New Airline for Quincy

By now I am sure everyone has heard the news that we are indeed getting a new airline to service our Quincy Airport. First of all, let me say that I LOVE flying out of and into Quincy! What is not to like – free parking, close proximity to home, small amounts of people to be checked, courteous service by those people involved in checking people in, etc., etc.

Now the news is that Cape Air will fly their 9 passsenger planes between Quincy and St. Louis six times a day for $50 each way! GREAT NEWS! There is a big BUT there, though!!!! There is NO code share agreement, so if you plan a trip, you must have about 3 hours between flights! You will have to pick up your luggage and then recheck it with another airline at least 90 minutes before that flight! Some may say that means only 2 hours – I don’t believe so. I have had the experience that the Quincy airline personnel have handwritten the luggage tickets and thus made sure that the luggage was transported to the next airline in St. Louis. HOWEVER, I have also had the experience that I could only check my luggage to St. Louis on my way home – so there still is a 3 hour wait in St. Louis at the end of a trip, when people generally just want to get home! Great Lakes Air’s gates (which, I am sure Cape Air is going to get now) are a good hike from the baggage carousels of the Main Terminal! I also need to see FIRST, BEFORE I sell this to anyone, that we can truly trust that the air schedule is going to be true! That means that planes take off and land on time! Or at least VERY close to it!

Another thing I am hesitant about also has to do with the code share agreement – without one there basically have to be two tickets, which means two change and cancel penalties. Airlines do assess these fees (not travel agents) of about $150 per ticket. So if one has purchased a ticket from Quincy to St. Louis to some other destination, and because of a schedule change affecting Cape Air does not make their connection in St. Louis, they loose at least $150 of that ticket – plus will have to purchase another ticket at that time at a much higher cost in order to complete their trip.

I have heard in the local media that American Airlines has been in conversations with Cape Air. I find that not quite believable – because American Airline supposedly also was in conversations with Great Lakes Airlines about a code share agreement….. Makes you think!

Benefits of Travel

I have recently read several articles referring to a program on NPR (National Public Radio) about how leisure activity affects our daily lives.  According to this information, it seems that increased leisure activity runs concurrent with an overall increase in health and wellness.

We can probably all agree that normally people return from a vacation refreshed! We know vacationing can be a great stress reliever. Many people may even feel healthier, be in a better mood, have higher energy levels, and just generally be happier during a vacation.

In the US, people normally have one or two weeks of paid vacation, while in many European countries (I know it from Germany personally) people start out with three weeks off (they also often work less days in the week than we do)…

So, if you want to do something good for your health, think of where you might want to go on vacation! We would love to send you to the right spot on this big earth at the right time!

New Domestic Travel Requirement

TSA (Travel Security Administration) has issued new rules governing domestic airline travel. We have started to collect the information which will be mandatory to be in all travel records starting in August. All clients will be asked their full name (not just first, middle initial and last), and we will have to pass on their gender and birth dates. I have copied and pasted from the TSA website (italic added by me for emphasis):

1.   The Full name, as it appears on the government issued picture ID, including middle name and any suffix.
2.   Date of Birth
3.   Gender
 
The TSA will then take this data and verify it against their government watch list and will supply airlines the boarding pass authorization results. Passengers will be denied online check in, kiosk check-in and delayed boarding until this information is supplied and may even miss their flight.
 
We encourage all our clients to assist us in making sure they can take their trips with as little hassle as possible.

New Travel Requirements

On June 1, 2009, a new rule will affect all international travel. I have copied and pasted from the government’s website here (cursive and bold were added by me for clarification):

AIR TRAVEL

• All U.S. citizens traveling by air are required to present a passport book to enter or re-enter the United States.

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

It is ALWAYS a good idea when traveling to a foreign destination, to have a passport with you at all times. A passport is – simply put – a document issued by MY country that identifies me as one of its members. And yes, Canada is a foreign country!  In the summer, we have lots of clients taking Alaska cruises, and yes, they travel through foreign waters (Canada) during the Inside Passage. In the winter lots of clients take Caribbean cruises or vacations, and even though we consider the Caribbean our backyard, these are foreign countries! I am always glad to know where my passport is when I travel.

