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Shoes for Traveling

One of the important components to traveling happily is to be comfortable. In my Travel Tips book, I write about such things as dressing for where you are scheduled to arrive (not for where you depart from), dressing appropriately (in case of emergencies) and other such items that lend themselves to your being a happier traveler.

I recently came across a great article from a homeopathic doctor that is titled "How to Keep Your Feet Happy When Traveling". I thought it not only had a lot of common sense to it but it added something to the premise of being comfortable when you travel. The doctor advises to wear appropriate shoes so you don't develop blisters or sores at your destination and to make sure the shoes have adequate support. This will avoid sore feet when your trip is over or nearly over.

The one thing I would have added if I wrote the article is to wear shoes on the plane that are appropriate in case of emergency. Wearing high heels may look fashionable but would be inappropriate if you landed in the Hudson River and had to walk on the wet wing of the plane. The same for hiking boots - you would sink to the bottom is case of a water landing if you had heavy boots on. Taking them off is no answer either - in cold water or weather, you would risk frost-bite or hypothermia if only in bare feet or socks.

For that matter, wearing proper clothes is important too but not the subject of this article so I will forego any more 'preaching'. Follow the link to the article to see what advice he offers and you can thank me later!

Hotel Reviews: Who Reads and Who Writes

Many of you (OK, maybe SOME of you) know I write and comment on hotel issues most of the time. That is the reason for my being in fact. Even fewer of you know I wrote a book dedicated to Understanding Hotel Reviews. I have written posts about these topics from time to time and have even posted links to valuable articles or other posts I have discovered when I think they will be of value to you.

I am SO SURE you are all falling down with appreciation also that I post this little tidbit written by a REAL author. John Newton, once of Travel+Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler fame, wrote a short piece that I have included as a link here (if you want to see the whole article) but I condensed his research/knowledge and pass it along because I have a special prize for you who are reading my post. More on that below.

Research has varied on the topic of Hotel Reviews. In fact, I recall a big magazine suggesting that upwards of 2/3rds of all travelers read reviews. Some people have said it is 80%. His passed along research says only 20% do. What is of more interest to me is WHO writes them. I wrote in my book that people are more likely to complain than laud a hotel but in reading hundreds if not thousands, I do have to say there are far more positive responses than negative ones. So his sources are probably right. He notes:

• One in five travelers reports reading reviews before traveling; almost one in ten posts reviews after their trip.
• Travelers who post reviews tend to be more satisfied guests than those who do not and more likely to return to a hotel or resort.
• Luxury hotel and timeshare guests are more likely to post reviews than guests in other lodging categories; casino guests are the least likely to post about their stays.
• Older travelers are more likely to post reviews; younger travelers are more likely to read them.
• Travelers headed overseas read reviews more often than those traveling domestically. Nearly half of travelers headed to Mexico and other parts of Latin America reported reading online reviews before reserving a room.

Since age is not defined (who or what is young or old?) it may not matter but I would have suggested that YOUNGER readers who are more internet and Social Media savvy types would post more than older travelers. But again, the point is moot. I do know this - hotels (ours included) NEVER advises unsatisfied guests to go online and post a review but if they LOVE us, we will give them the name and internet address. It's just good business sense, so don't shoot the messenger!

ALERT! Airfares RISING - at last.

According to several new reports in the last week or so, several airlines have raised prices on travel for this summer. One such notice comes out of Chicago, where the Chicago Tribune posted this article declaring that fares to Europe have more than doubled for travel before September. However, they also note that fares are DECREASING after Aug 15 (when presumably kids go back to school soon) for the same flights to Europe.

Earlier, a leading airline watchdog (FareCompare) noted that American and UAL had raised prices twice in the past few weeks on domestic routes. They were waiting for a third increase (or to see if other airlines followed the increase) before suggesting a new trend was starting. So far, I have not seen any more reports but this Europe fare increase could be considered something of a confirmation.

What does this mean for summer travel?

At the least, rock bottom has been hit perhaps. All the staff cuts and grounding of planes and route reductions have taken the toll they were expected to. The airlines had hoped this would happen BEFORE the important summer season started but the free-falling economy prevented that. Now, they might be seeing the fruits of their labor.

