Consumer Traveler Today: Feb 10

Consumer Traveler Today: Should British Airways follow its own ticket rules? It’s not brain surgery — oh wait, it is brain surgery
 
 
Should British Airways follow its own ticket rules? It’s not brain surgery — oh wait, it is brain surgery
What we’re reading: NCL bases ship in New Orleans, SWA faces FAA investigation, Airline CFOs see improvements
4 personality types of an airport book signing
My furry Valentine
GAO: No formal testing for whole-body scanners
Travelex Insurance says Peru rains and mudslides may not be covered by insurance.
Should British Airways follow its own ticket rules? It’s not brain surgery — oh wait, it is brain surgery
Posted: 10 Feb 2010 03:15 AM PST
If you’re holding a nonrefundable airline ticket, the rules are clear: You can get credit, valid for a year from the date of your booking, by informing the airline before your trip.
       

What we’re reading: NCL bases ship in New Orleans, SWA faces FAA investigation, Airline CFOs see improvements
Posted: 10 Feb 2010 03:00 AM PST
Norwegian Cruise Lines will base a cruise ship in New Orleans, Southwest Airlines faces FAA investigation on maintenance again, Airline CFOs are confident airline business will improve
       

4 personality types of an airport book signing
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 09:15 AM PST
In all my travels, I had never seen an author signing books in an airport book store. That’s why the idea seemed so perfect when the opportunity arose to hit the road for an “Airport Book Tour” for my book Step Back from the Baggage Claim: Change the World, Start at the Airport. The [...]
       

My furry Valentine
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 08:15 AM PST
As the holiday of hearts approaches, you’re probably thinking long-stemmed roses served on a breakfast tray in a 5-star hotel. Then, hmmm ... snuggling, doing the love thang, champagne, chocolate, doing the love thang again, bundling up for a hand-holding stroll, dinner, a show and home again. The odds are slim that your amorous thoughts turn to things that creep and crawl and fly. But what if Cupid inspired you to do just that — think of animals for Valentine’s Day? One equatorial word immediately leaps to the lips: Galapagos.
       

GAO: No formal testing for whole-body scanners
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 07:15 AM PST
What we have here, based on fairly basic research, is an expensive new whole-body scanner technology being deployed nationwide by TSA over the howls of numerous privacy groups, without independent testing, using the manufacturers' claims, all being lead by the former head of the Department of Homeland Security saying, basically, trust us.
       

Travelex Insurance says Peru rains and mudslides may not be covered by insurance.
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 06:15 AM PST
Although almost all travel agents sell travel insurance, most agents will also tell you that they hate doing so. Because, quite frankly, even though travel insurance can help protect an expensive travel investment, often it seems as if insurers do everything possible to say “no” when a claim is actually filed. And judging by the information [...]