Tag: smarter traveler, Page 40

On the Sunday, July 16th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, we have an update on the around the world cruise offer we talked about a few weeks ago, and then there's the story of the college student who found it cheaper to commute from southern California to UC Berkeley by air. Mark shares an experience he had that left him grounded last week and pointed out the importance of having the airline's app on your cell phone. If you're a camper, we have a story for you. It's about a portable toilet you can take just about anywhere with you. CLEAR is a program at the airport that allows people to zip through security. But changes are coming and it might not be as quick as it used to be. We have an update.

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, July 2nd, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Southwest pilots inch a little closer to a possible strike, the Federal Trade Commission is coming after fake online reviews with big fines, and after a horrible week in the skies, especially for United, the airlines are so far getting travelers where they are going this holiday weekend. If you are vacationing by car this week or anytime this summer, safety and courtesy should be high on your list. Mark talks about the importance of a good driving "attitude" in our Smarter Traveler segment. The redwoods of northern California and the spectacular Oregon Coast are within travel reach of us in Sacramento. Mark has just completed a tour with that itinerary and shares some tips on where to stop and a couple of things to avoid. Several weeks ago, one of Mark's staff had a bag lost by United Airlines. We've been following this saga and now we have another update. The bag has been found and returned. So happy ending to the story? Maybe...or maybe not. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. The opera star ain't singin' yet.

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?