Take to the Highway
Saturday, November 14, 2009

Your car probably has a few. But the airlines have missed the boat--so to speak--on the cup-holder craze. This seven-ounce device, which can be folded and tucked into a carry-on bag, attaches to a variety of surfaces, including the closed seat-back tray in an airplane or the latch that holds these trays in place.

-- Anne Tergesen




Pack It: Hands-Free Gadgets
July, 2009

Cup-Pilot gives multi-tasking travelers a place to rest their latte on the back of a tray or seatback.




Travel smart with the Cup Pilot
Sunday, July 12, 2009

Thirsty flyers who can't wait for beverage service to start like to bring their own drinks aboard. The problem is, a cup of coffee or open soda can has nowhere to rest. That's where Cup Pilot comes in. The little contraption hooks over a raised tray table or hangs on the seat in front of you to hold your drink safely, without spills. I saw a passenger across the aisle using one on a recent flight from Seattle to Detroit, and it worked as advertised.

-- Ellen Creager




Three products for people who carry too much stuff on the plane
Friday, April 24, 2009; Gadling Gear Review

The final product in this lineup only holds one item - but to many travelers it's the one product they'd never want to board the plane without. The Cup-Pilot is a cleverly designed cup holder, which can be attached to almost anything. It'll hang on your tray table or even on your rolling suitcase.The Cup-Pilot was invented by Patrick J. Garahan, who twice served as Secretary of Transportation for the State of Vermont, so this man knows a thing or two about travel. The product costs $18.95 and can be ordered directly on their site, or from Sky Mall.

--Scott Carmichael

The Cup-Pilot is a brilliant idea. Plus, it gives passengers on narrow-bodies the same functionality as those on many regional jets - the ability to put your cup somewhere without dropping the tray table.

--Article commentator




Smarter travel
Sunday, November 30, 2008; Page I23

The Cup-Pilot protects your beverage from spilling as you're moving through the airport or sitting on the plane. The portable beverage holder attaches to a closed airline seat-back tray, hangs from the seat back when the tray is open or hooks onto suitcase pockets. It sells for $18.95 each or two for $33.90 at www.cup-pilot.com.

-- Zach Dunkin




It Came in the Mail: Cup-Pilot
Sunday, October 26, 2008; Page P04

WHAT:
Cup-Pilot, a portable beverage holder.

AIMED AT:
Travelers who need a third hand for their drinks.

HOW MUCH:
$18.95.

BUT DOES IT WORK?
If we pooled all of the liquids we have spattered or lost in airports and planes over the years, we could fill a Great Lake. The abandoned water bottle in the bathroom. The kicked-over coffee on the terminal floor. The sloshing cup of orange juice in coach.

The Cup-Pilot, designed by a former Vermont secretary of transportation, attempts to stop the spills by keeping the beverage where it belongs: inside the container.The collapsible contraption resembles a basketball hoop for Team Smurf, with a small net pouch attached to a plastic "backboard." A metal hook fastens to a number of surfaces, including luggage, airplane trays (open and closed) and your spouse's finger. Although this item might seem a bit excessive, much like lipstick holders, it does come in handy in flight. We imagine using it while settling into our seat, when our arms are otherwise busy storing a carry-on, and at high altitudes, when we have important papers and gadgets arrayed on our tray table and don't trust the shallow indentation to do its job. Think of how happy your boss will be when you deliver a report not smelling of bloody mary.

-- Andrea Sachs