Airlines are upset.

Liz Hough on

New Changes in Favor of the Consumer?
Find out what 3 changes are coming your way next time you fly…

 

If you have been following the news this past week, then you may have heard that congress has passed some air travel legislation that will help the consumer, but may upset the airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

 

The lengthy lines to get through security at the airport have been felt across the nation, and by those in the House and Senate too.  The new bill wants to offer several ways to expedite the screening process including keeping the PreCheck screening lines open and available during peak and high-volume travel times, especially at the airports who see a huge volume of travelers. When the PreCheck lines are closed, there must be a way to expedited the screening process using “every practicable effort.”  What is the definition of “every practicable effort?”  Only time will tell.  The bill is also requiring that TSA increase the number of people enrolled in the TSA PreCheck program by making it more available for people to enroll.  This could be done through Kiosks, mobile devices, and/or other mobile platforms. 

 

Have you ever had your luggage lost or delayed by the airline and didn’t receive your luggage fee back?  Well, that will now be a fight with the airline that you will no longer have to undergo.  If the airline does not deliver your luggage to you within 12 hours after arrival of your domestic flight or 15 hours after your international flight, the airline will be forced to quickly and automatically refund you “any ancillary fees” you paid for your checked luggage. 

For those who have family members under the age of 13, this next portion of the bill that has passed is a huge win.  Children under the age of 13 are “to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13” at NO Additional Ancillary Fees!  These ancillary fees are usually in the form of a seat selection reservation fees including, choosing a window or aisle seat.

 

Here is a website that shows some of the fees for seat reservations for each airline: http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/4564745/chart-what-it-costs-to-select-your-seat-location.html.  The caveat is that this only applies to economy or coach class seats.  If a family would like to upgrade to economy plus, business, or first class additional fees would be applied.  This rule will probably upset the airlines the most as this will take away from their billions of dollars they earn each year on seat reservation fees.  However, it has been a problem with the airlines not accommodating keeping families seated together when they travel.  As a parent, it is a very scary thought that my child would be sitting next to a stranger while I am on the same flight. 

 

Over the next couple of months, I hope that we see these changes and they make our lives simpler for when we travel by air.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Is convenience always better?

Liz Hough on

When you travel you always try to make it convenient for yourself.  Some of the things that I have purchased over the years to make travel convenient include a blow up neck pillow, a blow up cushioned seat, smart tablets, versatile clothing, RFID blocking purse, belt with hidden compartment for money and credit cards, foldable shoes, various pieces of luggage and bags, etc.  Some of these items were amazing and others were a complete waste of money.   Now that I have two little kids to travel with, traveling seems like a huge task!  Anything I can do to make it more convenient on myself and my husband, I will pay for it!

 

If you have or had little ones, you remember how getting through an airport, an amusement park, or even getting on a bus at Disney was a difficult task but the one thing that you bring for convenience is a stroller.  Nowadays, there are some many strollers on the market and when you find that one you like, you take it everywhere with you including anywhere you travel.  The problem with most strollers are that they are beasts!  Even folded over they are bulky and weigh over 20 pounds.  Now, if you have ever been to Disney then you know that the buses to take you to and from your resort are crowded with people, but most of the space taken up is by strollers.  Those people with older children are the envy of the bus, and those of us with our beast of a stroller just give each other the sympathy nod.  Same holds true when you are folding the beast at the end of the runway before getting on a plane. 

 

Well, lucky for us we are at that stage with our kids where they don’t really need a stroller, but it is still a good idea to bring one along, especially for the toddler who likes to run away from us in the busy airport.  With so many trips coming up this year I didn’t want to buy another stroller, but our umbrella stroller broke on our last trip.  Out to the baby store we went, looking to pick up another umbrella stroller but instead we were intrigued by a new stroller on the market.  Weighing in at 9 pounds and folding up to the size of large book, how could I not resist checking out this stroller. I had a huge smile on face at the thought of how this would make my life so convenient on our upcoming trips!

