TBEX "12 Keystone Colorado - Learn To Become A Travel Blogger

My first trip to Denver, Colorado was as a child with my two sisters and our great-grandmother. We flew from Chicago to Denver on United Airlines in the 1970's. We were city kids whose family went to Covert, Michigan for weekends and holidays. My frame of reference for country living was a small country house with forest behind it.

Our trip to Denver was the first sight of mountains, I was in total awe of their beauty. My great-grandmother  friends has a ranch in mountains of Denver. They meet us at the airport in a pickup truck. We rode through the dusty roads up the mountains to their home. All I can remember is coughing at the dust and staring by the magnificent mountains.

While staying at the ranch we learned to take of horses and to go horseback riding. I fell in love with horses during that summer vacation as a child.

Flying to Denver was the second time I flew on a plane, so Denver has a special place in my heart because it is a milestone in my travel experiences.

This year the Travel Blog Exchange TBEX '12 will be held in Keystone, Colorado from June 15 to 17, 2012, so that means flying into Denver to experience a "Rocky Mountain High" as John Denver coined it. By the way, as a  city child growing up in Chicago, I had no idea of the meaning of the lyrics to John Denver's song "Rocky Mountain High" until that trip to the Denver mountains. I fell in love with John Denver's song, the mountains, Red Rock, horses, horseback riding, and ranches because of that travel gift courtesy of my great-grandmother. I am so looking forward to reminiscing and creating new travel experiences while exploring Colorado's Denver, Keystone, Vail, Beaver, Winter Park, and Fraser Valley.



Why should you join me in attending the TBEX "12 in Keystone, Colorado?

If you love to travel, then travel blogging is a new age career path that open doors to opportunities to create an income stream for your travels. Travel Blog Exchange or TBEX is a networking event for new and experienced travel bloggers.

Pax shares Poopie Baby Story

Airplane Window View of Clouds

In ATL waiting to board a flight back to ORD. A passenger waiting for the same flight tells me this a story about one of our new young flight attendants.

There was a baby on one of our new CRJ jets from ORD to ATL that pooped in its diaper. Well, the new flight attendant donned a mask. She then offered all the passengers masks. She took out the hazmat bag to collect the stinky diaper. She then left the hazmat bag sealed with the diaper in the setback pocket of this poor embarrassed mother who did not speak much english.

Can you imagine?



What would a mask do to stop a poopie diaper smell?

Why leave the stinky diaper with the Mom in a hazmat bag?



The funny thing is the flight attendant did the right thing. She followed the procedures in the manual. These are guidelines.



Commonsense ? No!



Definitely hilarious!



Usually parents are trying to hid the diaper in toilet wastebin. Then we flight attendants are trying to find the source of the smell that is floating through the cabin.



Parents if you are flying and have to change your baby. Please wrap and tie the diaper up in plastic bag then put it in the wastebin.

Am I checked in?

Due to the times in which we live the air travel industry changes very rapidly on a daily basis.

There was a time when air travelers would purchase paper tickets from a travel agent or ticket agent. Then they would take their paper tickets and check-in with an agent for a boarding pass. There were one or two ways to check-in for a flight.

Today, the technology advances have changed the check-in process. There are more ways to check-in for a flight now. One can use a computer, cellphone, or other handheld device to visit an airline website, for example www.aa.com. You can check -in for your flight up to 24 hours in advance. The latest a passenger can check-in is usually an hour prior to their flight departure time. Every airline is different so check their website or call customer service.



You can also check-in at the airport on a Self-Service machine or kiosk. Some airports have these machines. It a computer screen that is similar to the check-out machine at a grocery store or a bank ATM. You touch the screen and swipe your mileage card, credit card or passport to get your electronic flight reservation.



Checking-in for your flight allows you select a language for instructions, to get your boarding pass, change your seat, check your luggage, add your mileage account number. Some airline websites have tutorials on how to use the Check-in Machines.

For example, go to www.aa.com then look for the search box at the top of the page. Enter the words "check-in tutorial". This will take you the webpage Traveler Information FAQs- Self-Service Check-in. There is advice on airline websites to help you get checked-in faster. They can be a great resource of information.



If you are elderly or not comfortable with computers, ask a family member or a friend to help you get checked-in for your flight and print your boarding pass. This is a good idea if you rarely fly.



Some airports have curb-side check-in. You pull your car up to the departures area at the airport. You unload your luggage and a skycap helps you by checking you in, tagging your luggage and giving you your boarding pass. Then you have one line left which is the security line. This service is great for those who can't deal with computers.



The airports are busy with passengers now because the holiday travel season is coming. The increase in the number of passengers and noise can be overwhelming. I have worked a customer service agent, ticket agent, gate agent, and a baggage handler. I have seen passengers get confused and stand in the wrong lines for  hours. Some people just cannot figure out how to get to their bags checked or their tickets changed.



Ask ! Ask! Ask!

1. Are you a customer service agent?

2. Is this the line to check my luggage?

3. Is this the line to change my ticket?

4. Is there another line which is shorter?

5. Where are other self-service check-in machines located?



Tip: American Airlines at O'Hare Airport has Self-Service Check-in machines located at the baggage claim level. Passengers rarely use these machines. If you are taking the blue line to the airport, stop at the baggage claim level to grab your boarding pass if you only have carry-on luggage. Then go up one more level to get in the security line.



If you can, guide your elderly family members or friends in using the self-service machine, checking-in their luggage, guide them to the security line. Share with them the info on the airline website. Talk with them about the changes in flying. So that they will be more comfortable with the process.



See you in the air!

Why did I become a flight attendant?

Arc de Trimophe

My mother took my sisters and I to New York when I was twelve years old. That experience created my desire to fly. I love the thrill of the take off and landing. My sisters were frightened by the engine noise and movement. It felt to me like a roll coaster ride.

It took me a lifetime to begin my career as a flight attendant. I applied after graduating high school and during college without success. I never gave up on my dream to fly. I finally became a flight attendant in 2007 for American Eagle Airlines. I am based out of Chicago O’Hare Airport. I fly domestically on the Regional Jets.

What does an airline look for in a Flight Attendant?
I would recommend having strong customer service skills and communication skills.

What is the schedule of a Flight Attendant?
You must be willing to move to another city, work weekends, holidays and long days.

Is there an age limit on becoming a flight attendant?
U.S. Airlines can no longer discriminate by age. You can be any age and apply to be hired as a flight attendant.

What is the beginning salary of a flight attendant?
Beginning flight attendants salaries vary by airline. The range can be $12,000 to $18,000 for new hires. Some airlines pay for training, others do not pay. It is a good idea to have some money saved up if possible to help you through basic training and moving to another city after training.

Written by Janice Temple Robinson