One of the more challenging aspects of being a flight attendant is providing in-flight service excellence to your customers. When operating out of familiar territory selecting a highly regarded
caterer is usually not a problem. However, can that high level of service be found in Boise as well as in Beijing? And, if so, where can this information be found?According to, "THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF CORPORATE AVIATION CATERING SERVICES," you certainly can find a caterer in Boise, Beijing, and hundreds of other locations worldwide. First published in 2001, the directory is a one-of-a-kind book chock
full of caterers from around the globe. The 400+ page, 6" x 9" directory is organized by continent, country, and airport code.Each section begins with a city/airport code cross reference table for that region to enable you to find the airports that each caterer serves. Those catering organizations with multiple airport locations have separate listings in each airport. This
particular feature is wonderful as the referencer need not flip throughout the book in an attempt to find and compare caterers.As far as particular caterers in more remote locations, the directory lists A Catered Affair as the lone caterer for Boise, but has four sources for Beijing. For example, Beijing Air Catering Co LTD serves Capital International Airport. The guide
gives this particular caterer's address, a contact name, hours of operation, e-mail address, phone and fax numbers, and an
"other" number which I assume is a backup or cellular phone number. Typically, for many of the far flung places the guide lists a flight planner such as Universal Weather & Aviation or Air Routing International as the contact for that city. According to the guide, these two companies will recommend a caterer at the destination and can provide a local representative to bridge
any language barriers.The guide also offers a "Helpful Reminders" section for the flight attendant under the heading, "Advance Planning When Traveling Outside the United States." Included are tips on contacting the caterer ahead of time, what to do [as mentioned above] when no local caterer is listed, keeping appropriate
containers onboard your aircraft in the event that the caterer does not have the correct sized packaging to fit in your microwave, and more.The guide will be updated on a regular basis and is currently
available in paperback and eventually also will be available on CDROM.Many of the catering recommendations were received by knowledgeable corporate flight attendants directly. As such, some of the addresses or phone numbers may have changed, while some of the businesses may have closed altogether. Always check in advance to see if the caterer is still available.Matthew Keegan is the owner of a successful article writing, web design, and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several sites including the Corporate Flight Attendant Community and the Aviation Employment Board. Please visit The Article Writer to review selections from his portfolio.

To begin with, the best place to buy really cheap plane tickets is online. Travel agencies can't compete with discount ticket sites. Search Google ("cheap airfare south america", for example), or try the well-known sites, like Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, Hotwire or Priceline.Just now I checked fares from Tucson, Arizona to Traverse City, Michigan on the five sites mentioned above. The cheapest quotes ranged from $704 to $432. Nevermind which was cheapest (oh, okay, it was Expedia), because you never know from day to day which sites will find the cheapest flights.Check at least three places. In this case, it would mean a savings of $272. The flight durations are within minutes of each other, by the way, and the food is probably equally bad on all the flights.Flexibility For Even Cheaper AirfareThe more flexible you are, the better your chance of getting a really cheap plane tickets. Try different departure and return dates if you can. Check the box "2 or more connecting flights". Mark the "anytime" departure, even if you don't want to leave at midnight - the savings might change your mind. Try all the options. If the savings aren't enough, you can always book first class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer.Really Cheap Plane Tickets - More WaysYou can buy two tickets. The cheapest airfare from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Tucson, Arizona costs $451 roundtrip right now. Las Vegas to Tucson is only $161, however, and there are regular $199 specials to Vegas from Grand Rapids. It's up to you whether saving $91 is worth booking two flights. (It saved us over $1000 when we went to South America.) There is the problem of whether you'll get a refund if your timing is off on the connections (you probably won't).Check for package deals, where you pay for plane tickets and your hotel room. I haven't had much luck with these deals, but it can't hurt to look at them.Buying ahead of time gets you cheaper plane tickets. Any thing less than a week away tends to be expensive, although you never can tell in the mysterious realm of airfare pricing. Sometimes the "last minute specials" are the best thing going.Priceline still has their "Name Your Own