by Charlie Leocha | Apr 21, 2018 | Alaska, Been There
Rust’s Flying Services adds a new dimension to Alaska. We were scheduled to fly out of Lake Hood, the world’s busiest floatplane base, for a flightseeing tour of Alaska’s tundra, a couple of glaciers and their milky lakes. When we arrived at the...
by Charlie Leocha | Apr 20, 2018 | Policy
The long-awaited 2018 FAA Reauthorization Bill is both good and bad for consumers After almost a year of extensions and the demise of the new air traffic control organization, the House version of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Bill was passed out of the House...
by Janice Hough | Apr 19, 2018 | Getting there, travel agents
Travel agent etiquette travelers should follow. Be specific. Travelers who book all their own travel can skip this post. But, any traveler who uses a travel agent, especially the first time they use a travel agent, should read on. Leaving these 5 forbidden words out...
by Ned Levi | Apr 18, 2018 | Columns
Dealing with rapid airplane decompression Editor’s note: This post was originally published on March 21, 2011. We are republishing in light of reader interest and recent events. Only about 40 to 50 rapid aircraft decompression accidents occur each year, so...
by Charlie Leocha | Apr 17, 2018 | Policy
The FAA and DOT are not properly protecting passengers Only in America can an entire industry — the airline industry — get such a sweetheart deal when it comes to protecting passengers. Let me count the ways. Unenforced safety regulations, low fines, false...
by Christopher Elliott | Apr 17, 2018 | Getting there
When luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged passengers get compensation. After Delta Air Lines lost Dan Collins’s luggage on a recent flight to Lihue, Hawaii, he didn’t know what to expect when faced with lost luggage. Few people do, actually. Two of his checked bags...
by Ned Levi | Apr 16, 2018 | Getting there
Don’t be ASLEEP to prevent bed bugs While most people say the worst problem bed bugs can cause for travelers is suffering the itching and soreness from their bites, some of my readers have set me straight recently. I agree with them. Prevent bed bugs from...
by Charlie Leocha | Apr 15, 2018 | Musings
This weekend we take time to learn something new about TSA — many of these facts may put a more human face on the organization. We muse about great public toilets in Sweden, as opposed to most places in the US. And, finally, we are beginning to see the end of free...
by Charlie Leocha | Apr 14, 2018 | Been There, Traveler
Follow these eating-well-in-Europe rules and savor every mouthful I grew up in Europe and lived there for about 22 years. During that time, I was a student, a freelance journalist, started a business, and traveled extensively. As can be seen by my short resumé, I...
by Charlie Leocha | Apr 12, 2018 | Laws and Regulations
If a vacation is ruined by an airline, small claims court may make sense — but only if your losses are between $2,500 and $25,000, depending on where you file your claims. Should something go wrong on an airline trip, the normal course of action is to petition the...
