Travel accessories: the new essentials

The events associated with 9/11 have changed the way we travel inexorably. New travel restrictions on hand luggage and checked baggage coupled with the long waits due to security checks have made traveling by air quite a stressful affair. These checks and restrictions have been further augmented after the Trans-Atlantic terrorist attacks attempts of the summer of 2006. The terrorism risk is not the only factor that has transformed the way we travel, soaring oil prices have also resulted in airlines constantly changing the rules for checked baggage and imposing myriad fees on the weight of checked luggage as they grapple to control spiraling operational costs.

You can’t help but miss the days of carefree travel when you could shop with abandon on your holidays and come back laden with gifts for friends and family, as at that time most airlines allowed a passenger to carry unrestricted checked baggage especially for travel to and fro from the USA where the 2 piece concept was the general rule. I don’t think we are ever going to go back to those times and since I am a frequent traveler, I pay great attention to the new travel essential and this helps me to be more organized so I can deal effectively with the constantly changing air travel situations.

• Digital Luggage Scale

This little device is a must-have for anyone who just can’t obey the rules of packing lightly but needs to conform to the new draconian rules that govern the weight of free checked baggage that are imposed by all airlines nowadays. The digital luggage scale is a light, portable device and extremely useful device which effortlessly helps you weigh your bags. It is available in stores and online at a number of websites.

• TSA locks

With the plummeting dollar travel to the USA has become very attractive option but if you are planning to travel to the USA anytime soon and you plan to lock your luggage to keep it secure, you must keep in mind that you can only use the Travel Sentry locks to lock luggage for travel to and with the USA. These locks are approved by the Transportation Security Administration in the USA and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Service in the UK. TSA locks are available from all major luggage manufactures world wide.

• 100ml/3 oz bottles for carry on liquids and gels

New rules governing carry on luggage stipulate that liquids and gels can be carried in hand luggage only within one plastic zip lock bag in bottles that do not exceed 100ml/ 3 oz. If you cannot find your favorite products in miniature sizes which meet these norms you can always buy 100ml plastic bottles and fill them with your regular products so that you are not deprived of your essentials while you are in the air.

• World Travel Plugs

I pods, digital cameras, cell phones and laptops, we just can’t imagine our travels without all these modern day gizmos but for all these to work and charge up in the various countries that we visit we need to have the right plugs. Unfortunately the electrical sockets in various countries differ greatly and the best way to negotiate around this problem is to invest in a set of world travel plugs which comply with all these various differences. Several manufactures like Targus and Muji have complete sets of inexpensive plugs whose permutations and combinations are ideal for almost every country in the world.

• An extra set on clothes in your hand luggage.

Airlines like British Airways due to increased security checks have become notorious for losing and delaying luggage. The worst way to start off an eagerly anticipated holiday is to arrive at your destination and find that your luggage has not arrived with you. In order to ensure that you at least have a fresh pair of clothes to change into it is always prudent to pack a complete change of clothes in your hand luggage so that you don’t have to immediately rush out and buy essentials with the compensation money that the airline may offer you.

Complying with these new travel essentials may actually help make your journey this summer relatively stress free.

Happy Travels!

Picture of airport sign originally posted by Kagey b.

Topic:  Tips and Ideas | 1 Comment
Tags:  packing, transportation

About the author

Anjeeta Nayar is a professional freelance writer and blogger based in New York City. She relocated to the Big Apple from Mumbai two years ago. She loves New York City for its incredible buzz and energy. It really is the city that never sleeps and there is always something to do and see here. In addition to being a writer and blogger, she is also an avid traveler with London and cities in S.E.Asia being the places she enjoys visiting the most!