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Ever Wonder Which Airline Flights Are the Most Canceled?

You probably should.

Veteran travelers know that flying out early in the morning is less likely to be affected by planes not showing up from other points, since they generally are on the ground overnight. Vice-verse, taking a Southwest 8pm flight is MUCH more likely to be delayed or canceled since your particular plane could have flown 4-5 short routes that day and could have gotten stuck in any number of cities before it arrives at your particular airport.

Well, here some advice on how to determine which flights are MORE LIKELY to be late or have historically been canceled. I found it in this great blog post titled "Travel Maze: Playing Airline Russian Roulette". If you click on the link it provides, you can access data from the Dept./Bureau of Transportation concerning any specific flight or airport. In the article itself, you will discover a certain flight out of La Guardia to Boston's Logan was canceled over 1/6th of the time. And that Delta cancels flights out of La Guardia almost one percent more often than all other airlines.

This kind of information can make the difference to you choosing an individual airline, certain flight or even an airport stopover point. What's the old axiom - Knowledge is Power?

Thinking About Europe This Year?

It seems that most travel writers make the case that currency strength dictates traveler's choices on where to go - at least when Europe is involved. When the dollar is weak and doesn't go too far in Europe, you hear horror stories of how expensive Paris and Rome are to begin with and much of the to-do centers on how much you lose in the currency conversion.

Yet another article has appeared with much the same opinion and I post it here for you for two reasons: one, it is an informative article and two, I haven't written about Europe lately. OK, just kidding on number 2. I think the article makes valid points and for those who have avoided Europe in the last few years due to either it being the most expensive place to visit or because of the worldwide recession, now may be a time to re-think going over the Pond.

Where I tend to truly differ is in assuming people choose to avoid a place like Europe solely based on how expensive it is. When I co-authored my honeymoon travel book, I gave numerous examples of how you could go to Latin America, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, or the Caribbean and either spend LOTS of dollars or go to the same places and spend lots less. If you want (and can afford) to stay in) $400 a night hotels, you will spend three times what another will spend in the same relative city or country, but they will choose lesser accommodations and eat more frugally. I do not think one should avoid Europe based on a strong or weak dollar UNLESS you are planning a trip within 3-4 years and can afford to take advantage of a better exchange rate. THEN, you might want to investigate the probabilities of currency fluctuations and go in 2012 rather than 2010.

See for yourself whether this article makes sense to you and remember, the vast majority of the cost of visiting Europe is getting to the major cities. Knowledgeable locals know that flying into Amsterdam instead of London is far cheaper. Going into Germany is cheaper than Paris. Staying in downtown Paris or London is more expensive than staying 4 miles away from downtown. All in all, if you are spending $7,000 on a 2 week European trip, does it really matter that you could spend $300 more because the exchange rate for Euros has changed?

How to Bargain for a Hotel Room

My flagship book was written to advise travelers how to get the best rate for a hotel room. I understand that many people don't want to bother with having to read a book however even if it saves them money for the rest of their traveling years. And while I continue to debate even selling my books online, I do not veer away from my desire to give people the best ammunition I can so they can get a great rate for the hotel of their choice.

Therefore, even though the article I am suggesting here says about 99% of what I wrote in my book, I am passing it along (Bargain Your Way to Better Hotel Rates) for those who simply won't download a book (now about 66% off the original price) but will read a blog.

I found the article extremely on target and worth while to read, as well as bookmark in order to refer to again and again. Of course, you could save all that and simply buy my book and get tons more of valuable information but the choice as always should and does remain with the consumer!

Finally, A Hawaii Recovery?

Almost 2 years ago I seemed to be writing about how great the discounts were to fly to and stay in Hawaii almost monthly. The dire monthly occupancy reports got so bad that I simply stopped writing about the same bad news (for them) eventually.

But I keep my eye on that market, especially given we are a West Coast hotel with many departures to Hawaii and when Hawaii suffers, so does our business.

At long last, the inklings of a recovery in Hawaii are becoming evident, as seen from the eyes of this article:Hotel, Arrivals Show Signs of Recovery. Coming from a Hawaiian New blog, it reports that hotels are now beginning to be 80% full and that is quite a jump from the mid 60 %'s they were reporting last summer. And while that is good for them, it means no more bargains for us.

Airlines (which were previously cutting capacity to Hawaii) are now adding planes and routes for 2010. Early bookings seem to show a strong season ahead for the Islands. Which means a change in strategy for those who cannot be flexible on dates and can look for last minute sales. In fact, I spoke with a couple who extended their recent stay in Hawaii by a few days (they were having too much fun to leave) and the gentleman told me it cost somewhere around $400 to change his tickets at the last minute, And thi sis in February (though it was near Presidents Day). I can only guess that by summer, we could easily see a rate of $800 per person again to fly to Hawaii.

So you may not want to wait for a sale and you may want to lock in your dates early. In combination if the fact that the economy is slowly recovering, the tourism indistry in Hawaii may be soon rejoicing - and at OUR expense.

Cruise Ship Mishaps

Veteran 'cruisers' already well know what can go wrong once you book a cruise. Changes of ports of call or cancellation of some stopovers are not uncommon, noro-viruses are seemingly ever present and even last minute cruise cancellations are not out of the question.

For the not so veteran cruisers or for those thinking about taking a cruise, you would do well to prepare yourself by looking over this article, titled : "10 Things Your Cruise Line Won't Tell You" from Smart Money magazine. Such things as dress codes affects your experience -especially if you think you will be on a formal cruise and it turns out shorts and T's are the norm. And don't forget the cuisine - from standard fare to gourmet food, you may have one idea and the cruise line another about what is gourmet.

