BE HEARD: TRAVELERS UNITED GIVES YOU A VOICE IN TRAVEL
Travelers United is the #1 advocacy group in travel. Your Support Helps Us Continue Our Education, Research, and Advocacy. Be heard!
LATEST STORIES
Airline seat size: Will FAA bring relief to squeezed flyers?
For the record, on behalf of Consumers Union I publicly supported the SEAT Act in testimony before the House Transportation Committee last year, in articles, and in public statements such as this: “The bill establishes minimum dimensions for airline cabin passenger seats, which is important for passenger health and safety, as well as comfort.”
read more
What you need to know when someone dies abroad
It’s estimated that 6,000 Americans die out of country every year. While some of those are permanent residents abroad, thousands still die vacationing away from home. For relatives receiving that information, the first inclination may be panic.
read more
POLICY
Airline seat size: Will FAA bring relief to squeezed flyers?
For the record, on behalf of Consumers Union I publicly supported the SEAT Act in testimony before the House Transportation Committee last year, in articles, and in public statements such as this: “The bill establishes minimum dimensions for airline cabin passenger seats, which is important for passenger health and safety, as well as comfort.”
TRAVEL
7 basic standards of excellence needed to merit 5 Stars
What does it take for a hotel or a restaurant to be considered worthy of five stars? If you answer, expensive, you’re wrong. Cost is no guarantee. Food and rooms are important. But even the best ones can be sabotaged by bad service. What are your criteria?
When is a best-room-rate a scam? Plus, more hotel lies
Hotel chains lie about room rates and loyalty programs. The lies told by hotel marketers are rampant and the powers that be at the FTC and Congress are not doing anything about this uncontrolled false advertising.
read more
3 ways DOT should post basic passenger travel rights at airports
The call to action is simple — DOT should tell us basic passenger travel rights where compensation is involved. Don’t make airline passengers dig through page after page of government regulation. Don’t make passengers guess. Don’t allow airlines to mislead travelers. Do the right thing. This is not a big or difficult request. It doesn’t require any new legislation.
read more
10 lost luggage rules for maximum compensation
There are rules that should be followed before traveling. There are rules when traveling and checking in baggage. And, finally, rules when luggage is lost, delayed or damaged. Passengers who follow these rules have far fewer lost and delayed baggage problems and get top compensation from the airlines.
read more
How Americans can honor their veterans at 4 historic sites
These Veterans Day sites give each American the opportunity to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans who serve to ensure our nation’s safety and freedom.
read more
How to discover hidden Venice churches and their stories
Scores of Venice churches are worth a visit. Use the Chorus Pass as a way to visit the city if you stay for a few days. Too many Venice churches - not enough time. While I haven't actually researched the figures, after more than two weeks in Venice I'd be willing to...
read more
Supersized seatmates are a big problem for airlines and you
Inevitable conflicts some as passengers grow bigger and wider and airlines keep shrinking the seat size. Supersized seatmates are creating more problems than even and the airlines are burying their heads in the sand.
read more
TRAVEL SAFETY
How secure worldwide WiFi can protect you at home and abroad
Help Travelers United keep working for you with Congress and DOT in Washington, enjoy cyber-security every day of the year, download Travel Rights, and save with restaurant certificates every month.Plus, you will be invited to take surveys and polls that make a difference in Washington.
TRAVEL TIPS
What you need to know when someone dies abroad
It’s estimated that 6,000 Americans die out of country every year. While some of those are permanent residents abroad, thousands still die vacationing away from home. For relatives receiving that information, the first inclination may be panic.
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...
read more
What are the lessons from the stolen plane fiasco?
What we can learn from the Horizon Air plane theft and crash Earlier this month, America experienced the first stolen plane fiasco in recent memory. Richard Russell stole an empty, 76-seat Horizon Air Q400, twin-engine turboprop from Seattle-Tacoma International...
read more
How to protect coral reefs with sunscreen choices
You can protect coral reefs by simply changing the sunscreen you choose. Thousands of tons of toxic chemicals from sunscreen is causing bleaching of reefs.
read more
7 solid reasons why you might not want an exit-row seat
For exit-row seats passengers DO need to be able-bodied, not to mention 15-years-and-older to sit in the exit row seat. However, there are other times, when, even if there’s no extra charge, a passenger might want to sit a different row.
read more
Before you change your return flight – read this first.
Most airlines will allow passengers change a return flight once they have departed for their flat change fee, assuming the class of service is available and the flight routing hasn’t changed. If passengers need to change a flight before departure, however, that’s a different story.
read more
Why travelers have genuine reservations about hotels
Some hotel complaints are easily fixed. Sattler, for example, brings extra Advil on the road. “Your lavender bath is my migraine,” she says. Another solution: asking for a scent-free or hypoallergenic room. Hotels strip their signature scents, air fresheners and smelly soaps from those rooms so you can breathe freely.
read moreFOLLOW
Receive Daily Updates
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
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%
