On the Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) says enough is enough, and talks about taking steps to improve the quality of the visitor experience. That could mean some changes to the city's red light district. A new study shows the complaints about airline refunds are up ten-fold compared to pre-COVID numbers. Mark has some thoughts on why that that could be happening. With so many people traveling, especially during spring break, and many hotels, restaurants and attractions short of help, tempers can flare. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talk about how to reverse that trend. Right now on the road, a little kindness goes a long way. Mark spent the week on the road, in two uniquely different locations. He shares a little about his time, first in Cheyenne, Wyoming; then in Honolulu. From Cowboys to Aloha, Mark has some tips for you if you are heading to either destination sometime soon. April is Down to Earth month for California Wineries, with special events all over the region. Our special guest shares information on some of the festivities.
On the Sunday, March 26th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, The Netherlands airport is cutting the number of flights it handles daily, in an effort to help global warming. An off duty pilot helps in an emergency on board a Southwest plane, and American Airlines wants its flight attendants to be in uniform when on duty. Once again we have a story about a passenger leaving something on a plane and having that item turn up in the possession of an airline employee or contractor. Our Smarter Traveler segment discusses the idea of putting air tags in your bags and on other important personal items to protect against theft. Clayton Whitehead is head of International Travel at Sports Leisure Vacations. Like US destinations last year, popular international spots are experiencing a post-COVID boom. We talk to Clayton about the return on international travel and what he sees looking forward. Will the boom continue? Mark has an edition of the Weird Travel News, with stories highlighting a weirdly shaped shrub in Portland and why some travelers are nicknamed "gate lice" by airline employees.
On the Sunday, March 19th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, after a number of near misses on runways at the nation's airports, the government is calling for more air traffic controllers to be in the tower, and Carnival Cruise Lines becomes the first to sail 100 million passengers. Our Smarter Traveler segment offers a variety of tips - A warning about vacation rentals in Hawaii, a reminder on how packaging your hotel, air and rental car can often save you serious cash (links below), and a heads up to those needing a passport renewal in the near future. There's a brand new Ken Burns-style museum in Gettysburg (hint; it's all about the Civil War battle from a different point of view) as Gettysburg, Beyond the Battle, opens next month. Non-flight itineraries are on the rise. Why are more people choosing not to include air travel in their wanderings? One of our favorite travel bloggers says, get on, sit down, buckle up and shut up. It's actually pretty good wisdom. Check it out here.
On the Sunday, March 12th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Amtrak is expanding and looking to expand service, plus Frontier Airlines is in the news regarding gate-checked bags. Frontier charges a hefty fee to check bags at the gate and a recent customer dispute went viral. The airline says the customer was in the wrong, but there are a variety of interesting sidebars to this story, such as Frontier paying a commission to contracted gate agents who nail you for an oversize bag. Even though the airline may be in the right this time, the online reaction to to the retelling of similar situations has been brutal for Frontier. Mark is in Arizona for baseball's Spring Training. He offers some tips for folks heading down to Arizona in the Smarter Traveler part of the show - where to sit, how to cut your costs a bit, and even a tip on one of the best steakhouses in the area. St. Patrick's Day is next week, and what better way to celebrate than to bring on a guest who is an Ireland expert. Jack Kavanagh, author and leader of National Geographic Expeditions is our guest. His book is Always Ireland: An Insider's Tour of the Emerald Isle. We close with another edition of the Weird Travel News. They kept playing blackjack in Vegas after WHAT happened at the table? American Airlines has an option to let mother's sit AWAY from the family for a fee? Are these stories true? Hey, it's the weird travel news.