Speaking of airports

Don't be fooled by the sluggish economy - flights are selling out and last-minute airfares are getting higher. The WSJ's Scott McCartney warns about the usual holiday hassles at airports - plus a few new ones.

The biggest changes are occurring at security checkpoints. TSA has been instructing travelers to book tickets using their full legal names, plus birth dates and gender, as part of a "Secure Flight" program to better utilize terrorist watch and warning lists. The hope is that more information will cut down on "false positive" red flags and keep people from unnecessary extra screening, and at the same time make it harder for bad guys to slip through. Some travelers have now had to update frequent-flier program records at airlines to book reservations under full legal names, rather than using middle names or initials.

When there's a holdup, you'll have a harder time finding airline personnel. And if you miss your connection or a flight is cancelled, there will be fewer, if any seats, available on later flights. McCartney warns that if the airline asks for volunteers to give up seats on an overbooked flight, make sure the offer is for a confirmed seat on the next flight. If they put you on standby it could be days before another space opens. That's right - days.

Here's more:

Travelers may also face some security holdups because of beefed up screening of powders in carry-on luggage. TSA is deploying devices at airports to test powders for explosive materials. Powders are legal to be carried aboard airplanes, but TSA says a small percentage may get additional screening. Most medications, infant formula and makeup won't need screening, but for anything TSA decides is suspicious, screeners can now collect a sample and hit it with a liquid to "test for traces of potential explosives."

One local note: Parking at LAX's Lots B and C go up beginning today. Lot B is now $10 a day and C is $12. Both lots offer free parking for the first two hours and there's free shuttle service 24/7.