Travel Guys Radio episodes:

• September 02, 2023Hyatt to include all fees in the first screen price

  Listen Now

  On the Saturday, September 2nd edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, Hyatt bucks the trend and decided to include all fees, resort and otherwise, in the first screen price. Spirit has a sale, Delta is hiring flight attendants, and Qantas is fined for selling tickets on flights for weeks after they have been canceled.

  Our Smarter Traveler segment takes on the latest (and not so recent) on-the-street tourist scams and gives you wisdom on how to avoid them.

  International expert Clayton Whitehead, just back from Scotland, shares highlights of his trip and gives you some wisdom you can use if you are heading outside the country on your next trip.

  In our final segment, we address a topic Chris Elliott put before us in a Travelers United penning…The government collects fines from airlines. Why do those fines not go (at least in part) to the travelers who were wronged?

  Highlights

  How to get compensation for getting bumped from a flight

  How to win your consumer dispute using the Elliott Method

  Special events for California Wine Month

  Supersonic Planes are making a comeback

  Consumer Alert: The ride-sharing vomit scam is back!

  Holiday airlines tickets – when to buy

  Mark corrects the AirTag link – the REAL price

  Travelers United

  SacTown Bites

  ...more

  

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• August 27, 2023Big News: The Travel Guys move to Saturdays at 11am starting Sep 2nd

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, August 27th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, the big stories are about lawsuits: Hyatt Hotels is being nailed for charging those pesky resort fees; and Spirit Airlines settled a suit regarding overcharging for carry-on bags. Tell me it isn’t so. They would never do anything like that, would they? Hotel chains and airlines….naw….

  When should you buy tickets for air travel to get the best fare? Experts have shared that important info with us and we share it with you in our Smarter Traveler segment.

  September is a big month for grape growers and wine fans. It’s the month the grapes are harvested, and crushed, and the vino flows all over the valley. We have an update on special events for wine lovers.

  Our odds and ends segment features a story on New York City cracking down on short term rentals (think Airbnb and affiliated companies); and Beyoncé and Taylor Swift both had huge concert tours this summer. We’ll take you behind the numbers and tell you how they compared.

  Highlights

  Special events for California Wine Month

  Supersonic Planes are making a comeback

  Consumer Alert: The ride-sharing vomit scam is back!

  Holiday airlines tickets – when to buy

  Mark corrects the AirTag link – the REAL price

  Travelers United

  SacTown Bites

  Visit the Cat Cafe in Bremerton, WA

  If you want to help out with a donation for the people on Maui

  Help is needed as wildfires ravage Hawaii. How to know your donation is going to a legitimate charity

  Italy creating more tourist trains

  “Comedian” asks a pilot if he’s been drinking

  Pilot tells passengers his expectations of their behavior on his plane

  Celebrate the career of Richard Lewis

  What will the airlines do for you if your flight doesn’t fly

  Sports Leisure Vacations Travel Club/Newsletter Update – UNSCRIPTED: The San Francisco 49ers

  Next Stop: The Pacific Northwest

  Searching for Trolls in the Pacific Northwest

  Info on the airport blood drive, 9am – 3pm, August 16th

  You are going to need a “travel authorization” in Europe in 2024

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  ...more

  

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• August 20, 2023Two tourists climb onto the Eiffel Tower and pass out

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  On the Sunday, August 20th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In The Travel News, tourists continue to make headlines – now it’s two guys who climbed onto the Eiffel Tower drunk and passed out; and Las Vegas strip hotels are apparently dealing with an onslaught of bed bugs. They are incredibly difficult to get rid of once they find a home.

  Last week, Mark suggested you buy AirTags, and offered a link with what would have been an amazing price ($10 for 4). Except he didn’t have the right link. They are a little more expensive than that. Like 8-9x as much. Oops. The correct link can be found on this page.

  A few weeks ago, we discussed the concept of “Skip-lagging,” buying an airline ticket, knowing you weren’t going to travel to the final destination, throwing part of the ticket away, in order to take advantage of the strange way airlines price tickets. We warned you at the time the airlines don’t consider it cool, and indeed now American Airlines is suing an online company which helps people commit the “Skip-lagging” offense. We have an update.

  The battle against resort and other bogus fees hoisted on travelers continues. Charlie Leocha from Travelers United joins to update us on state and national legislation.

  Heather Fortes, who is the owner of SacTown Bites, our local foodie tour company, is on hand to discuss some of her offerings, both in Sacramento and in surrounding communities.

