Results tagged “TSA” from Intelligent Travel Blog

My father and I are heading out to Alaska's Aleutian Islands next week while I work on a story for the magazine; it's one of the more remote places in the country, and also happens to be where my grandfather was stationed during WWII. We wanted to take Grandpa with us, only there was one problem. He's dead.

Grandpa lived a long, full life and died three years ago now, but his ashes are still in an urn in my uncle's house. "Why not scatter some of them in Alaska while you're there?" my aunt suggested, and, while it seems like a fitting place to do so, I had one major concern. Would TSA let ashes through security, or would I have to FedEx Grandpa to Alaska? This was not a prospect I savored. Luckily, TSA responded quickly to my question.

Lauren Gaches in their press office got right back and said yes, Grandpa can come on the plane, as long as he's well-behaved. Which means the ashes must be in a container (preferably wood or plastic) that can go through the X-ray scanner. The screeners on hand are respectful of the deceased, she said, and don't need to open the containers, but it depends on your airline as to whether they allow ashes to carried on board in a checked bag or carry-on. So it's best to touch base with them beforehand about their preference. She also directed me to their website, where you can find TSA's policies for transporting the deceased. I just called my airline, and they confirmed TSA's guidlines, noting that their requirement specify that a death or cremation certificate is needed to verify the container's contents.

So that's one big huge check on my checklist taken care of, and a tremendous relief at the same time. Thanks to TSA and Delta for their help. 

Photo: √oхέƒx™ via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

Let me begin by asking, how is it already the middle of December? Before you even have time to contemplate where the rest of 2008 has gone, it's already time for holiday travel. Millions of people will be taking to the road, rails, or sky in the next few weeks, so here are some tips for making your holiday travel a bit easier.

On the Bus:
Many discount bus operators have emerged in the past year, giving penny-pincher passengers one-way tickets for as little as $1. They key to getting these cheap fares is, of course, to buy early. If you haven't done so already, buy them now!

Like any wheeled vehicle, buses are still subject to traffic conditions, just like any other car. Bring a book, charge your iPod, try to travel outside of rush hour, and don't cut your time too close. If you have to be at Aunt Millie's place for dinner at 3 p.m., it's best not to take the bus that is scheduled to arrive at 2:30 p.m. Try to be flexible.

Those traveling by bus after the holidays should check out MegaBus--the discount bus company is giving away 100,000 free bus tickets for travel between January 14 and March 18. Seeing as their tickets generally start at $1, and now they're giving away 100,000 free tickets, I'm not really quite sure how the company stays in business. But hey, I'll take it.

By Rail:
Those who don't like the confinement of a bus or the lines at the airport can opt to travel the old-fashioned way. Sure, it might take some four hours to get from D.C. to New York on Amtrak (compared to the 45 minutes on a plane), but--and especially if you are lucky enough to sit in a "quiet car"--think of all the reading and/or sleep you can catch up on, and of all the leg cramping that you can avoid.