The Expert in Baby Boomer Travel

Travel Copywriter

TSA Pre-Check

How to Glide Through Airports and Fly Right

Published August 23, 2017 | By Clark Norton

Before you fly, check out these tips to make things go more smoothly

Leading-edge baby boomers — those born in the late 1940s — are now edging into their 70s, and with that inevitably come new challenges when we travel, no matter how healthy we are.

Much as we may hate to admit it (and I’m a prime offender in this regard), we may walk a bit slower, require assistance from time to time, and need to take care of ourselves a bit more.

Flying and airports can be especially vexing, and so I was struck by this piece by Bay Area freelance journalist Scott Morris from the excellent website caring.com that’s filled with tips on how to make the flying and airport experience a bit smoother.

Here’s Scott on a topic of interest to anyone who flies, but especially to older travelers:

By Scott Morris

Flying can be difficult… Continue reading →

Posted in Accessible travel, Airlines, airports, Baby boomer travel, health, transportation, Travel safety | Tagged AARP, airport security, airports, flying, flying with dementia, plane travel, senior travel, travel with disabilities, TSA, TSA Pre-Check | 1 Comment

Avoid Long Airport Lines With TSA Pre√

Published June 8, 2016 | By Clark Norton

You can avoid long security lines. Photo from TSA.

As airport security lines snaked around airports like giant boa constrictors threatening to strangle passengers trying to reach their gates this spring — with waits of an hour or more in some locations, and thousands of flights missed — my wife, Catharine, and I were generally able to waltz through security in under five minutes.

In most cases, we didn’t have to take off our shoes, belts, or light jackets, and sometimes I didn’t have to remove my laptop from my briefcase. We also didn’t have to go through those infernal body scanners that require you to remove even non-metal objects from your pockets; instead, we walked through simple metal detectors.

No, we’re not airline employees, or VIPs, or anything other than ordinary travelers. We weren’t flying first class or boasting elite status with the airlines. None of our relatives… Continue reading →

Posted in Airlines, Baby boomer travel, Travel safety | Tagged airlines, airport security, airports, flying, Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, TSA, TSA Pre-Check | 2 Comments

Should We Ban Overhead Bag Storage on Flights?

Published June 1, 2016 | By Clark Norton

Security lines at LAX (Los Angeles International) stretch almost to Anaheim. Photo by Tara Lee Tarkington on twitter.

With airport security lines sometimes crawling to an hour’s wait or longer, flying this summer threatens to become even more of a nightmare.

Some air travelers stuck in the seemingly interminable lines have missed their flights, while others have had to scramble to make theirs, adding to the existing stress of overcrowded planes, cramped seating, and scant legroom for most passengers.

While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is currently beefing up its numbers — especially in bomb-sniffing dogs — the TSA remains understaffed and bags and people still have to be screened.

There’s at least one obvious fix. TSA Pre-Check — which allows pre-screened travelers to pass through separate, faster lines and less intrusive X-ray machines without having to remove their shoes, belts, light jackets and (sometimes) their laptops… Continue reading →

Posted in Airlines, Baby boomer travel | Tagged airlines, airport security, airports, carry-on bags, Global Entry, luggage, overhead storage bins, TSA Pre-Check | 6 Comments

The Best Way to Avoid Long U.S. Airport Security Lines

Published June 9, 2014 | By Clark Norton

You could avoid this next time you fly.

If you were stuck in a long line at airport security in the New Orleans airport last week at 6 a.m., which looked to be a half hour wait at least (perhaps while your flight was on the verge of boarding), you may have noticed a few people waltzing ahead of you in a special line that had virtually no one else in it.

When they reached the security area, they didn’t have to take off their shoes, their belts, their jackets or remove their laptops or their plastic bags with small bottles of liquids in them from their carry-ons.

And they weren’t airline captains or crew members.

Rather, they were my wife and me and a few others deemed “Known Travelers” who gained entrance through the “TSA Pre-Check (Pre√)” line.

If you aren’t aware of this program, and you fly more… Continue reading →

Posted in Airlines, Baby boomer travel | Tagged airlines, airport security, Global Entry Program, Transportation Security Administration, TSA Pre-Check | 4 Comments

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.