Q I am a new mom and am taking my 3-month-old on her first flight to Denver, where my parents live. If my daughter cries the whole time, I know I'll annoy nearby passengers. What can I do?

A You've probably already heard that you should feed the babe during take-off and landing. That will ease the strain on her ears -- and that in turn could ease the strain on your neighbors' ears, if it means no crying. But babies do cry, so what can you do? I've read reports of mothers carrying tokens of appreciation such as magazines and candy bars to distribute in the event of an outburst (by the baby or a fellow passenger). Another mom keeps earplugs at the ready. But I've been on both sides -- as mother to a wailing child and as passenger next to one -- and in my experience a kind look and a simple "I'm sorry," should do the trick. The main thing to remember is that, even (or especially) when others around you don't, you must remain calm. Welcome to motherhood.

Answers to questions appear weekly in Travel and at startribune.com/escapeartists; send your question by e-mail to travel@startribune.com.

KERRI WESTENBERG

UP IN THE AIR

Continental Airlines is experimenting with do-it-yourself boarding. In June, the airline installed a self-boarding kiosk at one of its 133 gates at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Passengers swipe boarding passes and go through a turnstile to the jet bridge. Christen David, a spokeswoman for Continental, said it is unclear how long the airline will test the gate, which is next to a traditional boarding lane. Customers can go through either lane, but David said the self-boarding kiosk has received positive reviews because it frees up gate agents to focus on individual travelers' needs, such as changing seats. Several airlines worldwide, including Air France and Korean Air, already use self-boarding gates.

WASHINGTON POST

TRIP TIP

As the busy summer travel season starts to wind down, fall deals are starting to pick up. We have already seen a number of short-lived sales for fall travel, and we expect to see more in the near future. Great fall fares have been offered to a number of vacation spots, including Florida, the Caribbean and Hawaii. Europe airfares for September have dropped by $200 to $500 round-trip over August fares. Some of these deals have been short-lived, so check fares regularly to catch deals.

MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

WEB WATCH

When the virtual world of the Web just isn't personal enough, get in touch with a real human for travel tips and trip advice on Localyte.com. About 50,000 local experts in 170 countries are ready to offer travel advice and tips, which are what make this site worth bookmarking. Some experts also are available as tour guides for hire. After typing in your destination, click on the "Find Answers" tab to see what kinds of questions other travelers have asked, along with the answers from regional experts. I sorted the answers by "votes" to view the best answers first. I quickly found out where to get a kite boarding lesson in Cape Town, South Africa, and the best vegetarian restaurant in Prague, Czech Republic.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

SIDEROADS

See art demonstrations and hear live music Friday and Saturday during the 8th annual Rush City Music and Art Festival held at the park in downtown Rush City, Minn. Friday's events include a spaghetti dinner, a variety show and street dance. Saturday begins with a pancake breakfast, a classic and antique vehicle show, a 5-mile run/walk, children's activities, a beer garden and a food-shelf drive (10 a.m.-4 p.m.). Fireworks will conclude the festival. Bring a nonperishable food item to donate. (1-320-358-4639; www. rushcitychamber.com)

COLLEEN A. COLES