Consumer Traveler Today: Jan 21

5 easy way to avoid a la carte anarchy when you fly
What we’re reading: Southers withdraws from TSA nomination, higher airline security fees, IBM automates profiling
Should we be drinking pina coladas on Royal Caribbean’s beaches in Haiti
Terrorists strike at trapped Haiti refugees, common sense fails
5 easy way to avoid a la carte anarchy when you fly
Posted: 21 Jan 2010 03:21 AM PST
It used to be so simple: The price you were quoted for an airline ticket, rental car or cruise used to be the price you actually paid.
       

What we’re reading: Southers withdraws from TSA nomination, higher airline security fees, IBM automates profiling
Posted: 21 Jan 2010 03:00 AM PST
Southers withdraws from TSA nomination to head agency, higher airline security fees to probably passes this session, IBM automates profiling of passengers
       

Should we be drinking pina coladas on Royal Caribbean’s beaches in Haiti
Posted: 20 Jan 2010 07:15 AM PST
Another of our bloggers, Janice Hough, has her perspective on RCCL’s decision to continue port calls to Ladabee and its pristine beach. While many travel companies create their own worst public relations messes, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has found themselves in a difficult situation this week. And there isn’t a simple solution to please everyone. The [...]
       

MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "feedproxy.google.com" claiming to be Terrorists strike at trapped Haiti refugees, common sense fails
Posted: 20 Jan 2010 06:10 AM PST
I just read a disheartening story about the Haitian relief efforts. With thousands of Haitians and other citizens crowding around the Port au Prince airport, relief plans are returning back to the U.S. and other destinations with hundreds of empty seats, because there are no metal scanners and security programs in place to process these earthquake victims.