1. At restaurants, I’m sure we’d all love to hear less of the new catch-phrase- “How is your food tasting?”  In the last year, it seems that everyone has been to a seminar that tells wait staff to ask that question.  Frankly, I’d be happier if wait staff just asked if we needed anything or if everything was cooked as we requested.  If things taste terrible, people will usually say so.  If things are only a little yucky we might “suck it up,” but never return.
2. Also, regarding restaurants, I wish, especially at high-end restaurants, that the wait staff would wait, meaning leave us alone more. Whoever is dining came for the experience, not to be interrupted constantly. Come by less often so we have a chance to actually experience the food. How many times have you been putting your very first morsel in your mouth, only to be asked, “How is the food tasting?” (See #1 above).  I would sometimes like to react sarcastically – “I don’t know.  If you actually gave me some time to try the food, then I could answer.”
3. On airlines – well, I could write a book on how airlines need to change.  First, they could stop hiding charges and just tell us what it will cost us to take their illustrious airline to reach our destination.  Maybe they could go with a tiered list – like a menu – Group A – pay for the following for these services. Group B – these are the items and services included.  ETC.
4. The charge for reserving a seat on Allegiant particularly irked me! No matter what, we have to sit down.  So, include that in the regular fee, just give a surcharge for those who decide they must sit more forward.
5. Also, Allegiant’s early boarding extra fee should go.  If many people decided to go for this perk, than it would negate the result the harried traveler is seeking. Pay more – get less?
6. I don’t mind the security efforts.  I understand the need.  What I could use less of is the attitude on the part of the TSA screeners.  Although I realize they do not exactly earn the big bucks, they could still be more diplomatic.  My encounter with a Phoenix TSA person had them challenging me to call someone to prove I am the upstanding citizen I claimed to be.  I think it came down to my having thrown in one item loose (nail polish) that should have been in the clear quart bag.  Hey, people are not perfect! Less attitude, more professionalism would have been the correct way to go.
7. Also, and this is a criticism of people who travel and general courtesy,  please cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.  Better yet, stay home if you’re really sick. When I was heading to a wedding in NYC, the woman diagonally in back of me was coughing up a storm.  This was in the height of the swine flu wave engulfing the world.  I had boosted my vitamins, but I resented her lack of consideration.  Airplanes are big germ recirculators.
8. At hotels, I’d like to see hotels actually follow through on requests.  Less lip service, in other words. Example: If I’ve asked for no feather pillows, but had no idea that my comments would not be forwarded to the hotel from the booking Web site, please let people know that.  I have had some good experiences on my requests, especially if I booked directly with the hotel.
9. I’d also like to see less obscure language on all booking forms that I’m signing my life away with.  Tell me in plain language what I’m agreeing to do or not do when I book a flight, sign in for a car rental, check in at a hotel.  We’re tired, in a hurry, and are likely to sign anything just to get our requested service.

10. Less waiting would be nice at all locations – car rentals, airline desks, hotels, etc.  One of the best ideas I’ve seen was the car rental person who greeted each customer as they entered and verified what they needed so things could be sped up.  In other words – you would not need to stand in line only to find out that you didn’t need to stand in that line.

Wishing all of our readers a happy, adventuresome, delightful year in travel!

Take a look at our SHOP for memorabilia on travel locations.  And, we’re open to your suggestions on new things to feature in the SHOP.

Next week…We talk about some ADVENTURES.  After all, we are traveltipsandadventures.

