Europe Page 3

On the Sunday, May 22nd, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Canada is about to follow Europe in holding airlines accountable for delays. So why isn't it happening here in our country? Because the airlines have WAYYYY too much power in Washington, DC. Plus, Southwest expands again, this time from Sacramento to Santa Barbara. Service starts June 5th. COVID is becoming an issue again, and that is impacting travel. So what about the idea of VOLUNTARILY testing BEFORE you travel, to make sure you are safe to be around others? Mark has spent the last week in Hawaii with one of his groups. Have a Hawaii trip on your travel schedule already, or about to plan one? Mark will share his insight on what it's like in the islands right now. Hint: This might not be the best time to go. And if you do, be respectful of the islands and the people who live there.

On the Sunday, March 13th, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Rick Steves, who escorts trips around the planet, has canceled his tours which include stops in Russia for 2022. In fact new statistics show 1/3 of people who were planning to travel to Europe have canceled those plans for now and another 1/3 are reconsidering travel to the continent, all because of the war in Ukraine. Also, the Queen Mary, which has been in the news and closed recently, has a new lease on life. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we revisit the decision of whether or not to pay an additional charge for seats on the plane. Mark points out there are a few situations where you need to consider it. Sonoma's International Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary. It starts Wednesday and we have a look at some of the highlights. Finally, Mark talks about International Women's Day, which was on the calendar. He points out the hypocrisy of companies who say one thing in situations like this, but their actions don't always support those comments.

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 May 6th edition of The Travel Guys: In The Travel News, McDonald's has created a new restaurant in Chicago which features all of the products served in McDonald's Restaurants around the world, read about it here. United Airlines is changing the rules for emotional support animals and it's good news for those of us who don't want to share their leg space with a large pooch. Frontier Airlines has announced they are returning to Sacramento after an absence. In the Smarter Traveler segment, Mark reminds you about the risks of traveling with a low-fare carrier and discusses why you might want to think twice before you buy your ticket. Tom visited with two ladies who operate small group walking tours in Europe and Greece. They sound like wonderful adventures. The Blue Walk is the name of these leisurely walking vacations. Sports Leisure Vacations is the underwriter for The Travel Guys. From time to time we feature their tours, especially when the destinations are popular with all travelers. Scott Angeletti, a national parks expert, talks about his trips to Utah and Oregon, and some of the parks they visit (Crater Lake, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands).