Traveling can always be a volatile proposition, but with the holiday weekend approaching and hurricane Earl churning up the east coast– checking on your flight staus before heading out to the airport is a necessity.

Your flight can still be impacted – even if you are nowhere near a troubled area. This is the travel ripple effect that can send shockwaves through the most well-planned trip. When a flight is cancelled, it doesn’t just impact the first destination, it cancels every subsequent flight that plane was to make throughout the day.

So what can you do? At this point, gathering information is critical and the In-Flight Insider has some valuable tips that can help you salvage your trip before it breaks down:

1. Be proactive – with the looming hurricane make sure to have alternative travel plans.
2. Schedule flights early in the day, so even if there are cancellations, you have more flight options to choose from.
3. Be prepared to stay longer than your trip lasts - Take extra clothes, extra medication and other necessities. And if you check your bags, keep essential items (such as your medication) in a bag with you onboard.
4. Know what is and what is not covered with your travel insurance in case your flights are canceled.

Following these simple steps and staying well informed can transform a nightmare travel scenario into a successful trip where you know your options and strategies beforehand.

We all hate standing in a long line at Customs and Immigration when we’ve just completed a transatlantic flight and simply want to get home as quickly as possible.

Now U.S. Customs and Border Protection has come up with a program named Global Entry that allows travelers to bypass the line with an “express pass” that significantly expedites the process.

Anyone can apply—no minimum number of trips required—but you will have to fill out a comprehensive application, pay a one-time fee, and, if the application is accepted, undergo a background check and an in-person interview with a CBP officer. The process, you might say, is frontloaded.

But once you’ve been accepted, it will be clear sailing. You’ll present your machine-readable passport and fingerprints for verification at one of the automated customs kiosks available at 20 international airports throughout the country and answer declaration questions as prompted by the kiosk. If you have items to declare you will then be directed to a CBP officer. If not, you’re done.

Particularly for people who travel frequently on business, the time saved in the long run will more than repay the hours spent completing the application process.

Is it really possible to put a cost on true peace of mind when you travel far from home? A company called MedjetAssist urges travelers to take trips, not chances – a concept that’s makes so much sense to me – I formed a partnership with them on my website.

MedjetAssist membership services that go far beyond most of the benefits provided by travel insurance providers, platinum card programs and even other evacuation services. MedjetAssist actually allows their members to choose which hospital will be their final destination in case of an emergency (as long as that member is more than 150 miles from home).

Whatever the reason you find yourself in a far-away hospital, MedjetAssist will handle all the details to get you to your chosen medical center with no extra charges – just the nominal annual membership fee.

It doesn’t matter if you have a pre-existing condition or a long-term illness – MedjetAssist is always there for you, so you have a health advocate at your service, should things take unexpected turn when you are far from home.

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If you don’t know in advance that shops, banks, and perhaps even restaurants will be closed, or that public transportation is curtailed because it’s a holiday in the country you’re visiting, even your best-laid plans could easily go up in smoke.

For example, some countries celebrate religious holidays or festivals you may not even be aware of, and their dates may change from one year to the next because they’re based on the lunar calendar or some other arcane formula.

[Read more →]

So you get to the airport in Europe and your flight is cancelled. What do you do next? Crack open your wallet, try and find a hotel and hope for the best, right??

NOT SO FAST!!

According to the rules of the European Union – airlines MUST pay penalties of up to $750 American for cancelling a flight and cover your hotel and meal expenses. Not one or the other – BOTH!! This rule (law #EC 261) applies to every traveler who leaves the European Union – And that includes Americans! I know, I can’t believe it either.

U.S. Air, American – it doesn’t matter what airline is due to ferry you across the Atlantic – all travelers are supposed to be protected by the European Union’s passenger’s right laws. According to the New York Times, every domestic carrier reluctantly admitted to knowing about this law (with the exception of United – they must have missed the memo.)

Now just because the law is on your side – that is no guarantee that the airline will actually pay up. But rules are rules. However, there’s another key element to this European law. If you are flying on a European airline, you don’t even have to ask. They comply with the law without any hassles.

Sooooo – Next time you fly to and from Europe – you might want to explore the Euro-Airline option. That way, if your flight gets cancelled – you can actually get some compensation without going into battle.

No one wants to be told how to behave, and I certainly don’t want to preach, but as our culture becomes more casual, we’ve all developed a pretty laissez-fair approach to what’s expected in different social situations.

So, at the risk of sounding a bit school-marmish (and I apologize in advance if that’s how this comes off), I wanted to offer this gentle reminder that there are still some cultural rules that differ not only from country to country but also from one part of our own country to the next.

