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This week’s burning question: has your plane ever arrived too early? So early that your gate wasn’t available and you had to wait? Tell me about it. Please share your thoughts, and don’t forget to include your full name, city and occupation.
Want to make a difference? I need a few good volunteers who can help research customer contact information for travel companies. Last week, I posted dossiers on Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier Airlines and AirTran Airways. But there’s more work to be done. Please send me a note if you’re interested.
Should pets fly? It’s true, I’m still recovering from the flames sent to me by angry parents after suggesting kids shouldn’t fly — or should at least stay out of first class. How better to follow up on those stories than with an MSNBC column about why pets don’t belong on planes? Plus, what happens when you have a typo on your airline ticket? And I have a fascinating interview with Congressman Jerry Costello on passenger rights and a review of the new Canon Vixia HFS10 camera.
Opaque stars grow dim. The star systems used by some opaque travel Web sites are not all they claim to be, as some guests are discovering. But is there an easy fix? Also, what’s with the new foreign transaction fees on credit card purchases — and could you be the next victim of these ridiculous fees? Plus — surprise! — the name on your airline ticket can be changed. Here’s how.
America’s shark attack capital! That’s what they call New Smyrna Beach, Fla. We went looking for Jaws but the only sharks we found last weekend were at the gift shop. We also tried our hand at bowling in Oviedo, Fla. Here are a few pictures.
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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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WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? If you're having trouble with a travel business - any business - and you've reached a dead end, maybe I can help. Send me an