  Highlights

  Mark corrects the AirTag link – the REAL price

  Travelers United

  SacTown Bites

  Visit the Cat Cafe in Bremerton, WA

  If you want to help out with a donation for the people on Maui

  Help is needed as wildfires ravage Hawaii. How to know your donation is going to a legitimate charity

  Italy creating more tourist trains

  “Comedian” asks a pilot if he’s been drinking

  Pilot tells passengers his expectations of their behavior on his plane

  Celebrate the career of Richard Lewis

  What will the airlines do for you if your flight doesn’t fly

  Sports Leisure Vacations Travel Club/Newsletter Update – UNSCRIPTED: The San Francisco 49ers

  Next Stop: The Pacific Northwest

  Searching for Trolls in the Pacific Northwest

  Info on the airport blood drive, 9am – 3pm, August 16th

  You are going to need a “travel authorization” in Europe in 2024

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  ...more

  

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• August 13, 2023The travel industry is banding together to help Maui recover from fires

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  On the Sunday, August 13th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, Southwest is making a change to their boarding process and the travel industry is banding together to try and help the people in Maui recover.

  We’ve talked about air tags on the program more than once, but we’re still pounding the table. This week, another story from a lady who ignored United when they told her they couldn’t find her luggage. She knew where it was from the AirTag ping, so she went and got it. Time to put one of these gadgets in your bag?

  In Europe, you can now make phone calls in flight. Could that policy change be coming to the US? How will airline passenger feel about adding to the cacophony on planes?

  If you are renting a car to travel long distance, is it cheaper to rent an electric car? How about for around town? The answer is, it depends.

  Highlights

  If you want to help out with a donation for the people on Maui

  Help is needed as wildfires ravage Hawaii. How to know your donation is going to a legitimate charity

  Link to Apple AirTags on Amazon

  Italy creating more tourist trains

  “Comedian” asks a pilot if he’s been drinking

  Pilot tells passengers his expectations of their behavior on his plane

  Celebrate the career of Richard Lewis

  What will the airlines do for you if your flight doesn’t fly

  Sports Leisure Vacations Travel Club/Newsletter Update – UNSCRIPTED: The San Francisco 49ers

  Next Stop: The Pacific Northwest

  Searching for Trolls in the Pacific Northwest

  Info on the airport blood drive, 9am – 3pm, August 16th

  You are going to need a “travel authorization” in Europe in 2024

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  ...more

  

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• August 06, 2023New non-stop flights arriving at Sacramento International

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, August 6th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, good news/bad news on the airfare front – domestic fares are dropping while international airfares are still climbing; and new non-stops are arriving at Sacramento International, including destinations like Toronto (Air Canada), Miami (American) and Orlando (Southwest).

  There are times when it’s wise to keep quiet and stick to the program, and two of them are: when crossing an international boarder and when speaking to the pilot of our airplane. We explain when even joking around is not a good idea.

  Mark spent most of last week on the island of Kauai. He has some tips and observations on travel to the Garden Isle and Hawaii in general.

  The mailbag segment includes answers to questions on seat selection (on planes), airport hotel rates and rental cars.

  Highlights

  “Comedian” asks a pilot if he’s been drinking

  Pilot tells passengers his expectations of their behavior on his plane

  Celebrate the career of Richard Lewis

  What will the airlines do for you if your flight doesn’t fly

  Sports Leisure Vacations Travel Club/Newsletter Update – UNSCRIPTED: The San Francisco 49ers

  Next Stop: The Pacific Northwest

  Searching for Trolls in the Pacific Northwest

  Info on the airport blood drive, 9am – 3pm, August 16th

  You are going to need a “travel authorization” in Europe in 2024

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  ...more

  

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• July 30, 2023Can it get too hot for planes to fly?

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, July 30th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, we ask the question, “Can it get too hot for planes to fly?” The answer is yes and it has happened before. Plus, national parks close for snow or floods or other natural disasters, but not for heat. We have a warning for hikers.

  In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talk about seat switching on planes. You get on board and someone is sitting in your seat. They ask you to switch so they can be with family or friends. What is the proper etiquette here? Is there a time to say yes and a time to say no? Absolutely. And what if the person in question won’t give up the seat you paid for?

  CLEAR is a paid airport program that allows you a line pass in exchange for paying a fee and providing a private company with a lot of personal information. Last summer, CLEAR had what is proving to be a major security breach. Is it time to do away with this private program, or is all this much to do about nothing?

  In our Odds and Ends segment, we have story that reminds all of us the importance of taking pictures of rental cars on their return; and if you run into a ridiculous priced airport hotel, there just might be an easy way around it.

