Frontier and Spirit Airlines both curren

Frontier and Spirit Airlines both currently charge passengers for carry-on bags that can’t be put in the seat space in front. Frontier’s charge of up to $100 is passed on to passengers who don’t book on the airline’s website. Spirit currently charges $100 for passengers hauling carry-ons at the gate and upwards of $35 for passengers who book and pay for it before boarding.

Charging for bags has a definite adverse effect on customer satisfaction, but they seem to be gradually getting used to it. Consumer advocate Chris Elliot pointed out in a Washington Post feature, on May 14, that these new fees cannot be regulated by the FAA or Congress. He suggests that “politely” asking a gate agent to waive a fee might be passenger’s “only hope” of avoiding them.

Turkish Airlines Bans Red Lipstick, Spar

Turkish Airlines Bans Red Lipstick, Sparks Islamacist Controversy
By Gretchen Kelly -reprinted from Travel Pulse.com
May 03, 2013 2:08 PM
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move that sparked a wave of comments and criticism on Facebook and Twitter, Turkish Airlines banned red lipstick and nail polish for its flight attendants, continuing changes that some see as inline with an Islamic agenda for the airline that is 49% government owned.

Atilay Aycin, president of the airline’s Hava-Is labor union, told Reuters that “no one can deny that Turkey has become a more conservative, religious country.This new guideline is totally down to Turkish Airlines management’s desire to shape the company to fit its own political and ideological stance,” he said.

The airline also recently stopped serving alcoholic beverages on domestic flights (a move the airline says is due to lack of demand) and made public a potential re-design of flight attendants’ uniforms that would place their hemlines well below the knee.

Mehves Evin, a journalist with the Turkish publication, The Daily Hurriyet wrote: “If the THY (Turkish Airways) administration, which meddles into the privacy of its staff to this extent, with funny excuses such as “the lipstick gets on the teeth,” were to spend this energy answering calls from trade unions, then we would feel safer.”

Other potential changes in Turkey such as the proposed conversion of historic buildings into mosques have been cited as evidence of an encroaching and thinly disguised Islamacism in the historically secular state. Supporters of the goverment say that the changes are evidence of a democratic relaxation of restrictions on Islamic choices largely favored by the working class as opposed to the secular side of the culture, which they characterize as the intellectual elite
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As a Destination Specialist, it is my re

As a Destination Specialist, it is my responsibility to be an expert in the places I sell. I am informed about the many suppliers, both domestic and “in country” and their reliability. I am keenly aware of their value for the money, proficiency of their transfers, the quality of their guides and vehicles, their financial stability and their ability to provide extraordinary experiences. I can suggest alternate camps when the requested camp is sold out. It is also common for my clients to ask about whether or not the destination, site or experience is worth doing. I have usually stayed at the camp or hotel and experienced the attraction, whether it is a mircolite flight over the falls or a night time elephant back safari at Jabulani, the only place in the world it is possible. I have firsthand experience of the camps and activities I recommend. Does the horde of people at migration time detract from the experience? Possibly. Does the fact that so many people visit it indicate it is worth it? Probably.

If you know Africa is on your bucket list but you cannot decide where to go, I can tell you the differences between countries, the type of vehicles allowed, quality of the game viewing, level of accommodations, and the price differences between each country of Africa. Then you can make an informed decision about the best destination for you.

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CNN’s 20 Best World Heritage Sites

Posted by CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/28/travel/20-beautiful-unesco-sites/index.html?hpt=tr_c1

CNN) — You heard of the two guys who recently opted in to a two-year, $1.5 million holiday? These are some of the sights they’ll be privy to.

Luxury website VeryFirstTo.com unveiled its £990,000 ($1.5 million) trip just a month ago, a luxury expedition to all 962 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in what’s been billed as the world’s most expensive vacation. Two men have reportedly signed up — a Chinese student and an Italian businessman.

Their “vacation” will take them from dazzling underwater ecosystems to the ruins of ancient civilizations, otherworldly natural landscapes to more modern works of architecture. Each year, around 25 sites deemed to have “outstanding universal value” are inscribed on the list, and we couldn’t resist choosing a few favorites.

We’ve rounded up 20 sites that we’d be looking forward to most if we were going on the trip.

Angkor, Cambodia

The site lies a 20-minute tuk-tuk ride from the city of Siem Reap, with the bulk of visitors traveling between November and February, when the weather is dry and temperatures are coolest (25-30 C).

Acropolis, Greece

It’s possible to take a tour to the site, or simply wander there from Athens on foot. The route along Adrianou Street to the back entrance of the site is a gentler climb than the Dionysus Theatre entrance. For more information, visit the Greece tourism website.

Bagan, Myanmar

Located in Myanmar’s central west, Bagan is serviced by flights, buses and trains from Yangon. Accommodation is centered in the surrounding villages of New Bagan and Nyaung Oo.

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Located nearly 1,000 kilometers from mainland Ecuador, the islands are serviced by flights from Quito and Guayaquil. Multi-day boat cruises are generally the best way to explore the islands. Celebrity Cruises will get you around the Galápagos in style.

Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, Turkey

Due to the remote nature of the site in central Anatolia, most visitors opt to fly in from Istanbul to visit the area on a tour, or drive. Hotels cut out of the rock provide accommodation. For more information, visit the Turkey tourism website.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Larger islands are well-serviced by flights from mainland Australia. It’s also possible to visit the reef via day trips from northern Queensland ports including Cairns and Port Douglas. For more information, visit the Tropical North Queensland Tourism website.

Hampi, India

Hampi is serviced by overnight bus from Goa. Trains run to nearby Hospet from Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Calcutta, and visitors will find a good range of low- to mid-range lodgings around Hampi village.

Iguazu National Park, Brazil and Argentina

The less-developed but refreshingly less crowded Brazilian side of the falls is a half-hour bus ride from the city of Foz do Iguaçu. It’s the same distance to the falls from Puerto Iguazu on the Argentine side. The two countries are connected via a bridge downriver of the falls. For more information, visit the Argentina tourism website. Both sides require visas.

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Most visitors to this remote southern region of Argentina base themselves in El Calafate, the closest town to the park entrance. There are daily flights and buses from the capital Buenos Aires.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Several multi-day treks terminate at Machu Picchu, but it’s also possible to take a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, and climb a steep flight of stairs or bus up to the site. Only the first 400 daily visitors are granted entry to Wayna Picchu, a separate set of ruins overlooking the main complex.

Mont-Saint-Michel, France

Mont-Saint-Michel is serviced by buses/tours from Rennes and Saint-Malo, but it’s also possible to lodge in one of Mont-Saint-Michel’s small hotels. For more information, visit the Normandy tourism website.

Petra, Jordan

Buses and day/overnight tours run from Jordan’s capital Amman and the port city of Aqaba. It’s also possible to organize tours from Egypt, and the Israeli resort town of Eilat. For longer stays, bunk down in Wadi Musa, Petra’s neighboring town..

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

Just 25 kilometers southwest of Cairo along the Nile River, the complex is most easily visited on a day trip from Egypt’s capital.

 

 

Rapa Nui, Chile

While it’s possible to access Easter Island by air from Tahiti, most visitors opt for the five-and-a-half hour flight from Santiago, Chile. For more information, visit the Chile tourism website.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The short October/November and March/April rainy seasons notwithstanding, the Serengeti, usually accessed via Kilimanjaro or Nairobi airports, offers great game viewing year-round.

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

The central Sri Lankan site is located two to three hours by local bus from the city of Kandy (via Dambulla, home to a massive cave temple complex. For more information, visit the Sri Lanka tourism website.

Tulum, Mexico

Located a few minutes’ drive from the small Yucatan Peninsula township of Tulum, the easily accessible ruins lie about 60 kilometers south of the larger township of Playa del Carmen, and a further 60 kilometers from Cancun. For more information, visit the Mexico tourism website.

Valletta, Malta

Just south of Sicily, Malta is connected by flights from across Europe. It’s possible to lodge in Valletta, but the bulk of visitors make for the tiny nation’s beach resorts. For more information, visit the Malta tourism website.

Venice and its lagoon, Italy

Venice is served by nearby Marco Polo and Treviso airports, while trains arrive at the Venezia Santa Lucia train station in the western part of the city. For more information, visit the Italy tourism website.

Yellowstone National Park, United States

Located around 100 kilometers from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the closest major airport hub, the park has five main access points. Most visitors choose to drive throughout the park, camping en route. For more information, visit the Wyoming tourism website.

 

 

 

 

Before you leave on your trip: photograp

Before you leave on your trip: photograph with your phone and email to yourself: your id’s and important documents. Do not forget to photograph your visa if you needed one. In case you lose your passport, you will be able to prove that you did have a valid visa to begin with. The ones to photograph are those you receive at immigration-not before. Some visas can be large so make sure you have extra clear pages.

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TIPS WHEN TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN & TEEN

TIPS WHEN TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN & TEENAGERS

Don’t over schedule. No more than one tour a day if you want to avoid family disagreements (the exact opposite of why families want to travel together.) If there are teenage kids travelling who like to sleep late, we suggest afternoon tours. Sites are less crowded as big tour groups usually visit sights in the morning. More than one tour a day will mean that the kids will straggle through the sites, clutched to their digital devices, tablets, phones paying little attention to what they are seeing.

Try to alternate visits to the ‘art cities’ with visits to the countryside or if possible the beach. A few days at the beach on a 2 week trip (particularly during the hot summer) will allow everyone to relax and cool down.

If possible (and it’s not always easy), try to book hotels with swimming pools so that everyone can enjoy themselves after a day of sightseeing. However, few hotels in Europe have pools.

Have dinner together and discuss the favourite things they saw that day and briefly discuss the least favourite things and why.

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The safest airline is Finair followed by

The safest airline is Finair followed by Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Emirates, according to JACDEC Safety Ranking 2012. The bottom three are TAM, China Airlines and Air India with Air India third from the bottom.