When catching flights, don't be fashionably late

06-16-2002

When it comes to catching a flight, being on time is no longer good enough. Most travelers are aware that tighter airport security these days makes it crucial to leave plenty of time to get to the departure gate. But clearing security is not the only issue. All airlines are also enforcing more stringent check-in procedures.

With the stated intention of relieving pressure on passengers, US Airways recently began its "Travel in Time" program.

Although passengers have been -- and still are -- advised to arrive at the airport at least one hour prior to their flight's departure, this program establishes three absolute minimum check-in times, specific times in the boarding process after which travelers may lose their reservations.

Passengers checking baggage on domestic flights are now required to check in at the ticket counter at least 30 minutes before their scheduled departure. That's 10 minutes earlier than before. That time applies to passengers checking in at the e-ticket machines at the US Airways counter in the land-side terminal, too.

If you're standing in a long line and it's getting close to your flight's cutoff time, let one of the customer service attendants know, and they'll expedite your check-in.

This 30-minute mark is just the first time check you have to make on domestic flight.

All passengers must be present at the departure gate no less than 15 minutes before the flight is scheduled to leave. And if the flight is on time, the doors to the aircraft may be closed five minutes before departure.

Miss any of these three deadlines, and you may find that your seat has been given to a stand-by passenger, even if you have a ticket and boarding pass. Most carriers try to honor their reservations, but once another passenger has been boarded in your place, you're generally out of luck. If that happens, you'll be bumped to the next available departure and get no compensation for your inconvenience.

The recommended check-in times for international flights are even earlier. Although the cut-off time at the check-in gate is 45 minutes before departure, passengers are advised to get there at least 90 minutes prior. These are the general rules for departures originating at Pittsburgh International and most other U.S. airports. At foreign airports with even tighter security, check-in can be up to three hours before departure.

And don't dawdle at the gift shop either, because these days, cabin doors on international flights can be shut up to 20 minutes prior to takeoff.

The good news consequence of these measures is that more planes are taking off and landing on time.

Roll out the barrels

Projections are that more Americans than ever will be taking to the highways to get to their summer vacation destinations. As Pittsburghers already know, road construction projects can transform normally hectic highways into white-knuckle parking lots.

Whenever you leave home, it always helps to have an idea of what kind of roadblocks you're likely to encounter along the way. When you have advance knowledge about construction delays, heavy traffic or bad weather, you can take appropriate precautions, select an alternate route or simply allow for extra travel time.

Fortunately, plenty of advance driving information is readily available. It ranges from AAA Triptiks and online services such as Mapquest to Joe Grata's column found elsewhere in the Sunday PG. On a daily basis, there are local, radio rush-hour traffic reports, and PennDOT's Web site (www.epenndot.com) provides Webcam images of local highways. PennDOT also maintains a road condition hot line (888-783-6783) for roads throughout the state. These messages are updated throughout the day.

But what do you do when you're driving further afield?

Most states maintain similar telephone hot lines and Web sites. The Web site of the U.S. Department of Transportation (www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo) serves as a clearinghouse and link resource to all 50 states.

A host of other private organizations also provides driving intelligence you can access online. For example, you can visit Web sites maintained by AAA (www.aaa.com/construction) or Rand McNally (www.randmacnally.com) to see whether there are any planned construction projects along your route. Unfortunately, both services are somewhat skimpy on specifics and current conditions.

For more detailed, daily updates, check the Road Watch America Web site (rwa.metronetworks.com). It has a subscription service that provides specific traffic alerts via a cell phone, which is designed to let truckers know what's waiting around the next corner. Another site (www.roadweather.com) details hour-by-hour weather conditions and how they're affecting traffic.

Despite all predictions, the most accurate information is always found on the other side of your windshield. But do take the time to find out what you're getting into ahead of time.

A calm, informed driver is generally better prepared to handle most traffic situations, not to mention enjoy the drive.

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