1. Genuine courtesy.  Not forced, but real manners.
2. Airlines that don’t charge for everything under the sun. Give me a real price.  Don’t I need to sit for the flight?  So, why do I need to pay for my seat?
3. Equal opportunity security at all airports.  In one airport, I forgot to take out my quart-sized bag of 3 oz items.  They never stopped me. In another airport, they checked me until I was almost embarrassed.
4. Restaurants that remember to ASK if you’d like anything else. I’m tired of them trying to turn tables when we’d really like to be asked about dessert.  Wait staff show up with the bill before asking. Wouldn’t they like to earn a bigger tip for dessert?
5. Unscented bath items.  The floral scents are driving us nuts!  My husband would prefer not to smell like he was wearing a bad woman’s perfume.  I just can’t tolerate scents. We are trying to cut back on how much we carry (see #3, above.)
6. Earlier check in times at hotels.  We never seem to get somewhere when it’s time to check in yet.  Just a coincidence of scheduling.  Sometimes hotels are ready and willing to have us check in, but sometimes not. Think about it – you rent a room for about 19 hours at some hotels – if check in time is 4 PM and check out time is 11 AM.  Do they really need all that time to clean a room? (Especially when maids come knocking on your door trying to get in early!)
7. People turning off their cell phones when they are in theaters, meetings and gatherings.  Do they really want us to hear about all of their issues and dirty details of their life, love and hygiene?
8. Lighting that actually lights a room.  I actually like to see to get around.  With the new LCD lights that use less wattage, that shouldn’t be such a big deal or cost to hotels.
9. “You’re welcome” instead of service and other people saying, “No problem.”  I didn’t expect that what I’ve requested or paid for is a PROBLEM.  If I did you a favor – changed seats, offered a courtesy, etc. -Try the ever popular – THANK YOU!

10.  And, last but not least, remember that we are all passengers on this “Earth Ship.” – Be nice to each other and the environment.  I’m tired of people dropping their cigarettes, refuse and leftovers for me to squish with my shoes or sit in.  Yes, be nice!  A little kindness goes a long way!

What do you think, readers?  Do you have some things you’d like to see more – or less of- in your travels? Write in and I’ll post them!

Enjoy your travels – even if it means just taking an elevator with someone.  Try smiling and giving someone eye contact!  That will really shake people up!  They won’t believe you are just being friendly!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Don’t forget to check our SHOP for items to order with our memorable images.  Our blog is unsubsidized and we’d like to keep it that way!  So, if you like our blog, buy something, would ya?  (If you’d like to see one of our images that we haven’t already turned into a mousepad, shirt or other collectible, please let us know.  We’ll be glad to oblige!)

If you are taking any airline except for Allegiant (see our blogs on our trip to Oregon), you’ll likely land at Phoenix at Sky Harbor Airport.  Terminals are large and do include amenities like moving sidewalks for some of the long walks from your arrival gate down to baggage claims.

Heading down to baggage claim - Terminal 4

In Terminal 4, the most used one by airlines to Phoenix, baggage claim is on a lower level, with passengers able to leave on both the north and south sides of the terminal.  I make the distinction of north and south sides since you’ll want to make sure where you are going for pick up.  If you’re getting a bus to the off-site car rental location (all housed in one large building off of the airport’s premises), you’ll be picked up on the south side of the terminal.  But, individuals can still make connections on the north side, so make sure you know which side of the building you’ll be on.

Baggage claim

If you have someone you know picking you up, there is a free lot near terminal 4 for “cell phone calls” where someone can wait for you until they hear from you that you have arrived.  A posted light board gives flight statuses, but don’t expect that to be up to the minute – by husband heard from me that I’d arrived before the board even indicated we’d landed.

Mosaic from terminal wall - note the cacti

Leaving Sky Harbor

If you landed in the daytime, you’ll see the vastness of the Valley of the Sun spread out for many miles in every direction.  Unlike many airports that are tucked at the edge of the development, Sky Harbor had the city grow around it.

Depending on what your transportation is and ultimate destination, you’ll be heading in any number of directions.  Most of the car rental locations put you west of the airport.  If you’re heading to downtown Phoenix, you go further west; to Scottsdale, you’ll be heading northeast, the “Easy Valley” – that’s southeast (Chandler), Tempe is east, the west valley includes Surprise, Buckeye, Avondale.  

Points north of Phoenix include resort destinations like Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon.  Two to four hours will get you to the Grand Canyon or most major destinations anywhere in the state.  Tucson is south on Interstate 10 it and can take one-and-a half hours to Tucson – or more depending on the amount of construction and traffic.

Arizona has some natural and historic attractions, as well as manmade ones, that could easily take you weeks to visit.  We’ll spend the next several weeks exploring them.

