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LATEST STORIES
Scores of passengers suffer illness on airlines
Airlines sick passenger rules force many sick passengers (even with doctor notes) to fly and allow the spread of contagious diseases. We need some common sense.
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Extra time before a cruise is the best insurance
Travel insurance can be a life-saver, or at least a trip-saver. But, extra time before a cruise is the best insurance. But beyond insurance, travelers can also help themselves by not cutting things too close for arrival before a cruise or a tour departs.
read morePOLICY
Scores of passengers suffer illness on airlines
Airlines sick passenger rules force many sick passengers (even with doctor notes) to fly and allow the spread of contagious diseases. We need some common sense.
TRAVEL
Savor the world’s largest food fight and feeding frenzy
The World Food Campionship is the largest culinary competition on the planet. The event brought together over 1500 chefs from 42 states and 13 countries preparing almost 6000 dishes in 10 categories hoping to share in over $350,000, the largest prize purse in the Food Sports industry.
No airline love coming this Valentine’s Day
I’m not expecting any Valentine’s Day gifts from the airlines. After taking a look at the world of airline and DOT customer service I’ve come up with 10 ways that airlines and DOT, which enforces airline regulations, are showing no love of their passengers.
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Passengers pay for airports now — look elsewhere for more money
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is holding its first full committee hearing today. Chairman Peter Defazio (D, OR) has already proposed a “solution” to funding airport improvement projects. He is asking airline passengers to foot the bill. For years, Travelers United has stood firmly against increased taxation of airline passengers.
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Think of ways to stop drone misuse
From February 2014 through April 2018, the FAA collected more than six thousand reports of potentially unsafe drone use sightings, a large majority of which came from pilots. With U.S. UAS ownership surpassing one million registered drones, an increase in unsafe drone use can be expected.
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How to travel responsibly and sustainably today
When traveling in the 21st century, each of us has a responsibility to ourselves, our families, and the rest of the world, to travel responsibly and as sustainably as possible. To put it succinctly, I’ll use the words attributed to one of the most famous Native Americans, Chief Seattle, “Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”
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Road trip planner: Verona to Trento, Italy
This region is spectacularly scenic and the drive looping around the western side of Lake Garda is one of Europe’s best and least visited itineraries. However, this region is packed with medieval sights and wonderful restaurants.
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5 Under-the-radar national parks to visit this year
Less-visited National Parks filled with nature and adventure Everyone has heard of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, The Great Smokeys, Grand Canyon, and Acadia National Parks. But what are the under-the-radar national parks, where nature comes with a lower dose of...
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TRAVEL SAFETY
Secure Clothes That Will Keep You Safe And Stylish On The Road
Can secure clothes keep you safe when you’re traveling? The answer is a qualified yes. They can deter opportunistic thieves. They can make you feel safer as a traveler, giving you peace of mind that your passport, cash, credit cards, and other valuables are zipped in a secure compartment.
TRAVEL TIPS
Extra time before a cruise is the best insurance
Travel insurance can be a life-saver, or at least a trip-saver. But, extra time before a cruise is the best insurance. But beyond insurance, travelers can also help themselves by not cutting things too close for arrival before a cruise or a tour departs.
Marriott-like breaches: 16 actions to prevent data theft & minimize damage if it occurs
In recent weeks, I've written about the massive Marriott data breach in which the accounts of 500 million of its guests were compromised. I've written about what actions affected guests should take and about how and why the U.S. should create a comprehensive...
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TSA banned items that security fails to detect will blow your mind
Even with security layers, TSA banned items get through airport security. Did you hear about the guy who tried to spirit a .40 caliber rifle past Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents in Baltimore? He blamed his mother for packing the weapon in his...
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9 important ways to make your holiday travel better
Don't forget these 9 tips when planning for better holiday travel With Thanksgiving later this week, we're entering the holiday travel season in the U.S. For many others across the globe, the countdown to Christmas holiday travel has begun. For frequent travelers and...
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A simple airline overbooking solution
While I don’t always take the airlines’ side of things, I am somewhat sympathetic to the problem they have when passengers don’t show up. But these days, many of those no-shows are to my mind their own fault. The recent Lufthansa issue is a prime example. Here are the explanation and an overbooking solution.
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This is the dirty truth about cleaning fees on vacation
Here’s what I’ve discovered about cleaning fees: While they can vary, the actual cost to the hotel or vacation rental owner is usually low. The difference can add up to a tidy profit, but you can also negotiate your way out of some cleaning fees.
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4 ways to avoid electronic toll collection penalties
More and more travelers on the nation’s highways are finding tolls on roads that have no system for manual toll collection — only electronic toll collection systems. Out-of-state traveler without a local FastPass, EZ-Pass, SunPass, or other local toll-collection passes should not be penalized.
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Accomplishments
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%