I would caution however that the experts suggest increases will be short-lived. All indications point to an economy that will only SLOWLY recover and travel is not likely to rebound much before 2010. Many analysts suggest fares will be decreased for fall travel so unless you are going to a destination where cutbacks have already allowed supply to match demand, fares will still be at their (now) historic lows and increases only marginal.

My personal opinion is somewhat different - I think fares will NOT decrease in the fall (they may not rise either) because of various factors but I have to report what 'experts' suggest and what the hard evidence shows first. Then I can expound my 'theories' and go out on the proverbial limb.

How to Best Use Priceline and Hotwire

I've cautioned readers before about the dangers of making low-ball offers on sites like Priceline but it probably never hurts to remind people of what they are getting into. This topic was prompted by yet another Priceline report we recently received that shows us how many 'offers' and money we missed out on by NOT participating with them. I suppose this is their way of trying to drum up business - show all hotels what they missed out on.

I'll state again where I see a problem. Admittedly, it may not be a problem for some people but it will be for those who expect a decent hotel or motel room even though they make a low ball offer. Such as the fellow who called me weeks ago and offered me $30 for a room that has a 'sticker' price of $93. He added 'I see it on Priceline for $30' but of course he didn't know which hotel he was really seeing. And therein lies the rub.

The hotel he was seeing rents rooms for $39-44 per night EVERY NIGHT. They end up getting $25-29 net if booked thru a Third Party site like Expedia so getting $23 off a $30 'bid' is nothing out of the ordinary for them. But here are the exact last 5 review headlines for this hotel off of Tripadvisor: 1) "A Cheap Place to Stay", 2) "Price is the Overiding Reason to Stay", 3) "DO NOT STAY HERE", 4) "Worse Than Any Third World Hotel I've Been To", and 5) " I also do not recommend you stay here". Within these headlines, people wrote things like "THe bed and linens were dirty as was the shower stall and carpet", "Bed Bugs devoured my daughter, even though mattress appeared to have a waterproof cover.", " The advertised free internet was way too weak to use in the room. The TV, that I had to plug in, got 4 channels." and "What an unbelievable, decrepit, dump!".

Things You Don't Want To DO on an Airplane

Readers of this blog know by now that I converse regularly with airline personnel, especially pilots and flight attendants. And yes, occasionally we 'rant' about peoples' behaviors on an airplane or once they landed and arrive at their hotel. I recall years ago learning (I admit I did not know this) that attendants are NOT allowed to help passengers with their carry-ons because the carriers do not compensate them if they get injured on the job helping a passenger store their luggage! So not only could they end up on unpaid disability, they could eventually lose their job if they were unable to return to work.

Recently, an article on Yahoo caught my attention. It was titled "7 Ways to Annoy a Flight Attendant". At first blush, it would have all the trappings of a flight attendant gripe session but as I read the article, it made sense to me that EVERYONE should read this because some of it is not stuff we might think about. Such as airplanes having diapers on board for parents who have run out or their being required to move people from or into roomier bulkhead rows due to FAA regulations. (Not in this article but since we are talking about diapers, F.A.s 'hate' passengers trying to hand them dirty diapers to dispose of. These are the same hands that serve your food and beverages! Would you want your attendant clutching a freshly soiled diaper to throw away and then hand you a cup of coffee? Not me!)

The reason I post this is NOT to provide a sounding board for flight attendant's gripes but because some of these points may have impact upon you. Such as passengers putting carry-ons in the FIRST compartments even though they are seated in the back. So in all honesty, I post them to help YOU when traveling so you can avoid these mistakes. Ignore them at you own peril!

Now Is the Time to Book Australia!

You probably do not remember but last Fall/Winter, I announced reductions in fares to Australia for 2009. But I also suggested waiting because of Virgin Australia;s introduction of service to Australia might result in lower fares than what we were seeing in Dec.I noted in November that I saw fares on Qantas of $1160 from LA, though there were sporadic $770 fares available but with 'book-by, fly-by' restrictions.

