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A week in review: Geopolitical changes and Open Skies agreements, Affordable hotel in San Francisco, Death vs refunds, and more…
The Big Three U.S. carriers are scared. So scared that they feel the need to scare the public by advertising falsehoods. Charlie Leocha explains why U.S. airlines are trying to keep foreign competition out and why they’re concerned about the Open Skies agreements. This article is a must read.
This fine print when purchasing a cruise clearly states a cruise line’s cancellation policy. So when someone requests a refund, or even a cancellation fee waived, because a loved one dies, should they be given an exception? Chris Elliott tells us how it’s possible that companies can be right, but still be wrong.
It’s better to be safe than sorry. Every parent has said this 1,000 times. But now, even our expert travel agent, Janice Hough, will say it about paper boarding passes. Technology is great, but there’s nothing safer than good old paper.
Other stories include how to score an affordable hotel in San Francisco at the last minute, and if TSA should retire their scanners.
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Already, Travelers United has been responsible for the 24-hour rule that allows consumers to cancel or change reservations within 24 hours of making them. We successfully worked to increase the lost luggage compensation to $3,400 and the denied boarding penalties to $1,300 per passenger when bumped. Now, we are working on protecting privacy from drones, keeping the airlines from squeezing any more passengers into planes and making sure frequent flier programs are fair.
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The latest from Consumer Traveler
Geopolitical changes and Open Skies agreements
It is not subsidies that are driving the growth of Gulf carriers, it is the shift in the economic center of the world. Southern Asia and southern Africa have the planet’s fastest growing middle class.
Finding a last-minute affordable hotel in downtown San Francisco
Editor: The original title of this piece was finding a “luxury” last-minute hotel… To me, luxury does not mean shared bath. Hence, the changed title. Otherwise, based on location
The death of a customer doesn’t guarantee survivors a refund
Sometimes, even death can’t get passengers out of cancellation fees. If you are planning to die, some say, “Buy insurance.”
Why you still want a paper travel itinerary, and what you want on it.
Even in a high-tech world with electronic boarding passes, having a paper itinerary and paper boarding passes can make all the difference in the world.
Is it time to retire TSA’s full body scanners?
Ned Levi examines the cost, safety, and efficacy of TSA’s MMW based full body scanners in an effort to determine if TSA should retire them from service at this time.
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Image by Bostonnaps.com.
