Author: Travel Curmudgeon

Newark Airport Travelers Be Aware!

March 27, 2018: Transit time — via subway and rail — to and from New York can now take up to 4 long frustrating hours due to construction at Penn Station and reduced service from the Newark train station to the airport. Nothing runs on time and schedules for both services usually run late if at all.  And to add even more traveler confusion, Newark Airport continues it’s very slow construction modernization project with most of the airport a dirty dusty confusing construction mess.  If traveling to and from the Big Apple — stick with JFK — LaGuardia, the airport then VP Biden called “at best a third world airport” continues it’s modernization program and is also a mess. JFK works well —stay with what you know!

United Airlines — Please Stop Screwing Around with the Boarding Line!

March 26, 2018: United is once again causing passenger confusion by testing another new way to board their planes — the current 5 line system, travelers ranked by a convoluted classification system based on frequent flyer status, works very efficiently. Now the airline is testing at LAX a 2 line boarding system — without defining or expelling why this may work faster and be less confusing — seems to the TC a BIG waste of time and resources — how about taking these expenses and putting the $$$’s to offering some free food on long haul flights?  How about that??

Is My Pet Boa Considered a Support Animal When I Fly?

March 23, 2018: Air travelers traveling with so called, “emotional support” animals continues to set new highs and lows — Federal guidelines say the airlines must allow passengers traveling with the support animals to board and fly — but don’t provide any guidance as to what types of support pets fit the category. Recently a traveler tried to board a United flight with a full size emotional support peacock — even bought a seat for the feathery critter — United said NO and neither the passenger or bird made the flight.  In another case, Oscar (so called emotional support Boa) was also denied boarding —even though the 7 foot long Boa’s owner had purchased a seat for “his pet” and was going to take Oscar out of his container and let him sit —or coil-on the middle seat.  How would you like to be the passenger sitting on the other side of 7 foot long fat hungry Oscar?

Travel Know-it-All Rick Steves Hits a Wall with Pickpockets?

March 19, 2018: Is no one safe from pickpockets when traveling?  Guess not — even self proclaimed travel guru Rick Steves doesn’t take his own travel advice and does battle with a pickpocket — here’s his take on the incident.  Be careful all, especially in Rome, Paris and London — and especially when taking public transit!!!
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/dodging-sticky-fingers-how-to-outfox-europes-pickpockets

Sheraton New York — Maybe starting a trend — Daily Destination Fee to Already Overly High Priced Room Rates!

March 15, 2018: Sheraton New York Times Square Adds $25 Daily “Destination Fee” – One Mile at a Time — could this be the start of a trend that more major hotel chains will implement to generate easy add on fees? Maybe taking a page from airline add on baggage fees, Sheraton looks to increase profits with out adding expenses? Smart — or stupid “lack of customer service” move???