Charlie Leocha Page 3

On the Sunday, January 9th, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the CDC announced EVERY ship sailing in US waters as of last Wednesday had COVID cases on board. With Sex and The City's reboot on TV, the tour of its hotspots in the Big Apple has also returned. A group of partying Canadians, who whooped it up on the plane on the way to Mexico, find themselves without a way home. Airlines play a lot of games with seat selection. In recent years, they have figured out a way to monetize almost every desirable seat on the plane, and even some undesirable ones. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talk about different strategies for avoiding the up charges. If you are a traveler, you have a friend at Travelers United. The consumer group works to try and make airlines, cruise lines and the like behave themselves. Director Charlie Leocha joins us to discuss his disappointment in the lack of consumer friendly directives coming from the White House. Everything from family seating on planes to timely refunds are on Charlie's plate. Carol Pucci is one of the writers for Joe Sent Me, a great pay-to-read web site Mark subscribes to. Carol is one of our "Travel Gals," and recently she wrote about the idea of having all domestic airline travelers COVID-vaccinated.

On the Sunday, May 2nd, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, TSA has announced the mask mandate, scheduled to expire in the next two weeks, has officially been extended until September 11th. This means you will have to remain masked on trains, planes, buses and other public transport through the summer. Real ID, the universal ID card, has a new deadline and the cruise industry is encouraged about the opportunity the CDC is allowing them to return to the oceans of our planet. Charlie Leocha from Travelers United is on hand to discuss why we should post basic rights for flyers in airports around the country. And why doesn't our system allow passengers to collect fines for delays within the airlines' control? An update from the people who fight for consumers in Washington, DC. Reporter Clayton Whitehead has a report on Dark Tourism. What makes places from Alcatraz to Auschwitz so popular with visitors? Finally, Mark shares the story of Alaska state legislator Lora Reinbold, who had such an issue with wearing a mask and the Alaska Airlines employees who enforced the rule, she has been banned from flying the airline. With her home near Anchorage and the legislature meeting in Juneau, that has created a bit of a problem. And from Broadway comes word that the pandemic may have changed the way Broadway shows are presented going forward. Mark has the story.

On the Sunday, January 31st, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, President Biden has made masks officially mandatory on trains and planes (or in/on federal land/property); Tauck Tours has launched its first trip in 10 months, and American Airlines is watching for cheaters - skiplaggers, you know who you are. The idea was floated last week to require passengers on domestic airline flights to be COVID tested before flying. The airlines were not enamored by the idea, nor was the public. Where do you stand? We talk about it in our Smarter Traveler Segment. Travelers United, in Washington, D.C., is always looking out for the traveler on the road. They believe airlines need a Sick Passenger Rule. Charlie Leocha, President and Co-Founder, joins us to explain how he thinks it could work, and why it's important. Rob Stewart has been the host of Rob on the Road on KVIE Channel 6 for a decade. We celebrate 10 years on the road with Rob and talk about the differences in virtual vs. in person broadcasting.

On the Sunday, May 10, 2020, Mothers Day edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Delta drops 10 cities from its route map, Norwegian Cruise Line raises $2 billion to help avoid bankruptcy and Frontier Airlines gives the Sleazy Airline Award of the Year for offering to "sell" you the middle seat for $39.  That's the same middle seat that likely would have been empty.  Oh, and did they mention they were going to sell that same empty seat to both the window and aisle passengers?  Makes you want to run right out and buy a ticket on Frontier.  What nice people they are... Travelers United is an organization which advocates for travelers, mostly in the Washington, DC, arena.  We invited Charlie Leocha, President and Co-founder, to talk with us about airline refund policies and other virus-related traveler questions. Since it's Mother's Day, we invite you to call in and share your favorite story of travel with mom.  Your mom, someone else's mom, the lady who cared for you like a mother, your in-law.  Whomever you see as mom, share that once in a lifetime trip you took. A small plaque remembering Travel Guys co-host Mark Hoffmann’s mom can be seen in Capital Park’s Rose Garden.