By Soo Youn Publication: Washington Post On Friday, Jenny Grondahl flew from Phoenix to San Diego, carrying a souvenir: a cardboard sign she wanted to frame when she got home to Southern California. It read “Arizonenses Con Biden” with a cactus and was made by an artist named Javier Torres. Travel better with news, tips and […]
The Big Kahuna The California Sellers of Travel Law The OSSN Agent The Official Newspaper of the Outside Sales Support NetworkSeptember / October 2001 By Al AnolikARTA General Counsel The California Sellers of Travel Law was enacted in September 1994. “Sellers of travel” who are located in California, or located outside of California but selling […]
Where’s Your Luggage? Airline Lose Your Bags? You’ve Got Lots Of Company, But Options Too By Diane C. Lade Staff writer Talk about a bad trip: New airport security measures that limit carry-on items, and force travelers to pack more into checked bags, are coming at the same time the airlines are logging the largest number […]
What To Do With United Air Miles ABC7 KGO-TV Originally published by ABC7 KGO-TV Dec. 5 — With all the problems United Airlines is experiencing, what should frequent flier mileage holders do with their United miles? Travel attorney, Al Anolik, suggests Mileage Plus members use their miles — and fast. The safest way to go […]
Tips For Not Losing Luggage Originally published on Kron4’s website It is one of those things that ruins a vacation – the airline losing or misplacing your luggage. It’s a nightmare that affects millions of airline passengers a year. The good news is only one half of 1% of luggage checked-in gets lost. But with about a billion pieces […]
Symposium to feature Web firms’ attorneys WASHINGTON — Attorneys for Cruise.com, Travelocity and Worldspan — representing a spectrum of Web-focused businesses — will be panelists during the fifth annual National Travel Law Symposium set for Jan. 15 here. Taking the theme Travel, Technology and the Law, the event is set for the Washington Marriott. The speakers […]
State Regulations: Disclosure by the book Previous articles in the State Regulations series: • Laws seen as fundraisers• Enforcement is key• Who requires what Originally Published here: http://www.travelweekly.com The following is part of a series of articles that provides an in-depth look at state laws governing travel agents and the impact of those laws on the trade. […]
Society wins latest ruling in California lawsuitBy Laura Del Rosso Originally Published on www.travelweekly.com SACRAMENTO, Calif. — ASTA has won another ruling from the California Superior Court here in its fight against the Consumer Action League, which this spring sued more than 200 travel agencies because, the league claimed, they failed to post their California […]
Seminar to train agents to mediate disputes By Laura Del Rosso Originally published on www.travelweekly.com SAN FRANCISCO — A long-time travel agent and an industry attorney are looking to mediation to fill what they believe is a need in the industry: a less-expensive alternative to litigation to resolve disputes. Couples going through divorce, businesses and […]
Real Simple Magazine October 2004 Life: When Accidents Happen By: Craig Offman Now What? Fender benders, dog bites, dry-cleaning disasters, and more – know your rights when things go wrong. "Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts." Nikki Giovanni, Of Liberation SITUATION: You’ve just landed in Dallas for […]
Pleasant, agency resolve discounting flapBy Nadine GodwinOriginally Posted on www.travelweekly.com NEW YORK — After severing the link between its Web site and that of a Chicago-based agency in a discounting dispute, Pleasant Holidays called the dustup a "misunderstanding" and welcomed the retailer back in its good graces. The agency, Foremost Travel & Tours, now is […]
NBC interviews Anolik regarding fliers’ rightshttp://www.travelweekly.com/articles.aspx?articleid=23182 NEW YORK — Travel attorney Alexander Anolik was interviewed at length here recently for an upcoming segment of NBC’s "Dateline," which is preparing a report on consumer rights in dealing with the airlines, specifically focusing on baggage claims. San Francisco-based Anolik is ARTA’s legal counsel and offers the legal […]
Nacta’s role in car rental suit upsets lawyer By Michael Milligan Originally Posted on www.travelweekly.com WASHINGTON — The attorney representing travel agents in a proposed class-action suit against major car rental firms is miffed that a travel agent trade group filed an affidavit on behalf of Hertz, one of the supplier defendants. The National Association […]
More Fliers Forced To Give Up Seats: Overbookings Surge as Airlines Trim Schedules; Passenger Compensation Unchanged Since 1978. By Scott McCartney, Wall Street Journal Airline flights are getting bumpier—before they even leave the gate. The number of people involuntarily bumped off flights bounced up more than 40% to 185,368 in the second quarter, compared […]
Lufthansa settles in Hall commission suitOriginally Published on www.travelweekly.com EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Lufthansa and travel agency representatives reached a settlement in the Sarah Hall commission class-action suit, with Lufthansa creating a performance-based incentive program and making all of its Web fares available online for agent bookings. The settlement is subject to court approval. This […]