I travel to my home country a lot, Germany, and I would probably be able to pass as a German still (have not been a German since 1975, when I had to give it up because I wanted to become an American). My command of the German language is still excellent (can’t lose that, my mother would have something to say about that!), and I still know my way around over there. But I still have my passport with me when I leave my mother’s house.

We also have to consider that other countries have rules different from ours. I have traveled to countries, where there are sporadic police checkpoints. They check their own people as well as visitors. How much easier when all documentation is in order, since I am a guest there….

Regarding the passport cards – I personally don’t think they are a good idea, as you will need a passport book in addition to them most of the time anyway. So it becomes just one more card to clutter up my billfold…. If I travel by air, I cannot use the card anyway! The only reason one would want a passport card is if they travel to Canada or Mexico routinely via road, rail or sea. So a truck driver, train conductor or someone who works on a ferry could benefit from the passport card. For the rest of travelers, a passport book, even though it is more expensive, is the best way to go.

See our agents about requirements necessary to obtain a passport. By the way, for adults 16 and older, the passport costs right at $100, and is good for 10 years. For younger citizens, the cost is lower, but the duration is lower as well – only 5 years.

Swine Flu

There is much in the news about the current epidemic! When will that end??? There have been many “outbreaks” of various viral illnesses related to the travel industry – when we can’t stay healthy on a cruise, should we park all cruise ships? Now Mexico seems to be the bad name – should we not all just stop going to Mexico??? Ridiculous!

I have gotten information from tour operators we commonly use for Mexico vacations.  They are offering to change people’s vacations to different dates or even different locations at this time, provided booked passengers cancel now and rebook their new destination/date by 12 May, AND take their vacation before 15 December. I think that is going well above and beyond anything they need to do.

I also talked to a local doctor and his advice is what I liked best: wash your hands often, and be careful not to be coughed or sneezed on – in other words, go on your vacation and have a great time! The end of the world is not yet here! We are often around people who are not well – but by keeping good hygiene we can stay healthy! We also need to be sure to get enough sleep, diet and exercise in order for ourselves to stay healthy at any time, not just in this time of dire health epidemics!

The whole point here is that every person has to take responsibility for their own actions! When I go on a cruise, I have to sign a paper at check-in that is an affidavit that I am healthy! How many people have signed that paper, even though they may have known they were ill with some contagious virus? Perhaps that is why there are viral outbreaks on cruise ships? When any of our clients book vacations in our office, we offer them insurance. This insurance is there in case a traveler gets ill before the trip and thus cannot go, among other coverage. I encourage anyone who books through our office to ask what is covered by insurance! We will be glad to give out the detailed information provided by the insurance company.

Amtrak News

This week a client came in and wanted me to issue an Amtrak ticket for a reservation he had made directly with the rail company. This is routinely done here, as our Amtrak station is not manned, and people traveling on Amtrak still need a paper ticket to get on the train.

I could not claim his reservation, so I called Amtrak only to be told I should send my client to the Amtrak station where there now is a kiosk where a traveler can print out a ticket. I had not heard of that, and since my client was already in my office, I was finally able to claim and ticket his reservation.

At the end of that day I went to the Amtrak station at Wisman Lane to see this kiosk for myself. Yes, there is a machine inside the building. A person can swipe a credit card and thus gain access to his reservation before ticketing it.

We discussed this at our office. While we think that generally speaking, this is a good step forward, we wonder about it a bit as well. We have a ticket printer here, and sometimes it has paper jams. Who maintains the printer at the station and how often? Who loads in the ticket stock paper? What happens if it jams? We are always told by Amtrak that all passengers MUST have a ticket in hand before getting on the train, however, many times when I was on the train, people just had a reservation number and paid the conductor….. I know this is done in unmanned stations like this one, but I also know that you cannot get on the train in Chicago, for example, without a ticket in your hand.

I encourage our clients who still want us to print their tickets for them, to continue to come in and have us do that for them. I feel a little hesitant about swiping my credit card number when this is an unmanned station – why not my drivers license to get my ID, or why not type in my reservation confirmation and then, if there is no credit card number in the record, ask for the credit card….

Just food for thought…..

And more bad airline news, next part….

