With the thwarting of the terrorist plot to blow up airliners coming from England to the U.S. on Thursday, August 10, all airport travelers, both domestic and international, have been forced to endure even longer delays checking in their luggage and carry-on bags at both Queens airports.
Frustrated, stressed out, hate to wait in lines?
You might want to consider the service offered by companies who will allow you to bypass baggage check-in and claims areas at the end of your flight by sending your luggage directly to your destination - ahead of your arrival.
In addition to making your air travel more stress-free you will also avoid becoming a victim of lost or delayed luggage. Nearly 10,000 pieces of luggage are lost at airports everyday. Imagine boarding a flight without having to wonder if one of them will be yours.
The Luggage Club, Luggage Concierge, and Luggage Forward are just three companies that offer air travelers a chance to bypass baggage claim and have their luggage waiting for them at their destination.
The service eliminates the need to throw away all your bottled liquids, perfumes, lipsticks, eyeliners, lens cleaners, cough syrups and gels you packed at the check-in counter. Additionally, you will not have worry about missed flights or struggle stuffing your oversized bag into the overhead compartment. The confused look on your face when your $200 jeans are missing while all of your bargain tee shirts are accounted for will also disappear.
Queens, home to two of America's busiest airports, has had a significant impact on this latest trend.
“New York has been quite good,” said Gene Langenecker. “I think that a lot of it has been because of the upscale clientele. Langenecker is the co-founder of The Luggage Club, a company that was established after another founder overheard the complaints of travelers at a resort.
Luggage companies have seen increased business in light of the recent terror fears. “It has created quite a stir of activity,” Langenecker said adding, “People are just unsure of what they can or cannot carry on. Our bags are treated as cargo therefore, any packed ‘gels and liquids' [are] shipped as a cargo item. It takes away the human element [of someone mixing them together],” Langenecker said.
In addition, another company, Luggage Forward, that transports everything from baby carriages to golf bags, has taken measures to distance itself from the competition. In June, the Boston-based company announced that they are making their transported bags traceable to customers via cell phones or other personal electronic devices, such PDAs.
“We wanted to put luggage tracking in the hands of our customers so they can know the status of their luggage regardless of where they are,” said Zeke Adkins, one of the company's founders.
Because of 9/11 security needs, and now with latest terror plot, airport baggage checks have become unbearably slow. Some people saw the chance to invest in a developing market.
The president and CEO of Luggage Concierge were stranded in Chicago after the attacks because of problems with their luggage.
“With security, it has become more of a hassle to travel,” said Daniel Dellicarpini, marketing manager of Luggage Concierge. “We're just trying to make things easier.”
Although, the service is far more convenient and far less worrisome compared to airline baggage checks, most of the users of the service are first-class passengers who can afford the steep prices that approach the cost of coach-class tickets. However, the luggage service companies feel that it is worth the price.
“The convenience outweighs the cost,” added Dellicarpini. “The minute you leave the house your vacation starts.”
Public would pay for safety
A Newsweek poll conducted on August 10 and 11 on the thwarted terrorist plot found the following:
• More than half of respondents would oppose banning all carry-on items.
• 81 percent favor restricting the size and number of carry-ons.
• 69 percent support a ban on passengers bringing liquids onboard.
• 52 percent were in favor of “a major increase” in air ticket prices to fight terrorism.