Just like clockwork, TravelZoo just announced $600 fares (incl. all taxes and fees!) from 'several' airlines serving Australia, also from LA. The better news? The fares are good through ALL of 2009! They did not indicate whether there was a purchase by date but they test booked this fare and found several dates from July through December available. They noted it is best to be flexible with your dates and try to go mid-week for the best savings.

I myself tried Qantas and entered several dates in August and September. While I was unable to get the fare as low as the $601 reported, I easily found rates in the $600s, including on weekends with Sydney as the destination. (Click on the "View Lowest Prices Around This Date" option for the lowest fares) Assuming you get a $49 fare to LA, even paying $725 round trip is as cheap as Australia has been in years. I saw similar fares (albeit higher) for Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Kalgoorie, etc.

Ironically, V-Australia not only does not have these fares available, I could not even FIND fares from the US on their site. Where it asks for your country and you choose USA, it immediately defaults back to Australia and shows no US destinations or origin cities. So the airline that started this fare war appears to not even be bookable. (What fares I did see from LA in their advertisement is over $900 to boot!)

The Dominican Republic - the New Costa Rica?

While I was researching travel spots in the Caribbean for the Ultimate Honeymoon book we recently released, I came upon something new - at least for me. The Dominican Republic as a valid destination locale. Long saddled with being the neighbor to Haiti, with all the baggage that goes along with that impoverished country, most people dismissed the Dominican Republic as a vacation place, thinking it was a sister country for Haiti. But D.R. has come a long ways and I was very surprised at the world class resorts I found for honeymooners. I was especially appreciative of the prices as well, since they cannot charge the high prices other islands get in the Caribbean until they get more established. This is why I am suggesting it might be the NEW Costa Rica.

You remember when C.R. was all the rage. EVERYONE wanted to go there, expenses were low and it had all the amenities a vacationer wanted; beaches, sophisticated cities, nice hotels, restaurants and resorts and did I mention it was inexpensive too? This is where the Dominican is right now and I suggest it is worth a look if you have been all around the Caribbean and need a new place to go.

One site (DR1.com) has ALL the information you would need to visit the Dominican Republic. Suggestions for golfers, nature lovers, family vacations, bargain hunters, windsurfers and even those in love with alpine mountains (at 10,125 feet, D.R. has the tallest mountain in the Caribbean) are offered on this site. The Dominican even has gambling and of course the real prize: cigars! While this site has a plethora of resorts and hotels to check out, none appear to have room rates available but my earlier research suggested downtown Santo Domingo hotels can run as low as $45 and outer resorts in very tropical locations are only $125.

For more sites will lots of financial information like flights and hotel rates, check out the following.

http://www.godominicanrepublic.com/

http://dominicanrepublic.com/index.php

http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/hotelsandresor2/tp/DRallinclusives.htm

http://www.wheretostay.com/caribbean/dominican_republic/lodging-c55-Dominican_Republic.html

Warning on start-up airline "Jet America"

Usually it is good news when competition increases in the marketplace. The airline industry is one marketplace where that doesn't seem to apply however. Increased competition has meant bankruptcy for some airlines, necessity to merge for others and lay-offs and downsizing for almost all the rest. As airlines struggle to make profits, they have resorted to a strategy of abandoning certain areas or regions - usually the small market regions. This allows them to concentrate their equipment and remaining staff in the higher revenue markets. This was one of the pitfalls to deregulation of the airline business in the 80's - the abandoning of certain markets - because before deregulation, the airlines were being propped up by subsidies to serve smaller markets.

So sure enough, some small regional airports (Spokane for instance) or small large market airports (Cleveland) saw service slashed in many cases. The newest start up airlines (like Spirit or Virgin) tended to either serve the larger markets (New York, L.A., S.F., Florida) and did not completely take up the slack left by the legacy carriers in the smaller market areas (Charlotte, Montgomery, etc), though Spirit did set up Detroit as a hub and offers great fares to and from there.