It is really sad. Here, in the best country on earth, we have some big businesses (in this case airlines) who have our government believe that the country cannot function without them. I only remind you of the bail-outs that have happened in the past. Yes, airlines were hit by various events which caused bail-outs, but the rest of the travel industry was hit as well – not to mention regular American citizens! Most of these airlines – especially the big ones – have been experiencing financial troubles for many years. I would call that bad business management, but I guess I don’t know anything about that!

When the airlines started to bleed, instead of looking at their business model and changing some things there, like other businesses would have to, they looked at the one thing you cannot possibly be in business without – customer service! That is where they cut, and cut, and cut…. Instead of treating their customers with respect and gratitude, they shove travelers into ever smaller seats, give them less and less amenities, and now charge them for basics – like the first bag, a can of soda, seat reservations and so forth.

When the airlines cut out travel agencies in the late 1990s, which is the only reason why we have to charge our clients ticketing fees, they made the first big mistake. We did not receive any commission payments unless we sold seats on their planes! And what we did get was directly linked to the price of the ticket – it used to be 10% of the base fare (that is the fare without any taxes) of a ticket. Then it went to 5%, then 5% with a cap, and finally 0%. These airlines had an international sales force that worked their hearts out for them. We took care of our clients – and we still do! – if there were changes to a client’s schedule, we did the work. We also continue to make sure our clients’ flight schedules are correct (like checking the requirements about how long they need to be at an intermediate airport in order to safely change planes), that the travelers are informed about luggage and other rules, that they know how early they need to be at the airport, etc.

For our valued clients we still do whatever necessary, so they can have as good a trip as possible. But it does not look like most of the airlines care for their passengers, our clients. That is the saddest part about this…

And more bad airline news

By now you have all heard about American Airlines trying to get out of the red by going to drastic measures: 

American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag, cut domestic flights and lay off workers as it grapples with record-high fuel prices, the airline said today.

“The airline industry as it is constituted today was not built to withstand oil prices at $125 a barrel, and certainly not when record fuel expenses are coupled with a weak U.S. economy,” said Gerard Arpey, American Airlines parent AMR Corp. chairman and CEO, in a statement. – from Chicago Tribune

Customer Service seems to be a way of the past, if travelers will take this move. I do trust in the public! They will NOT take this! American – and other major airlines – have mismanaged their business for years! Now, in addition to high ticket prices, multiple surcharges and “fees”, they try to add baggage fees for the first bag! What is next? Will we be charged for the seat belt we have to use? Instead of being more customer friendly this airline thinks they can just keep on charging!

I urge all travelers to talk to us! We will always be able to help with reservations, provided we made them in the first place, even though we get NOTHING from the airlines for it!

Flying to and from Quincy

I just returned from a trip to Germany on Tuesday, 29 April. I flew from Quincy because I wanted to test how Great Lakes worked. Well, I was disappointed!

On the way to Germany, my luggage was checked in Quincy and I picked it up in Frankfurt, no problem. On the way home would be the real test – I always knew that! When I checked in at Frankfurt Airport for my trip home, I could only check my luggage to St. Louis! US-Airways could not see that ZK was the abbreviation for any airline – it IS the abbreviation for Great Lakes Airlines. So I had to pick up my luggage in St. Louis, and then take it upstairs to the counter and check it in again. Also, the gate for Great Lakes is half way to the East Terminal, a long way to walk!

This is the reason why we won’t sell Great Lakes as long as they don’t have an interline agreement with a major carrier. There is also the consideration, that the way it is now, if a person is booked on another flight from St. Louis, and something changes, there are change and cancel penalties for TWO airlines that will be incurred. While schedule changes normally don’t incur a change fee, the Great Lakes portion would! I really don’t like to state this, because checking in at Quincy Airport is so easy – parking is free, there are just a few people checking in at any time…. but what is that convenience for everything else one has to go through?

More on this subject when there is an agreement…

Travel House Blog

This is a new step for Travel House. We invite you to share experiences, or comment on information you find here.

Today’s tip is: If you are traveling out of this country, whether by air, sea or any other means, we advise strongly that you get a passport. At the present time you don’t need a passport to enter the US by sea or road, however, the government says that at a “time to be determined later” all persons wanting to enter the United States will need passports. We remember the backlogs from last year! It was an absolute nightmare! If you want to go on your trip with any peace of mind, apply for a passport now! Adult passports are valid for 10 years, childrens passports are valid for 5 years. Ask us about the necessary forms. We will be happy to give you all necessary information.

