If you’re thinking of going somewhere this spring break, chances are you’ve also been thinking of trip insurance. But experts say you should also think differently, because spring break is not like any other vacation. John Hilton is. He’s got a trip planned to...
New Southwest changes will not affect me personally. They are a mistake and will change the airline. True confessions up front. As a travel agent, I almost never booked flights on Southwest since they finally ended all commissions in 2007. Nor do I fly them. These...
TSA airport checkpoint triggers can cause significant delays for air travelers in getting to their flight gates. Traveling by air has become drudgery for many. Wading through time consuming airport lines can be exhausting. Getting through TSA (Transportation Security...
The type of traveler and where you are planning on going dictate your choice of rental car or train. I spent much of my youth living in Europe as a military brat. One of the big bargains then was the Eurailpass. I clickity-clacked through Europe for months. I never...
Consumer protection notification and DOT airline complaint systems need improvement. We are still waiting for the second iteration of the DOT’s new consumer complaints system. Now that the Trump Administration is in charge, expect more than a few delays....
DOT refuses passenger protections and openly protects airlines Passenger protections should reign supreme, but they do not. DOT was established to serve the public better. Nowhere did the Airline Deregulation Act mention airline protections. It focuses on public...
Once upon a time, we didn’t have electronic tickets — paper was king. The ticket number mattered then and still does. It was one of those calls, more than a decade ago, that we laugh about now. My travel agency client, who is also a friend, was traveling to...
I have eight air travel planning mistakes air travelers need to avoid to make their air travel easier with fewer problems from airline personnel. Air travel planning mistakes for your journey are easy to make. There are a large variety of factors that you must take...
The airline industry is moving quickly to undo consumer protections. Put in place during the last four years, last few weeks, the major U.S. airlines asked the Transportation Department to drop a proposal to compensate passengers for flight disruptions. A court has...
DOT is the judge and jury when it comes to airline transgressions. DOT should enforce passenger protections. The Department of Transportation (DOT) seems to have lost its way regarding passenger protections. It doesn’t seem interested in caring for its actual...
These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.
– Removal of restaurant fees from DC area eateries — this is an ongoing project
– Creation of DOT Dashboard to outline consumer rights after cancellation of a flight
– Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives
– Creation of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections
– Advertised airfares now include airfare plus, mandatory taxes and fees
– Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800
– Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
– Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
– Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.