Tomorrow: The first of several manmade attractions as we offer an overview and visit one of the Native American casino/hotel properties near Phoenix.  The environs are gorgeous, and the amenities include a lot more than just a casino if you’re not the gambling type. And, the location is only about 15 minutes from the airport.

We’re trying out Allegiant Airlines for the first time. They serve really small markets and are frill-free. You pay for everything – except they haven’t gotten yet to charging for use of the airline toilets.  If they do that, we might reconsider.  In general, our experience was positive.

Arriving at our departure terminal in “Mesa-Phoenix”– well, it is not what you expect when you’ve flown into major airports in NYC, California, and Chicago. The terminal is very small. One security line with one gate. Once you’ve been through the security rigmarole, you exit that building, walk across a courtyard, and find yourself in the departure lounge.

In the departure lounge, there is a shop that sells the typical magazines, snacks, bottled water and other drinks at exorbitant prices. That is the only location to purchase “stuff” before you board.

While you wait, you can be entertained while you watch the airline personnel pull up a giant boarding ramp to the airplane. No enclosed ramps.

When they call you for boarding, you walk across the tarmac, climb up the ramp, find your seat and settle in.

Take off

We took off from the gate fifteen minutes after our scheduled departure, but ten minutes later we were up, soon flying at an altitude of 32,000 feet. Clouds skimmed by as we passed Laughlin, Nevada and Lake Tahoe. The puffy clouds looked like cotton candy, tufted and white, not the pink you find at a circus.

Jet trail at 32,000 feet

The flight attendants efficiently canvassed our almost full flight (I only saw about six empty seats on a flight with 120 seats) and provided everyone with drinks and snacks – for which they charged. Then, they held raffles, to the pleasure of several passengers who won money and gifts.

Landing

Patchwork quilt of farmland near Eugene Airport

We landed on time in Eugene, Oregon. The terminal, which was not impressive from the air, was more luxurious than Mesa-Phoenix by far. Clean, with quite a few food vendors and car rentals, Eugene Airport was a great place to fly into. We got our checked baggage fairly quickly, our rental car as well, and headed out quickly.

The "Duck" at the Eugene, Oregon airport

Alamo Car Rental provided us with a very updated car – a hybrid that puzzled us at first. The “key” did not go in an ignition. Instead, the driver pushes a button when the key is inside the vehicle. It doesn’t seem like the car is on because it is very quiet. The weirdest feeling is the total quiet when you stop at an intersection. No noise – at all. The great thing was the mileage the dashboard told us we were getting – 40 miles per gallon – going up a hill! Wow.

All in all, a good start to our trip.

We headed to the Comfort Suites we had booked and landed in a great room. Many amenities are included in the hotel: fridge and microwave in each room, an indoor hot tub and pool, fitness center, free breakfast and free internet. No real hassles and an almost new hotel. Just off exit 191 on Interstate 5, the Comfort Suites is a great place to stay if you’re in the Eugene, Oregon area.

Tomorrow… Our visit with the sea lions.

What do you think of when someone mentions Dover, Delaware?  Probably not much.

Dover Sole, the White Cliffs of Dover, maybe?  Or, the place where large corporations incorporate due to favorable tax advantages?

This obviously shows you are not from Delaware, although the last answer would be correct.  Although not much more than a drive through on the way up or down Interstate 95 to somewhere else, Dover, Delaware is the home of the 436th Airlift Wing located at Dover Air Force Base.

Dover AFB is especially known for three things that are the largest of their kind in the military:

1. Home of the C-5 Galaxy – the largest U.S. military aircraft and one of the largest in the world.

C-5 Galaxy can transport 5 helicopters

2. Home of the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) largest airfreight terminal, moving more cargo than Federal Express and UPS combined.

3. Home of the largest joint-service military mortuary processing military personnel killed in both war and peacetime.

At nearly $470 million a year in revenue to the City of Dover, the base is the third largest industry in Delaware.

If you wish to visit Dover AFB there are two ways that are both free.

Air Mobility Command Museum

Hangar 1301 houses nearly 30,000 square feet of aircraft displays plus exhibit rooms, a theater and a museum store.

Outside is a display of over two-dozen aircraft including cargo and fighter jets.

* You must use the museum entrance gate on Route 9, as the museum is not accessible through the main base.