Price" feature. Make your bid, and the airlines say yes or no, depending on whether they have empty seats to fill. First search for the cheapest tickets you can find, then bid lower than that. If your bid is rejected, you can return to the website where you found the best deal and book it.If You're Really CheapMy wife and I once took a bus from Michigan to Miami, and flew from there to Ecuador. For us at that time, saving a couple hundred dollars was worth 38 hours on a bus. This won't save you much on domestic flights. Right now, for example, taking a bus from Traverse City to Detroit, then flying to Los Angeles, would only save about $70 (allowing for cab fare to the airport) over flying directly.There are other options beyond the scope of this article. Courier flights, for example, can be a great deal if you don't mind letting a company use your baggage allowance (you get carry-on only). There are also stand-by deals and last minute deals and other ways to get really cheap plane tickets. Good luck!Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. For more on cheap plane tickets, and to read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

Jetlag seems to be every traveler's worst nightmare ? especially if you're going away for just a short while.What causes Jetlag?Jetlag is a condition that arises from crossing multiple time zones in a relatively short time and consequently disturbs your natural body clock or circadian rhythms. Other contributing factors include lack of exercise, dry atmosphere and alcohol.What are the symptoms of Jetlag?Arriving at your destination feeling tried, groggy and disorientated are the most common symptoms. Many people also find it difficult to concentrate and have very erratic sleep patterns. Waking up in the middle of the night or feeling a need to take nap during the day can be frequent.Because of the dry atmosphere aboard aircraft, Dehydration can also be a major problem.How long do the symptoms last for?Jetlag symptoms can last for just a few hours ? all the way up to a week (for more acute cases). Generally though, travelers find on a normal flight between the US and Europe, the effects of Jetlag last for a couple of days. As a guide, for every time zone you cross, allow for a full day of recovery. Symptoms also vary by age. Children are far less susceptible.How can Jetlag symptoms be reduced?Before you depart, make sure that you get plenty of sleep. Eat well and avoid alcohol. Allow for plenty of time before departure. Stress is one of the worst culprits. Also, try taking some zinc supplements as it's been proven that people with higher zinc levels tend to suffer less.While traveling, drink plenty of water. Stay away from alcohol, fizzy drinks and coffee. These drinks only exacerbate jetlag causing dehydration, tiredness and headaches. Drink plenty of water. Chamomile tea is very calming. Eat Lightly. The last thing your body needs it to digest a large meal. Exercise - "Economy Class Syndrome" is caused from inactivity or sitting in the same position for an extended time. When the time permits, get up and walk around the aircraft.Specific exercises and stretching techniques can be accessed through:http://www.airnz.co.nz/resources/inflight_exercises.pdfTry and get some sleep. Sleeping onboard will not only help to pass the time, but can help you feel refreshed upon arrival. A travel neck pillow will assist in your sleeping, providing excellent head support. Avoid sleeping pills at all costs.When you arrive, getting a quick nap will seem very attractive indeed ? but resist this temptation. Go to bed at your normal bedtime (based on local time). This will force your body to adjust to any new time zones far quicker.Article by Travel J - Traveler's Resources & Information - http://www.travelj.comSarah Moore has been in the travel and tourism industry for over 20 years and is currently working with one of the worlds largest coach networks. Sarah is also the webmaster of TravelJ - A Traveler's Resources & Information Network - http://www.travelj.com

Here are 17 ways to keep safe and secure when flying domestic or abroad. Air travelers need to keep a sharp eye and an ever present focus on what's going on around them. Even though it has been a few years since the September 11th 2001 hijackings, the threat of terrorist actions against air travelers is still ever present. Not to mention with the hustle and bustle of a busy airport. This is a prime place to be potentially burglarized by a professional thief or criminal.1. Keep Your Photo Identification Handy.If you do not have photo identification, make sure you have two pieces of some other form of identification, one of which must be issued by a government authority. Minors are not obligated to have identification. Failure to have proper identification may result in additional security inspection and search. Some airlines may also prohibit you from boarding without proper ID. For international flights, airlines are required to collect your full name and ask you for a contact name and phone number.2. Give Yourself Some Extra Time During busy hours, or when traveling.With elderly or disabled passengers, young children or infants, give yourself more than enough time to maneuver through a busy airport or to make necessary arrangements