So it is hoped that into the void steps start up airlines with hopefully lower cost structures to serve the abandoned markets. And that is exactly what is happening with Jet America. A start-up airline (July 2009) that serves airports like Charlotte, Toledo OH, Lansing MI and South Bend IN, which will offer $9 fares to the first 9 people who purchase tickets. (The average ticket otherwise is around $200).

Europe Alert! Low Fares Abound

I love being right. (Conversely, I HATE being wrong, who doesn't) But, I was right on last winter when I wrote my newsletter for 2009 titled 2009 Travel Outlook. In it, I predicted that even though airlines were promoting great discount fares for 2009, it would be best to wait because these fares probably would not lure enough traffic to the airlines so that they would/could RAISE fares for the summer and end the discounts.

Well guess what? Not only have I been blogging about more low fares and more sales since January, it appears the mother of all sales has hit home just as the travel vacation season starts. I still think airfares will be even lower after Labor Day (it's a seasonal thing) but now is the time to book for this summer.

The N. Y. Times In Transit blog notes that FareCompare just reported that sales are bounding to lots of domestic, international and especially European locations. Such as these round trip fares from New York: Paris for $349 (all taxes incl!) Zurich $237non stop, London $529 and Rome $296.00

From Chicago, go to Cancun for $253, Paris for $634 and Frankfurt for $506. And from LA: Paris $825 , Bangkok $703, Frankfurt $521 and London $817. More lower international fares are available also, such as LA - Manila $699, Puerta Vallarta $325, Rio $480, Sydney Aust $591 and Tokyo $598.  

Even if fares dropped some more, how can you beat these prices? It isn't worth the risk of them selling out just to save another $40 so I suggest if you are going overseas, now is the time to buy. As the blog notes, these fares are 50% off what they were just (days) ago. With gas prices surging once again, fares may rise soon (or fuel surcharges raised) and it makes no sense to wait any longer to book these flights.

Beware RyanAir: Europe's Most Hated Airline?

Ryan Air is an Irish discount airline that has generated tremendous amounts of news since its inception. There was a row last year about arbitrarily canceling tickets bought on Third Party sites. Recently, the flamboyant (and often considered annoying) CEO went public with a comment that RyanAir will charge an extra fee for anything they think they can charge for - and boy did they!

Now they are in the news again because less than 1/3rd of registered patrons to their website taking a survey voted 'overwhelmingly' to charge a 'fat tax' on overweight passengers. (Since when is 30% for and 70% against considered overwhelming?) I decided to see what complaints have been registered against RyanAir and while I realize ALL airlines generate hundreds if not thousands of complaints, the nature of RyanAirs complaints brings to mind bait and switch.

Now to be sure, they are far cheaper than the European legacy carriers. People reported a 30 euro cost versus a legacy airlines charge of 300 euros is just one example. But here's the rub, they charge for just about anything common to mankind. Pay with a debit card? 20 Euros. More than one bag? Extra charge. Excess WEIGHT on baggage? up to 280 euros. Want to check in manually? 20 euros. Take a purse onboard? That's considered a bag too: extra charge. Priority borading? Extra charge. One reviewer noted they paid for a beverage with a 20 euro note and NEVER got 10 of their change back 'because the staff "didn't have (and couldn't find) a tenner". So they KEPT the money! A reviewer summed it up this way: "So our 'cheap flight' that cost a reasonable amount to book ended up costing probably more than other airlines who don't fleece you at every turn." You can see this website here and read about many more complaints too.

In addition, complaints have been heard because of the incessant in flight advertising. An article from About.com noted this: "Flying Ryanair can be like watching a home-shopping channel late at night. You’ll be offered all sorts of things at "great prices", including lottery tickets and calendars featuring scantily dressed flight attendants. Depending on your mood and outlook on life this can be amusing or annoying." Even landing in the city you bought a ticket to is dicey - to go to Hanburg, you actually fly into Lubeck! All legal the article noted. Problem is, if you were connecting in Hamburg, landing miles away is not likely to allow you to make your connection.

The article also noted that the CEO has been compared to Simon Cowell - the man you love to hate. No wonder he was able to say what he said about charging for anything and everything - he's outspoken and his airline is somewhat outrageous. In the end, buyer beware seems to truly apply to RyanAir!