COVID travel Page 15

On the Sunday, May 16th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… Clayton Whitehead sits in for Tom Romano In the Travel News, the US Senate is making a last minute effort to save the Alaska cruise season and Delta Airlines tells all new employees they must be vaccinated. Our Smarter Traveler segment features Airbnb. We share some tips on when to know your reservation isn't on the up-and-up, and how to detect and protect against hosts who are cheating the system. We open the phone lines to ask for your input on the new CDC comment that vaccinated citizens no longer need a mask. This is a big announcement for travelers, many of whom detest wearing a mask while on vacation. But how will we know who is safe to be around, and does it matter if you are vaccinated. What about front line workers? Are we just forgetting about them? Join the discussion as Mark and Clayton offer their thoughts on Masked vs. Unmasked.

On the Sunday, May 9th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Hawaii is expecting a big summer with lots of visitors - but vaccine/testing requirements remain in place for most. USTOA, one of the country's largest tour operator groups, says despite limited cruising, Alaska is the most inquired about/booked destination for the summer, with Arizona, Florida, Wyoming and Utah close behind, as travelers continue to prefer beaches and wide open spaces in the US. In our Smarter Traveler segment, Mark talks about how he got caught in the exact car rental trap he warned listeners about last week; we explain The Jones Act, which is keeping cruise ships from going to Alaska this year; and more countries, and perhaps soon Hawaii, add themselves to the "you must be vaccinated to come here" list. We invite you to call and share your favorite travel memory with mom. Tauck Tours, America's oldest and thought by many to be the finest tour company in the country, gives us an update on their summer and fall seasons. Their products include river cruises, land tours and family-themed vacations.

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, April 25th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, airlines are expanding summer flight schedules to meet growing travel demand and Hawaii reports hotel numbers are going up each month. Sadly, the Hotel Pennsylvania, the New York Hotel whose phone number, Pennsylvania 6-5,000, became a hit for Glenn Miller, is likely to stay closed. It shut down during the pandemic and its owner wants to demolish the hotel and turn it into a mixed-use tower, something it has been trying to do for nearly 20 years. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we introduce you to CLEAR, a better way to get through security lines at airports. CLEAR arrived in Sacramento in March and we have Mitch Nadler from the company with us to explain how it works, how much is costs and how you can join. In Mark's Just One Man's Opinion piece, he warns us that fuel surcharges are coming to travel very soon, and why on some level, the charges are legit. The second half of the show is for your input on the restart of travel. We open the phone lines, bribe you with an offer of possibly winning a See's Candy Gift Card, and give you the opportunity to share your opinions. Are you ready to travel now? Still waiting for a while? Where are you on vaccines for getting into theaters and events? It's always interesting to hear our audience's take. If you are reading this after the show is broadcast, you can hear the comments on the podcast. The link can be found on this page.