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LATEST STORIES
Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay: A True Surrealistic Watercolor
In the 1992 movie Indochine, credited with putting Ha Long Bay on the map, Catherine Deneuve describes it as “the most remote outpost of Indochina.” Today, the bay still retains that end-of-the-Earth, Lord-of-the-Rings-on–water quality.
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Why travelers need to know the middle-name rule
When making reservations for a trip to Europe, I had an opportunity to purchase a flash airfare for myself and a friend. The normal price of $1,000 had been reduced to $700 for several hours. I did not know my friend’s middle name but wanted to purchase the tickets. I believed that because of the 24-hour rule, I could always change the middle name. The rule isn’t quite that simple. I learned an important lesson.
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POLICY
Why travelers need to know the middle-name rule
When making reservations for a trip to Europe, I had an opportunity to purchase a flash airfare for myself and a friend. The normal price of $1,000 had been reduced to $700 for several hours. I did not know my friend’s middle name but wanted to purchase the tickets. I believed that because of the 24-hour rule, I could always change the middle name. The rule isn’t quite that simple. I learned an important lesson.
TRAVEL
Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay: A True Surrealistic Watercolor
In the 1992 movie Indochine, credited with putting Ha Long Bay on the map, Catherine Deneuve describes it as “the most remote outpost of Indochina.” Today, the bay still retains that end-of-the-Earth, Lord-of-the-Rings-on–water quality.
Learn latest DOT rules for improved consumer protection
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has been working on their DOT website consumer protection pages, “Got Flights? Know Your Rights.” The intent is to help travelers better know their travel rights while flying.
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Two immediate traveler benefits of the new 2018 FAA bill
The 2018 FAA bill puts DOT consumer protections and FAA seating safety in their missions with the new Aviation Consumer Advocate and FAA mandates in place. Plus, there are instant benefits for passengers.
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Airline passengers are deceived by seating misinformation
As the airlines have begun unbundling their airfares, many seats now require paid reservations. On some flights, I have seen every aisle seat and every window seat tagged with an extra fee, anywhere from $25-$43 and more. Airline seating rules are an airline seat reservation games mess.
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7 important developing world travel tips for better travel
Traveling in the Middle East and Africa requires a change in mindset Recently, I have had the chance to travel to Africa and the Middle East. The experience of shifting from the organized world of North America and Europe to the more chaotic developing world of Africa...
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Your electronics savior — the best travel adapter
When traveling overseas, you probably will need a travel adaptor for various plugs in different countries. But, many times you also need a voltage converter as well. With only a plug adaptor, your electronics may become a smokey ruin.
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Find rich and real colonial history in New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware, is a genuine Colonial town but without the colonists. The town is replete with houses that used to be taverns, blacksmith shops, stables, ship repair shops during the war. The industries of this working-class Colonial town may have shuttered but the structures remain.
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TRAVEL SAFETY
16 easy rental car hacks to prevent trouble for you
Rental car hacks to get a better deal There are many choices that car renters must make for their road trips. There are also hidden issues car renters should consider to ensure they have a cost-effective journey in their rental cars. I've got 16 rental car hacks for...
TRAVEL TIPS
4 little airline jargon words that have important meanings
The airline industry has more jargon than most. Some of the airline jargon doesn’t really matter much unless you’re an employee or a travel agent. However, small words can be important, very important.
Ready for your summer road trip? Check your tires!
Before your summer road trip is the right time to check tires When heading on your summer road trip, don’t blow your summer vacation. And I mean that literally. Check your tires carefully. It looks like another big summer for driving. More than seven in 10 Americans are planning a road trip, according to the latest Hankook Gauge Index, a quarterly survey of American motorists.
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Emergency airplane evacuation study initiated by DOT Inspector General
The DOT inspector general (IG) had begun an audit of emergency airplane evacuations. After hearings before the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection (ACACP), scores of articles in the press, testimony before congressional committees, lawsuits demanding to see evacuation test results, visits with the DOT IG’s office, letters to the Secretary of Transportation, and national editorials the FAA and DOT are being investigated for compliance with their own airplane evacuation rules.
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10 losses travel insurance doesn’t or might not cover
Here are ten major loss areas that travel insurance policies may or may not cover. Only 21 percent of travelers purchase travel insurance. An amazing 49 percent of travelers polled admitted to not being sure of what travel insurance covers, so it’s not surprising so few people purchase it, especially considering its added cost to a trip.
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When a cruise ship upgrade isn’t an upgrade
Check any cruise ship upgrade carefully. It may be what you really want. Recently, during lunch with a friend, he received a call from his travel agent telling him his cruise line was offering him the opportunity to buy a heavily discounted cabin upgrade to a...
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Why you absolutely need a fundamental paper travel itinerary
These days, not only are almost all tickets electronic, many people travel casually with no paper at all. But, in my opinion, there are some things that are just safer to have in writing, especially a paper travel itinerary.
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Hotels are lying with their best-rate guarantees
Hotel best-rate guarantees are for the most part a scam. Even loyalty members can get better rates from apps and online travel agents with a little digging.
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WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR YOU?
These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.
- Creation of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections
- Advertised airfares now include airfare plus, mandatory taxes and fees
- Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,500
- Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
- Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
- Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.
CURRENT TRAVEL POLL
Do you think airlines have gone too far with adding more seats and reducing their size?
- No, they don’t bother me 3%
- Yes, I’m tall and/or overweight so seating is cramped and painful 22.6%
- Yes, I’m short but still find it difficult to get comfortable 28%
- Yes, when the passenger reclines it is almost claustrophobic 46.4%
