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How many times have you been forced cut off a phone call practically mid–sentence, or send a frantic "CallyouwhenIland!!" text, seconds before the airplane door closes? Thanks to Virgin Atlantic, that may be a thing of the past—in the not–too–distant future. Passengers traveling between New York and London on the airline's Airbus A330 will soon be able to use their cell phones to talk, text, and surf the web in–flight. It's a bit of news that's sure to delight business travelers and the occasional text–addicted teen…and dismay cranky travelers already fed up with crying babies and whirring engines. There is, of course, a catch: in–flight calls will cost £1 per minute (by current exchange rates, that's about $1.30). As usual, phones will need to remain off for takeoff and landing, and a headset will be required to make calls. And there might be a few bumps to smooth out as the new service is launched: according to Time's Techland blog, Virgin Atlantic estimates that limited bandwidth will allow only 10 calls to be made at a time. Even with a few small hiccups it's still pretty big news: after all, an airplane is one of the last places where you can feel disconnected from the outside world. And if Virgin Atlantic pioneers a trend, who knows? Perhaps Alec Baldwin and Josh Duhamel can stay on the right side of the law from now on. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes Are Airlines Cracking Down on "Airplane Mode?" 4 Best Travel Chargers to Throw in Your Bag

There are a lot of jokes at the expense of the TSA, thanks to some ridiculous mistakes and policy misunderstandings on the part of agents. But it's no laughing matter when an agent's ignorance causes a teen traveler's life–saving medical equipment to malfunction. When 16–year–old Savannah Barry—who is a Type 1 diabetic and wears an insulin pump—was flying out of the Salt Lake City airport last Monday, she followed the guidelines for diabetic travelers listed on the TSA website and asked for a pat–down instead. She even presented the agent with documentation that the $10,000 insulin pump should not be taken into a full–body scanner. But the agent insisted it would be fine and sent her through. Moments later, her insulin pump malfunctioned (see the video below of an interview with Savannah about the incident). To add insult to injury, she was given a pat down—exactly what she had requested in the first place—in addition to her trip through the body scanner after TSA agents spotted her insulin and the juice she was traveling with to prevent low blood sugars. Savannah’s mother was told by a representative of Animas (the company who made her insulin pump) to have her unplug the device as soon as she landed and rely on insulin shots until further notice. Luckily she was able to obtain another insulin pump—evidently another pump company heard her story and sent it to her after she returned home to Colorado. We contacted the TSA to get their official statement: “TSA has spoken with the passenger and a member of her family regarding her screening experience and we will continue to communicate directly with the family to address their concerns. TSA works regularly with a broad coalition of advocacy groups representing passengers with disabilities and medical conditions to better understand their needs. Signage posted at security checkpoints where advanced imaging technology (AIT) is used informs passengers that AIT is always optional for all passengers, including those traveling with medical devices.” Traveling with a medical device can be complicated. This story really struck a nerve with me—I’m not a Type 1 diabetic, but my younger sister, April, is. She was diagnosed at 14 and has been living with an insulin pump ever since. On family vacations, she’s had to pull TSA agents aside and explain her situation, show them the insulin pump, and be led to the side for a pat down that ends with swabbing her hands for bomb residue. There is nothing like watching your little sister follow the rules only to have everyone else in line staring at her like she’s a criminal, wondering what she did to deserve a pat down at the airport. But this is her only option if she wants to get on that plane, since she cannot go through the full–body scanner with her “electronic pancreas,” as she calls it. So what’s your take on all this? Do you think it's unfair to blame the entire TSA for one agent's misstep or do you think this is a sign that the entire organization needs an overhaul? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 7 Surprising Items That Set Off Airport Security Top 10 TSA Checkpoint Freakouts, Humiliations, and Confrontations Busted for Bringing Cupcakes and Bagels Through TSA Checkpoints?

