Consumer Traveler

Undiscovered Valencia, Spain, visiting the medieval core

Charlie Leocha — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:26:00 +0000

Just three hours east of Madrid, and three hours south of Barcelona, Valencia is Spain's third largest city. Right now the America's Cup, sailing's top competition, is being contested. Valencia has a beautiful, almost tropical location, sunny skies, fabulous paella, and a fascinating medieval center. Best of all, it has almost completely escaped the galloping American tourist. Come while away a week or two.

Travelers short-changed in currency conversion fee decision

Edward Hasbrouck — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:54:51 +0000

In a ruling issued 22 October 2009, the judge hearing the Federal class-action lawsuit against credit card companies for fraudulently hidden and/or inflated fees for credit, debit, and ATM transactions in foreign currencies has overruled all of the objections to the settlement and to the plan for allocating what's left of the third of a billion dollar settlement fund after the lawyers get their fee. The only major change made by the judge was to cut the lawyers' fee down from the US$85 million they asked for to a little over US$50 million (plus expenses).

United Airlines exploring viability of stacking them like cordwood

Charlie Leocha — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:54:12 +0000

In its ongoing effort to cut transportation costs and boost profits, United Airlines announced Tuesday that it was exploring the feasibility of herding them into planes and stacking them like cordwood from floor to ceiling.

Please complete “Getting to know you” — a survey of our readers

Charlie Leocha — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:15:30 +0000

Please take the time to answer a dozen questions for us that will help to focus the material on ConsumerTraveler.com. We are very interested in who are our readers.

Bad news, bargain-hounds: “The worst appears to be over” for lodging industry

Christopher Elliott — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:04:51 +0000

It's good news for them, bad news for us. Sorta.

Are airlines really unregulated?

Charlie Leocha — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:15:26 +0000

The fact of the matter is that airlines are only partially deregulated. They are not too different from the giant electric utilities that use massive grids to distribute power. There is a regulated portion of the system that is the airport infrastructure and the airtraffic control system. This traffic grid is controlled by the FAA, the military and municipalities.

Making amends? Ask before you give

Peter M. Zollman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:15:10 +0000

The hotel I was staying at made a significant mistake on my food. A major screw-up that, under different circumstances, could have led to an industrial-strength lawsuit. But they apologized profusely and said they’d take corrective action. Fair enough; thank you.

Hang onto those airline receipts…or with United it’s going to cost you

Janice Hough — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:15:19 +0000

Electronic tickets have made life a lot easier for travelers, and travel arrangers, who can't keep track of pieces of paper. But that doesn't mean we are anywhere near a paperless society.

Paging Dr. Anita: How to vaccinate your next cruise vacation

Anita Dunham-Potter — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:16:19 +0000

With the outbreak of the swine flu virus dominating headlines many are putting cruise travel on the backburner. Still there is a way to cruise and safely protect your vacation investment.

What we’re reading: AirTran partners with SkyWest, September airport traffic rises, NWA pilots appeal license revocation

Steve Surjaputra — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:12:58 +0000

AirTran has partnered with SkyWest out of Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport starting December 4. SkyWest will be operating five 50-seat CRJ200s.