Kayak has an excellent reference for fees across all airlines which is updated on a regular basis. I’ve attached a snapshot of the table as an example (Click on the thumbnail to get a readable picture).
It’s always a good idea to stay up-to-date on the fees so you can make the right decision for yourself and your clients.
A reader pointed me to a site which may be useful for international travelers. The purpose of the site is mainly focused on unlocking phones for use across different phone carriers, but they also provide free tools and guides (http://www.uniquephones.com/Phone-Travel-Guides.html).
One tool, checks phone compatibility for a specific country given a make and model. For many of the cases, it is just checking if GSM is supported in the country since a GSM phone will work in any country as long as you have a SIM card (pre-paid or belonging to a supported carrier) installed in the phone. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of every combination, but it’s worth a check if you’re planning to make a trip into another country and want to make sure your phone will work. You can also go to many of the GSM-related sites and just look up the country you plan to visit. If you have a GSM-compatible phone, you’re good to go.
I’d stay away from another tool which allows you to estimate expected roaming charges when using your phone in another country based on your current carrier. I punched in a few values and it doesn’t appear to calculate the dollar amount very accurately. In fact, I tested 0 for all the input values but it still gave a high cost due to roaming. Looks like a ploy to get to you to signup with one of the SIM card providers.
Looks like mixed reviews for the unlocking services so user beware.
Thanks, Vikki.
CNN has an article which does a great job of summarizing the new changes put forth by the U.S. Transportation Department aimed at improving the air travel experience.
The original news release is also available from the the Department of Transportation website.
The bumping rules cover compensation requirements airlines must adhere to when passengers are involuntarily bumped from their flight.
Bumping Rule Highlights:
The new rule goes into effect next month
Fliers who are involuntarily bumped will receive up to $400 if they are rescheduled to reach their destination within two hours of their original arrival time or four hours for international flights, and up to $800 if they are not rerouted within that timeframe.
The new rule covers more flights, including those operated with aircraft seating 30 people or more; the current rule covers flights with 60 seats or more.
The amount of these payments are determined by the price of the ticket and the length of the delay, and are in addition to the value of the passenger’s ticket, which the flyer can use for alternate transportation or have refunded if not used.
Frequent flyers do not usually get involuntarily bumped due to our status, but it’s always good to know what your rights are as a flyer should this ever occur to you. Losing personal time because an airline oversold a plane is not fair to the passengers, so hopefully these changes will reduce the frequency.
Not to be outdone by Hyatt, it looks like Marriott Platinum Elite members are eligible for a special one-year complimentary membership to Clear.
Off the Website:
The Clear Card allows you to access a fast lane through airport security at 17 major airports nationwide. As the number of participating airports grows, so does the value of Clear. The first time you breeze through security without the unpredictable, long lines, you’ll marvel at the time you save.
Enrollment in Clear is easy and, for Marriott Platinum Rewards members, complimentary. Start the process online by clicking join now on the left, then bring two forms of government-issued I.D. to any Clear enrollment station, where an attendant will confirm your I.D.s, capture iris and fingerprint images, and take your photograph.
After that, we’ll mail you your card and you’ll be free and clear, ready to speed through airport security, whether you’re on your way to your next Marriott stay, or anywhere else.
While it is not accepted everywhere, it appears to be rolling out to more and more airports each month.
Airports Accepting the Clear card:
- Albany (ALB)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG)
- Denver (DEN)
- Indianapolis (IND)
- Jacksonville (JAX)*
- New York JFK Terminals 1, 4 and 7 (JFK)
- New York LaGuardia Central Terminal (LGA)
- Newark Terminal B2 (EWR)
- Little Rock (LIT)
- Oakland (OAK)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Reno-Tahoe (RNO)*
- San Francisco (SFO)
- San José (SJC)
- Washington Dulles (IAD)
- Washington Reagan (DCA)
- Westchester (HPN)
Just enter “Marriott” followed immediately by your Marriott Rewards number in the discount field on the payment information page at the end of the enrollment process and receive your complimentary first year of membership.
Less time in a security line can only be a good thing.
Historically, I’ve been a self-admitted technology-junkie. I used to be a technology fanatic before that, but time (less of it) got in the way. Today, I still like technology, but first I ask myself, “Will the time I put into learning some new technology pay me back in time-saving dividends down the line?” If the answer is “Yes”, I pick it up. Most of the time, the answer is “No” and I mentally drop it into the “one day when I have time, maybe I’ll pick it up, but until then, this will just be a big time sink” bucket.
It all comes down to efficiency, when and where it makes sense. Tedious tasks - automate them. Repetitive tasks - get it to down a process so you don’t have to think about it. Complex tasks - break them down into simple tasks, then automate what you can. If in doubt, find the keyboard shortcut.
This need for efficiency drove me to read several self-help books. Out of all the self-help books I’ve devoured, only “Getting Things Done” by Dave Allen proved to be practical and immediately valuable. The best part is I didn’t have to apply the entire system to start gaining value from reading the book. I was reminded of this book by a recent radio show titled “Tech Junkies Crazy About ‘Getting Things Done’” on NPR’s “All Things Considered”. I wholeheartedly recommend checking out this book - it was well worth my time and could be worth yours.
Remember, spending time with your loved ones should never be considered a task. Spend as much time as possible with them and avoid automating with a DVD player, television, or anything technology.