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LATEST STORIES
Online booking mistakes — slow down for better travel
Thanks to technology, travel can be booked with a few quick swipes and clicks. For most people, it means the process is much faster. It also means more online booking mistakes.
25 essential steps to take before you start an extended vacation
Check off these 25 checklist steps — they will ensure you have a smooth vacation and an undamaged home on your return. Before you leave home for vacation, create a departure checklist. Then check off each step as you complete it to make your journey easier and keep...
POLICY
Why female crash dummies have no place in safety testing today
A House bill is introduced to use female crash dummies in auto safety studies. Safety standards should be designed for both men and women, especially when 50 percent of drivers are women. Until now, only male dummies have been in crash studies.
Airline customer service commitments — are they worthless?
Every airline has a customer service commitment. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires it. But, DOT refrained from making these customer service commitments a part of the contract of carriage. In other words, an airline customer service commitment does not have the force of law. Airlines cannot be held liable for any violation of their printed “commitment.”
The 24-hour rule: Passengers have a full day to correct airline ticketing mistakes
The 24-hour rule requires airlines to provide travelers booking flights 24 hours to cancel their trip or correct errors in the booking of any kind of ticket without any charge or fee from airlines.
Know these four international air travel rights and save
When traveling in Europe, airline travelers have more rights than in the USA. Unfortunately, most Americans are not aware of the rights, or are too lazy to force the airlines to respect their rights.
TRAVEL ADVICE
Online booking mistakes — slow down for better travel
Thanks to technology, travel can be booked with a few quick swipes and clicks. For most people, it means the process is much faster. It also means more online booking mistakes.
British Airways — the latest airline to insult consumers with major fees
Foreign carriers are insulting consumers worse than US carriers. For all that Americans in the travel industry and frequent travelers regularly complain about US carriers, the fact remains that sometimes foreign carriers are insulting consumers with everything from...
Start to solve hotel problems — review, complain, don’t go back
Don't shrug when hotels have room problems and resort fees that are upsetting. Complain, write an online review and don't return unless the hotel fixes their problems. I wrote about my hotel pet peeves last fall, but with recent hotel stays being the epitome of “OMG”...
One level of airline safety rules — that’s the mantra at DOT & FAA, unless …
Major airlines and airline unions have protested the establishment of airline safety rules of semi-private airlines that skirt training and security rules followed by scheduled airlines. Travel Weekly published a recent article about the largest semi-private airline...
CORONAVIRUS
Should we mask again to prevent Covid, flu, and RSV while traveling?
Covid and influenza cases are spiking. RSV cases remain strong. Many travelers are masking again and unvaccinated travelers are seriously considering becoming vaccinated before their next journey. As the new year starts, it's impossible to miss the news about...
Why passengers need common airline flight credit rules
We need common airline flight credit rules for airfare refunds and flight credit protection. The pandemic refund issue has been screwed up for consumers since the beginning. It is a major issue with more than $10 billion in outstanding flight credits, estimated by the...
Five ways travel may never go back to pre-COVID days — get ready for a “new normal”
After three years American travelers yearn for a "new normal" for vacation and business travel reality. Many Americans and travelers worldwide may feel as if the pandemic is over. Indeed, after almost three years, everyone wanted to return to normal. But the "new...
How COVID still affects travel even if the virus is weaker
COVID still affects travel. Don't fool with the coronavirus. Respect it. As a travel agent and someone who loves to travel, it's been great to see COVID restrictions loosening on travel worldwide. But COVID still affects travel even if the virus is weaker. Loosened...