Airline passengers can sue if deals are revoked, really?
It looks like consumers will have another shot at bringing airlines to justice when they break contracts with passengers. This stunning Federal Appeals Court ruling issued by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court would roll back more than 30 years of precedent in how airlines are treated in the courts.
Pioneer Aviatrix — Elinor Smith
Just about everyone knows about Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 while attempting an around the world flight. Few remember a contemporary woman pilot, Elinor Smith, was born 100 years ago today.
Highest priced hotel internet? Do we have a winner, or rather loser, in Rome?
High priced hotel Internet service is a complaint of many travelers. As many frequent travelers have learned, the more expensive the hotel, the more expensive the Internet. Add your gougers and the best free offers.
Are yesterday's GDS central reservation systems the best hope for consumers in the future?
Airlines want to return not only to the days when travelers had to call each individual airline to find prices and then compare prices, they want even to make it difficult for travel agents to easily compare prices. That would push price transparency back more than three decades.
Venice videos — three visions taken from different points of view
These are three videos that capture the Venice that I love. They show the majestic buildings, the everyday life, the tattered posters, night, day, vaporetti, gondole, crowds and silent canals.
Why cruise ship smoking restrictions will stick this time
With new smoking bans and restrictions on cruise ships in place and been announced to begin next year on several cruise lines, Ned Levi looks into the reasons the restrictions are being implement and why he believes they will remain in place, even though earlier attempts at restricting shipboard smoking were rescinded.
What we're watching: Wild TSA security video, Hula flash dance, Rumsfeld patdown,
This weekend we take a look at a wild TSA security video, a Hula flash mob on a Hawaiian Airlines flight and our ex-Secretary of Defense being patted down. Amazing.
Weekend what we're reading: Science project clears airport, world's creepiest abandoned cities, pilot error led to doomed Air France jet
This week we discuss a science fair project that evacuated an airport, a list of the world’s creepiest abandoned cities and the strange case of TSA mistreatment of a transgender person in their own ranks.
The "gotcha" online buying process from Allegiant airline
Recently, I was looking for credit card charges on Allegiant airline's website. Since there were no upfront notifications, I kept going through the buying process to see if and when a credit card usage fee might be disclosed. It never was. Mind you, I didn't actually...
Credit card fees are coming to the major airlines — Lufthansa succumbs in Europe. Can it happen here?
Fees to use credit cards in Europe for purchasing airfares are going up and spreading to mainstream airlines. Lufthansa was the latest to announce credit card fees, effective Nov. 1. They join other biggies, British Airlines and Virgin, on the credit-card-fee bandwagon.