In their struggle to turn a profit, airlines have piled on a lot of fees in the last year, from surcharges for checked luggage to extras for confirmed reservations. And just when it seemed they had found every last fee, it looks as if they’ve turned up one more: They’re looking to Fido and Fluffy for a little extra cash. Specifically, to their owners.
From the category archives:
The Travel Critic
Kids in first class. Should we or shouldn’t we? And if so, when? Allow me to state my completely unbiased opinion right up front. No. We should not. At least not mine. Here’s why.
Kids on a plane. No four words incite more acrimonious debate among air travelers. Not “your flight is delayed.” Not “here’s a new fee.” Not even “snakes on a plane.”
When it comes to travel, does anyone know what’s going to happen this summer? A lot of people claim to. Actually, three organizations unleashed surveys on an unsuspecting public within a 48-hour period recently, each offering a slightly different, and at times, contradictory summer travel preview.
What should we be afraid of when we travel? And are the phobias justified? Here are the top travel fears, along with your chances of actually being hurt while you’re on the road.
Fumiko Seguchi did everything by the book on her recent flight to Tokyo. She confirmed her departure 24 hours in advance. She secured a seat assignment. And she arrived more than two hours before departure. It wasn’t enough.
The roundtrip airfare from Brussels to New York on the European online travel site eDreams was €337 — until Alisa Schlossberg clicked on the “buy” button. Then it jumped to €592, creating an eNightmare.
Jack Taras and his friends thought they would be checking in to the Occidental Grand hotel on the Dominican Republic’s postcard-perfect Eastern shore for Spring Break. But when Taras, a 19-year-old sophomore from Providence College, arrived at the resort, he was greeted with the hotel industry’s latest trick: he was walked down.
As many as a million Americans now live nomadic lifestyles, and their numbers appear to be growing because of the ailing economy and the aging population. The influx is being fueled from two sides of the income spectrum. No two adventures are the same. Here’s how to become a part of the movement.
Look out for cancellation penalties. Beware of energy surcharges. And watch for facilities fees. No, not on your airline ticket. Not on your hotel folio. You may find these new extras on your next car rental bill.
Cruising isn’t what it used to be. Just ask Steve Roberts, who recently sailed from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Nassau, Bahamas on the Carnival Glory. Although his floating vacation was billed as an “all inclusive” experience, Roberts found it was anything but that.
Are tourists destroying tourism? The ones Bob Menconi saw on the lido deck of the Celebrity Solstice were — one heaping plateful at a time.
Kiss those little bottles of lotion goodbye. You stand to gain better things, thanks to the ailing economy. That includes free Wi-Fi in more places, better customer service and of course, many unbelievable bargains.
George Fredrickson never suspected the travel insurance he bought for his transatlantic cruise last year was fake. But it was. Here are six questions to ask if you don’t want the same thing to happen to you.
The travel industry loves to “forget” important facts about its products, whether it’s a critical airfare rule or an important paragraph in a cruise contract. And yes, these clauses are getting crazier. No surprise, then, that travel companies are being less upfront about them.
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