Hotels Help The Liquid-less Traveler

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

18 Aug 2006 08:22 AM

One of my best friends is a flight attendant for American Airlines. While her routes change monthly (some months she overnights in Dallas, other trips mean spending multiple days in New York) one thing remains constant: she lives and dies by her carry-on. So you can imagine what life has been like for her (and other flyers) in the wake of the recent foiled terrorist plot and subsequent ban on liquid toiletries in carry-on bags.

No toothpaste, no hair gel, no mouthwash. Flight attendants and business travelers who have either had to purchase the products at their final destination or simply do without are now getting help from hotels. Hotels everywhere are reporting a sudden demand for lip balm, shaving lotion, deodorant and other banned toiletries. So much so that Omni Hotels recently made news by announcing that it will offer complimentary toiletries, including contact lens solution, sunscreen, hair spray, hair gel, and nail polish remover to guests whose liquid essentials were confiscated at the airport or who choose not to pack them in checked luggage.

Now other major hotel chains are following suit. Just this week Wyndham Hotels added contact lens solution, hair gel and hairspray to the on-request free amenities (toothpaste, etc.) they already offer. Four Seasons, Hilton Hotels and the Marriott chain are also providing contact solution, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream and the like to guests arriving without them.

Other hotels are taking a more creative approach. For example, the Exchange Hotel in lower Manhattan is giving guests a $25 drugstore gift certificate or will Fed-Ex their carry-on bags home for free. I would recommend calling ahead to see if your hotel is offering free toiletries and if they aren't check with your airline. Some airlines such as SkyWest are offering free amenity kits to customers when they reach their destinations. The kits contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, a razor, deodorant, foldable hairbrush, laundry soap and other toiletries. Meanwhile, Procter and Gamble's Crest brand is giving away packages containing toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss at 25 airports throughout the United States.

Related Articles:

Avoiding Long Check-In Lines

Travel Alert-What You Can't Pack In Your Carry-On

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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