Interesting article by The Associate Press on customer satisfaction improving in the U.S.:

Southwest Airlines Co. had the highest score, 81 on a zero-to-100 scale. After that it was Continental Airlines Inc. at 68, Delta Air Lines Inc. at 64, AMR Corp.’s American Airlines at 60, US Airways Group Inc. at 59, Northwest Airlines at 57, and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines at 56.

The overall satisfaction improvement at airlines masked some big jumps at individual carriers, according to the university’s American Customer Satisfaction Index.

The most improved were Continental Airlines Inc., up 9.7 percent, and US Airways Group Inc., up 9.3 percent. Customer satisfaction at US Airways was on the rebound after a big drop in 2007, when it had the worst on-time showing among big carriers. For 2008, US Airways was first among big carriers for on-time arrivals.

To read the entire article, click here.

When you’re catching a connecting flight, there can be many concerns. How long do you need to catch a flight? Do you need to recheck your baggage or will that be done automatically?

If you’re catching a national connecting flight by the same airline, and most often affiliate airlines, and they will transfer your luggage. Always book your luggage through to the final destination, if possible.

However, if you are catching an international connecting flight, you will have to recheck your luggage at the first port of entry. For example, if you were flying Paris, London – New York – Los Angeles, you will have to re-check your bags in New York, as that is your first port of entry into your destination country.

How long you should budget for your connecting flight depends on a number of things regarding your ticket. Generally speaking, if you buy a ticket with a connecting flight with the same airline, the airline will make sure that you catch your connection or book you on the next flight.

If you buy two separate tickets, however, you should always budget for more time, as you don’t have the reliance of the airline to make sure you connect.

If the connecting flight is international, you may have to re-check your luggage, and go through immigration and security before catching your connecting flight. Also, keep in mind how big of an airport your connecting flight is at. At some airports, there may only be a terminal or two and even if your flight is on the other end of the airport, it may only be a quick walk, however at some airports you may have to take a commuter shuttle or have a long distance to walk to catch your connecting flight (and there is always the possibility that your flight’s gate or terminal may change).

On the day of your flight, you may also want to check ahead to make sure your flights are scheduled on time, so you have time to make any changes if necessary. For any questions or concerns, always call ahead and check with your airline. They will provide specific answers related to your specific itinerary.

For additional layover tips, check out “How Much Time Do You Need To Leave The Airport” , Can I Leave The Airport During A Layover? and “Tips For Making The Most Out Of Your Layover.”

Some terrific security tips, if you can get past the goofy animation…

If you’re looking to ditch your bags on a long layover, there are a couple of options on luggage storage.

There’s a storage facility on the first floor of Terminal 1 Arrivals. It is open from 7am to 11pm and costs $4 – $16 a day, depending on the size of the luggage. You can reach them at (718) 751-2947 for more information. There’s another luggage storage facility on the first floor of Terminal 4 Arrivals. This one, as opposed to the other, is open 24 hours, the cost is the same as above and their number is (718) 751-4020.

To read the complete JFK Layover Guide, CLICK HERE!

There’s nothing worse then being stuck on a long layover without some needed necessities (ok, yes, there are worse things, but this is pretty bad).

If you’re traveling on business, and will be stuck on a layover, make sure you pack some comfortable clothes to change in to. Airplane and airport seats are bad enough that you don’t want to spend a few extra hours lounging around in uncomfortable clothes or shoes.

If you plan on venturing out of the airport and exploring the area, make sure you check ahead of time to see what the weather is like, and pack accordingly in a carry-on bag. Take into account temperature, chance of precipitation, wind factor, etc. If you need to convert temperature, check out our widget on the right hand side of the blog.

Also, make sure that you have anything you’d need to help make your day easier. If you’re stuck inside, bring some sort of entertainment like a book or Ipod. If you’re venturing out, you may want to bring a map, some pre-exchanged currency to save you time, a language dictionary if applicable, identification and credit cards, as well as a passport and visa if needed (use our Visa requirement widget to the right to learn if you’ll need a visa.)

If you pack heavily, you can always find an airport locker or left luggage facility to stow your bags while you head out, or wander around the airport. You can check the airport homepage to learn where these options are located.

A lot of people want to know: how do you know when you can leave the airport on a layover? For most layovers, you can leave the transit area in between flights, as long as you go through customs and immigration on the way out, and of course you’ll have to pass through security again on your way back into the airport. However, some tickets may not permit you to leave the airport. Always check beforehand with your airline to see if your ticket allows you to leave the transit area.

You will also check ahead of time to see if you’d need a visa to enter the destination that you’re arriving at. Check out our widget (right hand side of the blog) for a quick check to see if you’d need to apply for a visa.

Take into account that at many countries, you will have to go through Customs and Immigration upon your first point of entry, regardless of whether you’re connecting.

Another thing to be aware of is your luggage. If you have a layover, always check beforehand with your airline to see if you can check your luggage through to your final destination. Many lengthy layovers (often times up to 24 hours) are actually considered a connection, so often times you can check it all the way through. In a lot of airports, you will sometimes have to pick up and re-check your luggage. If you need to pick up or hold onto your luggage, you can always leave it in the airport at a locker or Left Luggage facility. You can find out where these facilities are at the airport’s website. If the airport does not offer storage for luggage, you can always leave them in a cheap hotel room while you explore the city.

