I am going to continue on with the theme of finding gifts that are air travel related, or can be used during one's travels that don't pack a huge wallop on the wallet. I set price limits, which did make the search a little tougher, but was able to find a good selection of items at less than $100 and $50.

One of the best things to ever hit the market for passing time at airports, and on flights is the portable DVD player. I know that most seat backs have screens on them, but not all do. And the thing is, this "electronic babysitter" can be a real gift for parents of toddlers or preschoolers who can then have dvds brought along of their favorite shows or movies, and help distract (uh, pass the time for) the younger set who may not be into crafts and activities yet and who may really not want to be restricted to sitting in their seats for the whole plane ride.

For the portable DVD players, I set the upper limit at $100, and there were actually a lot of options available within that price range. See - Portable DVD Players for Flights $100 or Less.

Also, MP3 players have become really affordable over the last 2 years, and can provide sweet musical relief from the repetitive channel choices the airlines offer. Hearing the same song selection on long flights both leaving and returning home can easily drive one to listen to the hum of the airplane engines instead, read about the sky shopping, do the tiny crossword in the inflight magazine...

For the MP3 players, I set a price limit of $50 and even found an MP3 player with 8GB of storage at that price point. See - MP3 Players for Air Travels for Under $50 - MP3 Players and Music for Flights, Airport Waiting Time.

The airports around Bangkok are still pretty much closed for business, leaving thousands upon thousands of tourists scrambling to find ways out of Thailand. Just a few more links to articles about the situation that has been affecting travel to and from Thailand for several days now.

Stranded tourists - closed Thai airports

Stranded tourists in Thailand battle frustration, boredom

Given that air travel is slumping along with the global economy, I thought it would be wise to look for gifts for passengers that are easier to take on the wallet. My mission for the gift giving guide this year is to find as many options as possible for under $100. So from gadgets, to practical travel items, the gift idea lists will all feature gifts that cost less than $100. Some of the articles I have drawn up even feature gifts that are under $10.

So, with several holidays coming up, the gift giving ideas are going to flow on the blog. Bring on the budget options!

It was a bit of a challenge, but I wanted to find items that cost less than $10 and could serve as travel-related gifts. With that in mind - Budget Gift Giving Ideas - Gifts for $10 or Less has several gift ideas from luggage locks, to travel pillows, all at under $10 each.

Budget carry on luggage options are sometimes a bit on the scarce side online. However, I took a maximum budget of $75 and found several stylish carry ons that fit the bill. A lot of airlines are charging for you to check luggage, so a good carry on and careful packing can make travel without checked luggage a possibility. A few pieces of carry on luggage you can purchase for less than $75.

It's Black Friday, but even some parts outside the US are also now using the day after Thanksgiving in the United States as one of their biggest shopping days of the year! So, this week the airfare specials are posted after Thanksgiving and include destinations all over the globe.

United Airlines has an airfare deal to select international destinations on offer this week. You must book at least 7 days in advance of travel, and no later than December 15. Travel dates cover a good bit of December and through until the beginning of April. Sample roundtrip airfares include - Chicago-Zurich from $498 and Cleveland-Lisbon from $653.

There is a pretty sweet airfare special for those beginning travel in Canada on sale this week. Charter airline Sunwing is offering some $99 ROUNDTRIP specials, and a companion at 1/2 price (in Canadian dollars). This is a great deal if you can get it, as seats and dates are limited to a few January days.

The multi-airline airfare sale where you can fly from $49 one way continues. American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines are all matching each other and you can get really great savings on several routes for winter holiday travel. You must book by December 26, although space is becoming a bit limited for some of the destinations on sale. Last date of travel for this special is January 5. Sample airfares include - $79 between New York City and Orlando. BookingBuddy gives a list of some of the airlines competing on several popular routes.

There are a lot of specials currently posted in the Air Travel Forum - airfare specials / airline promotions are listed, as are plenty of opinions and current air travel issues.

image by Arlene Fleming

Bangkok's airport has been at a standstill and thousands of tourists stranded as Thailand sinks deeper into political turmoil. Do check with your airline if you are traveling to this popular Southeast Asian country.

List of Airline Phone Numbers
Protesters force second Thai airport to shut down

In the wake of the attacks in Mumbai, India, which included an attack at its domestic airport, contact your airline should you be flying to the area. In India, news is that flights are operating from Mumbai.

The title may be a wee bit tongue-in-cheek, but this year there are several airports that will have free, stress-free options for the often-weary, holiday traveler.

At Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, 3M computer privacy filters is creating an Airport Haven on November 25 and 26. The Haven will offer free wi-fi, massages, snacks and beverages. Located at the Atlanta Airport Executive Conference Center on the 3rd floor of the Atrium, the Airport Haven will be open from 8am to 5pm.

An off-site airport parking company, FastPark will be offering Yoga to the airport on its airport shuttles. The yoga instructors will be onboard the shuttle between 9am and 11am on November 25, and 26.

JetBlue Airways, the airline that has scored highly for its innovation - recently with BetaBlue (leading the charge for internet ahead of other airlines in North America), and now this - a Thanksgiving of relaxation and fun at an airport.

JetBlue has been celebrating it's "new" terminal 5, and this time the plan is to provide magic shows, yoga, and mini-makeovers to its guests that travel through JFK on November 25 and 26 (in their press release they specify select times of day, so I am thinking you won't be seeing any magic at 5am).

Holiday air travel can be a real stressor - Forbes even came up with it's recent list of the most stressful airports (among the major US airports), in time for the holiday season.

In contrast, JetBlue Aims for a Stress-Free Holiday Travel Experience.

thomaswanhoff / flickr