LOST LUGGAGE EXPERIENCE FRUSTRATING FOR TRAVELERS Originally published on Kron4’s website It is one of those things that ruins a vacation…the airline losing or misplacing your luggage. It’s a nightmare that affects millions of airline passengers a year. While only one-half of one percent of luggage checked in gets lost, that still means five […]
Lawyer challenges operators’ pricing policieshttp://www.travelweekly.com/articles.aspx?articleid=38895 SAN FRANCISCO — Travel attorney Alexander Anolik informed five tour operators that he wrote to the U.S. Justice Department about what he considers price-fixing when the operators forbid discounting of their products by intermediaries. The operators he communicated with are Abercrombie & Kent, Butterfield & Robinson, Gogo Worldwide Vacations, Pleasant […]
Know Your Rights For Canceling South Asia Travel Article Originally Published at: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/7oys/print_010505_7oys_tsunami_travel.html Jan. 5 — As tsunami relief efforts continue in Asia, many are having to decide whether to go ahead with planned vacation in those areas.7 On Your Side’s Michael Finney explains your rights as a traveler.To go or not to go is […]
The Importance of Travel Insurance Mar. 22 (ABC7) — Now is the time many are planning their summer vacations; picking destinations, hotels and flights. 7 On Your Side’s Michael Finney says many are missing out on an important purchase. Phil Cameron of San Francisco is thumbing through photographs from his European vacation. His snapshots aren’t […]
How To Sue An Airline from Travel ConfidentialTM newsletter March, 2000 Air travelers who have been wronged may find that there’s nothing more intimidating than seeking legal action against an airline. From the smaller inconveniences of flight delays and lost luggage to the overwhelming tragedies of personal injury and loss of life, a […]
Hall attorneys seek ‘members of the class’By Michael Milligan Originally Posted on www.travelweekly.com WASHINGTON — Attorneys handling the Sarah Hall class-action suit against the major airlines are reviewing ARC data and other information to identify the travel agents who were in business as of October 1997, the boundary set by the courts for defining the […]
Getting walked by ‘wacko’ hotel employees Question: I booked rooms for me and my brother at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Toronto in Canada. I made the reservations back in September 2004 for a four-night stay in June 2005. The reservations were guaranteed with a credit card. My wife received a phone call in mid-January […]
Firm charges major operators with price-fixingBy David CogswellOriginally Posted on: www.travelweekly.com SAN FRANCISCO — A Chicago-based tour operator is charging that some big-name suppliers are trying to get consumers to book direct on their Web sites under the guise of "leveling the playing field" by restricting price discounting. According to Tom Stelter, chief financial officer […]
Fifth travel law symposium slated for Jan. 15Originally Posted on: www.travelweekly.com WASHINGTON — Travel Weekly and ARTA announced plans for their fifth annual National Travel Law Symposium. Taking the theme, Travel, Technology and the Law, the event is set for the Washington Marriott hotel on Jan. 15. The 2003 symposium, open to all interested travel […]
Cancelled Flights Don’t Always Mean Refunds Originally published on Kron4’s website BAY AREA (KRON) — With airlines cutting back on flights, Contact 4 has been hearing more complaints from consumers who say they’re not getting refunds although they’ve paid in full It wasn’t a mechanics strike, but a terrorist strike that caused Dina Lisha’s problems. […]
The Bottom Line On Airline Bumping Originally Published at: http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_180203058.html Reported by: Jeanette Pavini (CBS 5) SFO is expecting big crowds over the 4th of July holiday weekend. More than half a million travelers will pass through the airport between Friday and Tuesday. That means you should arrive at least 90 minutes before a […]
By Nadine Godwin OAKLAND, Calif. — A small claims court here ruled in favor of a travel agent who was sued by a German client who claimed the agent should have warned her to carry her passport when traveling from the U.S. to Mexico.The agent, Peggy Jensen, sold a SunTrips Cancun package to a group […]
Originally Posted on: KTVU.com 1. "You’ll get lost in cyberspace." Terrorism. SARS. Airline bankruptcies. War. They’re not making it easy to travel these days. Unfortunately, neither are many travel agents, both the human kind and the online kind. Complaints against agents, such as unexplained charges and crummy customer service, rose 23% last year, according to the […]
Travel LawBY ALEXANDER ANOLIK In countries the world over, travel and tourism is one of the largest service industries. In the United States, tourism is one of the three largest businesses in the nation, and the second largest employer. As leisure time and disposable income have increased, and with more corporate travelers servicing their businesses […]