You must use the museum entrance gate on RT 9. 

Admission: Free

Parking: Free

Hours: 9AM – 4PM Tuesday – Sunday (Closed Mondays and Holidays)

http://www.amcmuseum.org./

The other free option for visiting Dover AFB will actually get you on the base, but is only available one weekend every year.

It is known as the Open House and runs one weekend, usually in June (2009 June 20-21).

From an open field parking area across from the museum, you are shuttled to the main entrance of the Open House.  In other words, don’t expect to drive on the base.  It’s not going to happen!  Those days are over …

You will be searched for weapons, and alcohol, coolers, backpacks, etc. are prohibited, as are dogs, skateboards, and in-line skates.

Strollers, diaper bags, SMALL purses and wheelchairs are acceptable, and sunscreen is highly recommended!

As there are air shows during the day, a blanket and fold-up travel chair is not a bad idea.

If you want to walk through the largest aircraft in the U.S. military fleet (C-5 Galaxy) this is probably the only place and time it can be done.  You can even climb the ladder that puts you in the cockpit high above the huge open doors that open to accept tanks, trucks and other large vehicles for rides all over the world.

Over 40 aircraft are on display, and there are performances throughout the weekend including parachute teams and the Thunderbirds.

If you have never been on an Air Force Base, this is your big chance.

http://www.dover.af.mil/library/openhouse.asp

Purchase this image or others on a T-shirt, mug or other item.  Just let us know what you’d like, then visit our “Shop” in a few days and you’ll be able to purchase your own memento. 

Cost: Free

Then, as technology advanced you were given the option to book online OR, call that friendly reservation agent.

Cost: Free (for either service)

Fast forward to the year 2009. The following keywords are now in full force:1. Recession (Bad for everyone)

2. “We’re losing money” (Bad for the airlines)
3. Nickel and Diming (Good for the airlines – Bad for everyone else)

As the tourism industry began taking a major hit in the wallet, most of the smart people in the business began taking measures to keep customers flowing in.

A) When Las Vegas saw it was losing money the hotels began lowering their cost per room to get back tourist dollars.

B) Restaurants are changing their menus to offer more cost effective entrees that will bring in a more cost conscious public.

C) Even the government is giving us a FREE day at selected National Parks around the county.

D) And the airlines … well they are RAISING their fares AND piling on extra charges so that the traveling public has a “choice” of which services they wish to use.

The most important thing to remember is that they see no end in sight to the add-on services because now their profits are going up!

REALITY

I sat back after booking a flight just a few days ago on an independent airline. My thoughts were cloudy, but I think I remember …

Freeeee peanuts? Freeeeee blankets and pillows? Freeeeeee meals?

Gone … gone … gone!

The airlines, large and small have found a cash cow in the last several months! Actually a Chocolate dairy cow! A Strawberry smoothie cow!

And they are drinking while we are paying … add-ons!

Take the latest example of using the traveling public for their financial gain.

Gotta Go? Better Have A Credit Card

Ryanair … (CEO Michael O’Leary just might be the smartest, or the dumbest guy in the airline industry).

O’Leary is quoted as saying he’s “asked Boeing to look into placing credit card readers on bathroom locks in new Ryanair planes.” But, he also wants two of the three bathrooms REMOVED from the plane and additional seats added (this, in itself, is probably illegal as per airline safety regulations).

The price of relief? £1, or about $1.63. At this time you will not be timed for your usage or quantity of … well you know. Just a door charge.

Timetable for institution: about two years.

Rationale? Of course “we’ve” got one! Most Ryanair flights only last about an hour … you can hold it!!!

Any entrepreneurs out there … airline travelers glass jars, tin cans, catheters

Why should the airlines be the only ones to get rich? Let’s all make some money!

STEP RIGHT UP

What’s next?

Will airlines start calculating how many steps it takes you to walk down the ramp to the door of the airplane?

FEE: $.75 Per Step (guesstimate depending on your shoe size and length of step)

Or, maybe from the beginning of the stanchion where the line begins at the reservation desk.

FEE: $.61 Per Step (and what about fidgety kids, they move around a lot! An airline accountant’s dream!)

