Odds & Ends Page 9

On the Saturday, September 21st, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the merger of Alaska and Hawaiian airlines has been approved, with the stipulation that frequent flyer miles not be devalued and some other never-seen-before concessions by the airlines involved. The Grand Prix is coming back to Las Vegas in November. Want to go? Bring your wallet, for sure, 'cause it ain't gonna be cheap. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we discuss the difference of buying travel components from a third party (Trip Advisor, Booking.com, etc.) as opposed to booking direct. Mark points out that direct booking is almost always the way to go. Tom suggested sniffing around the third party sites to check out pricing. If you find a deal, you can always go direct to the travel supplier and ask them to match, which they often will. Beware of third party sites that have paid to be at the top of the page when you log on your phone/computer. Also, third party sites may have cancellation/change rules that are different from the actual supplier. The government is investigating Frequent Flyer programs, something which is long overdue. Chris Elliott, Travel Advocate and Blogger, joins us to discuss why this is happening. Our Odds and Ends segment shares a list of five things international visitors like about our country and its culture. Plus, a reminder about what type of picture NOT to post to social media while you are on vacation.

On the Saturday, September 7th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, wildcat hotel strikes in California and Hawaii have mostly ended without an agreement; and a new survey tells us what one benefit flyers consider to be the most value. Can you guess what it is? Tipping is a touchy subject and travelers face situations where tips are requested (or expected) often. But there is one set of people Mark always leaves a little something for. He shares his thoughts in our Smarter Traveler segment. September is California Wine Month. There are a ton of special events and activities...including one at a Livermore winery where you can catch a falconry demonstration. How do falcons help wineries? You'll hear the story and it's a fascinating interview. Our odds and ends segment features frequent complaints by hotel guests. If you are the person slamming you door at 1am, there is a special place in "Traveler Heaven" for you...ok, maybe not heaven.

On the Saturday, August 17th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, West Jet of Canada had nearly two dozen planes suffer damage in a hail storm in Calgary, and some of the planes will be out of service for a while (if you are flying in Canada on a Delta flight number, double check, it could be a West Jet flight). There's a drive underway to re-name the Sutter Buttes, and we'll tell you why. Plus, Frontier Airlines starts flights to San Diego and LAX. Many of us use ridesharing. Uber, Lyft, whatever your choice, there are some basic guidelines and safety rules to follow. Our Smarter Traveler segment shares some of them. Albania is one of Europe's best kept secrets. Our Travel Gal, Sydney, joins us to tell you about this mostly undiscovered country, and she'll even give you some ideas on how to see Albania. Our Odds and Ends section features everything from a new way to get to the Sacramento airport, to the question "Would you pay more to pick the gender of the person you are sitting next to on the plane?" One airline is betting the answer is yes.

On the Saturday, June 15th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, a new California law leads the way as a major cruise line changes the way it displays prices; and if you think trains are more crowded, Amtrak is on the way to setting all-time ridership records. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we remind you it's going to be crowded everywhere this summer, our own airport is one example. The Travel Guys strongly recommend NOT taking your vehicle to the airport, but rather using ride-sharing or depending on the kindness of a friend. Just allowing yourself a little extra time along the way could have a tremendous positive impact on your journey. Steve LaRosa has been out on the road, and he shares some insights on a destination many of us visit but know little about: San Jose. If your getaway includes San Jose, we have some ideas for you. In our Odds and Ends part of the show, we tell you about California's newest State Park (Dos Rios, near Modesto). Also, there's a new luggage disinfectant system for baggage at the Newark Airport, sort of like a car wash for luggage. Have you ever heard of such a thing?