By Chris Woodyardand Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY The airline industry is having a problem with wide bodies. Not big planes — rather, big passengers. As many Americans have grown wider around the middle, they are having an increasingly hard time fitting into economy-class seats. Now, airlines are taking action. Starting Wednesday, Southwest Airlines will […]
On the Road with Bill McGee Most of us intend to prevent trouble before it even starts by making good travel planning decisions and straightening out problems as they arise. But every traveler knows that sooner or later they’ll take "The Trip from Hell." And then the trip turns into being all about filing a […]
http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=1170 TravelAgeWest By David Peterkofsky The ASTA Litigation Center, a nonprofit law firm affiliated with ASTA, will work with attorneys to help defend some 225 agencies named in a lawsuit filed by an entity called the Consumer Action League in California Supreme Court in Sacramento. The suit alleges that the agencies violated state law by […]
TravelAgeWest http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=491 ARTA’s Chairman Nancy Linares told her membership last week that the association would ask commission settlement company NPC to hold off implementing new fees for its Commission Express program or face retaliation. Linares said that in the past, NPC has sent checks (twice a week, in many cases) to participating agencies for commissions […]
From the Los Angeles Times Construction noise ruins a couple’s stay at an expensive hotel. By Catharine Hamm, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer December 27, 2007Originally Posted: http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-spot30dec30 Question: On our 25th wedding anniversary, we decided to splurge and stay at a luxury hotel in Paris. Unfortunately, we were given a room next to […]
USA Today Posted 10/3/2006 3:32 PM ET Question: We booked a five-night, six-day all-inclusive vacation in June for our family, including our three young children, at Beaches Turks & Caicos through Unique Vacations, Beaches’ travel partner. But conditions at the resort were deplorable and we had to leave after the first night. It was not […]
More Ahead for SuntripsOriginally Posted: www.travelagewest.com/articles.aspx?article=4905 June 26, 2006 Two travel agencies sued SunTrips and its parent corporation, seeking restitution of unpaid commissions on behalf of all agencies and to stop the sale of the tour business until agency commissions are secured. The plaintiff agencies are Community World Travel of Denver and Four Winds […]
TRAVEL Q&A Job 1: Goof-proof your trip Travel agents make mistakes too, so it pays to double-check their work. By: Laurie Berger Originally posted on: www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-travelqa7may07,1,2082455,print.column May 7, 2006 WHAT options do travelers have when a travel agent makes a mistake but denies it? Travel Q&A tackles an expensive mishap that could […]
Suntrips Trip Refunds Part TwoCBS 13/UPN 31 Originally Posted: http://cbs13.com/seenon/local_story_097005327.html April 6, 2006 So now we have two companies: the old Suntrips and the new company. The new company gets the Suntrips name and the website. The old company cancelled trips and now owes a whole lot of money back to their customers. Last […]
Suntrips Trip Refund That Never Came CBS 13/UPN 31 Originally posted: http://cbs13.com/consumer/local_story_096005707.html April 5, 2006 Dulcey Rood loves the sun, especially the Mexican Sun. She and her husband Robert were married in Mexico. They’ve been back seven times. There would’ve been an eighth trip this past Christmas, but they had to cancel because Robert […]
Mystery at Sea: Who Polices the Ships? By CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTTFebruary 26, 2006From the New York TImesOriginally Posted on: http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/02/26/travel/26crime.html?pagewanted=print MENTION crime on cruise ships, and George Smith, the honeymooner who vanished from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas last year, comes to mind — particularly if you watch cable TV. But Connie Eagerton is reminded […]
Risks on the road aheadCanceled flights, overbooked hotels, civil unrest: How to prepare for the worst.By Laurie BergerSpecial to The Times January 22, 2006 Originally Posted: www.latimes.com/services/site/premium/interceptlogin.register FROM bankruptcies to bedbugs, many of the perils that beset travelers last year still loom large. Perhaps not surprisingly, experts are predicting an equally bumpy 2006.If that […]
If a seatmate smells bad, come clean to the crew — quicklyFrom the Los Angeles TimesTRAVEL Q&ABy: Laurie BergerDecember 4, 2005 Originally Posted: www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-travelqa4dec04,1,5954551.column Question: On a packed, 16-hour flight to Japan, my three children and I were seated in a row next to a family that had not bathed recently. The odor […]
