Tag: consumer advocacy

On the Saturday, September 6th, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, free Wi-Fi is coming to Southwest Airlines, we’ll tell you how to get it; Spirit Airlines is in bankruptcy for the second time this year and Frontier proves the theory that airlines make no money off airfares. We have a two-fer in our Smarter Traveler segment...Lithium batteries on the plane and cleaning your luggage are the day's topics. Chris Elliott is one of the premier consumer advocates for travelers. He joins us from France to talk about the best and worst of Paris, and to tackle the topic of AI in airfares. Can the airlines make you pay more, based on what they know about your willingness to pay? A set of consumer-friendly rules regarding the airlines has been rejected by the Trump administration. It pertains to flight delays and cancellations. We’ll update you on the details.

On the Sunday, October 16th, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the State Department temporarily has reopened its online passport renewal program (link below) under certain conditions, and in Hawaii, visitor counts have hit a bump and some are concerned. Our Smarter Traveler segment features a discussion on the impact on your airfare, based on the day you fly. Monday, Friday and Sunday are generally higher. Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday lower; Thursday neutral. We'll explain why. Consumer Advocate Chris Elliott is on hand all the way from Cypress to discuss hotel service. Where is it headed post-COVID? We also go over words to be wary of when you are looking for a vacation rental. What does "cozy" really mean. Delta and Starbucks have announced a joint loyalty program. We'll share details and talk about the value of such programs.

On the Sunday, January 16th, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Disney, Broadway and Hawaii are among those stepping up their vaccination requirements; and we offer a warning to travelers about "pop-up" COVID testing centers. Clayton Whitehead joins us for our Smarter Traveler segment. Clayton took a group to the theater in San Francisco last week to see the critically acclaimed The Band's Visit. We'll get his observations on what it was like to be back in the theater, and we'll discuss the sudden surge in prices for hotels and airfares and what it means for travelers. Consumer Advocate Chris Elliott is traveling the planet with his sons. He joins us from the Middle East, to talk international COVID conditions and gives us a few projections on travel in the coming months. Tourism Cares is the philanthropic arm of the tourism industry. The organization creates clean up and improvement projects all over the planet. Learn more about what they do and the project planned for Lake Tahoe in late spring.

On the Sunday, November 14th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Canadian and Mexican travelers pour across the borders, Amtrak gets good news from the new Infrastructure Bill and our own Sacramento Airport has a top ten on time record! In our Smarter Traveler segment, we give you five holiday travel tips. You can thank us later! Chris Elliott, noted author and consumer advocate, joins us to discuss the 80 billion taxpayer dollars the airlines got. Did they use it for its' intended purpose? Or did we get conned again? Our final segment focuses on hotel housekeeping. Is it coming or going? How do you get it if you want/need it? We have some answers and suggestions.