A troubling new report about hotel resort fees suggests mandatory room surcharges are spreading faster than a summer wildfire. It’s sure to stoke the anger of travelers, many of whom are being burned by these nonnegotiable extras when they check out.
Before something goes wrong on your next trip, consider taking a little expert travel advice from a guy who specializes in something-goes-wrong scenarios. That guy is Curt Richardson, who founded OtterBox, a manufacturer of protective cases for phones and tablet computers.
Airline tickets are more complicated and confusing than ever. Do they also need warning labels? Maybe.
When Sharon Morrison tries to buy a Worry No More protection plan for her new furniture, Macy’s declines. Now she’s worried she’ll never get a Worry No More plan to cover her chair and sofa. What’s going on here?
After Irwin Grams’ sister dies, he cancels his flight to Rome. Alitalia refunds one ticket. What about the other one? This Expedia ticket refund case promises to test his patience — and mine.
When Lynn Culver stays at a hotel, she helps herself to the soaps and shampoos in her room. If housekeeping replaces the items, she takes the new ones, too.
Culver, a retired attorney from Lumberton, N.J., believes her room rate covers the amenities.
“But some of my fellow travelers consider this stealing,” she says. “Can you please settle a dispute among friends?”
Businesses lie to customers. And in an anything-goes, laissez-faire regulatory environment such as this one, the falsehoods are starting to pile up.
Family vacations are boring. If you don’t believe me, just ask your kids, and they’ll tell you how boring they are. They’re very boring. (At least that’s what mine tell me when we travel.)
But let’s explore that truth. Kids say “very boring” as if it’s a bad thing, but maybe it isn’t.
Fuel is expensive, but the tricks travelers use to find the cheapest gas have remained constant for years. They include favorite apps such as GasBuddy, plus common-sense strategies like avoiding service stations on busy highways.
Kathleen Keenan thought she had unlimited access to Universal Orlando theme parks in Florida. After all, she’d paid extra for it.
She thought wrong.