Far fetched? Stupid? Ridiculous?

Probably not, if you’re an airline executive! (Or, one of their accountants)

A LA CARTE Isn’t Just For Dining Anymore

I just booked a flight on Allegiant Airlines. At first glance the price was great. I thought, this is great! But that was just the BASE PRICE. I began to sink into my chair as the add-ons mounted.

1. Charge For Talking To A Reservations Agent On The Phone

Booking Fee: Anyone who uses the Allegiant Air Call Center is charged $10.00 per person, per segment.

Whatever happened to live interaction customer service? And, why do I have to pay for it? (Are they going to start charging us for talking to Flight Attendants?)

I did book online and weaseled out of this gem, but not the online booking gem, excuse me, Convenience Fee.

Convenience Fee: charged for using any Allegiant booking services. $14.00 per passenger.

But Wait!

If you want to waste your gasoline and drive to an airport ticket office (and probably pay for parking) you won’t be charged the above mentioned fee. Where’s the convenience in that?

2. Checked Baggage Charge (More At The Airport Than Online)

Baggage Fees – If you purchase while you are booking, a fee between $15 and $20 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag will apply per person, per segment.

If you wait until you check in your bag/s at the airport it’s $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for second checked bag will apply per person, per segment.

An even higher fee goes into effect for three or more checked bags.

Not only are they charging me to check my bags, they are charging me more for that same bag at the airport ticket counter if I change my mind at the last minute?

(Let’s get real…this is only going to cause more people to carry on baggage and try to stuff their oversize junk in the already too small overhead compartments.)

Of course the airlines won’t agree with this logic …

3. Priority Boarding Fee

Priority Boarding – You can select this with your seat selection for a nominal fee ($7.50 per person, per segment)

It’s the new “we would like to extend an invitation to our first class passengers and anyone traveling with small children to board at this time.”

As Allegiant doesn’t have a First Class section on their planes, who benefits?

And wait a minute!

What if everyone pays the Priority Boarding Fee?

Hang on a second … if the square root of the trigonomic function of the co-lateral triangle intersects at the corner of the bisected dimensional force and we add a few parsecs and space anomalies in the equations allowing us to travel back in time …

We now have 120-150 people trying to get on the plane at the same time! (depending on whether you are on the MD-83 or MD-87 configuration)

And did I mention that the airline just took in $900 to $1125 of easy money on full flights? Who needs to go to Vegas?

4. Seat Charge

Seat Assignments: Pre-purchased seat assignments start at $11 per passenger, per segment.

The last time I checked it was MANDATORY to sit in your seat while taking off and landing. FAA rule, blah, blah, blah states …

Flight attendants will yell and scream at you to sit your rump in a seat, AND, fasten your seatbelt, BEFORE the plane can even back up. It’s the rules!

So why are they charging me to sit if I have to do it anyway?

Oh, wait a minute! Better question (obvious answer) why are they charging me more to sit CLOSER to the front of the plane than in the back?

Even Mr. Roger’s could answer that question. Can you say, GREED? Excuse me, I mean “Customer Convenience”

Of all of the charges THE SEAT CHARGE is the most bogus of all to me.

The Question of Why?

So why did I put up with any of the charges?

1. Because it was a direct flight to my non-major destination.
2. It was still cheaper (but not by much) for a 1-stop flight on another airline (even with all of their additional fees).

Am I picking on Allegiant because they are the only airline tacking on these fees?

Absolutely not!

Allegiant is not the only airline playing this game and they certainly weren’t the first. Actually the grand daddy of all of this is US Air (and RyanAir in Europe). Other U.S. carriers were cautious, then wholeheartedly jumped on the band wagon (except Southwest … at least for now).

Is it here to stay? The fees? The a la carte pricing?

You bet! Every airline corporate spokesperson is extremely excited about their newfound gravy train! They all swear it’s not going away!

So, as the economy stays in a slump for all of us travelers who keep those airlines in business, they have found their own unique way to dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves in several years ago. (Of course they will blame the high fuel costs.)

Is A La Carte pricing a bad thing?

