On the Sunday, September 26th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… Delta Airlines says it makes no sense to ban flyers from one airline unless they are banned from all airlines. Makes perfect sense to us. Plus, knowing getting thrown off a plane for not obeying a flight attendant or refusing to wear a mask could make it so you couldn't fly anywhere ever might be a bit of a deterrent to some. Maybe. Speaking of airlines, American Airlines made some serious changes to its Contract of Carriage, which is basically the agreement between you and American when you buy a ticket. The airline has chosen to remove language which previously protected the consumer. If you fly American, we strongly recommend you read the article above. Mark visited Missouri and Iowa on a recent scouting trip for a future Sports Leisure Vacations Baseball Tour. He has some observations on COVID protocols (in case you are traveling there soon), and Tom inquires of Mark what a scouting trip is and why it would be important for a tour operator to personally visit destinations BEFORE his travelers arrive. The Pumpkin Patch Express is one of the many specialty trains offered by the Fox River Train folks. It's a great way to entertain the family without going far from home. The Fulton Avenue CruiseFest is annually one of the biggest local events in the area. This year, the Batmobile will be on hand. Steve LaRosa, our local CruiseFest expert, joins us to tell you all about it.
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On the Sunday, August 8th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, if you want to attend theater in San Francisco or on Broadway this fall, you are going to have to wear a mask and be vaccinated or tested to get into the theater, at least until November. Two people headed into Canada found that having false documents will set you back a healthy chunk of cash and American and United follow Delta by saying to their frequent flyers: your benefits are preserved for another year. Our Smarter Traveler segment gets away from nuts and bolts and looks at the problem several airlines are having with keeping their schedules. Southwest and American have had some problems, Spirit has had BIG ISSUES. Mark explains what's going on and why this shouldn't be happening. Hint: The taxpayers have been suckered. Hilton is cutting back on housekeeping, unless you are at a Ritz Carlton or higher. We ask you how you feel about that. Will it impact which hotel you choose to stay in? We take your phone calls in our third segment and one listener will be a big winner. Family travel is full of challenges. COVID brings some extra issues. We talk to a family traveler and get his tips on how to get your gang from here to there.
On the Sunday, June 27th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Southwest and American are short staffed and it’s starting to show on the front line, Hawaii is dropping the quarantine for vaccinated travelers and if you were a fan of the TV show Friends, we have a cruise to tell you about, where you can relive those TV memories. Joe Brancatelli, author of the Joe Sent Me web site, is ranting about airlines again. Justifiably so, as fares go up, vouchers expire and the airlines continue to drink at the public trough. Mark explains Joe's concerns, including a new COVID surcharge that didn't stick. Chris Elliott joins us to explain why the much anticipated post-COVID travel bargains didn't materialize, and reminds people the cost of not behaving yourself in the sky could be a lot more than you bargained for. If you are considering a visit to Disneyland anytime soon, you won't want to miss our special segment on Disney's two California theme parks. Tips on what to visit, and how to maneuver post-COVID.
On the Sunday, April 4th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the CDC has a host of new guidelines for travel, starting with domestic trips and including guidance for the cruise lines. American Airlines says you can travel to Italy without a quarantine and several airlines have weighed in on the laws which appear to restrict the ability to vote in Georgia and other states. Mark headed to Seattle for business and a little baseball this week. He shares some updates and observations on airports and the behavior of travelers in our Smarter Traveler segment. Ever since the days of the Comstock, women have played a major role in the running of Virginia City. That’s still happening today. Meet the ladies of Virginia City and learn about what makes it an incredibly unique place to visit, very close to home. For 25 years, David Watts Barton was the music reviewer for the Sacramento Bee. His second career is as an author and he has a fascinating book on Japan, Japan: From Anime to Zen. We’ll talk with him about it.