Always check with the information desk about the best (and if applicable, least expensive way) to get out of the airport and around the city. If you are not familiar with the area, or the language, budget for plenty of extra time to get back to the airport, in case of delays or navigational errors. Also, take into account traffic, and distance when computing the time that you have to see the sights.

For additional layover tips, check out “How Much Time Do You Need To Leave The Airport,” Catching Connecting Flights: What You Need To Know and “Tips For Making The Most Out Of Your Layover.”

Currently accepted at over 20 U.S. airports, the Clear Card, helps travelers pass through security within minutes and avoid all those long, pesky lines.

For $199 a year, you can get a Clear security pass, which allows you access a Clear lane in security. Once you present your card, an attendant verifies your information and from there you can go directly through the metal detector and X-ray, but you get to skip the lines. You can sign up for two years at $358.

The card uses fingerprint and iris image technology to verify your identity. The company plans to soon unveil shoe-scanning technology, as well, allowing passengers to leave their shoes on during screening.

The drawback, is that for the price, there’s only 20 airports that currently accept Clear Cards. To check out the airports that accept Clear, click here.

That’s a lot to think about for $199 a year.

Susanne Gannon, a yoga instructor in the Charleston area, wrote a fantastic article for Charleston.net, suggesting some simple (and inconspicuous) yoga stretches that a traveler can do at the airport:

–Subtle Airport Yoga (the Not-Making-A-Fool-of-Yourself Version):

Calming Breath (for those of us who don’t like flying much): Either close your eyes or fix them on a nonmoving point in front of you, careful not to stare at any crazy drunks in the terminal. Breathing through your nose, inhale to a count of 2, and exhale to a count of 4. Do this 10 times. Then inhale for 3, exhale for 6. Concentrate on controlling your breathing. This will keep your heart rate down.

Gomukhasana arms: Extend your right fingertips to the ceiling. Rotate your shoulder and touch your right palm to the middle of your back, elbow pointing upward. Reach your left arm behind you and reach your fingertips up, clasping your hands together. Can’t reach? Most people can’t. Instead of trying to bind your hands together, use your left hand to clasp your right elbow and stretch the triceps and shoulder muscles. Do both sides.

Forward fold in terminal seat: Sitting in the terminal, extend your legs out in front of you. Keep your back flat and your belly long. Fold forward as though you are trying to zip yourself closed from the hips to the shoulders. This means NO COLLAPSING OR ROUNDING OF THE BACK. This stretches your hamstrings and calves, which tighten as you sit in flight.

You can read the entire article here.

There are many factors to take into account when deciding whether you have enough time to leave the airport during a layover and venture out into the surrounding area.

Before you leave, check with your airline to see if your ticket permits you to leave the transit area. Some tickets may not permit you to leave the airport. It is also helpful, if possible, when checking in for your flight to check your baggage through to your final destination. If you can’t, you can always ditch your bags at airport lockers, Left Luggage offices, or even a cheap hotel room while you explore.

When determining your time frame, and whether you have time to leave the airport, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Figure out how far the airport is from the area you’re looking to explore. Many airports are close to the city centers, while some aren’t. For example, the Narita Airport in Japan is quite a distance from Tokyo, while the airport in Amsterdam is about a 15 minute train ride. Always plan for delays, so budget extra time to and from for getting lost (if you’re not familiar with the destination), and if traveling by taxi, keep in mind traffic and rush hour.
• Check to see if, at the airport you’re having the layover, whether you’d have to clear customs to leave the airport and then go through it again to re-enter. The website to your particular airport can help you learn the procedures, as well as calling your airline.
• If you need to store luggage, keep in mind the time to both drop it off and pick it up.
• If you need to transfer money to the local currency, budget time to do so.
• In addition to immigration and customs, budget time for security. At some airports these lines can get lengthy. Layoverguide suggests arriving back at the airport two hours before your flight.

For additional layover tips, check out Can I Leave The Airport During A Layover, Catching Connecting Flights: What You Need To Know and “Tips For Making The Most Out Of Your Layover.”

For those looking to ditch their extra luggage to venture out for a London layover, here is a quick guide to the Left Luggage facilities in both Heathrow and Gatwick airports:

Heathrow Left Luggage is available in each terminal:

• Terminal 1 Mezzanine Floor, 6am-11pm
• Terminal 2 departures near Lufthansa, 6am-11pm
• Terminal 3 arrivals area, 5:30am-11:30pm
• Terminal 4 arrivals area, 6am-11pm

Rates are £6 per item per 24 hours, or less depending on the time. You can contact the Excess Baggage Company at +44 (0)20 8745 4599 with any additional questions.

London Gatwick Left Luggage is available in both the North and South Terminals:

• North Terminal departures near British Airways, 6am-10pm
• South Terminal arrivals, open 24 hours

Rates are £5.50 per item, per day. You can visit the Excess Baggage Company’s North Terminal desk, open from 6am-10pm daily or, for the South Terminal, the 24hr desk located in arrivals, or call: 01293 502013 (North Terminal) or 01293 502014 (South Terminal) with any additional questions.