Maybe not! Some of the fees do have some merit (if you’re not checking any luggage for example, you get a break). But springing it on the public as a way of adding to their bottom line, and then blissfully saying that ALL passengers agree with them is not a very market savvy way of doing business.

Who’s To Blame?

I certainly don’t blame the front line employees of any of the airlines for these ideas, or institution of them. I am sure pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers weren’t sitting around in a bar thinking up ways to tack on fees to the passengers that they have to see every day.

These fees are high level corporate decisions from those who don’t have to face their customers every day. The buffer/void between corporate higher ups and the public they serve has always been an interesting story.

Calculator Necessary

Grab a calculator and several credit cards the next time you consider flying just about anywhere in the world and be assured that you are helping an industry that is becoming more creative in finding ways to take your money.

Come back tomorrow for a trip down below -to  a spectacular cave

Powered Paragliding - Exhilarating!

Intrepid or, perhaps, as some people said, “nuts,” I agreed to see what the excitement was all about. I planned to see the area from a tandem apparatus that flew from heights of one to 18,000 feet off the ground. We’d be flying at about 25 miles per hour. I’m not afraid of heights. I’ve flown in airplanes and small crafts. But, I’ve never been so close to the birds.

We started out early, around 5 AM, to avoid the day’s heat. By the time we reached the Phoenix Regional Airport, about eight miles from Maricopa, and had the apparatus ready, it was close to 6 AM. To reach the sky, our powered paraglider (PPG) was our vehicle. A metal frame with mesh seat (a very cushy-looking three-wheeled cart), plus a 2-stroke engine powered by aviation gas (purer than regular car fuel), a ripstop nylon wing held to the frame with Kevlar lines, and a 4.5 gallon plastic gas tank would be taking us up. Each Kevlar line, Mo reassured me, would hold 500 pounds by itself.

Mo climbed in the back seat. I climbed in up front, with three mesh straps to hold me in – one for each leg and one around my chest. So far, so good. I had a helmet on with an intercom device so we could communicate.

And, all of a sudden, after Mo alerted me that we would go forward and then be pulled back a bit, we were up!

Powered Paragliding

We were flying! We were headed west toward Maricopa with Bill Rowe, another paragliding aficionado, ahead of us. His colorful canopy was a focal point against the sky which was already quite light.

As we flew, I saw the many thousands of cows in the feed lots that appeared as just a speckled-brown field from up high. The wind blew gently across our faces at, Mo later told me, about 10-12 miles per hour. We flew as high as 500 feet from the ground. The Estrella Mountains were off in the distance and so was Flat Top. The far-off mountains appeared a little hazy, but seeing the mountains from the air was spectacular. Everything was very quiet except for the motor of the paraglider, which you just didn’t really hear after a bit.

We could see the Tortosa housing development with sidewalks meandering about like white ribbons on the ground.
Inspired, I could see what all the excitement was about. Soaring and swooping around, floating at high altitudes and so close to the ground I could almost touch it, I was really getting excited about the views, the experience and the sense of freedom.

Mo decided to give me a taste of going off the edge of the “abyss” – a high berm – only a foot or two off the ground and into the air. For a moment or two, my stomach lurched as he swooped several times to get just the right angle to head off. And, we were off, seemingly free of the earth and away from the ground again.

Just when I was really getting to enjoy the flight, Mo declared it time to head back, since we would be going against the winds and it was going to take some time. He was also getting a bit low on gas and teased me about walking back to the hangar.

We passed canals that looked like blue lines drawn by a child in a coloring book, bordered by telephone poles with tiny wires holding them together like a long, brown necklace. The fields were open with long, green rows of cotton plants and fluffy, green clumps of pecan trees.

Finally near the landing site and over the last canal and set of power lines, Mo announced that he was cutting the engine and we’d glide in, which we did. It was effortless – or so he made it seem. We floated down and landed very easily. Sadly, my flying adventure was over for the day.

Then, Mo and Bill put on a colorful show for me with both heading back up and often almost appearing to be one sail in the distance in two separate rigs. Mo had traded his tandem rig for a one-seater without wheels, which he claimed gives more control.

Once they were down, they shook out the canopies, folded them up, and tucked them into bags as you would a tent. All of this was accomplished rapidly, almost effortlessly.

