Easier Ways To Take Flight

By Michele Orecklin

PRODUCT Luggage for post-9/11 travel HOW IT STARTED Companies rushed to meet travelers' needs JUDGMENT Useful tools for the frequent flyer

Most airline passengers agree that the vigilant security at airports since Sept. 11 is necessary, though that doesn't mean they censor themselves from griping loudly about the longer lines and interminable waits. Their frustration has been heard by luggagemakers, who have rushed into service a variety of conveniences to improve the situation--and to prop up their bottom lines, since they have suffered along with other travel-related industries. Samsonite, for one, will soon debut a roll-on bag complete with a padded seat that fits on the top of the suitcase so the traveler can take a load off during the hours before takeoff. Additionally, several companies are designing bags with see-through pouches so security guards can assess a bag's contents without rifling through flyers' belongings or making them unpack.

--By Michele Orecklin