Nearly two years ago, Budget Travel helped to focus national media attention on new legislation to regulate short-term rentals in New York state. In particular, New York City has aimed to crack down on "no-tels," residential apartments converted by owners into rent-by-the-day lodging for out-of-towners. So, it's time for an update: How are travelers being affected? Or, as locals might put it: howsitgoineh? Surprise! City officials have actually been enforcing the state law. In the past year, inspectors have found hundreds of residential buildings in violation, says the New York Times in an excellent article. The two goals of the law are to protect travelers from shady scam artists and to spare neighbors in any of these buildings from having to deal with the noise of fly-by-night guests. One thing to note, though: No traveler visiting New York City has been fined—or harassed—by local authorities. The reason is simple: It's perfectly legal for a visitor to the city to stay in a vacation rental, say experts. Short-term rentals are widespread in the city. Nearly every block of Manhattan has an owner renting out space to stay through the online booking engine AirBnB, as this map illustrates. That's just one site, with about 10,000 listings citywide. Three other respected sites are HomeAway, FlipKey, and Roomarama. All four companies say they will remove the listing of any landlord that is breaking local laws. Budget Travel is sticking to its advice for readers that it's okay to rent short-term apartments whenever travelers plan to visit costly cities like New York. The rentals can help visitors save cash on lodging and meals, while delivering a truer live-like-a-local vibe. (For tips, check out Budget Travel's Guide to Vacation Rentals and our 6 Tips for Safer, Smarter Apartment Rentals.) ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB San Francisco Wants to Claim Taxes on Short-Term Rental Stays SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL New York Controversy: A Crackdown on "No-tels" (89 comments) Budget Travel's Guide to Vacation Rentals The Parisians Are on Vacation! Rent Their Apartments

Talk of a May 1 "general strike" by the left-wing Occupy Wall Street movement has included some plans to disrupt travel, such as the goal of "blockading" one of the routes into Manhattan. What will actually happen on Tuesday is unclear, given that plans to blockade San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge were called off over the weekend. The headlines about labor strikes in the US make for a good excuse to remind Americans who plan to head overseas this year about strikes elsewhere. In Europe, labor unions are protesting austerity cuts made by governments during the economic crisis. In the past month, days of strikes by French air traffic controllers and by workers for Spanish airline Iberia led to hundreds of flights being delayed and cancelled. But strikes aren't limited to Europe. Last Thursday at India's Delhi Airport, a strike by airbridge operators paralysed operations. Here are some highlights of threatened labor actions to come—and how to adjust your travel plans accordingly: On May 3 in Spain, workers at Madrid Airport plan to strike. On May 4 in Italy, baggage workers at Milan Airport may strike, and a strike on the intercity Trenitalia rail line is planned for May 12. On May 10 in the UK, a multi-sector strike will include members of the country's largest rail and transport union, with possible disruptions for travelers aiming to get around cities like London. On May 7 through 13 in Portugal, workers for capital city Lisbon's transport system are calling for a rolling strikes. Later in the month, a general strike is being called for nationwide, which could repeat the effect of a March strike by transport workers, which made getting around a hassle. All told, travelers on Tuesday—and throughout the peak summer travel season—should be prepared to be flexible. So if you're traveling abroad anytime soon, keep your eye on potential strikes and how they may affect your journey. These are some strategies to help you cope: Tip 1: Know the word for "strike" in the language of your destination. Search the Internet for news reports in the days before departure, looking for terms like "strike" and "airport" and "transport." Keep in mind that the English-language media often ignores foreign strikes. So it helps to look in the foreign press, too. Years ago, before a trip to Italy, I searched news articles online using the Italian word for strike, scoperto. Lo-and-behold, I found a story—which I translated using either Yahoo Babel Fish or Google Translate (I can't remember which)—learning that transport workers were going to be on strike the day my plane arrived at Milan Airport, making it impossible for me to use public transportation to get to my hotel in Lake Como. So I booked a cab from the airport in advance. The extra cost of the cab proved well worth the peace of mind. So look up foreign words for strike, too. (Case in point: Strike is "grève" in French.) Tip 2: Verify flight times prior to leaving for the airport. Labor actions may disrupt schedules, yet not all of these labor actions will be long strikes. Some will be more subtle, with greater delays and cancellations than usual, as airlines cope with disruptions prompted by workers seeking pay raises and more job security. Tip 3: Don't assume trip insurance will offer blanket protection. The typical travel insurance policy offers coverage in the event of trip interruption or cancellation, but many policies exclude labor strikes along with acts of war. So talk to your insurer to confirm any details if things start looking bad for your particular travel dates. Tip 4: Fly early in the morning when possible because that lowers the odds of problems stacking up. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Strike! How to Lessen the Grief of a Paris Grève What to Do If Your Airline Shuts Down Confessions of a National Park Ranger