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This week’s burning question: ever been “walked”? Have you ever showed up at a hotel, only to find there was no room at the inn? If the hotel sent you to another property, then you were “walked.” Was it a good deal for you? Or were you sent to a dump? Please let me know, and don’t forget to include details.
Speaking of walking. This week’s “Elliott Explains” — an effort to help simply the often confusing rules and terminology of travel — deals with three hotel terms you need to know before your next stay. One of them is “walking.”
Is the recession good for travel? Maybe. I take a look at three of the things we will lose — and gain — in the recession in my MSNBC.com column. And in this week’s Travel Troubleshooter, find out what happens when someone is forced to buy another airline ticket for a flight he’s already paid for.
The plot thickens. The Prime Travel Protection mess is getting messier. The state of Florida last week alleged that three large travel agencies sold unlicensed policies offered by the bankrupt Colorado company. For perspective, I conducted extensive interviews with one of the agencies and a leading critic of Prime Travel Protection.
There’s more … Insurance isn’t all that’s on my mind. I also have a compelling post about Virgin Atlantic and its difficult relationship with EU Rule 261, an Southwest Airlines’ claim that a bag it accepted never existed.
Strawberries! Over at our new site, Souvenirist, I answer the provocative question: What do you do with all the strawberries you pick in Oviedo, Fla. Check out our photos and videos.
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Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
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