(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

A new policy on American Airlines’ flights will allow those with only personal items to board flights first. The airline has announced that in an effort to reduce boarding time, passengers with only small items that can be stowed beneath the seat will board before those with carry-on luggage.

American Airlines has made this move in the hopes that the new policy will reduce the number of carry-ons brought on flights. The process of customers trying to find space for their bags can be time consuming and with tight schedules, can lead to delays in gate push-backs. “It had to be a blinding glimpse of the obvious to American’s managers that some delays were the result of some passengers not finding room for their carry-on bags,” Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst with Hudson Crossing, told Businessweek.

American Airlines can stand to improve the timeliness of its flights since in the last 12 months the baggage-fee originator has had the next-to-worst performance for on-time arrivals, with only 76.2 percent of its flights arriving on time. It was only second worse to regional airline ExpressJet, at 75.3 percent. Delta Airlines was third on the list with 86.3 percent.

After running a four week-test of the new policy the results revealed an average two minutes in time savings. This may not seem like a lot to many, but Daniel Bellavigna, American’s supervisor of continuous improvement says, it “adds up.”

We are only left to speculate if the new policy will lead to decreased customer satisfaction since those with carry-on luggage are being penalized for toting their bags on the plane. A new perk for frequent and high-spending customers has been added as well. The airline has created a VIP check-in that offers luggage service and expedited security checks. The photo above is from New York’s Kennedy Airport; there are three total in the US.

It’s a good thing American Airlines has assigned seating. Even though you board last, you still have access to a reserved seat.

I’m not picky. When I told my real estate agents what I wanted in my new apartment, nothing was too specific. City? I didn’t care, as long as I could get to work. Space? Small to large, I only needed enough room for two people. View? Brick wall or park, it didn’t matter. However, there was one preference I had when it came to anything my significant other and I viewed. It had to have some sort of space for my creativity.

I didn’t care where it was: A quiet alcove in the kitchen, a larger than life extra closet in the hallway and/or an extra bedroom; I had to have somewhere for me. For as long as I can remember, I had to have my own personal creative space. As a small child, my parents had an extra walk-in closet in their bedroom that would become my drawing office. During my pre-teen years, my father created a mini-studio where I’d live out my femcee stage. In college, I had a special isolated space in my dorm or apartment where I could craft to my heart’s desire. Now, I’ve moved into a space with an extra bedroom that is now my current writing office.

Every woman should have her own creative nook. However, you’ll need more than just your crafting materials:

1)   You’ll need inspiration. I’ve got Brianna McCarthy, Frida Kahlo artwork and profiles of Junot Diaz and Langston Hughes. These people and images spark my writing every time I look at them. What motivates you? Adorn your space with it in frames, statues or whatever material reflects your stimulations.

2)   Music, music, music. Whether it’s an iPod dock, CD player or old-school boom box; you’ll need something that will give you a surround sound of your favorite tunes.

3)   Timepiece(s). An outdated piece that will inspire your development. Have something in your space that symbolizes the innovation and progression of your trade. I have an old and rusty blue typewriter in the corner of my space. A friend of mine, a comic book artist, has her grandfather’s sketchbook on her desk. When you look at it, let it remind you that many people made strides across tribulations so you could create freely.

4)   Shelves and boxes. If you’re the extremely organized individual, grab some interesting shelving from the container store, label, and categorize your things. If you’re the avid reader, align your books in a way that’s easy to find them: by color, topic or Dewey decimal.

5)   Clean slate. After every work session, try to put things back into their place. Going back to your workspace should be a freeing experience. Your nook should be free from clutter and madness; two things we have to deal with incessantly on the outside.

6)   Silence. Unless you’re playing music, try and minimize distractions. Keep the TV off, the cellphone away and alert everyone that you live with; that you need your space and time alone.

7)   Your tools. Plan to slowly purchase things that will make your office life easier. It’s annoying to have to jump from place to place to complete your tasks. Artists, collect the paintbrushes that will make your Picasso priceless. Businesswomen, buy electronic devices that will make your work easier. Don’t make a mad dash to Kinkos to print the presentation that you have to present in a few hours. Writers, keep your tools in this one space. It’s the most annoying thing to have to grab things you need to refer to/use, from all over the house.

8)   A comfortable chair. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Sitting in something intolerable for several hours could lead to stress, painful back spasms and the avoidance of your office. Invest, invest, invest.

9)   Peace of mind. Make sure you leave your issues somewhere else, before you enter your sacred space. Bring only the things you’ll need for crafting. Most importantly, bring your solitude.

Do you have to have your own sacred space to create? How did you design it?

“RivaFlowz” is a teacher and professional writer living in New York City. You can follow her on Twitter: @rivaflowz.

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