Confessions of a former road warrior: Years ago I traveled so much that my soon-to-be wife would brag to her friends that I rode on planes the way most commuters take a bus. But in recent years, I've been lucky enough to spend most of my time near home -- avoiding air travel.

On my now infrequent plane trips, I notice new technologies and the way they are presented. Still with all the new technology, one fact keeps standing out: The way people use technology is more important than the technology itself.

On my recent trip between Pittsburgh and St. Louis, I was appalled by the actions of American Airlines' airport personnel, in what might not at first seem like a technology usage issue.

As I was waiting for the final leg of my trip between Chicago and Pittsburgh, the gate attendant announced that the company had placed a weight restriction on our flight, and that up to seven people might be bumped involuntarily. (A previous request for seven willing bumpees garnered only one volunteer.)

Moments later that same gate attendant called my traveling companion to the desk and told him he was one of the unlucky people who would have to wait until morning to finish his return trip. They wouldn't keep us together. I was to get on the plane while he would be left behind.

Once on the plane, I heard from a fellow passenger that American Airlines had earlier in the day split up his family that was traveling back to the states from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico -- which to me again seemed like the wrong decision. Airlines should do everything in their power to keep families and traveling companions together -- especially when the overbooking happens on a connecting flight (as in our case) or internationally.

At least when I was bumped by Delta Airlines a few years back in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., they kept my family of five together.

So what does this have to do with technology? Simple. The airlines have developed some of the most sophisticated computer programs in the world. They have millions of historic data points to use to determine the expected weight of an aircraft, and have booked millions of flights.

In the post-Sept. 11 flying world, they take nonrefundable credit card charges for just about every passenger, and thus should never have to worry about losing the revenue from a passenger who doesn't show up. So there is no reason they shouldn't be able to get more than 99 percent of the flights off the ground without having to bump a passenger -- let alone splitting up a flying party.

My companion luckily got on the flight at the last minute, completing a generally wonderful trip, but there should have been no need to alarm the fliers. Either the airline analysts didn't use the systems properly or the executives have missed the boat in making the policy decisions.

Toilet Tech
While taking a "break" in O'Hare Airport, I noticed something I'd never seen before -- Sani-Seat. It's a toilet with a seat that has a thin plastic sheath -- like plastic wrap for your kitchen. Wave your hands over a sensor and the plastic sheath automatically dispenses along the seat in a counter-clockwise direction until a brand new piece of plastic covers the seat. No need to mess around with paper sheet liners.

Sani-Seat is a great example of common technology being used effectively in a unique, marketable way.