There’s no room at the Hyatt for Arlis Miller, who wants to stay an extra night in Chicago when weather makes it impossible to travel home. But later, the hotel presents its guest with a bill for the extra night, anyway. What’s going on — and does Miller still have to pay?
June 2006
Apparently, it’s not just a summer blockbuster. If you’re sailing on select cruise lines, you may find that it’s the unofficial theme of your vacation.
People think that flying on a private jet lets you avoid all of the hassles of commercial air travel: long delays, difficult passengers and problems with security. But that’s not always true.
Question: what does a hotel do with all of those unused telephone banks, now that everyone has a cell phone? If you’re smart, you repurpose some of that surplus space.
Summer could be a bummer. Travelers will face record crowds in airports and hotels, not to mention at rental-car counters. Procrastinators will find soaring fares and short supply. Here are some of the potential vacation unpleasantries that await — with advice on how to minimize your pain.
The Kansas Underground Salt Museum (working mine plus salt history) won’t open this summer after all. November is now the goal. But wipe away those salty tears of disappointment. Plenty of new summer thrills await.
Face it: Everyone has made vacation plans but you. The Travel Industry Association of America predicts Americans will take 325.6 million domestic leisure trips this summer (and a possible record 13 million-plus are off to Europe). Fortunately, we live on a big planet. Check out a special summer troubleshooter and these tips on what to do.
Southwest Airlines is a step closer to abandoning its “open seating” policy, according to several recent reports. Good news for consumers? Maybe. Good news for Southwest? Maybe not.
When Chip Joseph rents a full-size SUV for his Costa Rican vacation, it’s not just for show. He needs the room for himself and four other companions. But when he gets to the car rental counter, the only SUVs are the compact ones. Joseph has to rent another car at nearly twice the price. Is Travelocity responsible for the mix-up?
When people ask me where I live I say, “United Airlines.” It’s no joke. I’m always flying somewhere to attend a conference or hold a yoga workshop. Besides, being on an aircraft — one of the most stressful and noisy environments imaginable — gives me an opportunity to practice what I preach. Normally, I focus [...]
Should airlines be required by law to tell their passengers about any flight delays? New York Sen. Chuck Schumer thinks so, and has introduced a bill that would require them to do just that.
This morning I’m sharing some of my insights about travel and blogging at a conference sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America and the Society of American Travel Writers. I guess they figured someone who has published a Web journal for the last decade (please don’t call it a blog — I hate to be pigeonholed) might have a few things to say on the subject.
If the thought that everyone around you is writing a blog — maybe even one that mentions you — is keeping you up at night, imagine how unglued big companies and big media are coming at the Internet’s Next Big Thing.
What a strange coincidence. Within a few minutes of each other I received two emails — one from a senator tipping me off to a new GAO report that basically says airline deregulation worked. And the other from a well-known loyalty program expert complaining that the best fare he could find to Europe in economy class was $12,000.
Andrea Hindman’s honeymoon cruise is sunk when Hurricane Frances strikes. To make up for it, Carnival offers a partial refund and half off another sailing. But then another storm hits — and her cruise line reneges on the discount offer. Is the honeymoon over?
Tropical storm Alberto is headed for the Florida Panhandle as I write this. And although it feels as if he’s hammering us right now (the winds have picked up and the rain is pretty intense) we’re all relieved that we’ve dodged the storm this time.
I would rather ride my motorcycle for a business trip than fly — and I often do. Atlanta to Louisville, Ky., is a six-hour drive on my BMW 1200 RT touring bike. It takes about the same amount of time to get to the airport, stand in line at the ticket counter, get screened, wait for the flight to leave, make the actual flight and then pick up my luggage after I land.
Uh-oh. Troical Depression One has morphed into Tropical Storm Alberto, and now, Hurricane Alberto. And we’re in his path. Not good!
Tropical depression one — perhaps soon to be tropical storm Alberto — is setting its sights on us in Central Florida. Batten down the hatches!
One-third of vacationers will buy travel insurance, about triple the pre-9/11 numbers, according to the US Travel Insurance Association, US News reports. But the real question is: of those, how many travelers eventually make a claim. And how many claims result in compensation?
