As Louie and I prepared for our annual January trip to New York for the GT awards event, the debate over luggage came up again. Do we check it or carry it on?

The question is more of convenience rather than cost. The $15 per bag charge wasn’t going to put a major dent into my 2010 budget. Still, it is always nice to avoid extra charges if possible.

The absolute worst-case scenario is to plan on carrying on my bag, only to be told as I am boarding that the overhead compartments are full and I need to check my bag. In that case, not only will I have to deal with luggage claim, but I will have to fill out the tags at the last minute. Plus, I could have used a bigger bag and just checked it at check-in. This has happened to me twice and is a major annoyance.

On the surface, it is easy to blame the passenger who brings on one bag (which is already questionably oversized), plus a personal bag (which is more like a gym duffel bag), plus a laptop case (which seems to be larger than laptops I have seen), plus possibly one more small bag for under-the-seat stowage. That’s four bags, by my count.

Don’t get me wrong, that person deserves some of your ire, but let’s put the blame where it belongs. The airlines need to enforce tougher standards for carry-on bags.

My longtime friend, Sky Torvis (former radio personality in Bisbee, Ariz.), once asked me why airlines don’t charge for carry-on bags. What a radical yet perfectly logical concept.

There should still be enforced limitations, but passengers should pay more for the convenience of carrying on a bag (or four). Wouldn’t that make more sense? At least I could get some satisfaction knowing that the luggage hog was coughing up some cash!

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

I often hear from my staff and friends about funny things that happen when they are in hotels, particularly when they check in. Kevin Ryan often tells the story about checking into a hotel room in New York (that GT arranged) and finding someone already in the room with the shower going!

Another employee found a dirty bedspread in a Westin in Kuala Lumpur, and the staff reluctantly changed the bedding. She reported to me that the room was dirty overall. And, more recently, another staffer found a bed soaked with a liquid of some sort that required complete changing of the mattress and the bedding.

I can’t recall any serious problems at a hotel. Of course, I don’t expect a 3-star property to have the same level of service and quality as a 5-star property. However, I do expect to find my room clean. I think there is less of a chance of having a clean room at lower-rated properties.

There is also the issue of bed bugs, which have been on the rise for many years. I have taken the remedy of always using the fold-up luggage rack, as bed bugs live near the floor moldings and cracks between the wall and the floor.

Have you had any issues at hotels around the world?

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

When did it become November? I’m not ready for Halloween to be over or for the bitter cold to set in. Of course, time passes whether you’re prepared for it or not, and, it seems, the less prepared you are, the more quickly it flies. This past May, I was fortunate enough to journey to Thailand and China. The trip lasted 13 days, but it felt more like three.

It was my first time traveling alone, and my destination was Bangkok via a quick transfer in Beijing. Oh, how nervous I was boarding that flight! Luckily, Alex Young happened to be flying out of JFK the same day and we met up in Lufthansa’s business-class lounge. It helped to be waiting with someone I knew as I anxiously anticipated what it would be like in a few hours, when I wouldn’t recognize a soul.

I almost didn’t make it to Bangkok. My flight to Beijing was delayed due to stormy weather in Canada and I had to literally sprint from one terminal to the next, doing my best to keep up with the flight attendant in front of me. The attendant was in excellent shape, unlike myself. It was a relief, to say the least, when I made the flight. Five hours later, I touched down in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. If only my luggage made the trip with me.

The Four Seasons, by the new Siam Paragon Mall in downtown Bangkok, turned what could have been a disaster into a minor inconvenience. When I checked in (around 1 a.m.) and told them about my suitcase situation, they immediately set about calling the airport and grabbing things I would need — toothbrush, toothpaste, pajamas, anything and everything. Reassured that the future of my trip was in safe hands, I slept very soundly that night. Sure enough, the hotel was able to get my things to me by the next morning. I think telling the concierge that my malaria medication was in my bag helped speed the process along.

My first — and only — full day in Bangkok began at 9 a.m. with a tour of the Temples of the Grand Palace. As an ex-anthropology/archaeology major, I was in heaven. There, before my eyes, was the Emerald Buddha, a large model of the Angkor Wat and various vibrant tile designs detailing Bangkok’s history. Following the temples, my guide and I took a boat ride along the canal, past floating markets, houses that defied the laws of gravity and a Komodo dragon! After a quick stop to see Wat Arun, it was, sadly, time to head back to the hotel.

I awoke the next morning around 4:30 a.m. and grabbed my newly arrived luggage to head back to the airport. It was time for the next leg of my journey and the main reason I had come to Asia in the first place. I was headed to Chiang Rai, in the center of the Golden Triangle, and a temporary base camp for Pencils for Kids, Inc.

– Kate Gallagher, advertising and editorial coordinator

For the third consecutive year, Boeing hosted an Airline CEO Panel during the NBTA convention. For the second year, Fran Gallagher and I were guests of Boeing and enjoyed front-row seats during the one-hour question and answer. And, once again, the panel was informative and fast paced while providing a few chuckles.

The panel is moderated by travel journalist Peter Greenberg. The participating CEOs were Gary C. Kelly of Southwest Airlines and Larry Kellner of Continental Airlines. The format is 45 minutes of questions from Greenberg, with answers from both CEOs. Then, the floor is opened to questions from the audience. The attendance at this year’s panel was standing room only.

