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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Tom Parsons

Aired November 17, 2001 - 18:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now if the Hartsfield incident is any indication, travelers are willing to tolerate security measures that err on the side of caution. Said one passenger yesterday, "I'd rather be stranded than dead." But still, America depends on airlines and airports that just don't shut down in the middle of the day. And all that brings us to air travel expert Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com. He's joining us from Dallas. Thanks for being with us today.

TOM PARSONS, BESTFARES.COM: Good evening.

CALLAWAY: What a mess we had at the Atlanta airport yesterday. We'll look more at that in just a moment, but first one of the busiest travel seasons in time is coming up right now this week. People should really be prepared, shouldn't they -- no more 30 minutes getting to the airport before your flight takes off, right?

PARSONS: I think so, and I think the problem days will probably be Tuesday, Wednesday this week and also -- Saturday normally is not as busy, but I think this Saturday will be and so will Sunday and Monday. And that's because the airlines have reduced the number of flights over the holiday period by 20 percent -- some as much as 28 percent and that's put a little bit more congestion on that so-so day of Saturday. But I think those days you might actually -- if they're going to be checking baggage -- checking baggage, I would probably even allow more than two hours at some of the bigger airports in America.

CALLAWAY: Now let's talk about some of the things that people should be prepared for. A lot of people will be flying this week that haven't flown since September 11th because they want to go home to their family. Talk to me about some of the changes that you should be prepared for and being prepared is key here so things aren't -- so things are you know keep going. No one slows down a line, which can easily happen -- right?

PARSONS: Well that's about right. I mean I still believe -- actually tomorrow I'll be on my 14th flight since September 11th and there have been some changes. I think the more important thing is if you are flying -- if you're flying on an e-ticket or a paper ticket, I think it's wise that you still call the airlines and ask them what documentation you need if you're not checking baggage because you'll want to get through security fast.

Now every one of the times I've been on the flights I probably have not waited more than 12 minutes. That's because I had the proper documentation. I know when I go up to the line, you're only allowed one bag to go through -- it used to be two, now it's one. And you are permitted to take a computer bag, a briefcase, a pocketbook, but again, if you do have computers or electronic equipment like DVDs or CDs, you must have those outside their original casing and put on top so that they can see them, and that's where I'm seeing a lot of problems.

People have their CD or their computers and they have to spend a few more minutes at the security area taking things in and out. You should be prepared to take them before you even go through those control centers there.

CALLAWAY: So have those things that could be looked at out on top of the bags such as the CDs, have your IDs ready. Are you also seeing -- I know you've traveled quite a bit since September 11th, some inconsistencies between the airlines, the airports, on what is being checked and what's not.

PARSONS: Sure. I mean, like, I'm based in Dallas and I was actually flying Delta just a few weeks ago. They share a terminal with Northwest and Air Trans, and Delta permits a paper -- the old- fashioned paper ticket, which I usually fly with. But Air Trans and Northwest only -- must -- they -- you have to have a boarding pass before you can get through security even though the gate I was going to is in a shared terminal, the security would not let me pass because I did not have that boarding pass, which again meant I had to leave that area, go to the Delta area and then I walked through and at least -- and got through probably about still only 10 to 12 minutes.

CALLAWAY: Oh really?

PARSONS: But it's still an inconvenience to the fact that nobody's on the same page. I mean one week I've flown five different airlines. Give me a break.

CALLAWAY: And we know Congress has just passed a bill, I hope, to change all of that. But certainly it's not going to happen immediately.

PARSONS: No, it's -- we still got some time. It won't happen for the holidays for sure.

CALLAWAY: All right now, if you have any good ideas on travel tips for people right now, give us -- them to us now. A lot of people preparing now and also if you know of any good holiday deals out there Tom (ph).

PARSONS: Well you know that's one thing. This -- listen to this. This is probably the wackiest, greatest deal that's out there on the market today. It's Honolulu or Maui from almost any city in North America -- I should say within the USA. I don't care if it's New York or Atlanta or where you're at or Boston or Miami, 270 bucks round-trip for the holiday.

So you can leave Thursday or Friday, come back the following Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and if you can live with those conditions, you could be over in Honolulu or Maui eating turkey and (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's that kind -- it's that simple, but in the rest of the United States, we do have some special holiday fares that came out over the weekend and you -- and you have until Wednesday to purchase.

Delta has a good amount of them. Most of the major airlines are now matching it, and again, if you're looking to go after the holiday, I'd -- even though we have our own Web site, Bestfares.com, we've just introduced something called "quick fare finder" that if you're looking to find some cheap fares between like Washington and San Diego, you don't have to buy them through me. But we actually saw it over 27 different city pairs and instead of paying 368 roundtrip out of Washington to San Diego, you just go out of Baltimore and you only pay 174.

And so a lot of the airlines ...

CALLAWAY: You've got to look around. There's some good deals out there -- right?

PARSONS: That's right.

CALLAWAY: And be prepared and call your airlines -- this is what I'm getting from you.

PARSONS: That's right.

CALLAWAY: All right Tom Parsons ...

PARSONS: Keep checking.

CALLAWAY: Thanks for joining us tonight, Tom.

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