 

The lady at the store, Kathy who needs to be mentioned for having such patience, got out the box from the storage area in the back.  Excited to see the product first hand as she had only seen the video of how to use, she came down the aisle with a huge smile on her face.  The box for the stroller was the same size of the box that my laptop computer came in.  All excited, we started to gather a crowd of employees who also wanted to see the world’s smallest folded stroller.  Kathy opens the box that says no assembly required, and takes it out of the bag.  As she says watch this, she tries to open it as she had seen in the video, nothing happens.  She tries again, and nothing.  Another employee takes the stroller and tries to open it, nothing.  At this point, we have about 8 employees and 3 customers all around this book size, folded up stroller and none of us can figure out how to open it.  My excitement for a stroller with such convenience has turned into frustration and concern about whether I would be able to figure out how to fold this stroller quickly.  After losing several employees, the original Kathy, myself, my husband, and two other employees had figured it out after 25 minutes!  Even though we watched the video several times, it took us 25 minutes to figure it out.  After getting it open, I was disappointed by the lack of a sun screen/visor to protect a child and the stability of the stroller.  I also did not like that the seat did not recline for the child.    If you are interested in finding out which stroller I am talking about I have conveniently hyperlinked the video.  You will be impressed, just like I was. Click Here for Video

 

I am impressed by this stroller company in general.  They have several one touch foldable, light-weight strollers.  We did purchase the stroller called the Qbit and it folds up small enough to go into bag that is provided by the company, and is around 15 pounds.  Both kids have found it very comfortable to be in and me and my husband have found it very easy and convenient for all of our travel needs.  I look forward to using it in a few weeks on our next trip.  In the meantime, I am definitely going to be using it around town to check out the stability. 

 

 

 

So next time you go to purchase that travel gadget that you will think will make your life so much more convenient, weigh the options, definitely try it out, and check for durability.  If it breaks during your trip, then it won’t be so convenient.

 

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

A amazing article I had to share.

Liz Hough on

When you find something that resonates with you, you just have to share it!

 

Find out why I had to share this article….

 

My heart goes out to the small country of Belgium where their trusting and easy going nature, was taken advantage during the attack back in 2016.  When we had an attack on our own country almost 18 years ago, we were probably in the same place, trusting and easy going.  We have adapted to understanding that even though the world is a large place, we must now be suspicious and ask questions of all activities that make us uneasy.  However, it doesn’t stop us from traveling!  Taking the children to Disney World, driving to Colonial Williamsburg, shopping in Manhattan for a long weekend, or even taking that Caribbean cruise.  We have learned that if we want to do or see anything, we have to adapt and turn that fear into confidence that if something were to happen, you would be able to stand up against it. 

 

I recently read an article by a travel journalist named Wendy Perrin who wrote about why we shouldn’t fear traveling after an attack and the likelihood of becoming a statistic of a terrorist attack.  She called it 7 Keys to Traveling Without Fear Despite Terrorist Attacks.  I wanted to share this article because it was so well written and empowering that I hope it makes you feel the way I did after reading it, ready to TRAVEL. 

 

Here is an intro to Wendy Perrin’s article:

 

1. Grasp how minuscule the statistical probability is of getting caught in a terrorist attack abroad.

 

According to the U.S. State Department, the number of U.S. citizens killed overseas by incidents of terrorism from 2001 to 2013 was 350.  If you’re thinking home is safer, compare that number with the 3,030 killed in the U.S. by terrorism during the same period.  More recently, of the 132 lives lost in the Paris attacks, only one was an American; and of the 15 people killed by attacks in Istanbul this year, two were of dual U.S.-Israeli nationality. In terms of street crime and gun violence, most of the U.S. cities we live in are statistically more dangerous than the places we visit abroad.  Your risk of being killed in a car crash (one in 19,000), drowning in your bathtub (one in 800,000), or being struck by lightning (one in 5.5 million) far exceed your risk of dying from terrorism (one in 20 million).