with airport personnel.3. Do Not Park Your Vehicle and Left Unattended in Front of the Terminal.The airport parking rules are being strictly enforced and your vehicle may be very swiftly ticketed and towed. So make sure to park in well-lit, designated areas. Find a parking garage or lot you are comfortable with and is well populated.4. Know What You Have with You.Watch your bags all throughout the airport terminal, shops, and lavatories. Don't accept packages from strangers or persons who you might have a casual conversation with. Be prepared to answer questions about who packed your bags and whether you might have left them unattended at any time. Focus carefully and answer honestly-previous history has shown terrorists and criminals use unaware passengers to carry bombs or other dangerous devices on board an aircraft, either by deceiving passengers into carrying packages or by slipping items into
unprotected bags. If you're unsure, make it known to airport security personnel.5. Beware of Unattended Packages.If you see an unattended package, bag or piece of luggage in the terminal, report it to the airport security staff or other airport personnel immediately.6. Don't Fool Around.Don't joke about having a bomb, firearm or weapon with you. Security personnel are trained to react when they hear these words. Punishment can be harsh and can include the possibility of time in prison and/or large penalties and fines.7. Anticipate Having Your Bag and Luggage Searched.Both carry-on and checked bags are subject to being hand-searched, especially when airline security personnel cannot determine by X-ray machines the contents of one. Keep gifts unwrapped until after you arrive at your destination.
Airline security personnel will open it if X-ray machines are unable to identify the contents.8. Leave Behind Firearms and Hazardous Products at Home.Many hazardous products are not allowed on aircraft. Don't pack or carry firearms, fireworks, flammable materials, household cleaners, or pressurized containers. Violations of hazardous materials regulations can have harsh civil penalties, as well as possible national legal action taken against you.9. Be Aware of Your Surroundings.When you are in an airport terminal or on an aircraft, take notice of your surroundings, and those around you. Especially, if activities or situations don't appear to be of the norm.10. Report Strange or Odd Activity.If you see anything in the airport or on an aircraft that looks out of place, unfitting and unusual behavior or potential security violations, inform either a law enforcement representative or security personnel.11. Have No Bias About the Who May Pose a Threat.If someone is intent on perpetrating violent acts against the air transport system, that person can be of any gender, age, or nationality. You should not presume any specific type of person is likely to do damage based on outward appearances.12. Keep Away from Suspicious Circumstances.If you are exposed to a potential risk in the airport, move away from the situation before contacting someone in authority. If necessary, inform others in the vicinity. Examples of these are; unaccompanied packages, suspicious behavior, or an unusual disturbance.13. Leave Your Seat Belt Fastened While in Flight.When you are seated, keep your safety belt securely fastened through your flight will provide extra protection if the plane is in unexpected turbulence.14. Focus on What the Flight Attendants Are Saying.The number one reason flight attendants are on an aircraft is for safety, so if there is any kind of emergency or potential crisis situation, look to the flight attendants for help and assistance.15. Remember the Basic Rules for Wireless Devices.In the U.S., cell phones, pagers, and other wireless communications devices may be used until the passenger entry doors are closed prior to takeoff. Do not use these devices for routine communications until the passenger doors are opened at the end of the flight. Rules vary around the world, so check with your airline.16. Emergency Use of a Wireless Device.In the event of an in-flight emergency, you should take stock of the situation before using any communications device, including the aircraft's seatback telephones. If a situation calls for it, use your cell phone or other personal to contact help. In the U.S., a helpful number to call is the FBI at 1-866-483-5137. If you are a flight attendant or other airline employee, contact an appropriate office or department of the airline.17. Work Together.If circumstances on an aircraft have the potential for danger, it is usually better to share information and work together with crew members and other passengers.By taking the necessary precautions when you fly, you can travel with a piece-of-mind and have your security on 'high alert' and ready for anything.Michelle Annese is a 3rd degree black belt with 15+ years experience teaching self defense and safety for women and children. She is a World Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee for Achievement and creator of The Realtor Survival Guide, Protection for Women, and The SafeGuard System for Kids. For more information on how to protect yourself and your family go to http://www.michelleannese.com to get her free weekly safety tips e-newsletter.