TRAVEL Q&AYour rights when a flight is delayedBy: Laurie BergerOctober 2, 2005 Originally Posted on: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-travelqa2oct02,1,3459604.column WHEN planes don’t fly as promised, passengers often resort to pounding their fists rather than demanding their rights. Travel Q&A recently advised readers to arm themselves with a copy of their airline’s delay-and-cancellation policy when they fly ("When […]
Too good to be true? Maybe it was.Travelers said they paid $900 to $1,000 each for tickets. Officials are looking into whether an agency took the money and ran. LA TIMES By Laurie BergerSpecial to The TimesOctober 2, 2005 Originally Posted on: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-galaxy2oct02,1,7757374.story CALIFORNIA, New York and Illinois authorities are investigating a travel […]
TRAVEL Q&A Dodging the hasslesBy: Laurie BergerJuly 10, 2005 Originally Posted: www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-travelqa10jul10,1,7529732.column If you like trouble-free travel, forget about going anywhere during the summer. It seems as though everyone — and their kids, pets and grannies — is on the road, clogging rooms, seats and rental cars. And that means more chances for things […]
LA TIMES: TRAVEL Q&ABundled fees, a hornet’s nestBy: Laurie BergerMarch 6, 2005 Originally Posted on http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-qa6mar06,1,1428902.column?ctrack=1&cset=true Question: I recently booked a stay at the Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, British Columbia, through Orbitz and was charged 20% in taxes and fees. After the trip, I wrote to Orbitz for a refund of the 7% […]
Persistence, knowledge make squawking manageable Published in the Asbury Park Press 04/20/05BY DAVID MANNWEILERThe Indianapolis Star Sheep is what Christopher Elliott considers today’s complacent travelers. “People should squawk when they’re not happy,” says Elliott, ombudsman at National Geographic Travel magazine. “If they’re not having a positive experience, they definitely should let someone know.” Alexander Anolik, […]
Passport and tickets are just a start Other documents can prevent hassles – Jane Engle, Los Angeles TimesSunday, February 27, 2005 Originally Published: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/02/27/TRGBJBFU3D1.DTL Alexander Anolik was enjoying a carefree, early-morning jaunt before leaving Monaco last year, driving his rental car down streets used in that seaside principality’s renowned Grand Prix motor races. The good […]
LOS ANGELES TIMESTRAVEL Q&AYour port of call is suddenly canceled. Now what?By: Laurie BergerOriginally Posted: http://www.latimes.com/services/site/premium/interceptlogin.registerFebruary 6, 2005 Question: My husband and I booked a seven-day golf cruise to the Mexican Riviera last year on the Radisson Seven Seas Mariner. Upon boarding the ship in November, we discovered that one of the three scheduled ports, […]
It takes more than a passport to speed you on your way Carrying the right documents can prevent trouble, especially for parents or those with medical conditions. TRAVEL INSIDERFrom the Los Angeles TimesBy Jane Engle November 28 2004 Originally published here. Alexander Anolik last year was enjoying a carefree early morning jaunt before leaving Monaco, […]
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-travelqa22aug22,1,5104892.columnTRAVEL Q&AAn online rental-car runaroundA traveler with a confirmed reservation was left stranded. Here’s what should have happened.Laurie BergerTravel Q&A August 22, 2004 Question: I booked a weekend car rental one Friday in June through http://www.expedia.com . I received what I thought was a "rental agreement" from Expedia guaranteeing my reservation and a $9.99-a-day rate […]
TRAVEL Q&AAn online rental-car runaroundA traveler with a confirmed reservation was left stranded. Here’s what should have happened.Laurie Berger Originally Posted on: http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/news/la-tr-travelqa22aug22,0,7739475,print.column?coll=la-classifieds-autos-news August 22, 2004 Question: I booked a weekend car rental one Friday in June through http://www.expedia.com . I received what I thought was a "rental agreement" from Expedia guaranteeing my reservation and […]
Banking on Travel March 19, 2004 TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS By Heather Won Tesoriero As appeared in the Wall Street Journal of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose Metropolitan Area; Denver Metropolitan Area; Springfield – Holyoke Metropolitan Area; and Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. WITH HIGH-PROFILE bankruptcies this past year shortchanging some travels, many are unaware of a […]
Originally Published at ABC7 KGO-TV/DT 12-11-03 Nov. 12 2003 — Pets are an important part of the family, so you can imagine how devastated a Napa couple was when a major airline lost their dog. 7 On Your Side’s Michael Finney explains. Airlines are required to report how many bags they lose, as […]
JetBlue Action Prompts Suits, Federal Scrutiny 9/29/2003 By R. Scott Macintosh TravelAgeWest Originally published at http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=2480 The use of jetBlue passenger information for a government project has sparked a federal inquiry, class-action lawsuits and widespread outrage over what civil rights groups are calling a grave violation of consumer privacy rights. Passengers in California and […]