Mo has taught people to fly ranging from ages 13-76 years old; he’s flown with people ages 2-84 years old. The most moving experience he’s had was when he took a Viet Nam-era pilot up with terminal cancer, who died three days later. It really made him feel how precious every moment is. And, he intends to keep flying which “keeps you young in mind and body.” Even his father, formerly skeptical, has flown with him. Mo, one of the top-ranked competitive PPG pilots in the world, enjoys “fly-ins.” One has been held in Casa Grande, AZ with PPG pilots attending from all over the country.

Most of Mo’s students have always wanted to fly; some come because of a gift certificate for a birthday. Almost everyone he’s flown – 99%- loves it! Count me in the 99%.

Icarus, eat your heart out!

Above it all

All of Mo’s information is on his Web site at www.airparamo.com

Last week,  I came across a Web site that focuses on multi-stop itineraries for independent travelers. European Destinations www.europeandestinations.com lets you create your own trip or customize their suggested itineraries. As you add in hotels, car rentals, train passes, etc., the price of your trip upgrades so you know immediately what your costs are.

I tweaked my itinerary and then compared it to the hotel Web sites of those properties I selected as well as with www.hotels.com to see if the prices were in line, or even better.

What I found was the following ($1.46 = £1):LONDON

Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes – 1 Night (Double Superior)

Hotel Website: $149.87

Hotels.com: $150.51

GLASGOW

Jurys Inn – 4 Nights  (Double)

Hotel Website (7 Day Advance Non-Refundable): $362.08

Hotel Website (Event Special) $730.00

Hotels.com: $738.16

AVIEMORE

Macdonald Highlands Hotel – 4 Nights (Standard Double)

Hotel Website: $893.52

Hotels.com: $994.44

EDINBURGH

Apex European – 4 Nights (City Double w/ Breakfast)

Hotel Website: $764.71

Hotels.com: $551.46

HOTEL WEBSITES:
$2,538.10

HOTELS.COM
$2,434.57

The Verdict:

Well, it’s a toss up! There’s no big winner in this contest. I’m sure if I tried other hotel consolidators I might find some cheaper prices for some of the hotels, but possibly more for the others. I could also be doing this for weeks! 

Not my plan!

So, Europeandestinations.com is still the easiest choice to bring all of this together. But, the final price is still about the same, except when it’s not…

Scotland: Fall 2009

Since last week, I have decided to cut back our trip from three to two weeks due to some timing issues that have come up.  So, there needed to be some consolidation.

It was then that I began to wonder if it was any cheaper to find a company that could consolidate all of my independent travel needs.

I searched the Web and found several candidates: Virgin Vacations, Cheaptickets, Expedia, etc. They all talked about “vacation packages.”  But, the inherent problem I found was that most sites would only get you up to two destinations and two hotels.

I could get from Phoenix to London and then on to Glasgow, but that was it.  Any additional cities were impossible to book, let alone return from a third city.

And, my favorite was Virgin Vacations (a division of Virgin Atlantic Airlines.)  Not only could I not do a large multi-destination itinerary…they didn’t even try to book me on a single Virgin Atlantic flight the entire trip!  

About ready to call it a day, I stumbled across a company that actually focuses on multi-stop itineraries for independent travelers. 

A Useful Travel Find

European Destinations, www.europeandestinations.com, is one part of the consumer division of corporate parent, Solar Tours out of Washington, D.C. The parent company has been around since 1984 serving travel agents. 

Their Web site lets you create your own trip or customize their suggested itineraries.  As you add in hotels, car rentals, train passes, etc., the price of your trip upgrades so you know immediately if you are staying within your budget.  

Depending upon what cities you are seeking, the hotel selection can be very large.  Others, such as Aviemore, Scotland are a little more limited.

I am still experimenting with some different itinerary options, but so far, I’m impressed with the ease of operation. 

I did a little research to find out if anyone had experience with the Web site and as with any travel site, there are both happy campers and extremely unhappy campers.  It looked like the happy campers were winning. 

So, over the next few days I am going to continue tweaking an itinerary and then compare it to hotel Web sites of those properties I selected.  We’ll see if the prices really are better.