  Highlights

  What will the airlines do for you if your flight doesn’t fly

  Sports Leisure Vacations Travel Club/Newsletter Update – UNSCRIPTED: The San Francisco 49ers

  Next Stop: The Pacific Northwest

  Searching for Trolls in the Pacific Northwest

  Info on the airport blood drive, 9am – 3pm, August 16th

  You are going to need a “travel authorization” in Europe in 2024

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  ...more

  

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• July 25, 2023Puget Sound Travel Tips

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, July 23rd edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, airlines reporting second quarter results are showing increased profits, and the Delta plane that sat on the tarmac for nearly four hours caused illness among passengers under horrific conditions. Those stories and more in the Travel News.

  If you are a fan of the theater, or the ballpark, or outdoor festivals, you need to know that clear plastic bags are the way to bring your “stuff” to the event. Our Smarter Traveler segment talks about the change and it’s happening fast.

  Mark was traveling with a group on Puget Sound last week, and he shares his tips on what to see and do in one of our country’s most beautiful spots.

  Our odds and ends stories at the end of the show included a follow-up warning on fake call centers you find online. BE CAREFUL.

  Highlights

  If you are taking a gun with you on a plane, here are the rules

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Sacramento Airport Traffic Construction Delays

  The California Western Railroad in Fort Bragg

  Noyo Harbor Inn

  The Unspoken Rules of Air Travel That You’re Probably Breaking

  Lauren Wolfe – Kill Resort Fees

  Helping the traveler/consumer have a seat at the table

  Lady packs everything she can on her body to avoid bag fees – hilarious

  Attempted break in at a Holiday Inn in San Jose – note the unique tool to try and open the door

  Should we consider regulating airport bars?

  Plus size travelers

  Four Tours Designed To Teach Travelers About Climate Change

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  Coming: Airline Bunk Beds

  Double Decker Airplane Seats

  Airfare and car rental comparisons 

  Mia Taylor – Delays and Cancellations This Summer

  Our Lincoln Highway guest – Kay Shelton

  More on the Lincoln Highway

  Historic Oregon Hotel needs a new manager

  Cities with the highest and lowest airfare increase in 2023

  Ideas for avoiding baggage charges from Chris Elliott for Travelers United

  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

  Security reports by country

  Good international travel info from the US State Dept.

  Tips on getting through customs and immigration

  Chris Elliott – consumer help and information on membership

  Passport Expeditor – when you need a passport quickly – there is a charge

  ...more

  

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• July 25, 2023College student discovers it’s cheaper to commute to UC Berkeley by air

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, July 16th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, we have an update on the around the world cruise offer we talked about a few weeks ago, and then there’s the story of the college student who found it cheaper to commute from southern California to UC Berkeley by air.

  Mark shares an experience he had that left him grounded last week and pointed out the importance of having the airline’s app on your cell phone.

  If you’re a camper, we have a story for you. It’s about a portable toilet you can take just about anywhere with you.

  CLEAR is a program at the airport that allows people to zip through security. But changes are coming and it might not be as quick as it used to be. We have an update.

  Highlights

  All about portable flush toilets

  All about the CLEAR program

  Sacramento Airport Traffic Construction Delays

  The California Western Railroad in Fort Bragg

  Noyo Harbor Inn

  The Unspoken Rules of Air Travel That You’re Probably Breaking

  Lauren Wolfe – Kill Resort Fees

  Helping the traveler/consumer have a seat at the table

  Lady packs everything she can on her body to avoid bag fees – hilarious

  Attempted break in at a Holiday Inn in San Jose – note the unique tool to try and open the door

  Should we consider regulating airport bars?

  Plus size travelers

  Four Tours Designed To Teach Travelers About Climate Change

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  Coming: Airline Bunk Beds

  Double Decker Airplane Seats

  Airfare and car rental comparisons 

  Mia Taylor – Delays and Cancellations This Summer

  Our Lincoln Highway guest – Kay Shelton

  More on the Lincoln Highway

  Historic Oregon Hotel needs a new manager

  Cities with the highest and lowest airfare increase in 2023

  Ideas for avoiding baggage charges from Chris Elliott for Travelers United

  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

  Security reports by country

  Good international travel info from the US State Dept.

