Tinder for Airports, TSA PreCheck Access via Canine & More
Headlines and highlights from around the web:
Soooo, you can either go through a lengthy application process for TSA precheck or just hope you get sniffed by a dog. Passengers at Dulles got to skip the body scanners and keep their shoes on and their laptops in their bags as they went through the normal metal detectors. They didn’t have TSA precheck, but they had been sniffed by an explosives-detecting dog. Funnily enough, the less invasive process seemed to confuse many of the passengers.
Speaking of TSA precheck, even if you think you have your Known Traveler Number in your airline profile it doesn’t guarantee it will show up on your boarding pass. (Booking through a 3rd party site like Orbitz? See my tips for troubleshooting TSA precheck.) American Airlines is going the extra mile to make sure eligible passengers get TSA precheck, vetting your profile 72 hours in advance and sending you an email if something is wrong in your profile.
Tired of being bored and/or lonely during a layover? A new app called btrfly is making it easy to meet new people while traveling, hopefully removing the awkwardness/creepiness of approaching your fellow travelers.
Users select their flight details to sign-in and are then able to contact others through in-app messaging, getting information on them like what city they’re headed to and what time their flight leaves.
An example screenshot of someone offering to guest someone in to the airport lounge would be one useful application — far more efficient than tweeting in hopes someone is at your airport.
In case you missed it earlier this week — there’s a new app that lets you help law enforcement crack down on human trafficking by taking pictures of your hotel room. My latest Sephora Play! box arrived and Birchbox learned nothing from frequent flyer programs, devaluing their loyalty program under the guise of “improvements” and alienating their strong fan base.
I also finally found time to start my Bangkok trip report, including first class lounges in Narita, 7 hours in JAL economy, and a condom themed restaurant (ummmm?).
If your vacation rental or hotel room smells funny this summer, check out my tips for travel friendly fixes!
Not sure why, but this cartoon sheep scarf on Amazon Lightning Deals is rather appealing.
Travel quote of the morning:Â Wherever you go, go with all your heart. ~Confucius
I’m chilling in the North Carolina mountains this weekend. Any one else have fun plans?