More next week…

Scotland – - Fall – - 2009

It’s been a week since my first installment of planning a trip to Scotland on my own.  Have I come to my senses and handed it over to a travel agent yet?  Have I scrapped the whole idea and decided to sit on my sofa the entire time talking to people at my office on the company provided cell phone? 

Absolutely not! 

Actually, I’ve been on line looking for a kilt to wear to one of the Whiskey Week dinners!

I know where I want to go: Scotland ?

I know when I want to go: September ?

I’ve checked the weather: Not too bad to iffy by the end of the month ?

I’ve checked the calendar for things to do: Events winding down,  fewer tourists ?

Now I just have to figure out how I am going to get there …

I am going to have to rely on the two most reliable methods of crossing the Atlantic.

SHIP

You betcha! You can still catch the Queen for a six day sail from New York. Quicker than you can say Christopher Columbus discovered Columbus, Ohio you’ll be in Southampton, England. 

Suffice to say, you’ll probably eat better than the Queen herself, and not lack for things to do, but there is the time factor.  But, if you’ve got the time, and of course the extra cash, it’s certainly an option.

Queen Mary 2                        Approx. $1395.00 Per Person (Inside Cabin)

Remember … that’s one-way!

www.cunard.com

** And, for a sign of the times, be sure to read the very fine print about their right to charge you $9.00 per person, per day if oil goes above $70 per barrel … even if you’ve already paid your fare.

AIRLINES

Of course most of us are in a hurry to get places, and flying is the only option.

UK Based Airlines: British Air – Virgin Atlantic – BMI

I’m a big proponent of flying on a carrier that’s actually based out of the country I am going to.  It adds to the cultural experience.

If you live on the east coast you can hop on a British based carrier in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, etc. and not have to connect to London.  But, from the western U.S. there are few options for direct flights to London and vicinity.  That’s why I fell off of my chair when I found out that British Airways (BA) offers a non-stop 747 flight from Phoenix to London Heathrow seven days a week.

At $784 per person coach, I was impressed.  I could drive, or take a shuttle to the airport, hop on the plane in the evening, and step off in London the next afternoon.

Then I saw the catch.  I went on the major airline seat configuration website to check out the plane:  www.seatguru.com

Tips on choosing where you’ll be sitting

Sometimes it’s the little things, especially when you are traveling with someone.  What I saw was not going to add up to a happy conversation, especially after the last flight I was on.

It seems that either configuration of BA’s 747 fleet is a 3-4-3 seat configuration in World Traveller class (economy).  I like to sit by the window and my wife the aisle.  That leaves that pesky middle seat for a single traveler to help balance the load.  And the last flight we were on, they wanted to balance the load!

(The old trick of buying up the window and aisle seat and then hope no one books in between is becoming more difficult with airlines jamming customers into planes while they cut service).

Thus, I was extremely disappointed at the 747 seat choices.

So, I tried Virgin Atlantic … same problem with their 747 fleet, plus we needed to catch a ride to Las Vegas, or Chicago, or …

BMI … same problems, smaller plane, and an even weirder connection in Sanford, Florida (try getting there from … anywhere). 

www.virgin.com

www.ba.com

www.flybmi.com 

Am I going to have to give up on my cultural experience?  I reluctantly went online to see what the consolidators would dig up for me.  At www.cheapseats.com,  I found a one-stop US Air flight to London’s Gatwick airport.  The first thing I did was look at the seat configuration.  We would have to put up with an Airbus 3-3 configuration to Charlotte, but then it was an Airbus 2-4-2 setup to London!  That was great, at least 60% great!

Then I looked at the US Air price … and then the price of the BA flight again from the quote I had printed out.  I couldn’t believe it! US Air would save me a whopping $7.00 for my trouble!

$1562.00 US Air vs. $1569.00 British Airways

So, it was no longer about the price, it was about the convenience. Non-stop vs. one-stop & a plane change.  The seat configurations might have to be dealt with by a really good pair of noise canceling headphones …

So I am holding off on the decision.  In the meantime, I am going to see if either carrier can give me some type of a package deal … air/hotels … air/car, or both. 

Next time: Are independent traveler’s packages really worth it?