Coming Soon To an Airport Near You: Skipping the Passport Line

Alec Baldwin might have gotten a high–profile slap on the wrist for trying to use his smart phone during a takeoff, but he’s hardly the only flyer loath to give up Words With Friends privileges. Despite repeated reminders from airlines and flight attendants, there are always those people who can’t seem to tear themselves away from their electronics. That’s why "airplane mode" (or "flight mode") has been such a boon for the technological traveler: By disabling a cell phone’s transmission capabilities, airplane mode renders cell phones acceptable for non–call purposes during flights (though not takeoffs or landings). No cell signals, no possible radio interference, no problem. Or perhaps not. We’ve recently heard rumblings of airlines cracking down on cell phone use, even in airplane mode. The blogosphere is rife with complaints from flyers being told to power off their phones during flight, even at cruising altitude and with airplane mode enabled. What has changed? Not the Federal Aviation Administration. For years its regulations have permitted the use of electronics set to airplane mode, and our recent query to the FAA yielded a consistent answer: "Airplane mode is still acceptable above 10,000 feet but you must comply with the airlines’ instructions." So if the times are a–changing, they would appear to be doing so at the behest of the airlines. Opponents of cell phone regulation point out that there is little evidence for airlines’ fears of errant electric signals, even during take-off and landing. Phone–freedom advocates even petitioned the White House to allow airplane–mode electronics during takeoff and landing. (It failed to generate enough signees to prompt an official response.) Either way, we're curious to hear from you—have you been told to turn off your smart phone even in airplane mode and at altitude? Or have airlines allowed you to fling your Angry Birds in peace? Or, alternatively, have flight attendants generously overlooked your electronics usage during take-off and landing? Tell us below! —Ryan Murphy MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Do You Turn Your Cell Phone Off On Planes? Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes We Want to Know Your Airport Secrets!

Well, we survived our first flight! It actually wasn't so bad and our son was a trooper (that's him, taking it all in). Thanks to all of you that weighed in. The advice that came in handy the most was to stay calm—something I had to remind myself to do on a couple occasions. I've listed some of the most useful advice below, and I'll give you a couple of my own. Screening processes are different at every airport. We flew out of JFK and sailed through security no problem, even with bottles of formula and liquid antibiotics (which we packed separately and flagged for the TSA agent, per your advice). But while going through security at Tampa for our return flight, the TSA agent had to inspect each bottle separately via a different machine. Thankfully, it was able to read the contents through the plastic bottle, or we would have had to throw the formula out. Which would have delighted our fellow passengers, I'm sure. Next time, I'll pack powder formula instead. Lesson learned. Here are some of your best tips: Security with a baby is really not that bad, and I have encountered, much to my surprise, some very helpful TSA screeners. Put liquids in their own ziplock for easy removal. Baby on the front in a carrier. Slip on shoes (I wear slip on sneakers, yeah, not a great fashion statement, but who cares). Deal with the carry-ons first, once they are going through slip baby into your arms and walk on through. Baby goes back in carrier, you get your stuff and be on your way! —Abby Have everything ready before you get into the security line instead of pulling out your liquids, untying shoes, taking off jackets, etc. while in line. —Kim Feed baby liquid during take off and landing to help with ear pressure. The swallowing helps their little ears and limits the "people with the screaming kid flight." And RELAX. Kids pick up on how you're feeling. If you are stressed about it they will sense it and reflect that back though more crying and acting more needy than usual and being generally fussy. —Jennifer Be prepared for Murphy's Law. Pack twice as many things in the baby carry on as you think you will need. If you calculate three diaper changes in X number of hours, pack six, if you think you might need two changes of clothes for baby, pack four (they are tiny one-piece things, you can roll them up small). The time I didn't was of course the time we were on the runway for several hours delayed, and by the time the airline let us off the plane into the airport again, shops were closed. —Amy Now that we have the first trip under our belt, where will we go next? If you have suggestions, head here to nominate your favorite family-travel destination. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Flying With Kids: A Survival Guide This Summer, Travel With Your Little One—and Your Sanity 5 Easy Overnight Adventures for Kids

The scrapbooking site Pinterest is a sudden sensation. In the past few months, the site has quadrupled in membership, with about 7 million visitors a month, most of them women. Pinterest is "a visual social network that organizes images by topic and lets you reshare with just one click," in the words today of tech celeb Pete Cashmore. The surprisingly addictive free site allows users to upload visually appealing pictures and content (such as advertisements or images of magazine covers) to "boards." Any time you see an image you like anywhere on the web, click a bookmarklet on your Web browser (Chrome, Explorer, Firefox, or Safari). Next time you visit Pinterest, the photo will be on your page. Meanwhile, friends who follow your streams will see what you discovered. The site is used for a lot of purposes, but travel inspiration is a growing category. Budget Travel has a pinboard, in which editors post items that inspire them, such as our readers' best travel photos. To use Pinterest for travel inspiration, search for the category "Travel and Places." (Other categories include "Photography," "Print and Posters," and "DIY & Crafts"—among other topics.) Find images you like and the site will suggest related ones. Say you're fond of the images another Pinterest user tends to find. It's easy to pick and choose which topics that interest you, too, skipping images of hobbies you consider boring. Search for friends and family who are also Pinterest members by tapping your Web-based e-mail, Facebook or Twitter accounts. Or discover people by name by using the site's search box. Some major travelers that use the site include Jodi Ettenberg (the blogger at Legal Nomads), Gary Arndt, Chris Gray Faust (award-winning travel writer), Dorothy McGivney (who runs Jauntsetter), and Johnny Jet (who runs a popular travel-themed newsletter). I've been on Pinterest since September and can vouch that it's a fun, super easy, useful and truly inspiring tool. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Budget Travel has a board on Pinterest 4 Vacations Facebook's New Millionaires Should Take The Tweets That Got Two Tourists Barred from the US Should the TSA's Airport Pat-downs Be Outlawed?

On a long flight, some passengers may have something more in mind than just finding a seat mate who is a quiet and polite neighbor. Some may want to flirt. But travelers who have chemistry with each other may find it awkward to take the next step. What if you get off the plane without swapping numbers? Stepping in to the breach is new website We Met on a Plane (wemetonaplane.com), which is like the "Missed Connections" section of Craigslist. Plug in your flight information and post a message that you're looking for someone. If the person also come to the site and posts a message, the two of you may connect with each other via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The service is free. Yes, love truly can be made in economy class. Last summer, 31-year old Australian Will Scully-Power was flying back to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and shared a seat with a young woman named Maia. The woman was on her way to her home in New Zealand. They began chatting, and hit it off with each other, even watching a movie together, according to The Australian. She gave her e-mail address to him before they parted ways, and he followed up with her afterward. Fast forward a bit, and they were married. This month, Scully-Power launched wemetonaplane.com as a tool to help people re-connect if that precious e-mail address for phone number wasn't exchanged. It isn't a dating site, per se, according to CNN Go, which broke the story. It's more of a site for reconnecting people who have already met and struck romance in mid-air—admittedly, heavily pressurized cabin air. Scully-Power claims there are roughly 4,000 Internet searches each month by people trying to find fliers they found romantically interesting. He hopes that advertisements on search engines and other online marketing techniques will help direct many of those lost souls to his website, where they may have a better chance of finding their better halves. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Would You Use Social Media to Find A Better Seatmate? How to Avoid Airport Taxi Scams New Trend: Booking "Afternoon-Only" Rooms at Luxury Hotels