Whenever we travel, even within our own borders, we’re guests of the place that we visit, and to be a good guest we need to know and respect our host’s cultural expectations. There are many books and Web sites these days that offer quick courses in the cultures of various countries—from Italy and France to Japan and China—so that travelers for business or pleasure can be assured that they won’t inadvertently offend.

But when we’re in our own country we may forget that those differences still apply. People in the South, for example, are known for their gracious hospitality, but what goes along with that Southern charm is an attachment to old-fashioned etiquette and a dress code that leans toward formality—dresses, stockings, and heels for the ladies and jackets for the gentlemen.

People on the West Coast tend to be more casual and friendly, but they are also, in general, more environmentally aware and health conscious than those in other parts of the country.

And in the North East we can expect a faster pace and a more competitive spirit. Particularly in the big cities, there’s a “let’s get to the point and get on with it” attitude that can sometimes be disconcerting to those accustomed to a more leisurely approach to life.

So, wherever you’re going, learning what you can of what to expect and what’s expected before you get there can insure a more pleasurable experience for both you and your “hosts.”

Like many great notions, the idea for the Gate Guru app came to former venture capitalist Dan Gellert out of a frustrating personal experience.

Dan was spending a lot of time in airports, and on one occasion when he decided to bypass the food (he hadn’t eaten all day) and shopping (he needed a magazine and a gift) options available before going through security (assuming that he’d find a variety of both on the other side), he discovered only one food shop (that was really bad) and no shops at all past the check point.

If only he had known! And out of that frustration Gate Guru was born. The easy-to-navigate, interactive iPhone app provides information on all the food options, shops, and services available in 85 airports throughout the United States, along with ratings by actual customers (like an online Zagat guide for airports).

With this app on your phone you’ll no longer be wandering aimlessly through unknown territory wondering if there’s something better around the next bend or further down the corridor. Instead, you’ll know exactly what to expect and where to go to find it. And the info on Gate Guru is now also available on the KAYAK iPhone apps via the “airports” tab.

The Department of Transportation outlined a new set a consumer protections for passengers who are involuntarily bumped from oversold flights. The proposed change could put up to $1,300 into the pocket of each passenger that gets left behind.

Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, proposed that airlines must reimburse passengers checked baggage fees, if an airline loses bags or delivers luggage late. As it stands now, airlines keep the fees, even if they lose the bag.

Other proposed changes will allow passengers to cancel a reservation within 24 hours without facing any additional penalty fees. LaHood says if they go through, the proposed rules could be in place within six months.

In the meantime, the In-Flight Insider has some valuable tips to make sure your not one of the “unlucky ones” who gets the boot or the bump!

Busting the Airline Bumpers: [Read more →]

With a busy Memorial Day coming up this weekend, tempers may be running hot, but it’s more important than ever for you to keep your cool.

The TSA has a little known database where abusive travelers get their names recorded in a national “Hall of Shame.”  Those travelers, who act out and say the wrong thing, could make their future trips a little tougher to handle.

Privacy advocates worry that such a database could subject innocent people to extra airport screening, but the TSA says the list is being constructed to counter violence in the workplace.

The TSA database includes names, Social Security numbers and birthdates for all the people involved in the incident. A threat, verbal abuse, comments about death and violence or overt displays of anger can put you on this government watchdog list. [Read more →]

Traveling can always be a volatile proposition, but with churning volcanoes in Iceland, looming flight attendant strikes and the political strife in Thailand – checking on your flight before heading out to the airport is a necessity.

Your flight can still be impacted – even if you are nowhere near one of these troubled areas or flying on a strike-affected airline. This is the travel ripple effect that can send shockwaves through the most well-planned trip.

Just this past Monday, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled through out Britain and the Netherlands. When a flight is cancelled, it doesn’t just impact the first destination, it cancels every subsequent flight that plane was to make throughout the day.

The British government is now enacting new rules, so more flights can travel through areas that have lesser ash concentrations.

So what can you do? At this point, gathering information is critical and the In-Flight Insider has some valuable tips that can help you salvage your trip before it breaks down:

1. Be proactive – be aware of alternative travel plans.
2. Schedule flights early in the day, so even if there are cancellations, you have more flight options to choose from.
3. Be prepared to stay longer than your trip lasts - Take extra clothes, extra medication and other necessities.

Following these simple steps and staying well informed can transform a nightmare travel scenario into a successful trip where you know your options and strategies beforehand.