers for customer service of the airlines/hotels you are using.  Bonus - Check out TripIt Pro for under $10/month and get text message + email updates on all of your flights. When I get the notifications I feel like Shia Lebouf in Eagle Eye with TripIt Pro.  "Disembark at Gate C37.  Your flight departs from Gate A7 at 5:47pm.  You have 49 minutes." If you want to feel like an action movie star as you rush across the terminal, give it a try.

4. Yelp.com
Nothing is worse than getting off of your flight with a rumbling stomach. You've arrived, you've eaten nothing but salty pretzels for 2 hours, and you're hungry.  Search for food on Yelp.com to figure out where you want to eat and how others rate about the place.  Get away from the regular chains and find that hole in the wall you'll be raving about for years to come (hopefully).   

5. search.twitter.com
Yeah, you're on Twitter already.  And yes, you've updated your loyal followers that you have landed and the guy next to you smelled like sweaty gym socks.  But now it's time to really use the power of Twitter.  Whenever I have an extended layover or am looking for some local cuisine and can't decide between what I've found on Yelp, it's off to search.twitter.com I go. It's easy to find people nearby with a quick search or the advanced search, which allows you to search within a certain radius of where you are.

I view every layover as a potential tweetup.  Search your airport code with and without a hashtag (#JFK, for example) and look for others who are tweeting from their layovers.  See if there is anyone interesting passing through and if your terminals are close and the time allows, see if they want to grab a drink or a bite to eat. Just like the popular book states, 'never eat alone'.  Break up your mundane travels and trips with the opportunity to meet others and expand your network.

What do you think?
What are your favorite sites for better flights?  Leave a comment and spread the love.  And as always, happy workshifting!

Brad J Ward is the Chief Explosion Officer at BlueFuego. He is a proud SkyTeam Elite member and thinks a quick flight the best way to boost productivity.  Find Brad on Twitter (@bradjward) and share your favorite tips and tricks with him.

I'm writing this on a flight from Philadelphia to Boston. Luckily, it's so early in the morning that my flight is ridiculously empty. I have an entire exit row to myself.

Here's tip #1: flying ridiculously early sometimes gives you better seating options (unless you're flying to Washington, DC, where everyone gets up before you).

Here are some more tips:

Before You Board

• Sign up for all the various airline and hotel rewards programs. They add up faster than I thought.
• Keep a text file on your phone with your flight confirmation number, your hotel name and address, your airline and hotel rewards account information, and any contact numbers you might need. You might check out the service TripIt, which manages this neatly (even more so for iPhone users).
• Buy a few energy bars and stuff them in your carry on. These always trump the $4 price tag for the same bar at the airport, and they help you make better eating decisions.
• Also, buy a drink before boarding the plane if you get thirsty easily. That way, you don't have to sit there feeling anxious that the flight attendants haven't served drinks yet.
• Getting to the airport really early makes every other choice work better. (More time to maneuver).
• You can change seats at check-in, if there are some available.
• Not sure about the best seat on the plane? Check it out for yourself at SeatGuru.com.
• You can also check with the gate agent before boarding the flight to see if there's a better seat, even if you were denied at check-in.
• Not sure what to do with that extra time you got by getting there early? Remember, A.B.C. = "always be charging." Find power outlets in earshot of your departure gate. (Hat tip to AlwaysBeCharging.com.)
• Related to charging, if you bring along a power strip, you can make friends fast at a busy outlet.
• I don't pay for wifi any more. It was more cost effective to buy my own Verizon EVDO card (mine's a USB stick). Check with your wireless carrier, and even if the company doesn't spring for it, consider it.

On Board

• Using a small enough rollerboard suitcase for travel and carrying it on sure beats waiting at the luggage carousel. When picking one out, I'm finding that the 4-wheel version are much nicer to maneuver than the old 2-wheel ones.
• My version of best seat in the house might differ from yours. I have broad shoulders, so window beats aisle (unless you like being smashed into all day).
• Paying the extra bucks for the extra legroom means you can actually use your laptop. Consider it a business expense.
• Airplanes are the best way I have of catching up with email.
• If you're reading business books on the plane, keep a notebook and pen handy. I get my biggest inspirations while 30,000 feet above the ground.
• Offer your seatmate your magazines or newspapers when you're done (if you're not keeping them). That poor schlub doesn't really want to read the SkyMall magazine. Share.

When You Land

• Even if you don't think you have to pee, go. Getting stuck in traffic in a cab after a long flight is never worth it. (I'm a dad. This advice serves a dual-purpose.)
• If you're picking up your bag, everyone crowds the area where the bags first drop. Yes, you'll save an extra 23 seconds standing there, but if you want better access to your luggage, stand downstream.
• If you're staying at a hotel, have the contact info and phone number ready before you hop in a cab. If you're planning on taking public transit, call the hotel ahead of time and get appropriate routing information from them.
• Know where the following stores are in relation to your hotel: a drug store, an office supply store, a clothing store (casual and professional), an electronics store (appropriate to your profession). The Lord made Google for a reason.
• If you're renting a car, consider the extra $15 for the GPS. It sure beats fumbling with maps and missing client meetings.

Error Handling

• If your flight is delayed at take-off for whatever reason, and you're supposed to make a connecting flight, the flight attendants will almost never have the information you need while in-flight. Stop bugging them. Relax. What's done is done. Just think up your next moves and phone calls for when you land.
• Bags get lost sometimes. If you've checked your bag and there's something mission critical in there (toothbrush?), keep it in your carry-on. Also, don't leave the airport without a phone number and a URL to check on the status of your stuff.
• If your flight is canceled or delayed and you're forced to stay overnight in the connecting city, the airline usually won't pay for hotels if it's weather-related. They might pay or offer a discount voucher if their scheduling has kept you over. Sometimes, their discount vouchers aren't as good as what you can get at Priceline. Consider your options.

Your Turn

What are your tips for the ideal air travel experience? How do you fly the hostile skies? What's made a difference to you as a workshifter in bringing what you need with you on the road?

We'd love to hear from you.