 

2. Don’t confuse the probability of a terrorist attack with the probability of becoming the victim of a terrorist attack.

 

Is it virtually certain that there will be another terrorist attack in Europe in the next 12 months? Yes. Does that translate into a high degree of risk for the individual traveler to Europe? No.

 

 

Click here to read the entire article

 

 

NOTE:  I am not endorsing Ms. Wendy Perrin, nor am I taking any credit for her article.  She is a travel journalist who wrote an amazing article that I wanted to share with all of my friends on my Newsletter.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Free Wi-Fi, how to get it when traveling!

Liz Hough on

Are you paying for Wi-Fi when you travel?

How to get Free Wi-Fi…

 

Is Free Wi-Fi important in your hotel stay decision?  I recently read an article about how having free Wi-Fi in your hotel is becoming an increasing popular demand among guests.  Surprisingly, it is not just the millennials who are demanding it but Generation Xer’s and Baby Boomers.  I have to be honest, as I am very connected to my email, internet surfing, Facebook, Twitter, and text messages as it is all right on my phone.  I try to do everything over a Wi-Fi connection so I can keep my data usage down for the month and I get faster downloads.  But I do find every time I stay at a hotel that download speeds are much slower and I am constantly having to sign into the Wi-Fi connection only to be kicked out a minute later.  I can see how easily one can become frustrated and if I were at any of these hotels for a week and needed to do business, I would be very frustrated.

 

So how about hotels where you have to pay for the Wi-Fi?  I have paid for Wi-Fi once when I was at a travel conference and it was very expensive for a day’s use.  I have to admit though that I did have faster speeds compared to when I have used free hotel Wi-Fi.  I think this is why more people are willing to pay for their Wi-Fi upfront in packages that the hotel offers when booking your stay with them.  Yes, I said it.  Hotels are offering packages that includes the room and Wi-Fi use in the pricing.  A packaged deal that more and more people are wanting to buy upfront because it is cheaper to buy it as a package then get to the hotel and pay per day.  Some hotels have a pricing chart for you next to the bed along with the card that says “our company is green and saving water….”.   

Some places want to charge you as much as the cost of a steak dinner just for a one-day use! 

So how do you get around paying extra for Wi-Fi at a hotel?  Find a Panera or local café close to your hotel that provides free Wi-Fi.  Head over there for a cup of tea or coffee and take an hour or two to get some work done or surf the internet.  Also, look for hotels that provide free Wi-Fi.  When you go to book a hotel, check the amenities section of the that specific hotel.  In this section they will tell you if free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel, in their café area, or just in the rooms.  When the hotel has specific areas that it provides Wi-Fi they will typically provide you with a password or passcode to login.  Some hotels will give free Wi-Fi to their rewards members, so consider joining some of these programs, especially if they are free to join. 

 

When it comes to Wi-Fi on your next cruise, I would skip paying for it.  Several cruise lines now offer internet minute packages that can be purchased prior to your cruise.  Packages are anywhere from one dollar per minute to five dollars per minute, which means for 60 minutes of internet you can pay up to $300.  Download times are painfully slow and by the time you get the pages you need you have used up your allotted minutes.  If you must do work, consider not taking an excursion and head to a local café that provides free Wi-Fi.  You may want to just forget work all together, after all you are on a cruise!

Here are some tips to remember about Wi-Fi on your next vacation:

 

1.Check the hotel or resort amenities section before booking to find out if they provide free Wi-Fi and where in the hotel/resort they provide it.

 

2. If your hotel or resort doesn’t provide, look for local Panera’s or cafes that provide free Wi-Fi beforehand. 

 

3.Compare internet package pricing vs. internet day pricing.  If you are at a conference and need internet, then consider a package if it is much cheaper.

 

4. Skip the internet packages on your next cruise.  Slow download times leads to frustration and no work done.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

I love this travel gadget! Find out why….

