Tagged: pandemic

Refund Woes Fueled a Record Number of Complaints from Air Travelers in 2020

The U.S. federal government received a record number of complaints from airline passengers in 2020. In all, 102,550 complaints were filed with the Department of Transportation,…

U.S. Airlines and CDC to Begin Contact-Tracing Passengers

Last week, the internet was abuzz with rumors that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was about to introduce a testing requirement on domestic airline traffic. The scuttlebutt was…

Alaska Opens Up: Visiting No Longer Requires a Negative Covid-19 Test

As of this week, travelers entering Alaska are no longer required to show proof of negative Covid-19 test results upon arrival. That was one of the provisions in the state's emergency…

Bad Tourists Are Faking Covid Test Results. Here’s How to Stop Them.

The advent of pandemic travel restrictions has given rise to a whole new subset of bad tourists. We're talking about the quarantine flouters, mask refuseniks, and other coronavirus…

Latest Dining Trend? Rapid Covid-19 Tests at Restaurants

What pairs best with a nasal swab—prosecco or champagne? The City Winery restaurant chain is about to ask that question. City Winery locations, dedicated to wine appreciation and live…

Need a Covid Test to Travel? Vendors Can No Longer Keep Up

In October, Hawaii brought in a new entry system in a desperate effort to salvage its tourism business. Since October 15, arriving tourists have been required to furnish their own…

Beach Escapes Americans Can Travel to Without Quarantine This Winter

October 7, 2020 The number of places around the world where American tourists are welcome remains distressingly low due to the high rates of coronavirus infection in the United…

Nominate Your Favorite Teacher to Receive a Free Vacation Next Year

If you doubted that teaching was a difficult profession before 2020, spend a few hours supervising a squirmy 8-year-old during our nationwide experiment with virtual learning. That…

What Are Your Chances of Catching Coronavirus on Planes? MIT Study Has Answers

Not long ago, a dear friend reached out to me for advice. His aunt was dying of cancer, and his mother wanted to fly across country to be at the deathbed. My friend was trying to…

The Myriad Ways One Hotel Manager's Job Has Gotten Tougher Since Covid-19

August 3, 2020 Add hotel manager to the list of jobs that have gotten exponentially more arduous since March. Not only are hotels being tasked with keeping travelers safe under…

Buyer Beware: Theme Parks Are Cutting Experiences but Not Prices

Despite headlines declaring that major theme parks have "reopened," that doesn't mean everything inside them has. We get it—some people would rather eat glass slippers than step foot…

Your Chance to Tell the CDC What Cruise Ships Should Do to Fight Covid-19

In the wake of Covid-19, what would make you feel safe enough to take a cruise? Capacity limits on ships? Short itineraries? A reliable plan for dealing with outbreaks? Stockpiles of…

Global Entry Enrollment Centers Soon to Reopen

Update, July 1: Shortly after announcing that enrollment centers would open on July 6, U.S. Customs and Border Protection backtracked and postponed their return until at least August…

Flight Attendants Call for Halting Leisure Travel

There's a headline I never thought I'd write. But because these frontline workers feel that their lives are being put in danger, the Association of Flight Attendants, a union…

Airline Passenger Data Collection: An Essential Pandemic Tool

In the annals of "woulda, coulda, shoulda," a longtime battle between the airlines and the U.S. government has come to the fore, far too late. For the past 15 years, the U.S.…

Is it Safe to Fly American Airlines?

As American Airlines (www.aa.com) pilots formed picket lines at airports across the country and the nation's third-largest air carrier canceled hundreds of flights, David Ludt made…

How to Handle Common Cruise Fiascoes: Lost Luggage, Missed Flights & More

Would-be cruisers often worry about the worst-case scenarios. But what about the lesser annoyances and difficult situations that are more likely to happen? Consumers are becoming more…

Travel Troubleshooter: A One-Night Penalty that Sticks

Although Anthony Braxton cancels his hotel more than 24 hours before he checks in, the property charges a one-night penalty, anyway. Can't Hotels.com help him get a refund?Q: I…

Survival Tips for Plane Crashes & Other Accidents

Remember that amazing story about a guy who sawed off his arm when he couldn't lift the boulder that had trapped him in a desert canyon? Or the hikers, skydivers, airplane crash…

Flying 10 Years After 9-11: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Ten years after 9-11, it's both harder and safer to fly. We have fewer airline and flight choices, we pay less for tickets but more in fees, and airport security can be really, really…

Travel Troubleshooter: I Thought Car Rental Insurance Was Optional

Brian Perez-Daple rents a car in Mexico through Hotwire. But his car rental company insists he needs to buy extra insurance, which he doesn't. Is there any way to get his money…

Travel Troubleshooter: Who's Gonna Pay These Overdraft Fees?

When a Hampton Inn hotel charges Alia Naffouj twice for the same room, there are two surprise overdraft fees on Naffouj's credit card. Hampton is dragging its feet on a refund. Is…

When in Rome, Watch Your Driving

Of all the recurring complaints I get from readers, the one they find by far most vexing has nothing to do with excessive fees, surprise surcharges or surly employees. It's about…

Travel Troubleshooter: Where's My Travel Insurance Check?

It's been a year since Anita Isaia's cruise, but the insurance claim she made through a company that offered traveler "protection" is apparently lost at sea. Will she ever get her…

Pauline Frommer's Spend Less, See More Tips for Healthy Travel

In this series of monthly tips, you'll find some terrific ideas to help you get the most out of every trip. This time around, I share some insight about taking care of yourself while…