Anyone who�s flown since August 10th will know the new hand luggage restrictions are onerous. The outright ban on all liquid products in carry-on luggage requires some serious planning. Here are a few handy tips to ensure a relatively hassle-free flight:

• If you don�t already have access, buy a day pass for an airport lounge: You can relax between flights with all the liquid products your heart desires! Enjoy refreshments, showers and the cushy surroundings.
   

• Consider Shipping your Luggage: It sounds like a hassle but it avoids the check-in queues at the airports and the unpleasant prospect of a toiletry-free trip. A number of baggage delivery services have arisen that will pick up your bags at your home or office and deliver them to your hotel.
   

• Learn to Love the Hotel Freebies: Many hotel chains, including Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn and Wyndham, have stepped up to provide guests with all the things they can't bring on the plane, offering free toiletry bags with shampoo, toothpaste, hair spray and shaving gels.
   

• Buy your Toiletries when you get there: A little careful planning and you can pick up all your amenities at the local pharmacy on arrival. An enterprising new company has also opened last month entitled mywetstuff.com which sells trial-sized toiletries and delivers them to the hotel of your choosing ahead of your arrival.

Passport Processes Praised

Our members are delighted with the service they are receiving for PASSPORT RENEWALS, they particular endorse the online renewal system as efficient and easy.

Platinum and Preference Seating

One member reflects on his newly acquired platinum status and his trouble obtaining his SEATING PREFERENCES, find out here how our members helped solve the dilemma.

Jury Duty effect on Travel Our members discuss the implications of being called for JURY DUTY when you have planned a flight. The consensus seems to be that planned travel is a viable excuse. Qantas Customer Care QANTAS CUSTOMER SERVICE cops another battering by unhappy members; one member suggests "Qantas" and "customer care" should not be used in the same sentence. What do you think? Kids in Qantas Club One member complains about the screaming children and generally rude behavior of other patrons in Qantas Club and a general lack of reaction by the staff. Share YOUR EXPERIENCE here.

Jetstar Star-Class

Our members discuss the recently advertised JETSTAR "STAR-CLASS", it is described by one member as premium-economy class. Offer your verdict here.

 Plane Pain

Our members offer some handy tips on how to reduce EAR-PAIN ON FLIGHTS. The consensus seems to be to see your local GP for severe pain, however a product entitled "earplanes" is available and have proved a success for some members.

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Fare Stampede for Jetstar

Jetstar�s launch of its international service has caused a fare stampede by offering $249 one way flights to Honolulu between February and May 2007. The website was allegedly down shortly after the announcement and when it finally came back online most of the tickets were sold.

Pilots Dig in their Heels

A Qantas Pilot was suspended last month for allegedly refusing to undergo a shoe search as part of the Philippines anti-terrorism measures. Pilots on the Australia bound flight refused to remove their shoes in compliance with the new safety regulations. The two men argued that as pilots they could not possibly be a terrorist threat. Philippines authorities claimed they were merely seeking to maintain consistency in the implementation of the new regulations.

False Alarm for "Bom" on Plane The "Melbourne victory" soccer team caused a major security scare on board a flight from Sydney to Tamworth. The troubles began when the airhostess asked the team's latest Brazilian recruit Alessandro if he understood emergency procedures. He answered in his native language, "Yes Good": or rather in Portuguese, "Si, bom, bom". And with that the flight was grounded and the Federal Police were called in. Pilot Locked out of Cockpit Air Canada was left red faced last month when a pilot who visited a washroom mid-flight found himself locked out of the cockpit. The crew had to resort to taking the door off its hinges to let the embarrassed pilot back in. The airline are blaming the incident on a malfunctioning door and claim the crews actions were in line with company policy.

Virgin Blue to Offer Travel Insurance with Tickets

Virgin Blue last month announced its newly acquired partnership with Mondial Assistance. Passengers will now be able to purchase both their flight tickets and travel insurance in the same online transaction. Virgin Blue claims to be the first airline in the Asia Pacific region to have adopted the technology, which is said to have already received a favourable response from passengers.

Qantas Wins for Entertainment- Value

The Avion Awards, sponsored by the World Airline Entertainment Association, has named Qantas Airways Limited as offering the Best Overall In-flight Entertainment. The winners were determined by a 23-member international media panel that evaluated in-flight audio, video, magazines and interactive media from 42 passenger airlines. Qantas took the top award in the Large Fleet (25 or more) category, with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines being named as 1st Runner-Up.

Few things are more annoying than restless, tired, irritable children kicking the back of your seat on a long-haul flight.

Virgin�s policy sees unaccompanied children and minors seated together at the rear of the plane. Some argue the policy is discriminatory and outdated; it impinges on the children�s fundamental rights as equal citizens. Some parents of well-behaved children are outraged that they too are forced to sit at the rear of the plane with other screaming children.

Virgin justifies the policy by maintaining that at the rear of the plane the children have greater access to toilets and the attentions of two air-hostesses. To some the policy is blatant discrimination, to others it is the finest example of customer service Virgin has offered them in a long time.