Liz Hough on

By the end of this article you will want a portable charger,

here is why…

 

If a store has a travel section, you will find me in it.  Usually in the luggage section there is a small kiosk of travel gadgets.  This is the section where I rummage through what new device or gadget is going to make it easier for me to travel.  Some work, and some are complete failures.  I always have to share with you the ones that I absolutely love and do make it easier for me to travel.  So here is my latest favorite travel gadget find….the portable smart device charger!

 

If you already have one of these portable charges then you know how much easier your life is when your phone is on its last bar of battery.  You plug in your phone and go.  Your phone is charging while you are shopping, sitting in the airport, or even on the plane.  It is that easy.  No more stalking for an outlet at the airport to charge your phone, smart device, or even laptop.  Portable chargers are the best thing to have with you no matter where you are traveling to and everyday life. 

Most portable chargers are the size of a wallet or a small tube that easily fits into your back pocket or even your smallest purse.  Depending on the manufacturer of the charger you can choose from various colors or patterns.  The best part of portable charges is that they are compatible with most smart devices because they have a USB port so you can take any charger that has a USB adapter and plug it into the charger and charge your device.  Some chargers have enough power to charge your phone to 100% then you will have to recharge it, but some haven enough power to charge a phone and a tablet in one charge. 

 

Even though I said this is my latest travel gadget find, I really bought one last Christmas in the travel section at Marshalls.  When I brought it home, my husband rolled his eyes at me and said you really can plug your phone in anywhere we go.  Yes, this is true.  You can plug your phone in anywhere you go, but you are tied down to where it is plugged in.  On our trip in April, I thought to myself that I am going to bring it along, just in case.  Sometimes, when my phone is roaming for a long period of time it drains my battery faster than it takes time to charge it.  So as we are walking around the Bahamas, I hear that dreaded, Beep, Beep.  Yup, my phone only had 10% battery life left so I plugged it into my portable charge, put it in my purse and did some sight-seeing.  After an hour, I was up to 80% battery life and the portable charger still had three out of four bars left of battery life.  My husband couldn’t believe it.  Needless to say, anytime we go to an amusement park, museum, or any day trip my husband asks me if I have the portable charger with us.  It really is so convenient and easy to use, and its size makes it so easy to take with you.

 

So next time you are in the store, check out the travel section and see what gadgets will make your life easier to travel.  If you have one you like or love, feel free to email us back and let us know what your favorite ones are so we can share with everyone.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Has TSA searched your luggage lately?

Liz Hough on

Has your checked luggage ever been searched by TSA?

Mine has, and now I have a whole new perspective on how to protect myself.

 

After returning home from my last flight trip I opened my luggage to a friendly letter saying that my suitcase was searched by TSA.  I was part of the random search of suitcases that TSA does on those bags that get checked and placed under the airplane.  I have to say this was the first time that my suitcase was searched and I kind of wonder if it was because of all the baby stuff I packed in there.  Baby bottles, food, and cereal probably do look suspicious in an x-ray machine.

 

After reading several articles and seeing several news outlets talking about TSA agents getting fired for stealing people’s items from their suitcases, I was a bit concerned that something was missing.  After a thorough inspection of my suitcase I was thankful that everything was there.  But this experience had me thinking not just about these corrupt TSA agents but those swipe your suitcase at the luggage carousel.  The luggage carousels are very easy to get to and people don’t need a plane ticket to get in this area.  They just come in right off the street, take a bag, and get back in their car or go to the bathroom and rummage through the suitcase.  I read about one guy who took five suitcases in one day!  This is a bit scary.

 

So how do you make sure that your suitcase isn’t one of the unlucky ones to get inspected by TSA or swiped off the luggage carousel?  Unfortunately, nothing is 100% full proof but here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t lose any valuable stuff.

 

Tip #1:  Don’t pack anything valuable in the suitcase you are going to check.  You can purchase a piece of carry-on luggage surprisingly large enough to fit a lot of your valuable stuff.  What is valuable to you is relative, but for most people it is their electronics, jewelry, souvenirs, camera, wallet or anything they feel personally connected to. 

 

Tip #2:  Buy a luggage lock.  Don’t buy the cheapest lock on the market.  There are a lot of TSA approved locks available at department stores, Amazon, etc.  These locks allow TSA to easily open the lock without having to know your combination.  If you don’t have a TSA approved lock and they want to inspect your bag, they will just cut it off.  Now you don’t have a lock for your luggage for the rest of your trip.  Having a lock does not deter TSA from inspecting your bag, as it happened to me.  However, it will deter someone from swiping your bag.  Think of the guy who took the bags into the bathroom.  Do you think he was going to cut locks off of bags while people were coming in and out?  Probably not, he was targeting bags he could easily open. 

 

Tip #3:  Black, black, black!  Orange is the new black!  Having a black suitcase has some advantages like you don’t see all the scuff marks from rough handling but everyone has one.  When you’re watching suitcases come off the carousel and you see a black one you automatically think it is yours and then it’s not.  Black is so common that it is easy to mistake or swipe.  Think of poor Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents.  Even the airline mistook his BLACK suitcase and when his future father in law went through his bag he found some “interesting stuff” it lead to some embarrassing moments.  Go out of the norm and pick a color that will stand out.  This way you can easily spot it coming off the carousel or even worse, someone walking away with it.

 

Tip #4:  I am not going to advocate trip insurance now, but if you have purchased it they give you identification tags to put into your luggage.  This tag is usually printed out from your own computer or your travel agent should be providing it to you, but place this in your luggage.  This tag has your information on it so that if your luggage gets lost or swiped and someone finds it, they know how to reach you through your insurance company.  This also helps the airline if they lose your luggage. 

 

Tip #5:  Luggage tags.  There are so many luggage tags on the market today.  Bright colors, fancy logos, various shapes, large and small, etc.  I highly recommend also putting a luggage tag on your suitcase that will help you spot it.  I give all of my clients luggage spotters to put on their suitcases.  It wraps around the handle, is padded, and they can put their information on the inside.  I usually place their extra trip insurance card in the sleeve just in case.  Try to get something sturdy as your bags does get thrown around a lot on its way to and from the airplane.  I have lost many luggage tags in my day.

 

Having TSA search your luggage can happen to anyone but you can avoid them taking anything of value from you.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Ready for a Deal?

Liz Hough on

I have been reading a lot of negative reviews lately on TripAdvisor, Travel Guide, Oyster, etc.  I am finding that a lot of people who leave negative reviews on these websites is because the hotel or resort they booked was not what they thought they were going to get with their “deal.”  I have to laugh a bit because as much as everyone likes a “deal”, why would you want a “deal” for your vacation?  Most Americans only take 2 to 3 weeks off per year so that means they are working 49 to 50 weeks a year.  I would hate to work so many weeks and then when I take my vacation to be staying at a “deal” hotel or a “deal” resort and be completely disappointed or worse, miserable the entire time.

 

There are amazing deals around us all the time.  I go to Target and get stuff on clearance at the end of the season for my kids and they love it, i.e. princess dresses for those of you who know my oldest daughter.  This is a great deal for me because when they are regularly priced they can be expensive and since she wears them every day, they wear out quickly!  Now when we go to Disney in a couple of weeks I will buy her princess dresses there but I know in advance that I am going to have to pay full price and I am hoping that they are better quality.  I know that I am not going to get a “deal” but I am hoping that I am going to get good “value.”  For weeks now, I have been putting aside princess dress money so I can get a better value dress or dresses for her. 

Now when someone finds out that I am a travel consultant they instantly tell me about their worst vacation ever.  I politely listen and when they are finished I asked them if they booked with a travel agency or travel agent/consultant.  Probably 90% of the time they tell me they found a “deal” on the internet when they did their own research.  I ask them where they did their research and they tell me TripAdvisor or the resorts webpage.  Well, the resort will not post bad reviews of its hotel, and TripAdvisor likes to post the good reviews first.  I ask them if they felt like they wasted their money and their time.  Most of the time I hear an unquestionable Yes!  So if you feel like you wasted your time and money then was it a good “deal?”

