Online passport renewal is now open for most adult Americans — at last!
Most adult Americans may now use online passport renewal. The online renewal application process is easier than the mail-in process. For expedited service, mail-in renewals remain required. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that the...
Infants traveling as a lap child and other infant air travel safety issues
Flying with a 2-year-old is taking an injury chance. But parents often take that chance to save money. On a flight not that long ago, a family was sitting not far from me. The mother sat next to her son, who was about four or five years old, and the father had their...
Damage to a rental car: Billed for a missing head restraint on my rental car
Enterprise charges $515 for damage to a rental car when it discovers a missing head restraint in a rental vehicle. But was it her rental vehicle? Question Enterprise Rental Car in Munich charged me for damage to a rental car I rented last year, even though I returned...
How to not be deceived by airline seating hanky-panky
Airline seating rules vis a vis reservation fees are a mess. Some airlines have no reservations, others seem to want to keep passengers in the dark. Why? When should airlines release their unassigned seats to the public?
Why isn’t there a “best hotel” in town for me?
As a travel agent, there are many times I get asked “what’s the best hotel?” in a given place. No agent knows every city or resort area in the world personally. But even with places I know very well indeed, there really isn’t “best hotel” answer. Because the answer can be completely different for different travelers.
Top 10 tech tips for travelers to use immediately
Tech devices have become essential for travelers worldwide. I have 10 top tech tips for travelers to protect their personal information on them. Whenever you travel, whether domestic or international, technology can greatly enhance your journey. The smartphone, for...
When airline passengers can get refunds on non-refundable tickets
Here’s when you can get refunds on non-refundable tickets today. If you cancel within 24 hours of booking If you’ve booked a ticket in the United States, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires U.S. and foreign air carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted...
DOT and Congress should educate travelers about their rights to compensation
Educate the public. Congress does not have to pass any bills. The DOT doesn’t need a rulemaking. The only thing we need from our government is the courage to defy the airlines and let passengers know their rights regarding compensation. DOT rules and regulations are relatively simple, but often hard to find. Plus, airlines thrive on uninformed passengers when it comes to compensation.
Read this first if you’re thinking of changing your return flight
Most airlines will allow passengers change a return flight once they have departed for their flat change fee, assuming the class of service is available and the flight routing hasn’t changed. If passengers need to change a flight before departure, however, that’s a different story.
23 years later — 10 big 9/11 aviation changes
Some of us can remember what it was like before 9/11. Many of us cannot! Memories are fading. Today, we are starting to see teenagers coming into their own who have never known anything but the world of airport security and endless wars in the Middle East. We have 20...