4 March 2008

Today I want to talk about safety concerns when traveling. Many people tell me that they don’t want to leave the US because they fear of eating or drinking something that might make them sick. That could happen right here in Quincy, Illinois as well! When we travel to foreign destinations, we are more careful about what we eat and drink. Be careful not to drink faucet water, not because it is bad, but because you are not used to it! I personally don’t like drinking city faucet water, as I live in the country, and we have our own well… When traveling, be sure you are aware of the differences, but enjoy them! The special flavor a foreign destination offers makes a trip so much more memorable!

17 March 08

Amtrak is my subject today. We do sell Amtrak tickets in our office, and are often asked why the passenger trains so often run late. There are many reasons for that, however, the main reason (and this has happened several times when I was riding on Amtrak) is that the passenger train must let freight trains pass. At least in our rural area, there is often a single track, which means the passenger train will have to pull over and wait for one or more freight trains to lumber past. That is aggravating, but there is not much that can be done about it, since the tracks are owned by the freight trains, and they in turn allow Amtrak to use their rails. So my advice regarding train travel in this country is to take a good book, a lot of patience, and an extra dose of good humor when embarking on a train trip! It is still far cheaper to take the train to Chicago from Quincy than to drive there, plus you can get up and walk around, plus you can actually read or do something other than concentrating on traffic. The train connection between Quincy and Chicago is absolutely great! It brings passengers right into the heart of Chicago! Most of the time this route is run efficiently, however, there are also horror stories about things going wrong! Take it all with a ton of salt (not just a grain!), sit back and relax, and let Amtrak take you to Chicago and beyond!

24 March 08

Destination Weddings are on my mind today. If you want to get married on a beach, or in a wedding chapel at a tropical resort or on a cruise ship, see our agents! We will talk to you about ALL your options. You will learn what sort of documentation you need for each destination, how many days in advance you need to be there, if you need blood tests, and much more. We will be able to recommend just the right venue for your wedding, and prepare you thoroughly for that important day! Did you know that some resorts in the Caribbean offer a free wedding if you book your honeymoon there? Whether you want to get married on a tropical island, on a cruise ship, or in a ceremony in Las Vegas, we will prepare you for your trip! Leave that part of the wedding plans to us – you have to worry about enough details anyway! Also, if you plan your wedding or honeymoon through our office, you may register in our bridal registry which will allow your friends and relatives to pay toward your wedding or honeymoon. Make it easy on yourself! Call the experts at Travel House of Quincy!

8 April 2008

Flying to your destination has become a hassle for most people. I do know that having to go through security, especially at major airports, is nothing but a hassle! However, most passengers submit willingly to all that hassle because they feel they are doing their part in making sure that nobody has anything in the cabin that could cause harm. Not only do we have to be at the airport a minimum of 90 minutes before our flight is due to leave, but we cannot take liquid, powder or paste of more than 3 oz in our carry-on luggage, along with any sharp objects. I do know a lot of people who routinely walk around with their pocket knives – yet they don’t intend to use them as a weapon. Just because a few people have used sharp objects or had their shoes rigged in the past, we all are prohibited from taking such objects, and we have to take our shoes off when going through security. My advice is to take an extra dose of patience and good humor when going on a trip!

10 April 2008

Today’s theme has to do with the anger many travelers are feeling because of recent flight cancellations. American Airlines, just to name one of the major carriers, has had thousands of flights cancelled during this week due to FAA requirements. If you are angry about a missed flight or connection, you are not alone! In September, 2006, the FAA gave all the carriers using MD80 planes 18 months to check their wiring and rebundle some of it. this means to me that they thought the wiring might cause a problem, but they did not feel it was so dangerous that the planes had to be grounded immediately. I guess the major airlines thought this did not apply to them, or that the FAA were not serious about this, because nobody did anything to follow that rule. But, as with anything, there are consequences to one’s actions, or in this case, lack of action. Suddenly all these planes have to be inspected at once! The part about the 18 months is not talked about too much. Now you at least know the reason why these flights had to be cancelled. If you booked your flight through a travel agency, the airlines have a responsibility to inform us of any changes to your reservation. If you booked it on your own, I am sorry to say you ARE on your own, because we cannot touch reservations we did not make!