The proposed Passenger Bill of Rights was discussed at great length, especially in light of a recent Continental tarmac delay. Kellner was quick to acknowledge that Continental was accountable for the situation, but stressed the importance of safety in those situations. Often the safest solution is not the easiest decision, as safety first can mean lengthy delays and disgruntled passengers.

Along the same lines, the CEOs both mentioned that due to limited flights, passengers often opt to wait out long flight delays rather than see flights canceled. With fuller flights and reduced capacities, canceled flights can mean days of waiting until passengers can be rebooked. Kellner and Kelly both agreed that when passengers are faced with the question of dealing with a lengthy delay or having a flight canceled, they overwhelmingly choose the delay.

Both CEOs acknowledged that, while things are not getting any better, they also are not getting any worse. The outlook looks brighter as it appears airlines may have seen the worst of it. Gary Kelly continued to promise Southwest would not charge baggage fees. Both also discussed the current state of business travel.

All in all, the CEO panel is a rare glimpse into the lives of airlines’ top executives. It is informative, attempts to answer some of the tough questions and is always interesting.

–Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

I arrived back home in southern Oregon just after midnight this past Tuesday morning after a wonderful vacation with my sisters in the Mediterranean. I’ll continue to share my adventures and impressions of the ports we visited on our cruise in upcoming blogs, but today my body and mind are still recovering from the epic return portion of my journey. I was really quite fortunate in that all of my flights were smooth and on time, but the number and length of the legs of my trip really tested my endurance. I have lovingly informed my husband, who booked my flights (but who did not get to go on the trip . . . hmmmm . . . I don’t think I’ll pursue that train of thought . . . ), that in the future the extra cost for a more direct route is definitely worth the price.

My day began at 3 a.m. in Barcelona after four hours of sleep (or, at least, of being horizontal). My flight on British Airways wouldn’t depart the airport until just after 7 a.m., but my sister’s flight was leaving earlier, and we decided to share the cab ride to the airport. After paying 38 euro to check my second bag (definitely worth it to avoid schlepping that piece of luggage onto four different planes), I had a comfortable wait for my flight as I watched the sky brighten and the corridors begin to bustle with travelers.

I enjoyed the two-plus-hour flight to London’s Heathrow, looking down over France’s Gironde Estuary and the vineyards of Bordeaux between short naps and a light breakfast. I wasn’t concerned about negotiating the transfer from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 at Heathrow, as I had at least three hours to do so and had accomplished the same task in reverse on my way to Venice. I collected my bags, checked them in with Continental and got through security again — no problem. I did learn that I would have to go through customs control in Houston (I had naively hoped it would be Seattle, at the end of my Continental flights), where I only had a one-hour, 15-minute layover before my next flight. The ticketing agent told me I would have plenty of time for that (REALLY?!!)  and not to worry, which I proceeded to do off and on for the next several hours. A flight attendant on the nine-and-a-half hour flight also assured me that they had the process down to a science, so I felt a little better. I did make a note, however, in the future to not book a seat that is directly in front of the bulkhead, because it cannot be reclined — a definite minus on a lengthy flight.

Arriving in the customs hall with what appeared to be thousands of other people, I was thankful that our flight had arrived a bit early and had deplaned quickly. For a while, as my line stalled, I reflected on the fact that I seem to have a singular talent in picking the slowest line, be it at Costco, the bank or customs! I zinged through at last, with 50 minutes before my next flight was to take off, picked up my luggage at baggage claim (no wait), but at the next stage was told I needed to have my bags inspected. Directed into that area, I, huffing and puffing, dragged up to the only other person waiting, a tall, elegantly dressed gentleman with a British accent. He glanced at me with some concern, and I realized how I must look. I explained with wavering voice that I had less than 40 minutes to my next flight, and he graciously urged me to go ahead of him.

We watched as four agents manning the site became two (shift change, curse my luck!), and those two seemed to be moving in slow motion. As one stood tapping at his monitor, I explained my timetable and inquired as to whether I could still make my flight. He typed away and explained as soon as he was finished he or someone else would help me. After what seemed another eternity, he called me up. As I struggled to get my bags on the conveyor, I asked (again, quavering voice; I did not voluntarily use that tactic; I was 20 hours into my day, 16 of which was travel time) if there was any hope of me making my flight. He took a quick look in my folder, decided the pittance I would have to pay on being slightly over the customs limit was not worth having this middle-aged woman fall apart on him, and sent me on my way. I dumped my luggage at the bag-check, not caring whether it’d make it on the plane (it did) – at least it was in the U.S.! — and tore off to go through security (again) and hop a train to my gate. I made it with minutes to spare, and once on the plane made a quick call to let Harry know I had made it that far. He sounded very relieved, but it was only while I waited for my last flight at SeaTac Airport that I fully understood why. A woman in the seat next to me mentioned that an Air France flight flying from Rio to Paris had been reported missing over the Atlantic. Suddenly my very mundane travel difficulties slipped into perspective, and I said a prayer for those missing and their loved ones, and one of gratitude for my own safe transit.

At last, after 26 hours of flight and layover time and 30 hours after I arose from my bed in Barcelona, my Horizon flight touched down at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. I have never been more thankful to be home and safe.

Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to the 228 souls on Air France flight 447 and all those who knew and loved them.

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader