Tagged With "higher fees"
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Zipcar adds more airports; tests one-way rentals
Zipcar, which rents cars by the hour to its members for short-term use, is expanding its on-airport locations, adding seven more for a total of over 50. The new ones include Orlando and Tampa. For those who aren't familiar with Zipcar, it works...
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"Kona Coffee": Greenwell Farms Coffee Tours
Kona coffee is world famous for its full-bodied, non-bitter, bold flavor. Hard to put the taste into words, but it's good coffee! The micro-climate just south of Kona, around 1000 - 2000 ft above sea level, is perfect for...
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British Air adds year-round Iceland flights
British Airways will be flying Heathrow-Rekyjavik three times a week, starting October 25, becoming the first mainline trans-Atlantic carrier to offer year-round service. BA and others have operated summer services, but the winter has been largely...
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Spirit grows its route system
Spirit, the penny-pinching fee-hiking airline everyone loves to say they hate, must be doing something right, because they're able to launch nine new non-stop routes from Atlanta and 3 from Los Angeles in the next few months. The routes will be...
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TSA-confiscated items: Wonder where they go?
Every day, hundreds of items are surrendered to TSA at airports around the country (note the word: TSA doesn't like to say confiscated). Where do they all go? Seems that after the liquids and aerosols are disposed of, the rest go on trips of...
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"Sky-Fi" cost keeps shifting...up and down
The more it becomes clear that inflight Wi-Fi is what passengers want, the less clear it is just how much will be available and how much it will cost. Airlines are switching—with costs involved—to satellite based services from vendors such...
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AA-USAir loyalty merger...and a maybe last chance
American Airlines will merge its two loyalty programs "within 30 days" according to e-mails sent yesterday to all members of the USAir Dividend Miles program, which will be folded into the AAdvantage program. All existing miles will transfer; for some...
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American, USAir loyalty programs will merge Q2 2015
American and USAir have just notified their frequent flier program members (AAdvantage and Dividend Miles) of more detailed plans for merging the two plans, including a date: 2nd quarter of 2015, as well as details of the merger plan. All USAir...
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Wow Air Brings the Wow to Airline Prices
Icelandic Airline Wow is starting service to Boston in (March,2015 )and Baltimore in (June 2016) They have posted some great airfares to Reykjavik,London and Copenhagen. Some prices today were lower than $250.00 rt ! Read More:...
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Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
Marriott is breaking the old internet template used by many hotel chains. Lower priced hotels, including lower end Marriott properties (eg. Fairfield Inn, Courtyard) have offered free wi-fi for some time. Upper end Marriott properties have...
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Historic Route 66 (pt 3) - Flagstaff to Gallup
The next leg of my trip was the shortest distance I had to drive, but it took the longest time. There was a lot to see along the way. Flagstaff AZ I was last in Flagstaff 20 years ago. It was a dismal depressed town in which nothing was...
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What do travelers like least about airlines?
Could it be full crowded planes? A near absence of customer service? Smaller narrower cramped seats? Mediocre food you need to pay for on the plane? No, as we've previously reported, travelers really dislike add-on...
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Fee-free weekend kicks off National Park Week
U.S. National Parks will celebrate its annual National Park Week starting Saturday, April 18th, with two days of no entry fees (Saturday and Sunday) to kick off the celebration of America's more than 400 National Parks, big and small. Many...
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Traveler advocates ask DOT to cap change fees
FlyersRights.org has petitioned the Federal Department of Transportation to put a $100 cap on change fees for international flights. The fees, which used to run around $50 to $100 now go as high as $750, and the group says they have no relation to the...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 26, 2014: The Hope Diamond, Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Throughout my academic life I have come across the famed Hope Diamond. In elementary school I remember seeing photos of this magnificent gem. In middle school I remember hearing stories of its notorious curse. In high school...
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Airlines, Airports split over new fees
You'd think the airlines had never heard of a fee they didn't like, but now they've found one. Maybe what they don't like about it is that the money goes to airports, not airlines. The charge, which the airlines call a "tax" is the Passenger Facility...
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Waived Booking Fees on AA Award Travel
This may not be news to some of you, but it is new to me. Heading to the AAdvantage webpage to see what flights might be available, I discovered a notice informing us that American now waives fees when booking by phone, starting today, when reserving...
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Easyjet 'Hands Free': travel gift or ripoff fee?
Easyjet offers Hands Free for a price. Is it a helping hand, or just another nickle-and-dime fee?
