At KJFK
No, i’m still on the ground, but today is yet another travel day. I’m happily ensconced in the gate area of JFK airport waiting for the chance to sit some more on a rapidily moving airplane.

Ok, first: security at this airport is a joke. And that joke is dovetailing to a scam. See, busy airports are now advertising “Clear” a new “service” that enables travelers to skip the cattle line of “regular” security.

Clear® is the fast pass for airport security. Clear members are pre-screened and provided with a high-tech card which allows them to access designated airport security fast lanes nationwide. Clear members pass through airport security faster, with more predictability and less hassle.

Clear’s first year price is $99.95. You can lock-in this rate by purchasing a two-year membership for $199.90 or three years for $299.85

So, rather than put money into more security positions your friends at GE (who also make the “Clear” machines) get to put their machines in the security area (taking up fairly expensive real estate) and “share” the lines. The day cannot be far off when the airport purposefully cuts back on general security, but has people working the line offering “on-the-spot” Clear enrollment for some dollar figure plus a “convenience” fee. The joke that gives birth to the scam all by preying on fear.

I need to get up and wander for a bit… at least the weather looks fairly clear… i should have something to look at whilst cruising along.

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At KMSP
So i missed putting up a snarky post on my 1000th boise day. That i was not in Boise at the time contributed to my silence. Annette and i were actually visiting friends in the Catskills… and categorically not talking about Idaho.

If you’re ever in this, actually pretty nice, airport be warned the plugs near the tables in the food court on C concourse near gate 12 don’t work unless the breaker is turned on by one of the floor cleaner dudes. But the wall plug on the ramp to C gates 8-11 does work. Woo hoo.

Traveling solo sucks. Traveling solo in winter sucks more. With all the simmering paranoia about terrorists lurking in every corner there’s no way i could ask somebody to watch my bags while i take a leak. And lugging my coat and bag all hither and thither gets old way fast.
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Still at KMSP
Very few plugs here work. It is very frustrating to score an excellent seat in the gate area only to find the wall plug is dead. So far out of about five plug tries only the ones in the ramp to the gate area work. Clearly MSP believes computer users won’t sit on the carpet and suck their juice for long periods of time. Hah! I’ll learn ’em.

My butt hurts.

Oh, this is funny: when you check in online at NWA dot com they now try to upsell you to a first class ticket. It’s actually a pretty cool idea… you get to check what an upgrade would cost and if it’s available. I didn’t bother checking online for each of these most recent segments. So, just for fun i went up to the NWA employee at the gate podium and asked:

“Are there any first class upgrades available for this flight?”

I handed him my boarding pass and he called up my intinerary.

“Welllllll, hmmm, did you miss a flight or get bumped?”

“Nope.”

“Welllll it says ‘protect’ next to this itinerary.”

“Maybe i’m special.”

“I’ll see what i can do for you,” he said while writing down my name on a sheet of paper.

“I was more curious what it would cost me.”

“OH! You’re willing to pay for an upgrade.”

“Yeah, i’m not asking for a freebie… i’ll take a freebie if you’ve got it, but i’ll go $75 for an upgrade. I just don’t want burn any miles for it.”

“See me when we get closer to boarding.”

So there you go… pays to ask. Now i need to find out what “protect” means in the Northwest reservation and ticketing system. Could be a good thing… could be a bad thing.

Boarding in 15 minutes… let’s see where i get to sit!