What You Need To Know About Europe’s New Entry Rules For Americans

by Gary Leff

Nov 19 2022

The U.S. doesn’t require most Europeans to get a visa to come here. They do, however, have to register online in advance and get an approved “ESTA.” Which is like an electronic visa! It’s just that the process we put people through to get something we actually call a visa is much, much worse.

Europe is responding in kind and creating their own online registration system that residents of much of the world will have to use before being allowed to enter. It’s called ETIAS, for the European Travel Information and Authorization System.

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How (And When) To Change Your Name On An Airline Ticket

by Gary Leff

airline ticket
Nov 19 2022

As a general rule airlines don’t let you change the name on a ticket. If you could swap names, you could resell tickets, and that would undermine airline pricing strategies that try to charge more for the kind of last minute travel usually purchased by business travelers.

That’s also why airlines started insisting on ID’ing travelers, to make sure their tickets weren’t being resold.

However name corrections are often possible. Here’s what to do.

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The New BWI Airport Concessions Contract Bid May Have Been Rigged

by Gary Leff

bwi ad
Nov 18 2022

Baltimore Washington International Airport plans to drop the company running its concessions – restaurants and shops – in favor of a brand new company headed by a former state governor’s Chief of Staff, who will turn the actual work over to HMSHost. And the bidding process sure looks like it was rigged.

The Maryland Aviation Administration has selected New Market Development Joint Venture, LLC to replace Fraport which has managed concessions at BWI for 18 years. The company, owned by a former chief of staff to former Gov. Parris Glendening, has only existed for one year.

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Hyatt Place To Guests: We RENOUNCE Daily Housekeeping

by Gary Leff

Nov 17 2022

Chains have housekeeping standards for their properties, which include offering more service than they did at the depths of the pandemic, but that also offer a lot more leeway in not providing it. And some hotels take them up on these opportunities, though I’m not sure I’ve seen quite an aggressive stance, though, as the one taken by the Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport.

If you don’t care about the environment, and are happy with Greta Thunberg scolding you for the rest of your days, then you can have your room serviced.

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Hotel Chains And Online Travel Agencies Rethink How They Work Together

by Gary Leff

Nov 17 2022

Expedia spends a lot to acquire one-off customers. They’re realizing it can be cheaper to sell subsequent trips to people that have already purchased from them (loyalty matters) and they’ve gutted their loyalty program throughout the years.

Meanwhile if Accor is ‘early in’ with this partnership they may gain higher purchase likelihood from Expedia’s eyeballs than other chains.

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