Minimizing Post-Plot Airport Hassles
Your time in airports doesn't have to be filled with frustration in the wake of authorities imposing tough new security steps after saying a major terrorist plot aimed at flights between London and the United States had been foiled.
On The Early Show Thursday, Smart Money magazine Senior Editor Leigh Gallagher told co-anchor Rene Syler of a recent development that could help make your airport experience relatively pleasant.
Gallagher said the new security measures are "really (a) disaster … as far as convenience and as far as travel plans.
"But, for people at the airport right now, there are actually things that you can do. One of the easiest … ways to sort of avoid the mayhem is many airlines, because the airline industry even before today has been struggling, have been finding new ways to charge people. And one of the things they've been doing is to open up access to their airport clubs, which are these elite, very nice clubs that usually are reserved for people with only with the most elite level of flying status or people who pay $300, $400, $500 a year.
"They've started initiating day passes for these. So, you can now buy a day pass for $40 to $50. Almost all of the airlines do this. This is a great way to get inside. These clubs have showers. They have a much more relaxed atmosphere. They also tend to employ their most senior agents behind the counter. So, if you need some help getting rebooked, this is a great place to go."
Still, first things, first, Gallagher observed. She urged fliers to "call ahead. I mean, you might think you want to rush to the airport and get first in line at the ticket counter, but the people behind those counters have access to the very same data as the people on the phone. So you should call. You'll probably be competing. You may have to try a few times. But, call and get the information you can as far as rebooking or canceling or refunding. Hit the phones first."
Even though travelers might have a ray or two of hope of avoiding the worst inconveniences, the carriers themselves are probably in for a rough go, Gallagher said. Yet, she added, that may be good news for consumers.
"It took the airline industry years to bounce back from Sept. 11, and only in the past year or two years have things bounced back," she said. "We were looking at the highest capacity levels this summer, five-year record levels, and we've seen fares increase as a result. And now, everything is going to change. People are going to cancel flights. Behavior is going to change dramatically after this. This is the one thing that everyone in the back of their minds has been worried about. And nothing happened, thankfully. But it came very close.
" … Airlines will sort of be pushed back to where they were just a few months ago. What it will mean immediately, probably, is that we'll see some fares go down. Fares had started to come back up to record levels, and they'll probably go back down very quickly."
The unfolding developments "absolutely" will put more people on the road, meaning more for airlines to worry about, Gallagher said: "We're going to see, not even for the risk … and the danger factor, it's the convenience factor. People don't want to be backed up at airports. … They're going to cancel their flights. We are in the middle of August here. We are in the height of vacation season. They're going to be hitting the road, getting in their cars, even with the high gas prices what they are, and maybe staying a little closer to home. Maybe taking a road trip, going to a place a few hours away instead of getting on a plane."