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.
On the Sunday, March 5th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, another airline (American) joins the "of course families can sit together crowd," and Princess Cruises announces some sizeable (up to 40%) discounts for selected sailings. Our Smarter Traveler segment features a rundown on Basic Economy seating - cheaper but is it a good value for all? Mark is a veteran of many trips on America's most famous highway, Route 66. He'll share highlights for the eastern half of The Mother Road, as it's known, including lots of great places to eat and stop along the route. Mailbag question topics include airport connections, why gas prices are so high near airports and hotel housekeeping, all at the top of the list of questions listeners submitted.
On the Sunday, February 26th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, foreign visitors are waiting up to two years to visit our country and 80 mayors are trying to shorten the lines. Plus, some airlines are responding to the president's request to let families sit together on planes. We share the real story. Some destinations are growing weary of travelers. Juneau, New York City and Italy are trying to turn things around. When your bag is lost by an airline, they try to reunite you for 90 days. After that, it's likely your bag goes to Unclaimed Luggage in Scottsboro, Alabama. Savvy shoppers can buy unclaimed items online and in the store. We have the "Weird Travel News." From a couple who abandoned their baby and got on the plane, to an update from Portland, America's capital of weirdness, we have the stories at the end of the show we didn't feel comfortable sharing at the top of the program.
On the Sunday, February 19th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, lawmakers from our state, tiring of federal inaction against junk fees, are taking legislative steps to rid us of resort and other garbage fees. Holland America has decided to extend special Wave Season offers to Families on selected sailings. There are consumer protections available to us when we travel you may not be aware of. Friend of The Travel Guys Chris Elliott posted an article about some of them this week and Mark has the details. Hiking is one of American's favorite recreational activities. We welcome author Joe Yogerst, to share from his recent National Geographic book, 100 Trails, 5000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do. Airlines have different rules when it comes to seating on planes. We discuss why it's not only better for families, but for all travelers, when families are together. Perhaps we can set greed aside and fix this problem once and for all.