How can we keep aircraft and UAVs aloft longer and conserve fuel? How can we have a small MAV or UAV remain airborne for hours on end? Perhaps we should design a unit, which flies like a bird but uses the energy, which is all around us to do so. Electromagnetic Energy is everywhere. Can we design a light-weight vehicle which floats about and flaps every so often to remain airborne? Well as technology gets better with polymer muscles and built in material memory; where the substance is manufactured to keep its original shape like the toy; "Stretch Armstrong."When an aircraft flies through the air it trades electrons due to the friction it creates. Rub your feet along the carpet sometime and notice you get a shock when you touch something. Not much, but enough energy to use to force a polymer muscle to contract. Then it immediately wishes to go back to its normal shape. By using the static electricity from the wings traveling through the air it maybe possible to use the energy to provide an Electromagnetic Pulse moving Material Memory Wings on a UAV? This means it will Flap along and take some of the energy it used to fly through the air and re-use that same energy to flap its wings to remain airborne. All birds have very strong muscles, which flap their wings, we can make such a muscle out of polymer to do the same thing and then find the already known best ratio of flapping to airspeed and design this into the zapping propulsion system that we created. Think on this, because you will not be alone in those thoughts."Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Airlines offer tickets at a fraction of the cost you buy tickets. These offers are given to wholesalers and agencies that bring good business to them. If you can trace out these wholesalers and agencies, you may get cheap airfares from them. These are seasonal and vary from time to time. You cannot expect the same price all the time. It could be cheaper or slightly higher than what you bought the previous time. Moreover, prices vary with the destination for which you are buying the tickets.Easy route to cheap airfaresMany websites offer cheap airfares for their members. You have to find these websites and become a member of these sites so that you can avail of the cheap airline tickets. Websites like http://www.affordabletravel.org frequently give cheap airline tickets to their members. It is said that you can even save more than 50% of the airfares on certain destinations. You have to periodically check the offers on these sites before you decide to book your tickets with the airlines. Apart from the memberships, they also offer companion memberships to the people who register on certain periods.Discount airfare for roundtripsSome of the airlines offer discount airfare for roundtrips that you take. Since you are traveling widely and on different routes, they could offer these discount rates to you. During roundtrips, you may choose a single airline if they provide the service through that route or you can take different airlines for different routes so that you arrive at cumulative cheap airfares.Finding the cheapest airfare between two destinationsYou may even wonder how to find out the cheapest airfares between any two destinations that you would like to travel. There are sites that provide you with the facilities to locate that. For example, a website http://www.lowestfare.com provides you with the search facility to find the lowest airfare between any two destinations. All you have to do is to key in the places from which you would like to travel and the destination to which you would like to travel. Data like the date of travel and date of return are also taken in to considerations. The web application in this site searches the database and provides you with the cheapest airfare and the airline, which provides that.Other services you get while you book air ticketsSome of the other services you get while booking your airline ticket is the option to reserve your hotel room, car, and cruise. Most of the websites provide you with these features also. The website www.cheaptickets.com can provide you with these features.For more information, visit these sites: http://www.CheapAirTicketsInfoCenter.com

