For my birthday a friend gave me his time share in Helsinki, someplace I always wanted to go. I have a voucher that would pay for the plane ticket. Right now I am scheduled to leave during the middle of September.
But I am so fed up with all the hassles of airport security that I have refused to travel by air at all since 9/11. And now I find out I can't take my lotion or my lip balm with me so I guess I am supposed to sit on a 14 hour flight and have the skin on my hands and lips peel away. It's bad enough that you are supposed to walk through the nasty airport floors with no shoes but this is just too much.
I am so ticked off I feel like cancelling the whole trip. Would you if you were in my shoes? Or would you just go along with all the hassle?
2006-08-20 13:34:23 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Air Travel
I should add that if I don't take the trip by the end of Seotember I lose the timeshare and the voucher will be void as well. So I can't wait and hope that maybe things will be less ridiculous.
2006-08-20 13:36:46 · update #1
The more I think about it, the more inclined I am to cancel. Maybe I'm biting my nose off to spite my face, but I'm dreading the hassle even now, and the trip is almost a month away. We'll see.
2006-08-20 17:50:57 · update #2
You can't be serious! Giving up a trip, especially one that's free, for a little bit of inconvenience which, by the way, is for your own safety! What's up with that? Are you looking for an excuse to stay home?
Here's the latest news regarding carry-on restrictions:
If you're traveling from the U.S. the TSA site will give you the most up-to-date info: http://www.tsa.gov/
Most recent article on this subject:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4789593.stm
Hope that helps!
2006-08-20 13:47:04 · answer #1 · answered by love2travel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My advice is to get over it and take the trip. I fly about twice a month and extremely rarely (i.e. like twice in the last 10 years) have had any significant problems with air travel.
But seriously: you're getting a FREE trip to Europe, to a place you've always wanted to go, and you're about to cancel the whole thing for a relatively minor inconvenience? Yes, air travel has gotten to be more of a hassle. But still not enough to cancel a vacation at least in my opinion.
Also... when you're going through the security line at the airport you won't necessarily have to walk completely barefoot... you won't have to take your socks off. And if you wear sneakers or shoes that don't have metal in them, you can walk through the x-ray machine. Or wear sandals. (Probably not a bad idea anyway for such a long flight - better to be comfortable). I've done this several times. They might have to "wand" your shoes to test for explosives but they won't make you take them off - it will be a delay of about 2 minutes but hardly a good reason to cancel a FREE trip to Europe. And also, I'm not sure which airline you're scheduled on but every European flight I've been on, they have a bottle of hand lotion in the lavatory.
2006-08-23 11:03:01 · answer #2 · answered by Mike R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is your travel voucher transferable? I'll take it if you don't want it. A free trip? Are you kidding me? I would love to trade you my problems.
Hassles are temporary, an experience to a place you've always wanted to go will last a lifetime, IMHO.
Seriously, you know yourself better than anyone so if you know you can't handle the inconvenience, why not give it to a friend or a love one who will cherish and relish the opportunity?
( Post 9-11 may have changed things for alot of people, but others may have changed with it too and hopefully for the better. I refuse to alter my travel outlook and just build in allowances.)
Cheers.
2006-08-25 04:14:24 · answer #3 · answered by Easy A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you air travel is a general pain in the butt, but sometimes a necessary evil, especially when traveling overseas. I'm flying in September to New York, and will fly to Europe next summer, carry on restrictions or not. I refuse to allow a bunch of terrorists to dictate to me where I will and will not go!!
And while I know that right now you can't take bottled water on a plane, realize these restrictions are for your safety. I would go anyway, and have a great time!!
2006-08-20 23:43:10 · answer #4 · answered by basketcase88 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely go! Let's face it, how much of that stuff do you really need at your fingertips? As far as the security check point, I was stopped because of a lighter in my purse, which I forgot to surrender. They took my purse and my shoes to the inspection table approx 50 yards away and asked me to walk barefoot over to the inspector. Well, I told him I will only do so if he brought me my shoes. He did a double take, but brought me my shoes! The other inspector was in agreement. Stand your ground and have a great time!
2006-08-20 20:47:35 · answer #5 · answered by Heidimax 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your choice actually. Is that really a hassle to get on the plane without any hand-carry? You can get moisturiser on the plane.
So your holiday is not worth going through this?
2006-08-22 10:05:06 · answer #6 · answered by peanutz 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can but your lotion and chapstick after you go thru customs at the little store that has magazines and such.Its a bit pricy but ...I hear Finland is quite nice.Bring a good book and enjoy yourself!!!
2006-08-20 20:41:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In this case, you'll just have to play their game, but look on the bright side... you'll be there before you know it. Bon voyage!
2006-08-20 20:49:41 · answer #8 · answered by Michael J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
And your options are.......
2006-08-20 21:47:50 · answer #9 · answered by EMAILSKIP 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