What is your biggest Travel problem?

[drgary]

Hi,
I have developed a free travel website: www.travelbesttips.com

As I expand my site, I want to be the best source for making travel affordable, and the planning process enjoyable. Solving people's problems are at the heart of both affordable and enjoyable.

I think the best research is asking consumer's directly. So, I would appreciate your help.

Please visit my website and tell me what kind of travel problems that you would like me to address in future updates of the site. (Something that you personally would find helpful.)

Thanks,

DrGary
www.travelbesttips.com

 

[short]

First or Business Class airline travel

I spend an fair amount of time trying to keep up to date on how to fly first or business class for the least amount of money. This includes buying, upgrading or using Frequent flyer miles for a ticket.

Flyer talk is a good source but long time members think every question can be answered by the search function when it cannot.

American Airlines recently added a page to their website which nicely laid out the 4 options on upgrading.

Short

 

[Steamboat Bill]

Problem: Finding more free time for travel

 

[LisaH]

Problem: Finding more free time for travel

Ditto! I was just going to say that!

 

[shagnut]

My problem is too little money for all the traveling I want to do. shaggy

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

I have a lot of points available through American Express that can be transferred to most airlines, but I feel intimidated by not knowing how to book and transfer or transfer and book, knowing when to do it and if I can hold a reservation while calling to get points transferred etc. Once I lost a bunch of points I transferred to Delta for my son, so that makes me even mor nervous.
Liz

 

[Timeshare Von]

Children who misbehave and the parents who seem to lack the understanding of how they affect the enjoyment of those around them!

 

[Transit]

Flight delays

 

[bigeyes1]

My biggest problem with traveling are the airline schedule changes. With the exception of Hawaiian Air, I have never been notified of any past schedule changes from AA, which is the one we travel with most often. Now I check my reservations quite frequently to prevent any "surprises".

 

[CMF]

Minivan Rantals

Making sure I find a minivan that accommodates 6 or 7 passengers and all of our luggage.


Charles

 

[dougp26364]

Children who misbehave and the parents who seem to lack the understanding of how they affect the enjoyment of those around them!

Great point! Unfortunately it's not restricted to traveling.

While I would list Timeshare Von's complaint as my #2 problem, I'd have to say the lack of service provided by the airlines is #1. They just don't seem to care about the passengers. They only care about their needs, not those who have paid them money for a service the barely provide anymore.

 

[mtwingcpa]

My most stressful travel problem is simply getting to the airport!

I live about 30 miles away across a suspension bridge and on the other side of a very congested freeway area. The alternatives to driving (van or taxi) are limited and very expensive. If I'm concerned about the drive due to rush hour traffic, or simply bad weather during the holiday season, I stay at a hotel near the airport the night before. But his adds additional cost and inconvenience.

I'm not sure there is a "good" answer to this problem. :-(

 

[silverfox82]

Getting to and from the airport. Without traffic I live 25 minutes from JFK and it can still be a nightmare, limos that don't show, an accident that shuts down the parkway, cab fares of $100 one way, public transportation is a joke. I do the long term parking for shorter trips but that becomes pricey after a week or more. I can deal with delays, cancelled flights and unhappy employees, I would be too with the screwing they are getting but trying to figure out ground transportation leaves my stomach in knots.

 

[Mischelle]

Airfare

My stress is airfare. I can secure cheap flights for myself through my points, but when I plan a trip for 11 other people every year, I have to make sure it is a place they can afford to fly to...

I have discovered a foundation that auctions flights on Ebay. Hopefully it will help.



This year I packed, and re-packed, took half of my clothes out, rolled clothes into balls, and had what I thought was space, but I still got caught being over weight at the gate. 4 yrs and counting. Now I just carry an extra bag.

 

[Kel]

Packing Heavy

I don't think your website can help us. The more we travel - the heavier we pack. I thought we packed heavy when we traveled with our dive gear. My husband has taken up kiteboarding and the gear for kiteboarding for one takes up more room than the dive gear for two. Now we've started to rent dive gear on tropical trips because we can't carry it all and/or pay the overweight charges. We're having fun!

 

[Kenrabs]

Weight restrictions on luggage. I can get an idea of the bags weight with my home scale, but it's hard to guess the bags weight on the return flight. It's so aggravating when you get to the counter and your 4 lbs over and have to shift items between bags.

 

[LUVourMarriotts]

Airport delays!!

I just came back to NY (LGA) yesterday from Dallas (DFW). This was my third trip in the past 2 months. My last 2 were horrible. Here are my suggestions around this topic.

