Tag: hotels, Page 12

On the Sunday, July 30th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, we ask the question, "Can it get too hot for planes to fly?" The answer is yes and it has happened before. Plus, national parks close for snow or floods or other natural disasters, but not for heat. We have a warning for hikers. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talk about seat switching on planes. You get on board and someone is sitting in your seat. They ask you to switch so they can be with family or friends. What is the proper etiquette here? Is there a time to say yes and a time to say no? Absolutely. And what if the person in question won't give up the seat you paid for? CLEAR is a paid airport program that allows you a line pass in exchange for paying a fee and providing a private company with a lot of personal information. Last summer, CLEAR had what is proving to be a major security breach. Is it time to do away with this private program, or is all this much to do about nothing? In our Odds and Ends segment, we have story that reminds all of us the importance of taking pictures of rental cars on their return; and if you run into a ridiculous priced airport hotel, there just might be an easy way around it.

On the Sunday, July 9th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the hotel strike situation in Los Angeles isn't settled yet, and maybe one of the reasons is a request by the hotel workers union to add a 7% surcharge to guests room charges to help cover the cost of housing in Los Angeles and Orange County. The workers at several dozen hotels are back on the job, but future strike actions are looming. Our Smarter Traveler segment takes on the subject of "airline hacker fares." That's when you buy a ticket with the intention of throwing part of it away. You buy a ticket to Milwaukee, with a stop in Chicago, because the fare is significantly cheaper. You get off the plane in Chicago and throw the Milwaukee portion of the ticket away. Fly to Sacramento, with a stop in San Francisco, and never fly on to Sacramento. Two examples of hacker situations. The airlines create this themselves, with screwball ticket prices that make no sense. But is using this kind of ticket breaking the law, or just messing with the airlines minds? The California State Fair opens next week, and Tom has his annual interview, talking about all the fun things to do at the fair. Fort Bragg is an isolated community on the California coast. Talk about off the beaten track. Come with us to Fort Bragg and the Noyo Harbor Inn and have a look around town.

On the Sunday, June 25th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the state department re-issues travel advisories to four countries, Bolivia, Denmark, The Dominican Republic and Ecuador; and the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon lives to see another day/season. The web is full of fake phone numbers and web sites you might think are for legit travel companies. When you call or email one of them, you'll find they do business a little differently than the parent company. Just because they answered "United Airlines," doesn't mean that's actually who they are. Our Smarter Traveler segment addresses the dangers and has some suggestions to keep fake companies out of your wallet. A new bill in the California legislature might get rid of bogus travel fees, like those charged by hotels. Our special guest updates the bill's progress and chances for passage. If you are a tall traveler who loves exit rows, we might have some bad news. And if you are looking to avoid baggage charges, why not just wear everything onto the plane?

On the Sunday, June 18th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, a bill in the California legislature would make hotels put those hotel fees (resort, destination, amenity, etc.) in as part of the price of the room. That small step would take away one of the major reasons hotels charge those fees in the first place. Plus, we have a list of the best and worst airports for the summer. Hint: Beware of connecting in Dallas after mid-afternoon. Our Smarter Traveler segment deals with babies on planes. Not as bad as "snakes on planes" for most, but definitely a subject where it couldn't hurt to get a few tips. Clayton Whitehead, our international travel expert stops by to talk about going overseas. Why is it so popular right now, and how long will that popularity continue? The final segment discusses credit cards, travel awards and tipping.