Rant

If I ever become rich and famous--or just rich, or just famous--I will first use my power to extinguish one of my all-time biggest pet peeves. I hate (HATE!) that U.S. international airports (well, probably all U.S. airports--but I'm specifically thinking of JFK, Newark and Logan) charge money to use luggage trollies. This concept is so absurd, it infuriates me. Not because I find that I'm usually in need of a trolly--I only ever travel with a backpack and one rolling piece of luggage--but there are so many people who do need to use trollies, especially after their long-ass, cross-Atlantic flights. Mothers with kids swarming around them, elderly folks who need assistance to even lift their luggage off the belt, students who may have a lot of luggage because they're spending a whole semester in the states, etc. Not only do you need to pay to use the trollies, but you need to pay in American dollars (last time I checked it was $3, and you had to insert the money into the trolly holder to obtain one). A lot of foreign travelers don't consider this (one reason for this is probably because most, if not all, foreign airports I have been to do not charge a cent to use the trollies), and therefore are carrying only euros or whatever their native money is. And, of course, the luggage belts often come before exchange booths in the layout of an airport. Therefore, foreign travelers are often screwed out of being able to use a trolly.

I just think that it's such a callous first impression for us to be giving the rest of the world.