An open letter to Congress: It’s time to modernize air traffic control
Thirteen major think-tank leaders join together to push for air traffic control reorganization proposed by House aviation leaders. Their focus — savings for consumers and a better system that works rather than more of the status quo.
As Congress prepares to craft a comprehensive FAA reauthorization package, lawmakers should explore every option to improve the nation’s aviation infrastructure without burdening taxpayers. One such option is House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Shuster’s vision for air traffic control reform, which he has described as “a federally chartered, fully independent, not-for-profit corporation to operate and modernize the ATC system.” We, the undersigned, believe that Chairman Shuster’s framework is an excellent foundation upon which to build a new model for an operation historically mired in old-style thinking and fiscal ineptitude.
How to make yourself unpack after a trip
For some, packing in preparation of travel is part of the excitement of travel. But, what about those who just arrive home, depressed that they are facing the same old grind. Honestly, I have left my carry-on only half unpacked more often than I care to admit. Why is unpacking more of a chore than packing?
Thesis? Packing is hard. Unpacking is harder.
Besides the sheer convenience of having your belongings back in their rightful places, there are so many reasons why unpacking as soon as you get home from the airport is a good idea — first off, by immediately putting all of your clothes in the washing machine, it lessens the chance of any bed bugs or foreign germs infiltrating your home (we’ve all heard the horror stories, right? It happens). Second, the sooner you unpack and wash dirty undergarments and wet bathing suits, the better your chances they won’t retain that stale, bottom-of-the-bag smell after washing —because who hasn’t had to throw out a drawer’s worth of socks and underwear after a particularly shower-free backpacking excursion? Third, it’s always a good idea to vacuum out your empty suitcase sooner rather than later after travel to rid it of any grains of sand or other vacation-related gems that may have made their way into the crevices of the lining.
TripScout is our new favorite walking tour app
Conde Nast Traveler is recommending a new series of audioguides — TripScout — that provides guided walking tours of many cities. And, it is growing.
Tired of tours led by affable college students? You’re in luck. In a major update released this week, self-guided city-tour app TripScout added full audio guides for seven new cities, as well as curated maps for another 20 destinations. Available for iOS, TripScout integrates audio tours with GPS-enabled maps that are available offline. Created by local guides, the story-driven tours focus on a city’s history, culture, and food. Even better? Each guide costs only $4.99 — far cheaper than a guidebook — and TripScout donates 10 percent of the revenue to charities.
The audio guides included in the update include Antigua (the island, not the town in Guatemala), Boston, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Granada, Mexico City, and New York City. These cities join existing guides for Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., which were available when the app was in beta. The new curated maps cover popular destinations in Europe and Africa, as well as Austin, Bogota, Dubai, New Orleans, and Panama City. Additionally, the update sped up the app, reduced the amount of storage space the guides require, and made some visual changes, including a unique page layout for each city.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 11 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.