Welcome to the days of air-travel pains

—By Katy Devlin, commercial glass and metals editor, Glass Magazine


During a 10-day stretch this month, I took seven flights, maneuvered throughout five airports, dealt with one lost bag*, faced one cancelled flight and spent one night in the Atlanta airport (I recommend Terminal C. The lack of the armrests on the seat rows makes for a surprisingly comfortable make-shift bed). I also traveled on completely full flights and paid noticeably more for my tickets.

During my ample hours of airport meditation time, I contemplated the cause of my uncharacteristic travel woes. I shifted away from the ever-so-tempting urge to blame my annoying waits and detours on the airlines. Rather, I placed blame much more accurately on rising fuel prices (plus a little bit of unpredictable summer weather and a pinch of bad luck).

The airlines are struggling, and it seems the days of empty flights, cheap tickets and free perks have ended.

Fuel costs directly influence fares. Currently, about 40 percent of an air fare goes to paying for fuel, up from 15 percent in 2000, according to a June 13 Reuters article. Domestic tickets cost 6.8 percent more per mile compared to last year, according to a June 20 MarketWatch article. United, American and Delta have increased domestic fares by up to $60, and even discount carrier AirTran upped fares by $30, according to a June 17 CNN.com article.

To cut costs, many of the major airlines are reducing flights. Delta, for one, is cutting capacity by 13 percent, according to a June 19 New York Times article. Fewer flights mean less travel flexibility—likely the reason why I was forced to take two 6 a.m. flights in this most recent travel spree, despite a personal promise never to fly before brunch-time. Limited flights also mean that missing a connection could become an even-more annoying adventure, as the time until the next available flight is certainly increased, and perhaps overnight. And, fewer flights mean crowded planes creating less space for carry-ons (and beware about checking a bag, because you’ll soon have to pay for that as well), longer boarding and de-boarding waits, and no empty seats, which sadly means no more lay-down midflight naps.

So, what’s a traveler to do in these tough travel times? I recommend booking early, packing light and buying a neck pillow. Oh, and come with ample patience, and avoid blaming the airlines and their personnel** for your travel pains unless it really is their fault (and even then, try to be nice about it).


*Did you know that you can buy items from unclaimed baggage? Check out the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Ala. They buy truckloads of unclaimed baggage and flip it—thankfully my baggage is not included in their unique wares, as it was returned to me after a brief journey to Puerto Rico.

**I was on a plane in taxi at Washington Reagan three weeks ago right as a thunderstorm started to roll through. As sideline rain obstructed our view of the constant lightening flashes all around, and strong winds shook the plane as it sat on the ground, a fellow passenger in front of me became livid and berated the flight attendant about missing his connection on the other end. Really?

The NFRC freight train’s a comin’. Are you ready?

—By Katy Devlin, commercial glass and metals editor, Glass Magazine

In the next 18 months, the commercial rating program from the National Fenestration Rating Council, Greenbelt, Md., should be complete, according to NFRC’s technical services manager, Ray McGowan, who delivered a presentation about the program during the BEST Conference in Minneapolis.

Some industry leaders involved in the CMA development process say the program is a “freight train coming,” despite strong opposition from manufacturers, glaziers and industry organizations, including the NGA. They say not even the anti-NFRC group that has recently formed will be able to do much to block the program at this point, particularly since NFRC has a green light from the U.S. Department of Energy.

So, are you ready?

Sure the much-contested program, called the Component Modeling Approach, or CMA, could receive almost no market acceptance and follow a fate similar to NFRC’s Site-Built program, its first attempt at commercial system ratings. However, California and Seattle are poised to become early adopters of the program, and some industry representatives say other jurisdictions will likely follow suit, making CMA part of the codes.

For contract glaziers, this would mean you would likely be placed in the role of specifying authority, or responsible party, for executing the rating program on specific projects. (“It’s not definitive, but it’s more than likely [contract glaziers] probably will be the ones doing it,” McGowan said during his BEST presentation). Are you ready to sign the licensing agreement with NFRC, pay for licensing and the label certificate, and hold liable for the ratings?

For manufacturers, this would mean you will have to pay to have an approved calculation entity rate your products (although manufacturers do have an option to have their own ACEs) and cover the costs for an inspection agency to monitor those ratings. And, you would have to pay to place products in a database. Are you ready to cover those costs, and to incorporate those steps into your processes?

I won’t try to predict what’s going to happen in the next 18 months and beyond. However, I trust the industry experts who say it is coming whether the industry is ready for it or not, and companies should prepare. Learn more about CMA in a detailed October 2007 article from Glass Magazine. And it’s still not too late to get involved and get your voice heard. NFRC’s Summer Meeting takes place July 28-31 in Chicago.