  Tips on getting through customs and immigration

  Chris Elliott – consumer help and information on membership

  Passport Expeditor – when you need a passport quickly – there is a charge

  ...more

  

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• July 09, 2023Come with us to Fort Bragg and the Noyo Harbor Inn

  Listen Now

  On the Sunday, July 9th edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, the hotel strike situation in Los Angeles isn’t settled yet, and maybe one of the reasons is a request by the hotel workers union to add a 7% surcharge to guests room charges to help cover the cost of housing in Los Angeles and Orange County. The workers at several dozen hotels are back on the job, but future strike actions are looming.

  Our Smarter Traveler segment takes on the subject of “airline hacker fares.” That’s when you buy a ticket with the intention of throwing part of it away. You buy a ticket to Milwaukee, with a stop in Chicago, because the fare is significantly cheaper. You get off the plane in Chicago and throw the Milwaukee portion of the ticket away. Fly to Sacramento, with a stop in San Francisco, and never fly on to Sacramento. Two examples of hacker situations. The airlines create this themselves, with screwball ticket prices that make no sense. But is using this kind of ticket breaking the law, or just messing with the airlines minds?

  The California State Fair opens next week, and Tom has his annual interview, talking about all the fun things to do at the fair.

  Fort Bragg is an isolated community on the California coast. Talk about off the beaten track. Come with us to Fort Bragg and the Noyo Harbor Inn and have a look around town.

  Highlights

  The California Western Railroad in Fort Bragg

  Noyo Harbor Inn

  The Unspoken Rules of Air Travel That You’re Probably Breaking

  Lauren Wolfe – Kill Resort Fees

  Helping the traveler/consumer have a seat at the table

  Lady packs everything she can on her body to avoid bag fees – hilarious

  Attempted break in at a Holiday Inn in San Jose – note the unique tool to try and open the door

  Should we consider regulating airport bars?

  Plus size travelers

  Four Tours Designed To Teach Travelers About Climate Change

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  Coming: Airline Bunk Beds

  Double Decker Airplane Seats

  Airfare and car rental comparisons 

  Mia Taylor – Delays and Cancellations This Summer

  Our Lincoln Highway guest – Kay Shelton

  More on the Lincoln Highway

  Historic Oregon Hotel needs a new manager

  Cities with the highest and lowest airfare increase in 2023

  Ideas for avoiding baggage charges from Chris Elliott for Travelers United

  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

  Security reports by country

  Good international travel info from the US State Dept.

  Tips on getting through customs and immigration

  Chris Elliott – consumer help and information on membership

  Passport Expeditor – when you need a passport quickly – there is a charge

  ...more

  

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• July 02, 2023Tips on travel to the Oregon Coast

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  On the Sunday, July 2nd edition of The Travel Guys… 

  In the Travel News, Southwest pilots inch a little closer to a possible strike, the Federal Trade Commission is coming after fake online reviews with big fines, and after a horrible week in the skies, especially for United, the airlines are so far getting travelers where they are going this holiday weekend.

  If you are vacationing by car this week or anytime this summer, safety and courtesy should be high on your list. Mark talks about the importance of a good driving “attitude” in our Smarter Traveler segment.

  The redwoods of northern California and the spectacular Oregon Coast are within travel reach of us in Sacramento. Mark has just completed a tour with that itinerary and shares some tips on where to stop and a couple of things to avoid.

  Several weeks ago, one of Mark’s staff had a bag lost by United Airlines. We’ve been following this saga and now we have another update. The bag has been found and returned. So happy ending to the story? Maybe…or maybe not. It ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings. The opera star ain’t singin’ yet.

  Highlights

  The Unspoken Rules of Air Travel That You’re Probably Breaking

  Lauren Wolfe – Kill Resort Fees

  Helping the traveler/consumer have a seat at the table

  Lady packs everything she can on her body to avoid bag fees – hilarious

  Attempted break in at a Holiday Inn in San Jose – note the unique tool to try and open the door

  Should we consider regulating airport bars?

  Plus size travelers

  Four Tours Designed To Teach Travelers About Climate Change

  Ami Bera’s office can help you with your passport…if you live in his Congressional District

  Coming: Airline Bunk Beds

  Double Decker Airplane Seats

  Airfare and car rental comparisons 

  Mia Taylor – Delays and Cancellations This Summer

  Our Lincoln Highway guest – Kay Shelton

  More on the Lincoln Highway

  Historic Oregon Hotel needs a new manager

  Cities with the highest and lowest airfare increase in 2023

  Ideas for avoiding baggage charges from Chris Elliott for Travelers United

  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

  Security reports by country

  Good international travel info from the US State Dept.

  Tips on getting through customs and immigration

  Chris Elliott – consumer help and information on membership

  Passport Expeditor – when you need a passport quickly – there is a charge

  ...more

  

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