• Which airports have the tendency for longer delays (factoring # of gates, weather due to location, timeliness of baggage to the claim area, etc.)
• Which routes have the tendency for longer delays (ex. DFW to LGA)
• Which airlines have priority at which airports (I was told by my car service driver that smaller airlines would be bumped for an airline that is a major player, hub, at a specific airport)
• How much can you get away with bringing on as carry-on? I don't think this is enforced, as seen yesterday when 1 guy brought on 2 suitcases that took a jackhammer to get in the overhead.
• What times to stay away from specific airports if possible.

 

[sage]

Late check-ins at airport!!!!

My biggest worry is people who check in in the last 30 -45 minutes before an international flight (even when you are told to be there 3 hours beforehand. OR just don't bother notifying the airline that they don't intend to travel on that particular flight.
Biggest and most frustrating gripe ever. You know where & when the plane leaves so get your butt there on time!!!
They hold up people who are on standby who REALLY WANT TO GET ON THAT FLIGHT

 

[sage]

Tall people who expect 5 seats to sleep!

Another gripe is tall people who want 5 seats to sleep (if the flight is not full).
Normally our kids have always travelled well (not seen or heard by others) except on one particular flight when our toddler was teething and tired.

We had an arguement with one such person saying that our 2 year old didn't need 2 seats (we had spare seats next to us & he wanted us to move)!
We told him he could have the 5 seats but our 2 yr old would probably cry the whole 14 hour flight OR he could have the 3 he already had and everyone could sleep peacefully.
He went back to his seat and we all had a great sleep on that flight!

 

[Kel]

I think infants should travel like they do in a car (with a car seat). They should have their own seat. I don't understand why everyone is under a seat belt except for children under 2. It's a safety issue.

 

[Jimster]

delays

To bigeyes1, one suggestion to be notified of delays and changes is to make sure you fill out the information in your profile. Usually it is in a separate notification section. Several of the airlines have specific notification procedures BUT you have to have previously filled out their special form in the profile. I have been very successful in getting timely notifications. If you book from consolidators, then that is part of the price you give for the cheap ticket(although I think travelocity does try and notify passengers of delays and cancelations).

 

[bigeyes1]

Hi Jimster,

My DH and I both have our profile info completely filled out. I even fill out the flight notifications for both of us and neither one of us ever hears from AA. No phone call, no email, nada. I thought surely one of us would, but that hasn't ever been the case.

That's why I check our reservations frequently. I don't know how many times I have had to fix our seating assignments or call AA to get our reservations all back in order again. Needless to say, I don't trust AA.

 

[Jimster]

Peeves

While these are not big problems, they are 2 of my pet peeves when traveling. First, is the lack of common sense exercised by people with carry on luggage. As mentioned before, some people carry on too much and the airlines do not enforce it. Personally, I always watch other people as they try to put their luggage in the same bin as mine. Sometimes people try to cram things in with total oblivion as to what may be there. If I am carrying something fragile (which is part of the reason for carry on in the first place), I don't want some clod trying to force an oversized bag in next to mine and break it. If they do, I will tell them to stop immediately. I have seen these jerks do that to other passengers on the same flight. One time, soon after take off I saw a passenger become initially confused when wine started dripping from above on to him. Of course, the reason..... someone forcing their oversized luggage into the oversized cabin. I have also seen FA tell people-sorry you are going to have to check that bag. Wow, I was so impressed. However, few FA are willing to do that.

On a related pet peeve, I understand why people have rollerboard luggage. I have some myself and I use it often. What I don't get is why you have to roll it down the aisle of the aircraft under every situtation. Why can't you pick it up? Some people use the large economy size (or over large size) and insist on rolling their luggage down the aisle even if it hits everyone along the way. Others stand there waiting to get through because their luggage won't clear (holding up everyone who is boarding) for the same reason- even when there is plenty of room if you just picked up your bag and went around. Are we really that lazy??? Well maybe, given my third complaint that when you have a POS (person of size) sitting next to you (and I am not small) who wants to buy 1 seat and take up 2. Maybe the airlines should have special seats for POS.

 

[grest]

Problem: Finding more free time for travel

Me too!
Connie

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Weight restrictions on luggage. I can get an idea of the bags weight with my home scale, but it's hard to guess the bags weight on the return flight. It's so aggravating when you get to the counter and your 4 lbs over and have to shift items between bags.

We just bought a luggage scale for less than $10. http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Trav...85557?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1191174443&sr=8-1

It seems accurate enough and you can take it with you on the trip for the return flights.

Some luggage even has built in scales, but htis seems to be an overkill.

Hope this is one problem solved. -- Suzanne