Please feel free to email me with questions about the program. I’m not sure I have the answers, but I can certainly point you in the right direction.

Green penetrates the idiot box

By Sahely Mukerji, managing editor, Glass Magazine

Green glass, green furniture, green rugs … what’s next? Why, green TV of course! Launching this month, Planet Green is the first and only 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network with a robust online presence and community, according to the Web site. “Its on-air content will reach 50 million homes with more than 250 hours of original green lifestyle programming.”
Use the channel finder to see where to tune in and browse for upcoming shows.
Greenovate offers tips on how to green your home and lists solar-powered skylights and Energy Star products as necessities to save 40 percent on energy bills while increasing property value by 25 percent. “For every $1,000 in annual reduced operating costs that a solar electric system offers, greenovators can see an increase in home value by up to $20,000,” the Web site states. Other greening suggestions include bamboo flooring, countertops made of recycled newspapers, air-injected shower heads, non-toxic paints and drought-tolerating landscaping.
Another show, Greensburg , offers vignettes on the destruction of the Kansas town by a tornado in May 2007 and its green rebuilding. Read my blog on this.
On its Web site, Planet Green offers fan sites, articles about how to go green, and forums where users can interact and exchange ideas to improve the environment and use sustainable products. Its sister site, Treehugger.com , offers latest in green news, opinions, interviews and trends. One of the entries on the site expresses doubt about David Fisher’s glass solar-powered Rotating Tower in Dubai and its claim that the building will generate 10 times more energy than required to power it.
Watch the show, surf the channel and let me know your thoughts.

Looking for a few good judges

By Matt Slovick, editor in chief, Glass Magazine


Were you ever in a courtroom facing a judge, wishing you could switch roles and make the decision?

Well, I can’t grant that specific wish, but I can make you a judge – minus the gavel.

Glass Magazine’s third Crystal Achievement Awards are on the horizon. The deadline for submissions has passed. Numerous companies from across the country have submitted achievements in architectural glass products, manufacturing and marketing. This year two new categories have been added for the glass retail market: Best Retail Showroom and Mirror Installation – Residential.

I’ve contacted many of you by e-mail, and thank you to those who have judged in the past and agreed to judge again this year. For those who have not yet responded, expect a reminder from me this week.

And for you who have not been asked but would like to get involved in this outstanding program, here is your invitation.

How does it work?

You’ll receive a packet with categories, descriptions of the nominations and a photo. You’ll make your top choices in the category. It’s that simple. If your company happens to have an entry, you’ll have to pass on that category.

If you’re interested in being a judge, please e-mail me at mslovick@glass.org and be a part of this of recognizing innovation throughout the glass industry.

AAMA summer conference is 'sweet'

By Matt Slovick, editor in chief, Glass Magazine

My latest business travel for AAMA’s National Summer Conference has taken me to Hershey, Pa., the self-proclaimed Sweetest Place on Earth.

Yes, Chocolate Avenue and Cocoa Avenue do exist.
Other than the chocolate bar, Hershey is also known for its amusement park, Hersheypark.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, and I’ve been to the park numerous times. I can see it from my window at the Hotel Hershey, and it pains me that I won’t be able to ride Fahrenheit. The coaster’s description on the Web site reads: “This hot new vertical lift inverted loop coaster will ascend 121 feet before plummeting down a 97-degree drop – the steepest drop in the United States!”

For the record, I’ve ridden Kingda Ka, which is the tallest, fastest roller coast on Earth, at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. It reaches 128 mph and climbs to 456 feet.

When you check into the hotel, they offer you a free Hershey bar with or without almonds. But during the meetings, those mini chocolate bars are in arms length on every table – milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Krackel and Mr. Goodbar. I attended two meetings today and probably ate a dozen of them. Come on, they are really small.
The largest Hershey bar commercially available weighs 5 pounds and costs $35. The ½-pound bar in the hotel room costs $3.75 or $7.50 a pound.

When the maid stopped by this evening for “turn-down” service, she supplied four Hershey Kisses and an information sheet that included Today’s Hotel Hershey Historical Fact: In June of 1905, the original chocolate factory was complete in downtown Hershey.

I discovered the tours of the factory ended in 1973. Now when you visit Hersheypark, the Chocolate World ride is a 12-minute tour explaining the process of making chocolate.

I thought I’d end this post with more Hershey trivia. Did you ever wonder how Kisses got their name? I was told it was the sound of the original machines that squirted out the dabs of chocolate.

And Milton S. Hershey’s middle name was Stavely.