Mikey, age 8, is on TSA watch list

Name: Budget Travel LLC
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By Sean O'Neill

October 3, 2012

Mikey Hicks is an 8-year old American boy who has been on the TSA's "selectee list" for the past seven years.

In an excellent story, The New York Times' Lizette Alvarez reports:

It is true that Mikey is not on the federal government's "no-fly" list, which includes about 2,500 people, less than 10 percent of them from the United States. But his name appears to be among some 13,500 on the larger "selectee" list, which sets off a high level of security screening.

The first time he was patted down, Mikey was 2. He cried.

"I understand the need for security," says Mrs. Hicks. "But this is ridiculous. It's quite clear that he is 8 years old, and while he may have terroristic tendencies at home, he does not have those on a plane."

For more info on the TSA watch lists, see our earlier blog post:

A rare peek at Homeland Security's files on travelers (200+ comments)

Meet Mikey, 8: U.S. Has Him on Watch List

Airport security: What's next in 2010

Plan Your Next Getaway

Keep reading

Inspiration

London pub guide (part 1)

Whiling away the hours over a pint of beer in a London pub is one of the city's most enjoyable pleasures. And it has been for centuries. The great 18th century writer, critic, and Londoner-about-town Dr. Johnson once wrote that "there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn." And London has more than 5,500 to choose from. Unlike their American counterparts, London pubs come in a bewildering variety. There are quiet "locals" (frequented by quiet locals) and rowdy chain pubs with pumping music and barely a space to sit. There are restaurant pubs serving everything from a ploughman's lunch (bread, a chunk of Stilton cheese, salad, and pickles) to those with a full foodie menu which are great at lunchtimes. And there are pubs with live music, gardens, galleries, and even theatres. The London pub in short is a catch-all space, where the cool English temperament is warmed by the national drink—beer. Choosing a beer is part of the art of enjoying a London pub. Unlike in an American bar, you will rarely find a drinks menu. Instead head to the bar and look at the taps. Lever taps (photographed above) pour brewer conditioned keg beers, stouts (like Guinness), or ciders (made from fermented apple juice). The tall taps with ceramic handles and badges pour "real ale." There are also bottles in refrigerated cases behind the bar—usually containing specialist and imported beers, such as Samuel Adams. And if you don't feel like something alcoholic, there are canned (and very rarely fresh) juices, cordials, and usually instant tea or coffee. But the real choice in a pub lies in the real ales, which are akin to micro-brewery beers back home. Real ale is a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask (container) from which it is served in the pub, through a process called secondary fermentation. The process makes real ale unique amongst beers and gives it a distinct rich taste and aroma. There are some 2,500 different real ales in Britain produced by around 500 brewers. Ales tend to be cheaper than keg beers. Every year there are competitions run by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to decide on the best ales in the country. Look out for a banner under the badge on the tap. Or ask the bar man. Beers come in pints or half-pints. Prices in a pub depends on the location as much as the kind of beer. Central London pubs and those closest to tourist attractions tend to be more expensive, of course. Local pubs tend to be cheaper. I'll do a list of some of the best in various categories in a later blog post. In the meantime, you may find recommendations at camra.org.uk. MORE Drink Beer Better Experts offer their tips Trip Coach: How can you save money on London's subways and buses? See Budget Travel's new London City page

Contagious TB patient violates federal "do not board" rule

You've heard about the government's no-fly list for suspected terrorists, but did you know there's also a do-not-board list for people with contagious diseases? The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security have a list of 88 persons with known communicable diseases that pose a serious public health threat. At the moment, all of the people on the list suffer from suspected or confirmed infectious tuberculosis. The list was created in 2007 in response to Patient Zero, a man with TB who flew across country and possibly imperilled other passengers by coughing infectious material into the cabin air. Last Friday, a new name was added to the Do Not Board list. Fourteen hours later on January 9, the man stepped aboard US Airways Flight 401 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to San Francisco, says CNN. He had a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis. The man was intercepted by agents when he landed, before he boarded a second flight headed internationally. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: "When transmission does occur, it tends to occur on long-haul flights," longer than eight hours, said Dr. Martin Cetron, CDC director for global migration and quarantine. "Fortunately, we were able to intercept this individual before they took the high-risk flight." Because the US Airways flight lasted less than 6 hours, the airline has not contacted its passengers to alert them. "If someone is untreated and they're coughing, they are putting the infectious organisms in the air. They shouldn't be going into enclosed environments," said Dr. L. Masae Kawamura, director of San Francisco's TB Control Section. "Going on a plane, that's not OK until you're safe to be back in the public." ARCHIVES 2007: Instant survey about Patient Zero

What's next for airline baggage fees?

As Continental and Delta jack up their fees for checked luggage, Southwest, the lone two-bags-free airline still out there, is asking customers how they'd respond if they too had to pay to check bags. Delta made news by raising its fees to $25 for the first bag (up from $15) and $35 for the second (up from $20), and the increases were promptly matched by Continental. Both airlines charge you a little less if you pay for checked baggage in advance online: There's a $2 discount for the first bag, and a $3 discount for the second (so $23 for your first bag, $32 for the second). Other airlines are expected to follow with baggage fee increases of their own. See a list of current baggage fees at kayak.com/airline-fees. Those "other airlines" would normally exclude Southwest, which has set itself apart from the rest of the carriers by continuing to allow passengers to check two bags for free. If you've got a TV, you're probably well aware of the airline's "Bags Fly Free" promotional campaign. But over at Christopher Elliott's blog, there's some speculation that Southwest may introduce checked baggage fees of its own. At least the airline is looking into the possibility, with surveys sent to customers asking how they'd respond to various fares (some with checked luggage fees) and to potential changes in the carrier's frequent flier program. Southwest responded to Elliott's post by saying it has "no plans" to charge for bags, explaining that "Surveys simply help us learn more about our customers." So Southwest passengers should continue to be able to check baggage fee free for the time being. After all, in light of the big free-bags commercial campaign, the airline would look awfully foolish if it started charging for luggage anytime soon. But down the line? You have to wonder. Airline policies can and do change, often not in the favor of travelers. For some perspective, it wasn't all that long ago that we were praising JetBlue for allowing passengers to check two bags up to 70 pounds apiece for free. JetBlue's current checked luggage policy, which is still better than most, allows one checked bag for free, with a 50-pound maximum.

North Korea welcoming U.S. tourists year-round

On Friday, North Korea will let U.S. travelers visit year-round instead of only during the country's brief annual national gymnastics and propaganda festival. Guided group tours brought in 292 Americans for the festival last year, reports Reuters. Prices haven't been set, but similar tours for European visitors start at about $1,000 for four-night stays at designated hotels, guided bus tours, and round-trip flights departing from Beijing. Guests would likely fly Air Koryo, the worst rated airline on Skytrax's list of international airlines. The European Union includes it on its blacklist of 196 airlines you should avoid. Money spent on the tour by travelers will provide hard currency to the impoverished dictatorship, which walked away from nuclear disarmament talks. The U.S. is still technically at war with North Korea, as a formal peace treaty has never been signed. U.S. companies likely to offer tours are Asia Pacific Travel in Chicago, Explore North Korea Tour Group in New York, and Geographic Expeditions in San Francisco. The leading tour company internationally is Koryo Tours, based in Beijing. EARLIER North Korea puts on a show ELSEWHERE See a slide show of scenes from North Korea.

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