Far & Wide Bankruptcy Rocks Industry – 9/29/2003 By Lisa Jennings and R. Scott Macintosh TravelAgeWestOriginally published at: http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=2479 Far&Wide Travel Corp.’s bankruptcy filing marked the largest failure of a tour operator in recent history and sent economic effects rippling across the tourism industry. Many questions remained unanswered immediately after the Wednesday filing, which […]
With an increase in bankruptcies, travel insurers’ business booming By Barry EstabrookNew York Times Posted Sept. 4, 2003 For those aboard the ship World Discoverer, an Around the Ring of Fire cruise proved memorable — perhaps too much so. The small luxury ship sailed last spring from the Japanese island of Hokkaido with a full […]
Orlando Sentinel By Catherine Wilson The Associated Press Posted August 28 2003 MIAMI — An appeals court reinstated a medical negligence suit Wednesday against Carnival Cruise Lines in a case that attorneys say has wide implications for passengers who need medical care aboard ships. The 3rd District Court of Appeal revived a lawsuit by the […]
By Kevin Brass http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=2420 It began two years ago when an irate client confronted Cecilia Pedroza with a car rental bill for $100 more than she said the car would cost. Unaware of the fees the rental car agency had tacked on to the bill after she booked the reservation, at first Pedroza, owner of […]
THE NEW YORK TIMES August 17, 2003 PRACTICAL TRAVELER The Risk of Insolvency By BARRY ESTABROOK For those aboard the ship World Discoverer, this spring’s Around the Ring of Fire cruise proved memorable – perhaps too much so. The small luxury ship sailed from the Japanese island of Hokkaido with a full complement of […]
By Kevin Brass http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=2352 Attorneys for agents would receive a $1 million upfront payment and lead plaintiff Sarah Futch Hall would receive $100,000 as part of the landmark antitrust-case settlement with Lufthansa, according to recently filed court documents. Although the outline of the deal was announced in late June, the upfront payments to the attorneys […]
By Jorge Sidron Travel Weekly June 23, 2003 San Francisco—Six major car rental companies have been slapped with a class-action lawsuit accusing them of “systematically and regularly” underreporting and underpaying travel agent commissions. The lawsuit, filed by four travel agencies and an individual agent in state superior court in San Diego, alleges that the […]
Originally Published on Kron 4’s website April 21, 2003 at 5:50 p.m. BAY AREA (KRON) — The state of the travel industry these days has many consumers worried that their spring and summer trips might run into trouble. You can buy insurance for your travels, but is it really worth your money? With all that’s […]
By Anne Banas, Smarter Living Staff — USA TodayFebruary 2003 In the event of war, terrorism, or other forms of international unrest, your travel plans may be disrupted. Whether you’re wondering what recourse you have if your travel arrangements are canceled, or if you’re feeling uneasy about traveling and want to cancel your plans yourself, […]
Originally published on Kron4’s website Posted: January 21, 2003 at 6:03 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — January is prime season for cruise bookings and many cruise lines are now offering bargains to lure the reluctant, cautious or budget-conscious traveler. One trend to beware of is cruise lines increasingly including travel insurance automatically in their fares. […]
Changes for Checked Luggage Originally published on Kron4’s website Posted: December 27, 2002 at 5:47 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — By December 31st, all airports across the country will be using new procedures to check for weapons in your luggage. The TSA — or Transportation Security Administration — is advising consumers to leave bags unlocked […]
By Peter Splingaerd, All Travel, Phoenix http://www.travelagewest.com/newsarticle.asp?articleid=1743 I was delighted to receive notice from the law firm of Anderson, Daniel & Coxe that a federal judge has certified a class-action lawsuit against the major airlines for antitrust behavior in colluding to reduce and eliminate travel agency commissions. This is a major breakthrough in the defense […]
Travel Rights Originally Published by ABC7 KGO-TV November 13, 2002 Nov. 13 — After yesterday’s airline crash, your travel plans may have changed drastically and you may be wondering what to do with a non-refundable ticket you couldn’t or didn’t use. Travel attorney, Alexander Anolik, says you have consumer rights, but that it’s up to […]
Caribbean Agencies ‘Overlooked’ in Caps Payout"We were capped on February 1995, the same as the domestic agents." — Bernice Cordero, ASTA, Puerto Rico/U.S.V.I. chapterBy Michael MilliganOriginally Published on: TravelWeekly.com WASHINGTON — At least 600 travel agencies in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands did not get checks from the settlement of the 1995 commission […]