 

I also hear that people are disappointed because they didn’t receive the same treatment their friends did when they had stayed there.  When doing your own online research, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples.  A lot of times I hear an apples to oranges comparison, and that is why the same services were not provided.  Resorts and hotels change specials frequently, sometimes weekly, so when you are looking for that same “deal” it may no longer be available.  When doing your own online research, if you feel like you just aren’t finding what fits your needs, it may not be out there.  However, a travel consultant may be able to find it in a few minutes because they know where to look. 

 

To avoid becoming disappointed on your next vacation, and possibly leaving a bad review online, try to make your next vacation a “value.”  You should come back from your vacation feeling happy and proud because of the star treatment you received.  You shouldn’t even realize the amount of money you spent.  You should have indulged in fine food and drinks, splurged on souvenirs, and taken private tours where you were the only ones behind the scenes.  These experiences are unforgettable and is what you will be talking about with your friends and family at your next gathering.  People love to hear these types of travel stories, I love hearing about these travel stories too!

 

So when planning your next vacation make sure to catch yourself every time you say “That sounds like a good deal.”  Steer clear and try to catch yourself saying: “That sounds like a lot of fun and something I would not have done on my last vacation.”

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Do you pay too much in airline fees?

Liz Hough on

 

 

Traveling via airplane is a convenient way to get you to your destination in a short amount of time or sometimes it is the only way to get you to an overseas destination.   Planes have advanced so much over the years that more people are willing to fly to their destination and prices between airlines have become competitive.  But should this mean that you as the consumer have to pay for not only for your seat but to take your luggage, cancellation or changing a reservation, priority boarding, a snack, to use the bathroom, connect to Wifi, or upgrade to preferred seating.  These additional fees are called “Ancillary Fees” and most airlines are continually trying to figure out how to incorporate them into their business models.   Airlines are saying that the reason they want to charge ancillary fees is because it is better for the clients to “unbundle” these service from the base price as not everyone uses them.  It benefits the client who did not want that snack or have to use the bathroom on a long flight.

 

So where did all this start?  In 2007 the low cost airline Spirit decided that they wanted to charge their clients a fee to check their luggage to bring in additional revenue.  Quickly American Airlines followed by charging clients $15 per piece of luggage and like any snow ball effect, additional airlines started to get on board with charging clients to check their bags.  Today most airlines charge you to check at least your second piece of luggage and the fees can be really high, i.e. $200 plus per piece of luggage.  This means a lot of additional revenue for the airline companies.  From 2007 to 2014 baggage fees went from bringing in $464 million to $3.53 billion a year in additional revenue for the various airlines charging these fees.  The airline that profited the most from baggage fees is American/US Airways and surprisingly United did not make much of a profit from charging baggage fees. 

 

Now have you ever had to cancel or change your reservation?  The fees on this service can sometimes cost you more than checking your luggage.  Unfortunately, there are times in our lives when something comes up and we need to use this service.  Airlines again have profited from this ancillary fee.  From 2007 to 2014 cancellation/change fees went from $915 million to $2.98 billion in additional revenue for the various airlines.  I, personally, have always believed that you should be allowed one change in your reservation in case you need to take an earlier or later flight and not have to pay for this change.  I do understand that you would have to pay for any change in the cost of the flight but I do not believe that you should have to pay both for one change.

