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As you put on your loose-waisted pants and head off to airport to join your friends and family for that big Thanksgiving feast, keep this in mind:

On many US airlines, if you can’t fit in your seat with the armrests lowered, you may be asked to pay for a second seat.

In Canada, however, you will soon get more room to spread out. Legally – and for free.

According to an AP report posted on MSNBC.com today, beginning on January 9th, 2009: Canadian airlines flying domestically “cannot charge extra for an obese person who needs an additional seat or a disabled person who needs space for a wheelchair or stretcher or who must be accompanied by an attendant.”

US airlines aren’t likely to adopt that same plan anytime soon, but for folks who fit into individual airplane seats – and those who don’t – it’s probably a good time to read my Well-Mannered Traveler column that addresses the topic. It’s called, appropriately enough, Squeezed to Meet You and deals with the issue of “seatmates of size.”

Categories: Obesity, Seatmates of Size
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A series of photographs by artist Evelyn Morris are on display at the John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California.

Morris’ images depict the beauty of flowers in one series and the spirit of Paris – where she was born and raised – in another. The photographs are on display in the departure (upper) level near the security screening areas and on the arrival (lower) level near baggage carousels 1 and 4 through December 15th.

Categories: Photos
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Everyone seems intent on helping travelers stay cool and calm this Thanksgiving season.

Some airports are rolling out entertainment programs. In others, travelers will be able to take advantage of free massages, snacks and other services. Now an off-site parking company is getting in on the stress-relief action.

On Nov 25th and 26th, travelers parking at many FastPark & Relax (or Airport Fast Park) locations will find yoga instructors on duty in the shuttle buses to the airport. Depending on the day, shuttle-bus yoga instruction will be available from 9 am to 11 am in Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Houston; Miami; Milwaukee; Orlando; Raleigh, N.C. and Tucson, Ariz.

Categories: Parking, Transportation
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Yesterday was “New Runway Day” at three major U.S. airports. Washington Dulles International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and my hometown Seattle-Tacoma International Airport all cut the ribbon on new runways.

What do these high-ticket investments in airport infrastructure mean for air travelers? Ideally, improved safety, reduced delays, and space for an extra 330,000 take-offs and landings each year.

We’ll see….

(Courtesy: Port of Seattle)

Of course, who cares if more planes can take-off and land unless you can actually get a seat on one of those planes?

So I was pleased to have a chance to stop by the world headquarters of Yapta this week to check out their poker table and learn about their new service that sends travelers e-mail alerts when frequent-flier award seats become available. As someone who recently spent way too many hours trying to figure out how to “spend” a chunk of expiring miles, I totally get the usefulness of this feature.

You can read about Yapta’s free frequent-flier award search service and a few related tools in a recent New York Times article. Or just sign up, snag a seat, and go try out one of those new runways.

(Photo: Daniel Schwen)

Categories: Delays, Safety
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The list of stress-busting activities being offered at the nation’s airports this holiday season just keeps growing:

In addition to the entertainment being offered by airports around the country and the free amenities being offered by JetBlue Airways in its new terminal at JFK, on Nov. 25th and 26th, travelers passing through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) can get free massages, free Wi-Fi, and free snacks.

The stress-reducing services are at the “privacy oasis” sponsored by 3M Computer Privacy Filters in the Airport Executive Conference Center on the 3rd floor of the Atrium. The company has also set up a Web site where travelers have been sending in tips about places to chill out at various airports around the country.

Given how close we sit next to each other on airplanes, computer privacy filters seem like a useful tool pretty much anytime. But as I wrote in a recent Well-Mannered Traveler column on MSNBC.com, privacy filters may become downright necessary as airlines roll out in-flight Wi-Fi. (Virgin America is launching its Gogo in-flight Internet service – on one plane – this Sat, Nov 22) Not all airlines plan to filter in-flight Internet service and some travelers are worried about being exposed to inappropriate material on a seatmate’s screen.

Categories: Free Stuff, Wi-Fi
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