As the article points out, there are so many new ships coming into the marketplace that terminology is sure to be different from a Norwegian Line to a South American based line. So do your homework before you get disappointed and start that homework reading the Smart Money article!

Alaska Fares to Drop?

It seems hard to believe that ANY segment of the airline business has not already slashed fares so low only a snail could look up for them but it appears to have been the case for years. Apparently, that last frontier ALASKA has been so underserved that airfares help up relatively well for the airlines. Of course, that in turn will spur competition and that is precisely what appears to have happened.

A brief mention out of Canada suggests airfares to Alaska may DROP this summer after Continental, Ual and Us Air add daily flights from at least 6-8 cities. While the cities have been identified (Portland, LA, SF, Chicago, Philadelphia, S.L City, Denver) the fares have not. But the mere appearance of a price war may spur discounts once the routes and flights are set in stone.

A Canadian Press release issued in early February suggests the addition of seats from 4 different airlines and from at least as many cities most likely will reduce fares to Alaska this summer. They noted the routes and flights may not be set UNTIL May or so therefore don't be surprised if you see fares that don't seem any cheaper until then. You can access the article here. We'll maybe see you in Anchorage this summer!

Eurail Passes: Good for More than Trains!

I have written several times about the ins and outs regarding Eurail passes (click on my archive under RAIL for other posts) but I now pass along an article I found from Suite 101. In the article/post, the author points out not only the direct benefits of Regional and Select passes (as well as some difference) but suggests other benefits as well.

For instance, you can get a free ride from De Gaulle airport in Paris (one way) if you hold a Eurail Pass and you can use many passes for local and urban travel. You can even use them for ferries in some countries.

Titled Maximizing Eurail Pass Value this post may give you food for thought if planning a whirlwind trip through Europe where a Eurail Pass would be beneficial or for a long summer vacation that combines air, train and sea travel.

Travel Insurance - Vacation

Periodically, I write a post about insurance. Whether it be travel insurance, vacation insurance or car insurance for rentals, I try to stay current. Since we are now in the heart of winter and storms across the U.S> are fouling up people's travel plans, I think it my civic duty to provide another article regarding the need for certain types of travel insurance.

As one who has to tell several guests per month that we cannot cancel their same day reservation simply because they are delayed in Chicago or New York, I write as an advocate for the consumer. Hotels do NOT want to tell guests they have to pay to NOT stay, especially when it is it he fault of an airline which cancels a flight or Mother Nature that brews up a big snowstorm overnight and the best laid plans of mice and travelers are run asunder.

So here is a great article of exactly what kind of travel insurance policy you should ask about. I found it out of the U.K. on 'Wallet Pop' - an online website with a bit of everything for everyone. Their article "Travel Insurance: Cover to Protect You From Extreme Weather" hits the nail right on the head for identifying not only the need for travel insurance but what you can expect to buy and what coverage you should look for.

Using a GPS When Driving/Traveling

This is a public service post but it relates to travel as well as for everyday driving, so I thought it a good subject for a post. It involves how using a GPS tracking device in strange environments can backfire sometimes - something I know well since many guests of ours driving to our hotel tend to be turned in the wrong direction because of the omission of a simple notation (S or So. for south). I usually tell guests to listen to MY directions instead of relying on a GPS - but what about when you cannot call someone?

Most of us are aware of the Oregon couple a few years ago that got lost WITHOUT a GPS device - now it appears more people are getting lost BECAUSE of the device. Recently, a Nevada couple got waylaid into the desert area using a GPS unit. The article I am referring to here concerns people getting lost in mountain terrain in winter simply because the GPS setting (for the shortest route?) turned them onto forest roads that were snowed in. They might be a great alternative in summer to shave time off your trip but not in winter.

Which leads to the point of the article. Don't leave your common sense in the trunk just because you have a fancy new gadget to try out. (In fact, I think all people should think twice about using GPS devices even when NOT in the mountains. I've seen too many instances where options showed up that outlined a shorter route but took you so off the beaten path that if you needed gas or a bathroom, you were out of luck.) Almost weekly we have overseas guests staying with us that swear by GPS devices. But they are in a foreign country and may not know details like we might know. Such as taking the shorter '"Old County Road" into Yosemite instead of the roundabout, S-curves main road. It is a great timesaver as far as mileage goes but is not meant for people towing trailers or medium to large RV's. Or cars with marginal brake pads! GPS units don't warn you about that.

So common sense and the old adage (When in doubt, ASK someone) come into play. You can't ASK a GPS unit "Where are we" once you get stranded!

Car Rental Insurance Questions

"Would you like to purchase the vehicle waiver insurance?" Anyone who has rented a car in the last 20 years has heard this spiel from the car rental counter-person. For most, since you have personal auto insurance, the answer is a no-brainer. Others always buy it and wonder if they wasted money when nothing happens.

It may not ALWAYS be smart to decline the insurance, since your particular policy may not cover you if the rental car is stolen because you may not have comprehensive insurance covering an older vehicle or one with a salvage title (like mine).

The article I found is a good starting place to determine for yourself how to answer the above question if you are planning to rent a car in the future. It is an article about CDW (Collision Damage Waivers) and it just may open your eyes as to the risks you are exposed to when you rent a car. Remember, with any kind of standard deductible (say up to $500), if the car you rent gets broken into and they break a window or a rock cracks the windshield, your insurance MAY only kick in AFTER you pay $500! So you may just want to spend the extra $17.99 for CDW in that case!