Travel Blog

For 27 years, the nation’s largest passenger carrier held an edge at its main Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by preserving an obscure 1979 law that prevented upstart carrier Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV ), then a no-frills intrastate carrier, from flying nationwide from the newcomer’s home base at Love Field, which is closer to downtown Dallas. But the vagaries of power in the nation’s capital, combined with airline industry turmoil, has forced American to accept a painful compromise rather than face the prospect of losing a Capitol Hill showdown with a bitter rival. “We’re fatalistic about it,” says American lobbyist Dan Elwell. “Let’s get on with making this a better airline going forward than expending a lot of effort fighting this.”

So I decided to swing over to Amtrak's Website to see the status of train #516 Amtrak Cascades from Portland to Seattle. I'm specifically curious about the projected arrival time into Tacoma. With that in mind I pulled up the website and input the particular stations and train number, even though it states OR between the choices I figured what the hoo haa it'll be better if I just leave nothing empty. Theoretically it would use whatever provides the faster query speed that way. Within the matter of about a half second the website whipped up the results and told me the arrival time.

Don’t believe the ads. Don’t believe there’s a little blue gnome out there looking for your best interest. If you get suckered into one of their low-low-price travel deals, try to get it straight from the airline as the price will only vary by a few bucks. Travelocity is perhaps the worst travel agent I’ve ever worked with. They are inflexible, bind you to retarded rules and while they claim to do everything they can to get it right they will hide behind every “policy” under the sun to make sure they do not have to go an inch outside their commitment to put butts in seats of airliners, hotels beds or cruise ship deck chairs. If all you have to use is their website, they’re fine, but the second you have to get in touch with a living human being, get ready to be pulled down into a vortex of horrible customer service, barely-understandable agents and people who’d rather yell at you than help.

All I can say is WOW. Recently Northwest Airlines gave pink-slips to some of its employees. Included in their layoff packet was a booklet titled '101 Ways to Save Money.' Included in the list were the following:

So I saw this book today (awesome, see where you can: Hike THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE Trail, behold the KILL BILL Chapel, and enter THE DOORS Indian Caves)!, and it reminded me that if you live or visit Southern California, then you've got to see the places where movie magic is made.

If you think websites like Expedia, Travelocity & Kayak eliminate the need for a travel agent, I give you 10 reasons why you are dead wrong.

Are you one of those that likes to stay home and watch T.V.? Or maybe someone that frequently turns friends down for a Friday night out? There are many things to do and people to meet in this world after all, you only live once. Why spend most of the time around yourself when you should be out partying and socializing?