Articles

Trends & Hacks

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Want Better Airline Service? Power Up Your Smartphone

New Internet-based technologies that some travel companies are embracing promise an almost instant response. If you carry a smartphone, these tools can lead to a better experience --…

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! The Irrational Passengers Irrational Airlines Carry

The problem with air travel, both from a passenger and an airline perspective, is that we've disengaged our brains almost completely from the process.

Article / Hotels

Travel Troubleshooter: Are Hidden Hotel Fees About to Check Out?

In a surprise move, the Federal Trade Commission recently warned 22 hotel operators that their online reservation sites may violate the law by displaying a 'deceptively low' estimate…

Article / Hotels

Restore the Jersey Shore, One Night at a Time

If your love of the beach is not bound by season or temperature, the Jersey shore has its charms off season -- especially for those who seek some respite from holiday madness,…

Article / Cruise

That's Ridiculous! Cruise Lines and the Passengers They Carry

The cruise industry is the proverbial ship of fools, whether you're buying or selling.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Is Your Credit Card Safe at Cruising Altitude?

This passenger's problem raises two bigger questions for air travelers who want to buy something on board: Is it safe? And is there a way to protect your card?

Article / Air Travel

'Tis the Season for Fabulous Family Vacation Freebies

Cheap is good, but free is better -- especially when it comes to family vacation deals. Here are seven freebies to help you plan an affordable winter getaway with the kids.

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

That's Ridiculous! Car Rental Absurdities I'd Change If I Could

I'm offended by the car rental industry's business model, and you should be, too.

Article / Miscellaneous

Passports with Purpose: Send Your Money on a Trip to Help Those in Need

Want to send your money somewhere really useful? A mere $10 to Passports with Purpose can help provide clean water in Haiti.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: After the Storm, Who has Your Refund?

The recent superstorm and series of nor'easters that slammed into the East Coast grounded tens of thousands of travelers. Fortunately, most travel companies waived their usual rules,…

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! Bad Holiday Travel Advice and the Bad Pundits Who Give It

I'm done with offering the same dry travel advice every year at about this time. Finished!

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

7 Ways to Snag an Affordable Winter Getaway

It's that time of year again. The air is cooler, summer memories are fading, school is in full swing, and the whole family is itching to get away for a few days.

Article / Cruise

Travel Troubleshooter: What to Expect if You're Expecting When You Cruise

It was to be their last vacation before the birth of their first child. Then, not long before their scheduled departure, the cruiseline delivered some bad news: Not only would the…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

That's Ridiculous! The Gas Price Bait and Switch

On a recent trip to Bend, Ore., I discovered that cheaper can actually mean more expensive. The scam was perpetrated by a service station selling unleaded gas that's 10 cents cheaper…

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: The Great Airline Fee Grab

The domestic airline industry as a whole is in the process of re-imagining its business model, moving away from one in which the price of a ticket covers the basic cost of air…

Article / Hotels

That's Ridiculous! What to Do When You Fall for a Fake Star

What do you do when a 3-star hotel is really a 2.5-star hotel -- or worse? And what do those star ratings mean, anyway?

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Are Lax Rules Slowing Down Airline Ticket Refunds?

Passengers have complained about the slow pace of airline ticket refunds ever since there have been airline tickets to complain about. Like other businesses, air carriers are reluctant…

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! Leaning Leaners (And the Airlines That Let 'Em)

I need to work on my laptop during a flight, he needs to lean his seat back. Where do we find the point of compromise, and how do the airlines take part in the final decision?

Article / Hotels

Travel Troubleshooter: Can You Trust a Vacation Rental?

A vacation rental through Airbnb turns out to be less than expected. Here's what you need to know when you take the alternate route for your accommodations.

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

That's Ridiculous! What's Your Hurry?

Every now and then you'll see signs that say, 'What's your hurry?' which are nothing more than oblique warnings of an approaching speed trap. But after last week's road trip, I read…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

The Able Traveler: Through Redwoods on a Wheelchair-Accessible Train

This historic Santa Cruz County railway offers a nicely accessible day excursion -- appropriate for wheelchair-users and slow walkers alike -- through the majestic California redwoods.

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Travel Troubleshooter: Is Car Rental Insurance a Scam?

After declining the optional insurance on a rental car, the renter is surprised to see an extra $215 for insurance and $53 for 'roadside assistance' added to his bill.

Article / Air Travel

That's Ridiculous! Why Did My Ticket Refund Take Forever and a Day?

Gripes about lengthy refunds are not unique to the travel industry, or even to airlines. But if you want your money back for a ticket, you should probably be prepared for a long wait.

Article / Air Travel

Travel Troubleshooter: Help, My Canceled Hotel Room is Un-Canceled

After discovering the star-rating for the hotel one reader reserved didn't bear out, he called to get a confirmed cancellation from Expedia. Or, did he?

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

That's Ridiculous! Is There a Car Rental Toll Conspiracy?

A customer pays a toll twice on a highway, once going each way in her rental car over a six day trip. However, the rental company charges her a toll for each day of rental period. How…