 

Do you like preferred seating?  I have personally used preferred seating for overseas flights.  The airline company that I have used give the client up to 6 inches in more leg room when you purchase preferred seating.  Now I did pay an extra $150 for my preferred seating but let’s be honest, on an overnight flight to Europe, I need that extra room to get comfortable to try and get some sleep. I have not paid for preferred seating on flights here in the US so I do not know how much extra room you get or if you even get extra room.  It seems like the flights that I have been getting on lately with preferred seating are those seats right behind first class but do not offer additional leg room.  Honestly, I feel like this should be called “second class” and then the rest of us in the back of the plane can be “third class.”  More airlines are starting to choose this ancillary fee for this service but consumers are not happy as it can force families with small children to either separate on the plane or make them pay this fee, especially when these are the only seats left on the flight.  Some airlines also have confused consumers with offering preferred seating first in the online booking process.  The consumer is confused if this is the only option left not knowing that if they decline they will be given a regular seat upon check-in.  If you are ever confused about preferred seating, call the airlines reservation line. 

 

The good news is that the United States Senate Commerce Committee took a look at all these ancillary fees and has decided they would like to make some changes.  Some of the recommendations that they want the airlines to take into consideration are:

  • disclosure of ancillary fees early in the booking process so it is easier for the consumer to compare flight pricing
  • checked and carry-on luggage fees are based on costs incurred by the airline, airlines should promptly refund fees for any checked bags that are delayed more than 6 hours on a domestic flight
  • airlines need to clearly state that “preferred seating” charges are optional
  • limit the amount an airline can charge for any changes.

These changes would really help the consumer understand what exactly they are purchasing when they want to take a flight.  Having all fees disclosed to you in the beginning of the booking process will help you understand what your options are and if you want to pay extra for the options.  There are many times that I don’t want to pay extra because I am just on a two hour flight.  When I take my 10 hour flights I may want to splurge a bit, but at least I would understand what exactly I am paying for what services to expect for on my flight.  Understanding your rights as the consumer is always important, especially when you are traveling.

 

Have a Great Week!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Travel Agent Scams Local Families

Liz Hough on

For the past couple of weeks I have been writing about reasons one would use a travel agent and to watch out for hidden fees with those large Online Travel Agencies (OTA) like Travelocity.  I recently learned that in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, a lady who was a travel agent had been scamming people out of their hard earned money.  She had a brick and mortar office, was a member of the local chamber of commerce, was “licensed” according to the news station (but there was no elaboration on what they meant by being licensed), and even generated invoices for booked vacations.  Unfortunately it appears that she had her own debts to pay before her client’s vacations bills.  I am sure after reading this you are reconsidering using a travel agent, right?  Don’t be!  I am going to give you some tips on how to make sure that your travel agent is legitimate and how to avoid being scammed out of your hard earned money.

 

Tip #1:  Check their credentials.  Ask them if they have taken any course work related to travel and tourism.  Do they have certifications in the travel industry, are they rated on Angie’s list, the Better Business Bureau, or another reputable business rating website?  Are they part of any networking works like chamber of commerce, Business Network International (BNI), or the Women’s Business Network (WBN)?  And you should always ask for references!   Asking for a past client’s phone number or email address to give them a referral should be easy.

 

Tip #2:  When booking with a new travel agent, only give the deposit amount required to secure your booking, payment for any trip insurance, and any service fees your travel agent charges. Service fee amounts should be clearly stated on anything you sign.  Unless you are booking within a 90 day window of departure, you should not have to put down the full amount.  If your travel agent is requiring you put the full amount down, ask to see the supplier’s brochure and look in the very back for their deposit requirements.  If you feel uncomfortable about booking at that time, politely say “it was more than you were looking to put down at this time so you will have to get back with you later.”  Then get up and walk out!

 

Tip #3:  In a world where credit cards are so easily used and they seem to be like potato chips where we all don’t just have one, please always use your credit card.  There is built in fraud protection on most, if not all credit cards nowadays.  Use this card to make your deposits and final payments.  I would recommend against using a debit card unless you have been working with this person for years.  Please be aware of any travel agent who ONLY takes checks as their form of payment as it is very easy to set up an account to take credit cards.  Always check your credit card statements to ensure that the charges discussed are the exact charges on your bill.  And don’t be afraid to ask questions if you find an error.  An honest agent will review everything to find any mistakes.