Low speed flight characteristic are crucial to safety. Those aircraft that have good flight characteristics at low speeds are favored by pilots and the companies, military, NGO or private individuals who operate them. One way to increase positive slow speed flight characteristics is to install vertical gates on top of the wings of the aircraft to keep the air flowing over the wing at slow speeds. The only problem is that at high speeds these gates may also cause increased parasite drag which effects performance.I propose inflatable wing gates to pop up on modern day aircraft to allow for slower stall speeds on landing. This will increase tire and decrease landing speeds for increased safety. Additionally it will assist the aircraft by decreasing take roll. The gates on the end of the wing will also change the stall and spin characteristics for better handling in critical flight situations while preventing unpredictable departures from flight. These gates will be filled with ram air prior to landing or approaching high angles of attack or stall speeds. Before takeoff these inflatable gates will blown up into place with small canisters. The gates will use the same air in the lines which are cross fed so that one gate cannot come up or stay up without the other. The gates will fold straight up and recessed into the wing with a panel, which pops outward. The hinges will be on the side closest to the end of the wing not the fuselage as to not upset the already turbulent airflows at high angles of attack or near stall speeds. Think on this concept."Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Whatever the reason for your travel, you have made a considerable investment. It costs you time and money. If you're stuck in a hotel room suffering from jet lag symptoms, you're missing out.Obviously, you'd like to make the most of your trip. You will get the greatest return on your investment if you're out of your hotel room enjoying your destination. I can help you achieve this."What Is Jet Lag?"In simple terms, jet lag is the disruption of your body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This clock sets your sleeping and waking times. It is complex and sensitive. Flying east or west messes it up. That's because you cross time zones much faster than your body can adjust.What are common jet lag symptoms? They include:* Headache* Disorientation* Anxiety* Exhaustion* Indigestion* Dehydration* Impaired CoordinationObviously, these things could ruin your trip. Following these guidelines will reduce your jet lag symptoms and let you enjoy your trip even more.I'll break this discussion into three sections:* Before Your Trip* During Your Flight* At Your DestinationA. Help Prevent Jet Lag Before You Leave Home1. Get Plenty Of Sleep. NASA found that getting as much sleep as possible beginning two days before your trip is significant in minimizing jet lag symptoms.2. Reduce Your Stress. All that running around can make you more stressed.3. Exercise. If you exercise regularly, make it a priority to keep that routine just before you travel. Also, continue it at your destination.B. Things You Can Do During Your Flight To Reduce Jet Lag1. Arrive Early At The Airport. Not rushing to make your flight will help reduce stress and make you more relaxed. That way you'll rest better on the plane.2. Begin Adjusting To The New Time Zone And Schedule. When you get on the plane, set your watch to your destination's time. Then think about when you'll eat and sleep there. Try to begin eating and sleeping at those times.3. Sleep As Much As You Can On the Plane. This is a key factor in reducing jet lag.4. Wear Comfortable clothing. Comfortable clothes, warm socks and a sweater will enable you to sleep better.5. Drink Plenty of Water. Not soda, not alcohol, not caffeine, but water.6. Get Up and Stretch Frequently.7. Use a Footrest. If you're tall, it takes strain off of your lower back. If you're not so tall (or a child), and if your feet don't touch the floor, this helps prevent cramps behind your thighs.8. Loosen Your Shoes to get some extra circulation to your feet.9. Avoid Pills and Supplements. There was a study reported in England's Lancet Medical Journal. It blamed 18% of deaths during long-haul flights from blood clots in the lungs. Sleeping pills cause you to sleep without any body movement. This reduces your circulation and increases the chance of blood clotting.C. Adjusting At Your Destination1. Try To Eat On The New Schedule. This helps your body clock adjust to minimize your jet lag symptoms.2. Try To Sleep On The New Schedule.3.Exercise. This is also among the important jet lag remedies. If you have a regular exercise routine, you'll want to continue it now.4. Get out in the Sunlight. This is simple to accomplish as long as you have a sunny day.Studies have shown that exposure to bright light helps shift the circadian rhythms (body clock), and therefore reduce the jet lag symptoms.That's just a brief overview. I highly recommend that you read my complete jet lag article before you go on your next long trip. You can find it on my web site.Copyright 2005 by Ph.Developments USA, Inc. All rights reserved.Pilot Paul M. is a captain at a major U.S. airline. He also hosts http://www.Pilot-Pauls-Travel-Accessories.com where an airline captain helps you with your travel needs.If you would like to learn more travel tips, see travel accessory reviews and recommendations, learn insider's secrets, find travel discounts, or receive our FREE newsletter click on the link below:Click here for Pilot Paul's Travel AccessoriesThanks and have a great trip!Pilot Paul M.

