Baggage

How about a 2-inch suitcase?

Would you travel with a flat suitcase? We would.

In March 2020, just days before the world closed down due to the pandemic, our baggage and accessories reporter spent two days at the Travel Goods Show, a for-the-industry event held that year in New Orleans.

In an exhibition hall filled with travel gadgets and suitcases of all shapes, sizes, and prices, the Rollink collapsible suitcase stood out for its ingenuity and convertibility. And its cuteness.

The suitcase is made with hybrid polycarbonate hard shells and fabric that allows the bag to fold down to just 2 inches when not in use. That made it seem perfect for storage between trips, in a cruise cabin, or when staying in one of those teeny-tiny boutique hotel rooms that are so common these days.

We weren’t the only ones charmed by the Rollink.

At the Travel Goods Show, the Rollink received the “Innovation Award” for best new luggage as well as the overall “Buzz Award,” which is awarded to the most attention-getting item in the new products section of the show. 

Of course, the pandemic meant we had no need for suitcases of any size for a while. But that super slim suitcase stuck in our minds.

Now that we’re ready to get back on the road, we’re pleased to see that the Rollink has made its U.S. debut, in partnership with Macy’s. It comes in three sizes, including cabin and cabin plus, both of which are a TSA standard sized carry-on suitcases. There’s also a medium-sized Rollink that should be checked. Prices start at $155.

Cute, right?

Airport Amenities We Love: Coat Check Service

Here’s a great airport amenity we’re glad is back.

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) is once again offering its popular coat check service.

The service is back for the third winter season and means passengers setting out from MKE for warm weather destinations don’t have to lug their bulky winter jackets, scarves, and gloves with them on the plane.

They can instead check these items inside Summerfest Marketplace, which is located pre-security and open 7 days a week, and available for all flights.

The cost to check a coat is a reasonable $2 per day, with a maximum charge of $10 per trip.

Great idea! Maybe other airports will begin offering this service as well.

Yes, Southwest Airlines will check your pool noodle.

The world – and a young woman named Sydney Fowls – now knows that Southwest Airlines stands by its promise to allow passengers to check two bags for free.

Even if one of those bags happens to be a pool noodle.

Fowles recently traveled from Ohio to Tampa for a vacation. And, budgets being tight, she decided to bring her own foam pool noodle along.

Rather than bring the pool noodle on the plane and try to put it in the overhead bin, Fowls decided to check the pool noodle as her second free ‘bag.’ To her delight, and now ours, no one at Southwest Airlines said no to checked noodle.

The noodle was tagged and sent out to be loaded onto the plane.

The modern world being what it is, Fowles documented the noodles journey on Tik Tok. She even caught the bemused reaction of the bag handlers who were tasked with loading the noodle onto the plane.

https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneyfowls05/video/6962680092820655365?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelandleisure.com%2Ftravel-news%2Fgirl-checked-pool-noodle-southwest-flight&referer_video_id=6962680092820655365&refer=embed&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6972043465870657030

The internet loved Fowls’ first pool noodle Tik Tok. To the tune of 11 million views (so far).

Did the noodle make it to Tampa?

Spoiler alert: Yes it did. Did the noodle make it back home to Ohio? Yes it did.

Did Southwest Airlines join in the fun? Yes they did.

When Fowls returned from her trip, there was a pool noodle performance waiting for her.

There was a bag carousel filled with pool noodles.

Fowls got a photo op with the bag handlers who were featured in her first Tik Tok post.

And she got her own Southwest Airlines-branded pool noodle.

https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneyfowls05/video/6964790720997641477?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelandleisure.com%2Ftravel-news%2Fgirl-checked-pool-noodle-southwest-flight&referer_video_id=6962680092820655365&refer=embed&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6972043465870657030
https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneyfowls05/video/6965543335943605510?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelandleisure.com%2Ftravel-news%2Fgirl-checked-pool-noodle-southwest-flight&referer_video_id=6962680092820655365&refer=embed&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6972043465870657030

Vote for the airport amenity of the week.

We used to think that putting roulette wheel numbers on the baggage carousel was the coolest thing you could do with that space.

MSP’s new bag claim carousel

But Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has done something better.

Instead of the annoying buzzer and flashing light that announces the arrival of bags at some airports, the newly redesigned bag carousels at MSP airport send up the alert with nature sounds and a light show.

We’re making this the first nomination for Airport Amenity of the Week.

Hand washing help

Our second nomination for Airport Amenity of the Week is this high-tech hand-washing station Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) installed to encourage travelers to wash their hands and “scrub away germs in 12 seconds flat!”

O’Hare Airport’s new Twitter Bio

Pete Buttigieg, who has been named transportation secretary nominee by President-elect Joe Biden, put a spotlight on O’Hare International Airport (ORD) during his formal introduction on Wednesday.

During the event, Buttigieg noted that he proposed to his husband, Chasten, at O’Hare. “Don’t let anybody tell you that O’Hare isn’t romantic,” he said.

Avgeeks know that.

So does United Airlines, which sent out a tweet identifying the engagement gate.

And O’Hare Airport even change its Twitter bio.

It now begins “Place of romance.”

Which would you pick as Airport Amenity of the Week?

MSP’s bag carousel? PIT’s hand washing station? O’Hare’s new status as place of romance?

Let us know in the comments section which of these airport stories you’d pick as Airport Amenity of the Week.

And feel free to nominate an airport amenity for next week’s Airport Amenity of the Week.