Tag: holidays

On the Saturday, December 23rd, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Southwest Airlines reached a $140 million dollar settlement over last Christmas' melt down, and there's a way you can get a share. Plus, did the TSA really find bullets wrapped in a diaper at La Guardia Airport? (They did.) Airlines are fiddling around with their frequent flyer programs, raising and lowering requirements to get points, and the number of points you need to redeem the rewards you want. Now the government says its time for these programs to be regulated. Our Smarter Traveler segment takes a closer look. If you show up at airport security with a gun or other contraband, is there a fine, or other penalty? Oh yes, there is. And it's not cheap. Our Odds and Ends segment discusses fines for begin stupid at the airport. What gift card is the most popular with travelers AND offers the best value? We have a list for your last minute gift buying.

On the Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the postponement of a Taylor Swift concert causes an airline to change its rules, and a Southwest pilot who is part of the group asking to strike "warns" flyers about the upcoming holiday season. Renting a car at an airport is an invitation to wasted time and hassle. Mark violated one of his own rental car rules last week and it could end up costing him some $$$. He reminds you what to do before and after your car rental, and throws in an idea for renting that could save you some cash. The Fox River Train has a special family-orientated Christmas package. And their sister train in Willits takes you to see the World's Tallest Christmas Tree. We have details and there's a link in our list. We answered a ton of questions from our mailbag, including TSA renewals, and what to do if your Pre-Check clearance isn't on your boarding pass. We also touched on charging electric cars on the road (again, a couple of links can be found on the right or below) and a host of other subjects.

On the Sunday, September 18th, 2022 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, a tourism destination rises to the occasion to help immigrants, water restrictions are getting tighter at the Grand Canyon, and the three major cruise lines have a staggering $73 billion dollars in debt - with increasingly high interest payments. In our Smarter Traveler segment, one final warning about buying your holiday air tickets now, along with some tips on what days to fly (or not to fly) around the holidays. Also a reminder about the "24-hour rule." Chris Elliott, consumer advocate and travel writer for Forbes and USA Today, joins us to talk about deposits for vacation rentals. Perhaps his experience will save you a hassle and/or a few dollars. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to Sacramento each December with a spectacular Christmas Show. We have all the details on this year's performances and tickets.

On the Sunday, December 1st, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Uber has run a fowl of the transportation authorities in London and has "lost" its license to operate in the city.  The penalty is suspended however, giving Uber a small window in which to fix their regulatory issues, including passenger safety.  The Travel Guys highlighted Uber's safety record and policies in a recent program...  Airlines don't have a lot of healthy options when it comes to buying on board, but Alaska Airlines has been determined to have the most healthy food on board.  Hawaiian is at the bottom of the list. The US Department of Transportation is expected to announce new, stricter rules for non-service dogs on planes, following a recent string of incidents.  In addition, several veterans with legitimate service dogs have been denied boarding with the animals, in part because the serviceman or woman's disability wasn't obvious to the airline staff.  The rules are obviously being interpreted differently in different situations  We at The Travel Guys say it's about time pets are taken out of the cabin.  The airlines need to reduce the charge for handling pets and increase the level of safety for those animals, reducing the need to "game" the system. Our smarter traveler segment reminds you there is one really important thing you should have on your phone BEFORE traveling out of the country: The emergency phone numbers in the country or countries you will be traveling in.  Clayton Whitehead is sitting in for Tom on this holiday weekend and he has the scoop.  Find a list of the numbers here. Chris Hart of the Sacramento River Train joins us to tell everyone about their special holiday trains for the family this month.  The Magical Christmas Train and the Holiday Dinner Train are two great options. Clayton is just back from New York City, where he led an annual excursion which included shows, a chance to see the Macy's Parade and sightseeing in The Big Apple.  He has tips for why or why not to take a visit to New York City around holiday season.