In studying the Concorde crash the investigators determined it was caused by debris on the runway, which had fallen off a Continental Airlines Aircraft, which went down the same runway prior to the Concorde. Some thought the crash was an International Terrorist Attack. Had the debris, which had fallen off been known it could have been picked up prior to the Concorde's take off roll.In fact debris on run ways is common, I have seen stuff on runways myself during takeoff rolls, usually it is something minor and in a light aircraft you are not going very fast so a slight bit of steering for someone on the ball and the problem is solved. The Concorde however takes off at 180 knots or at least that day it tried. It hit the debris and it popped a tire and that tire shredded and sent pieces into the bottom of the wing and fuel tank along with a little of the debris. The aircraft on fire took off and then immediately crashed.A young man, only twelve years old has come up with a little gadget, which will prevent this from ever happening again. It is a small real-time video camera, which runs along the runway on a track and videos the aircraft as it lands or takes off. It can also be sent solo to inspect the runway from afar, such as a room in the control tower or ground control workstation. The British Airport Authority (BAA) is interested in possibly developing this concept. Interesting as a 12-year old came up with it. Incidentally today NASA announced a spherical device to fly around the ISS-International Space Station to check for damage from space debris. Had this been available it could have inspected the Space Shuttle prior to its return and prevented the accident by way of video preflight.The young man's device is said to be able to spot even a single nut on the runway, which could be picked up by a tire or sucked into a jet engine. This is an awesome idea and I would hope the US Military would put them on the catapults so when it returns it video tapes the deck. The young man developed the concept in the "Young Engineers for Britain" contest. This shows why it is important to get ideas from everywhere and how contests spur on innovation. In the United States we have constant robotic contests and we all know about Robot Wars. The young man wants is counting on becoming a mechanical engineer if he ever grows up and I think he will make a damn good one."Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Most consumers feel the airline travel is very costly. We can end up spending a fortune when we add up the various costs, such as flights, accommodation, taxes and insurance, hotel services and car hire. There are so many ways to cut back these expenses without having compromise with the quality or the comfort of the travel and hotel stay.Cutting out the MiddlemanMost of the people prefer ready-made package holidays because the travel agents do all the work for them. Benefits will be acquired only when you make your bookings separately and save some cash. Cutting out the middlemen means you should avoid approaching the travel agents to get cheap airfares.Cheap air fares with dealsYou should find cheap air tickets online. Thre are plenty of online travel companies offering cheap air tickets, cheap airline flights and discount tickets. Some of the online traveling companies offer cheap airfares also offer special deals on hotels, cars and insurance.There are several sites listed below that offer cheap airline tickets. Apart from information and prices offered by this site, you should find these sites are user-friendly and easy to navigate.http://airfare.bootsnall.com is a site which will serve as a valuable tool. In this site, you will find cheap airline ticket as well as access loads of additional products and services. This site also provides information articles and newsletters relating to travel.http://www.cheaptickets.com is a great place to start your search for great value cheap airfares. You can either try to get a discount flight or you can view their special offers, either way you will end up with a good deal. This site also holds an innovative idea of holding FAQs or posts any new questions regarding your travel arrangements.www.expedia.com is an excellent resource for getting cheap airline ticket. You will be able to select from a variety of options offered by this site. The options such as flight & hotel, flight & car hire or flight only.http://www.hotwire.com/index.jsp can help you to get cheap air tickets for flights, cheap hotels, cheap car-hire, and cheap insurance. You can save on last minute vacations by browsing their late deals section, and you can also benefit from their bargain holiday ideas section.http://www.smarterliving.com is the smart way to find lucrative travel deals without having to worry about any compromise on quality or comfort. Some great deals on cheap airline tickets as well as laying your hands on a variety of excellent tools and resources. You will find offers and deals on hotels, cars, cruises and packages as well as on cheap tickets.The Internet is by far the best method by which to get your cheap plane ticket. Not only does it allow you to compare some great deals in the comfort of your own home, but it gives you access to a range of other associated products, services and tools.For more information, visit these sites: http://www.CheapAirfaresInfoCenter.com