Avoiding Potential Perils and Pitfalls

Sorry to be depressing, but there are a number of bad news business travel-related stories floating around out there. Here are some handy tips for the coming weeks:

• Watch Your Laptop. All travelers, but particularly those headed to the San Francisco area should be aware of a disturbing trend. Laptop theft in coffee shops has gone up in recent months, even turning violent in one recent instance.
• Cell Phones on Airplanes. Air France will begin experimenting with the use of cell phones at 30,000 feet according to the Travelpost.com Insider. This comes despite recent study findings that cell phones could indeed interfere with critical systems onboard aircraft. Also, many business travelers have indicated that they would prefer to keep cell phones off during flights. After all, who wants to listen to their neighbor yakking all flight long?
• Summer Blues. The summer looks like it may be a particularly difficult time for business travelers. USA Today’s Joe Brancatelli has some solid advice.
• Strike Rhetoric Steps Up. Delta Pilots’ Union has stepped up the strike rhetoric, instructing pilots to clear out their lockers and staging practice strikes. The pilots have overwhelmingly given their union permission to call a strike anytime after April 17th, which could bollox up people’s Easter travel plans rather severely. If you’re flying Delta in the next couple of weeks, make sure to stay flexible. Pack a few extra changes of undergarments and hope that the other airlines will be able to
  accommodate the overflow despite already overcrowded flights.