Amazingly, 1 out of 4 car rental travelers is wrongly accused of unjust rental car damage charges. A recent poll of Travelers United subscribers found that 25 percent of members have experienced unjust rental car damage charges. The surprising results come from a...
Missed airline connections caused by system delays should be the responsibility of the airlines. Recently, a study using DOT data showed that airline delays that cause missed airline connections have been increasing at an alarming number of airports across the...
Leisure travelers know business travel is a major factor, but leisure travelers are filling the business void. Full disclosure — for anyone who doesn’t already know — I’m a rare breed of travel agent. I book both business and leisure travel. So yes, I want...
Low-cost carriers are demanding tax relief from the Department of Transportation. Should they get it? The “base” fare you see on a travel site has always been a half-truth, at best. By the time you reach the final payment screen, government taxes and fees have bloated...
Sometimes an important event is impossible to get to by air. First, due to work, finances, family, or other issues, getting to a really important event early isn’t possible, I get it. But often as a travel agent, I will have clients try to cut it close. Maybe...
Ancillary airline fees must be disclosed during the buying process to make the free market work. This talk was given in November 2013 before IATA’s World Passenger Conference (to which no passengers seem to be invited to attend) held in Dublin, Ireland. The post...
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.