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Hawaiian Airlines gets restitution from drunk passenger
This time, it was the airline (and fellow passengers) who were abused.
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Seville Cathedral, Spain (Where Gumbo was, #237)
Gumbo was visiting the beautiful Gothic Cathedral in Seville, Spain. Built on the site of a mosque, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit when in Andalusia.
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Ryanair cuts free baggage even more
Ryanair reduces onboard baggage allowance except for passengers who pay for priority boarding.
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Germans win free beaches
Germany's highest court bars towns from charging for access to the beach, but they can put fees on bathhouses and other facilities.
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November 15, 2017: Liechtenstein Castle, Lower Austria
Professor Abe shares images of a lovely castle built in the 12th century by the Liechtenstein (yes, the ones with the tiny country named after them).
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May 30, 2017: Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary
Marilyn Jones takes us to a sanctuary that rehabilitates injured seabirds and works to raise awareness of the perils they face.
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Texas theme park opens a wheelchair splash park
A theme park noted for its accessibility for all inaugurates a splash park that's wheelchair-accessible, too.
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June 8, 2017: Ouimet Canyon, Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Ottoman was pleasantly surprised to find this unexpected natural wonder within short driving distance from his home town of Thunder Bay.
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Apr. 13, 2017: An afternoon at Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove State Park is a fine example of why people fall in love with California...Sand, Sun, and Surf.
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Journey through Karnataka: Hampi
Professor Abe's fascinating journey through the Karnataka region continues with an exploration of the fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi.
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Caguas Botanical Gardens: a taste of history and culture
Jonathan L takes us on a tour of the garden, which is organized to mirror aspects of the island's culture and history.
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National Railway Museum, York, England.
Paul Hunter visits the National Railway Museum in York, England. Check out its impressive exhibits!
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Dispatches from Ikaria: Part 2
Professor Abe's visit to Ikaria continues, this week looking at some of the island's geothermal springs which drew some of the first tourists to the island. Today the Greek island is a spa destination with a number of charming small towns and villages.
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July 18, 2017: Marblehead Lighthouse, Ohio
The oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, Marblehead is surrounded by picnic areas and features a Lifesaving Station museum.
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Amsterdam councillors: cheap visitors, stay home!
Amsterdam's fiinance councillor wants only visitors who can pay for lavish meals...
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Airline fees hit new $7 billion record
A GAO report pinpoints the continuing growth of fees, accounting for nearly half of airline profits, and continuing issues of transparency.
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Rome's Pantheon gets a fee (when they figure out where to collect)
The 1900-year-old icon will soon have an entry fee, once the city figures out how to build a ticket window that won't be an eyesore.
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Fees, fees, everywhere: Now it's the cruise ships
Royal Caribbean will require all passengers in a cabin to buy its alcohol package if one does.
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Nov. 18, 2017: Dead Letter Office?
In Paris's famed Passage des Panoramas, an assortment of, well, things...
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Rockefeller's Cathedral: Riverside Church, New York
PHeymont visits one of Manhattan's most famous and beautiful churches and shares its unusual history
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Poking around Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Stephanie Kalina-Metzger shares a visit to the small and historic West Virginia town of Berkeley Springs.
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Passport woes may snag travel return
With passport offices shut down or limited during the coronavirus crisis, many travelers may find themselves without valid passports by summer.
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Bag fee hike for Basic (less) Economy
American Airlines bumps up baggage fees with its cheapest tickets, and blames it on its partners.
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UK report: Virus crisis could kill cash
The ongoing lockdowns are accelerating the trend toward a cashless society, and that's raising serious concerns.
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Why add Kuang Si Falls in your Laos Tour Package Itinerary?
Details of a beautiful waterfall make it well worth seeing when visiting Laos (sponsored content)
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Dusk at Agra's Moon Garden
DrFumblefinger visits the Moon Garden in Agra, where he got his first view of the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna River.
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Nature and History: Great Falls of the Potomac
The Potomac River's spectacular falls just north of Washington are a pleasant visit, and the scene of important American history.
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Dublin's special spot for solo flyers
Dublin Airport is testing two versions of special seating and services for solo travelers to make life a bit easier...for a price.
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Trabzon, Turkey: Ancient History, Modern Life
Lester shares a visit to the ancient city of Trabzon, exploring its history and sights.
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January 1, 2020: Arderne Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
Professor Abe views some of the most impressive trees in South Africa at the Arderne Gardens.
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Ashland, Virginia: "Center of the Universe"
Stephanie shares a visit to the charming community of Ashland, known by some as the "Center of the Universe".