Comments for Savvy Passenger

Comment on Protecting Your Health While Flying by The Savvy Passenger

The Savvy Passenger — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:08:39 +0000

Levi,

Great point…I will look into it for everyone and blog on it in a future entry!

Comment on Protecting Your Health While Flying by Levi Flight

Levi Flight — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:21:09 +0000

Hi, thanks for your response. So it is a complicated situation. I’ll check out what is actually covered by the insurance. I expect that if I was feeling too I’ll to travel heading to the airport or trying to deal with credit card small print in a foreign land is no thrill. And to be honest, if I have dragged my sorry state out of a hotel and to an airport I would be more likely to just get on the plane. Very few travel with tickets that are refundable and the rest are likely unwilling to give up $250 plus to cover the additional cost of a hotel room if feeling under the weather to avoid giving others the sneeze. If I might indulge upon you as a blogger, perhaps a review of travel insurance as a simple solution would be helpful? Do the insurances that come with the major airlines cover for travel costs for a cancellation that does not require a trip to the doctor? I imagine insurance companies see this as a slippery slope and require some form of doctors note.
I know for one that I hate being next to the coughing guy one a plane and feel terrible if it is me. An easy option not requiring checking out of a hotel and arguing the case in an airport should be available.

Comment on Protecting Your Health While Flying by The Savvy Passenger

The Savvy Passenger — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:21:12 +0000

Thank you for your question. There are several options available to travelers, some I have had to learn the hard way.

Most airlines will offer you travel insurance. As an example, when booking travel on jetBlue online, before confirming your reservation and purchasing your ticket, the system automatically asks the purchaser if they would like to purchase travel insurance. Making this purchase will guarantee your ability to re-book your travel without being charged a change/cancellation fee from the airline.

Many airlines offer different levels of fares: some offer you the option to change your itinerary without penalties, while others are such discounted rates that any changes or cancellations to the ticket will incur extra fees.

Most of the time, if a traveler is at the airport and is not feeling up to the flight, they can attempt to lean on the CSR/Gate Agent’s human nature to allow you to re-book or alter your plans if you can get them to understand your plight, or you can ask for a Customer Service Supervisor, if the agent is leery of “bending the rules” to accommodate your illness. They usually can make exceptions where passenger illness/injury is concerned. My experience is that nothing is ever set in stone — most times it is up to the airline representative to make the final determination.

Also, some credit card companies will have provisions for these issues and will work as your advocate in these matters. And if you have some elite status with the airline specifically, they are usually willing to make changes without additional fees, depending on the type of ticket you have purchased.

The bottom line is that you should ALWAYS review the rules and restrictions of the fare you have purchased, and try to reason with airline management if you are unable to find satisfaction with your specific issue. Safe Travels!

Comment on Protecting Your Health While Flying by Levi Flight

Levi Flight — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:01:50 +0000

“As a travel professional, I never recommend airline travel if you are under-the-weather.” How do get out of travelling? If call the airline and say feeling ill would they reschedule for a later date without charge? What options does a sick traveller have?

Comment on Speed Dating…er…I mean Seating at 30,000 Feet… by John

John — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:59:13 +0000

If traveling alone i would make a faux-Facebook page stating I weighed 650 pounds and suffered a digestive disease! Might keep that seat empty!

Comment on The Importance of Airline Etiquette by Chris

Chris — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:33:57 +0000

Thanks for highlighting the big issue for travellers today. I travel 140K/yr and see first hand how my attitude carries over to others. When I’m pleasant, others react well….and if I’m being a jerk…ditto. It’s
all about the golden rule. I do try to be pleasant as its so much easier!

Comment on The FAA Re-Authorization Bill and the Airline Passenger by Mikey C

Mikey C — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:59:38 +0000

Nice Article!

Comment on The Importance of Airline Etiquette by The Savvy Passenger

The Savvy Passenger — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:59:08 +0000

Ken, Thank you for your comments. I don’t know if the crux of the issue is cramped quarters (you might be right), I do know that United, in particular) has had great success in their Economy Plus product, to the point where after its merger with Continental, all Continental aircraft are being retrofit with this extra legroom in economy. I know that the high-time business travelers who choose United enjoy having this perk, especially when the company is upgrading their more loyal customers with this service at no additional charge. Sadly, I don’t think we shall ever see a “shrinking” of CEO wages unless we begin to see a shift change in this practice along the entire spectrum of the business world, not just the airlines. And not to defend United, per se, but since their merger with Continental, the airline has committed millions of additional dollars to upgrading and retrofitting their fleet to meet the demands of the business traveler (ie., WiFi, lay-flat seating, electrical outlets — just to name a few)! Cheers!

Comment on The Importance of Airline Etiquette by Ken

Ken — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:47:57 +0000

I really appreciate this article. Most will never know how it used to be 40 years ago when I first started business related flying. Back then it was so much more civilized and yes, people were nicer-much nicer. Back then flying, was an adventure and you would look forward to it. Now, many consider it an ordeal. However, while the Gen “X” statement has some validity, I think a lot of it has to do with the cramped nature of the aircraft.

Western Airlines used to have a motto “3 feet for your 2 feet” back in the 70′s. Are the cramped conditions the price we pay for affordable airfare while creating unrest on board? All of this would be debatable if, for example, the CEO of United was not paid $4.4m a year. No one is worth that kind of money and if all those executive salaries were plowed back into the operations budget, think of what kind of conditions we could expect on board.

Would our attitudes then change? A rhetorical question but one worth contemplating.

Comment on The Importance of Airline Etiquette by DL

DL — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:37:55 +0000

And thank *you* for addressing mine. I should say the gist of your post is spot-on, and as someone who’s generally polite, it bothers me when others are not.

It’s just that it’s become easy shorthand to talk about all the things wrong with millennials, which often turns me off to the rest of the point someone is trying to make.

We’ll both keep encouraging the pleases and thank yous and hope for the best!