Phila Airport Parking Vacations

Posted: Tuesday, 13 January 2009 7:16PM

Phila. Airport Head Retires Amid Residency Questions

by KYW’s Matt Leon

The man in charge of Philadelphia’s airports is retiring early.

Charles Isdell (aboove, in file photo) will leave at the end of the month after a TV news investigation raised questions over his residency.

Mayor Michael Nutter says he accepted Isdell’s retirement with regret — that he’s has been an asset to the city since he was first hired in 1973, and serving as director of aviation since 2000.

Nutter says this stems from questions raised about Isdell’s residency.  Philadelphia employees are required to live within city limits:

“It’s a fairly complicated matter involving his wife, who has taken ill.  She lives outside the city. Charlie has a house and has maintained a residence in the city, but because of the health matter has recently been spending more time with his wife to try and help her through the health issue.”

Nutter says rather than have any controversy or job distraction, Isdell decided instead to move up his retirement from July to January 30.

The mayor says the search for his replacement had already begun; now, it will be accelerated.

Big changes are in the air. Since the attack on the United States in September 2001, we have seen many changes in our travels, especially air travel. There is much more security, especially screening at the airport and what we are able to bring on the plane with us, as we do our business or go on vacation. Now in addition to all the security we are seeing a great increase in airfares as the industry struggles with the current prices of fuel. If you have flown lately you are well aware of this.

The airlines are in trouble financially and they simply must increase fares. In addition they have added a fuel surcharge to every ticket. Although this charge has been added in the past, we are seeing large increases to this charge today.

One major airline in the USA has added an additional 20 dollars per trip and that number is expected to increase as the price of a barrel of oil keeps increasing. Other airlines will soon follow.

Another thing that has changed with flying is baggage. It used to be that you could take one carry-on, and two pieces of larger baggage. You weren’t always charged for the second piece, but get ready to start paying for all baggage. This is really a dire situation. Who will want to fly if it is this expensive? The good thing is that some airlines are not doing this, and therefore are advertising a lower fare with no baggage fees. What we will likely see is this occurring much more frequently. Until either no one charges baggage fees or everyone does.

The price of fuel will dictate how many of these surcharges will stick and how much the surcharge will be. The airlines are looking to charge for all the space on the plane. One airline is even charging for reserve seating, including 5 dollars for a center seat. Look for charges on carry-on luggage in the not-so-distant future.

Be sure to check with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) before you travel to see the latest regulations for checked and carry-on baggage. There have been some important changes in the last year or so you need to know, especially if you are not a frequent traveler. Most new regulations have to do with bringing liquids on the aircraft.

After the arrest of terrorists with liquid bombs a few years ago, you weren’t allowed to carry on any liquids. This regulation has eased as some passengers require medicines, food, etc.

New rules include showing security exactly what you are bringing onboard and it can be no more than 3 ounces of a particular liquid. All of the liquids must be put in one quart-sized plastic bag. It is rather annoying but remember it is for our safety and everyone aboard so be sure to read up on the requirements.

If you’re looking to travel, odds are you’ll be needing a car hire service that will allow you to stay mobile in separate countries. To do just that, you’ll need a plethora of forms, documentation, good-will, and of course- money! To keep the process painless, you should follow several tips to stay sane.

If one is going to make a reservation at a hotel, it is common to do so as early as possible to ensure vacancy. This is just as true with the car hire service, who will have very few cars if any once peak travel season hits. In addition, it isn’t uncommon to see car hire services raise rates just because there is more demand.

Buying the insurance of a car hire service is a good idea if that rental car is going to be had for a temporary period of time. But for longer visits, it is probably a better idea to see if one’s existing auto insurance will apply to rental cars as well. This is because most car hire agencies will have high insurance rates that, in short periods of time, are manageable.

Sometimes consumers get carefree with their decisions in who drives the car. But rest assured, msot car hire services will only let certain people drive the car- and and adding more drivers will cost money. Nevertheless, one should always add on additional drivers in case of emergency, so the contract won’t be void in such a serious situation.

Inspection of the vehicle is important if one is going to stay clean of any false accusations. Some car hire services may not see a certain dent or scratch the first time around, but may notice it once the car is returned. To avoid such unfair fees, it is vital to inspect the car with an agent from the car hire service.

It’s important to realize that the contract being supplied to the consumer should be followed in each and every way if additional fees are to be avoided. Driving over a certain number of miles or even driving outside a certain area can mean high fees for the driver once they return the car. Some types of activities should also be avoided- such as “off roading” or otherwise joy riding just for the fun of it.

In Conclusion

In the end, a car hire service is going to charge quite a bit of money for a rental car. But keeping the price down is easy once one knows the limits of their contract and their rights supplied to them. Be sure to shop around for best rates to get the best deal, and consult the Internet for more information.

It seems that consumers are becoming more and more afraid of flying, regardless of the safety reports that have surfaced. As it would turn out, flying is more safe than driving a vehicle in terms of fatality reports. Even still, there are many who think flying is too frightening or difficult to endure. For such people, there are some tips to abide by to make the process more simple.

Before anything is planned, one should make sure they don’t have a hibernating phobia of flying. This condition goes under a few different names, such as aerophobia. Whichever the case, it will often take some professional help in the form of a psychologist or therapist to ensure the process won’t be too trying. Being proactive about this phobia will ensure no one has a nervous breakdown in mid-flight.

Some certain needs shouldn’t go unnoticed. For instance, it’s imperative to call ahead for meal arrangements if one’s religion or personal beliefs bar them from eating a certain type of food. A handicapped or disabled member of society will also need special needs, which some airlines might not provide for. Calling ahead will avoid frustration or mix-ups while in the middle of a flight.

It’s a good idea to make the experience more comfortable by taking any type of pillow or rests for one’s neck and back. If the device is electronic, one may have to check with the airlines to see if it will be approved for on-flight travel. These types of supports are necessary to keep comfortable on some flights that may take as much as 12 hours to complete.

Keeping entertained while on a flight is the best way to keep one’s own sanity. And losing one’s sanity on a flight that can last hours is definitely not something to look forward to! To get past this problem, try to bring reading material or approved methods of entertainment that the airlines have said would be fine for in-flight travel.

Lastly, flying is a process that is almost always associated with lost luggage. Sometimes travelers will pick up the wrong luggage by mistake, and this can be easily avoided by putting markings on it- such as a red sticker or other bright types of material. This can prevent a few days worth of delay that can ruin a vacation’s start, or even prevent flyers from seeing their family and friends sooner.

Closing Comments

When making the decision to fly, be sure that all options are explored to ensure that the best price is being obtained. Consult a travel agent for more information on the topic, or talk to friends and family members of their past experiences for even better un-biased advice.