 

Tip #4:  Once you have made your reservation, your travel agent should give you an invoice with a reservation number of the supplier being used.  If they have not, please ask them for this information.  This gives you the opportunity to call the supplier directly or go on the supplier’s website to verify your booking.  Now this sounds easy enough, but if you are part of a tour group that the travel agent has put together you will not have supplier reservation numbers.  The best way to double check your tour is legitimate is to call one of the hotels you will be staying at and ask them if your group is booked.

 

Tip #5:  Always listen to your instincts.  If you don’t click with your travel agent then please don’t feel like you have to stick with them.  Find someone who works well with you and your family.  If you feel like something is wrong, ask a lot of questions or just leave.  You have the right to ask questions.  My mother has always told me that “if it sounds too good to be true then it is too good to be true.”  There are deals out there that are really good, but do some research.  Before talking with your travel get an idea of the cost of the vacation you want to take but remember that your travel agent can sometimes get you the same price or lower with added amenities.

 

Now you are prepared to work with any travel agent!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Hotel Rooms, how to tell if they are clean

Mary Yohannan on

What is REALLY in your hotel room? 

5 Places You NEED to be Checking

 

Recently I have been traveling a lot which means I have been staying in a lot of hotel rooms.  Some of the hotels received not so good reviews, so I was cautious as to what to expect in staying there.  For one of the hotels, the reviews consistently said that it wasn’t the cleanest.  I understand everyone has different perspectives as what is clean, but I always like to be prepared.  After seeing several shows on what actually gets cleaned in hotels, I have started a cleaning and checking routine when I walk into any hotel room.    Here is what I do:

      1.  Check the bed/mattress for bed bugs.  I look for reddish coloration, tiny black marks, and yellowish small dots around the edges where the mattress is sewn.  You can also move the mattress back from the wall to see if anything starts to move up the wall.  Needless to say, if I see any of this, I immediately ask for another room.

     2.  Check the sheets.  If there are hairs, discoloration, or any visible stains this to me is a clear indication that the sheets have not been changed since the last person occupied that room.  It has been known for years that the top spread does not get changed between guests, but the sheets must be changed for me to stay in that room.

    3.  Check bathroom.  There are several things in the bathroom that need to checked. 

        a. The shower/bathtub needs to be looked at closely.  Is there hair in the drain still?  Is there mold anywhere including on the shower curtain?  Are the last person’s shower items still there?

        b. I also lift the toilet set to see if there are any stains under the seat and also to see if the toilet bowl has been cleaned.  There are many times I have walked into someone else’s “stuff” still in the toilet. 

        c. I check the towels to see if they are damp.  They may not have been used by the last person, but were in there when they showered and got ready. 

        d. Is the sink area clean?  Is there a new soap dish or is it a re-usable one?  I also bring my own toiletries so I don’t have to worry about the ones they provide, but you should check them to see if they have been used by someone else. 

    4. Make sure the locks on the doors work.  This sounds simple but I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a hotel room and the dead bolt to the door doesn’t work, or the lock on the patio door doesn’t work.  I don’t take those things lightly, as anyone can easily get into my room when I am not there or when I am sleeping. 

    5. Clean all touchable items in the room.  Once most of my checks have passed and I have decided it is a good room to stay in, I get out my antibacterial wipes or a nice cleaning wipe and start to wipe down all things that people touch.  The remote control, the phone, any light switches, all door handles, mini-refrigerators, coffee-makers, etc.  I try to wipe down as many things as I can especially when the kids are in the room because they tend to touch everything!

    6.  Check under the bed!  Some beds you can’t check under, but the ones that you can you will find the most interesting things people leave behind.  I check under the bed because I want to make sure there are no cleaning products stored under there or anything like old food.  This can turn into a bad situation when you have kids who like to play on the floor. 

These are a just a few things that I do to make sure that I have a pleasant stay at any hotels, and to make sure that my family and I are safe. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

 

Photos by Mary Yohannan

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