Tag: consumer advocacy, Page 3

On the Sunday, July 18th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, it's looking more and more like the Canadian border will open before the end of summer. Amtrak is investing some of our tax dollars in some new train sets and the Eiffel Tower joins the reopened attractions list in Europe. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we renew the discussion about smoking charges in rental cars and hotel rooms. Mark cautions against giving any reason to charge you. Errant cigarette packaging, or packaging from any other thing you smoke, will get you in trouble. You don't want to make it LOOK like someone may have smoked in the room. Charges like these are hard to reverse. Maui can't get the airlines to cut flights, so the mayor helped push through a 3% addition to the island hotel tax. It will provide for a variety of civic improvements, but it's not likely to cut the number of visitors to the islands. No major competitor has yet followed Hilton to the "housekeeping no longer included" pile. We'll keep watching. The project is called Wisdom Travels. It's about the travel stories of nine local North Natomas residents.

On the Sunday, December 6th, 2020 edition of The Travel Guys… In The Travel News, we shared an update on emotional support animals on airplanes. Perhaps the tiniest bit of sanity is returning to the issue. Airbnb is about to go public, perhaps at a higher price than recently anticipated. Mark shared his thoughts on the stock. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't see the northern boarder open anytime in the next 2-3 months due to the high number of Covid cases across the United States. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talked about "travel bubbles" being created by countries and resorts. How are they working? We also update "dining bubbles," the latest thing in outdoor dining. Clayton Whitehead joins us to talk about family travel during the upcoming holidays. He relates a personal story I'm certain many of us can relate to. Consumer advocate Chris Elliott is on hand in the final segment to talk about the major airlines. We gave them $19 billion in bailout funds and they are back for more. Chris suggests we look at what we got for the first $19 billion, and updates us on wordsmithing by the airlines in Washington, DC, and what it might mean to consumers. T’was a month before Christmas T’was a month before Christmas, And all through the town,People wore masks,That covered their frown. The frown had begunWay back in the Spring,When a global pandemicChanged everything. They called it corona,But unlike the beer,It didn’t bring good times,It didn’t bring cheer. Contagious and deadly,This virus spread fast,Like a wildfire that startsWhen fueled by gas. Airplanes were grounded,Travel was banned.Borders were closedAcross air, sea and land. As the world entered lockdownTo flatten the curve,The economy halted,And folks lost their nerve. From March to JulyWe rode the first wave,People stayed home,They tried to behave. When summer emergedThe lockdown was lifted.But away from caution,Many folks drifted. Now it’s NovemberAnd cases are spiking,Wave two has arrived,Much to our disliking. Frontline workers,Doctors and nurses,Try to save people,From riding in hearses. This virus is awful,This COVID-19.There isn’t a cure.Too early for vaccine. It’s true that this yearHas had sadness a plenty,We’ll never forgetThe year 2020. And just ‘round the corner -The holiday season,But why be merry?Is there even one reason?To decorate the houseAnd put up the tree,When no one will see it,No-one but me. But outside my windowThe snow gently falls,And I think to myself,Let’s deck the halls!So, I gather the ribbon,The garland and bows,As I play those old carols,My happiness grows. Christmas isn’t cancelledAnd neither is hope. If we lean on each other,I know we can cope.

On the Sunday, January 19th, 2020 edition of The Travel Guys… In The Travel News, Harrah's Reno, the original downtown club (started as a bingo parlor in 1937) was sold by Caesar's for $50 million dollars.  Jet Blue has raised the price of baggage fees by $5 to $35 bucks for your first bag.  Now it's probably just a matter of a few days until the other carriers join them at that level. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we read back a "Love Letter to Spirit Airlines" from one of their flyers.  OK, so it might not be a TOTAL love story. The Last Ship, starring Sting, will arrive in San Francisco in just a few weeks.  We have Sting''s co-star, Oliver Savile, with us to talk about the show. When people need help from a consumer advocate with a travel problem or issue, do they always tell a truthful story.  Or do they fudge just a little bit sometimes.  We ask Chris Elliott the question and his answer probably won't surprise you.

On this Sunday, April 15th edition of The Travel Guys... In the Travel News, the National Park Service has rolled back its plans for a massive price increase in 2020 to something more reasonable after receiving 110,000 public comments on the issue. Alaska Airlines says the price of last minute upgrades are going up while the amount of carry on luggage you can bring on board is getting smaller. There's a new idea in hotels coming soon. A space hotel. Would you like to float through space on your next vacation? Can you take food with you on the plane? Or is the rumor true, that TSA is telling flyers not to bring their favorite snacks? Leave it to the Travel Guys to have the answer, right from the TSA themselves. That is part of our Smarter Traveler segment; along with some personal packing tips from Tom. Is the demand for consumer advocacy rising or falling? As regulations that favor the consumer are either rolled back or ignored, are more people seeking help with their travel and other consumer issues? Chris Elliott joins us to answer the question. The demand for advocacy is rising fast to record levels. Home Exchange is Airbnb on steroids. Can you actually trade homes with someone for a week? Listen and find out that yes, it's all possible and being done every day. Mark is out traveling historic Route 66 and shares some of his observation from the first three days on "The Mother Road."