I completely understand the need to make a profit and extra fees — to a point. As a travel agent/advisor, my colleagues and I talk regularly about cancellation fees. Flights may have been canceled, but little money ends up in the passenger’s pocket. However,...
TSA is making it easier to fly with a Real ID. But it is also making it more difficult to use Real ID at airport security. TSA is making it easier to fly with a Real ID. The Real ID identification deadline for domestic air travel took effect in May. International...
Enjoy another country for a few days with a free airline stopover on long-distance flights Last year, I enjoyed three nights in Lisbon, Portugal, during an airline stopover program run by TAP. Plus, I learned that these stopover programs are not only for transatlantic...
The most common passenger in-flight medical emergency is passing out on planes When a flight attendant calls for a doctor in mid-flight, chances are a passenger has passed out on a plane. This is the most common in-flight medical emergency. The medical term is syncope...
An airline study calls for the elimination of travel uncertainty — wouldn’t that be nice. A friend of mine, Jay Sorensen, runs a consulting firm, IdeaWorksCompany.com. He is perhaps the most knowledgeable aviation expert on ancillary fees. And yes, we have...
Holiday travel is hard. You must contend with the crowds, the high prices, the end of the shutdown — and the weather. This holiday season, I’ll probably see it all. Snow in the Pacific Northwest for Thanksgiving, thunderstorms in Chile for Christmas and stifling...
I have 11 do’s and don’ts to help you navigate through airport security checkpoints easily and with minimal hassle during the holidays. The winter holidays are fast approaching. U.S. Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. The December holidays will be...
States have electronic toll collection systems with no human collecting tolls and no way to use a credit card to pay a toll. If a traveler finds paying an electronic toll collection impossible, keep reading. Many travelers decide to travel by car. Unfortunately, they...
Harried travelers are soothed by DC airport art Art is making a comeback in airports and major metropolitan buildings. Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is a wonderful example of how airport art can be integrated into the architecture of a...
It could happen to you. Delayed and canceled flights are happening with greater frequency during this shutdown. This, however, is considered a delay or cancellation beyond the airline’s control. This is especially true if your flight is part of the FAA slowdown...
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.
– Removal of restaurant fees from DC area eateries — this is an ongoing project
– Creation of DOT Dashboard to outline consumer rights after cancellation of a flight
– Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives
– 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 $3,800
– 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.
