Debbie asked for some help for driving to, parking at, and driving from the Philadelphia Airport.

Getting to the airport from Pittsburgh shouldn't be too difficult. From the Pa. Turnpike take the exit for 476 South, the exit past the Valley Forge exit going east. Take 476 until it terminates at I-95, then head north for about five minutes and you will be at the airport. The Philadelphia airport Web site can be found at http://www.phl.org

I've used the stay and park option at airport hotels in the past, but I think they are getting less generous with that perk. Call around to a few and see what comes up.Try the Embassy Suites or the Holiday Inn, both located near the airport. Usually I just park at the extended parking lot at the airport for $7 a day. There are other parking services that serve the airport, such as SunPark, but they are more expensive than the airport's lot (but are probably more secure, although I've never had trouble at the airport lot). The extended parking lot at the airport can be confusing to find; the trick is to not miss the small road leading off to the right as you come out of the arrival/departure loop. See the map on the airport Web site for help.

We fly US Airways internationally several times a year, and have never had any sort of problem. The new International Terminal is open, and they do have more Customs/Immigration officers than in years past, which was always a bottleneck. I have seen in the news that there have been some baggage problems due to defective baggage belts and whatnot, but I think they are intermittent.

If you aren't dead-set on driving to Manhattan, you may want to consider leaving your car parked at the airport and taking the train from Philly's 30th Street Station to New York. It's an easy rail connection from the airport to 30th Street Station (a huge, grand old RR station from the early 1900s) where you can connect with Amtrak to NYC.

Happy travels, Brian Wasson Abington, Pa./USA