AWA Travel Guy - Terry Keeling's Blog

Is 3 Hours Too Much or Not Enough?

Congress is considering a Passenger Rights bill that includes an option for passengers to disembark after three hours of on-board delay. Pressure has been increasing for this bill since the Continental fiasco in Rochester, Minnesota, where passengers were stuck on a plain sitting on the tarmac for 7 hours.

Under the passenger rights bill, if a U.S. flight is stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours the passengers will be allowed to disembark should the captain decide it is reasonable and safe to do so.

Here's my question to you: What you think about this. Is this reasonable? Is three hours too long? Should airlines be allowed to keep passengers on the plane for more than three hours? Should it be mandatory after three hours? Give me your feedback.

What are your Travel Pet Peeves?

We've all experience rude and inappropriate behavior while traveling. I'd like to hear what bugs you the most about other's behavior. This thought was spared by Christopher Elliott, Travel Columnist, who earlier this month posted a list of 6 things you should never do when you're away. In it he tells the following story:

Thinking of throwing a tantrum the next time things don’t go your way when you travel? Consider what happened to Gary Zeune before you do.

“Dammit,” he overheard the passenger in front of him scream at a Southwest Airlines ticket agent in Columbus, Ohio, “I have to get to Chicago.”

Now that Fuel Prices have Dropped will Air Fares Follow?

In recent weeks we have seen a dramatic drop in fuel prices. You and I have noticed it mostly at the gas pumps where near $4.00 per gallon prices have dropped to substantially below $200. Now that fuel prices have dropped will we see a similar drop in air prices?

Traveling with Your Pet

I was listening to the radio this morning about the dangers of leaving your pet in the car this time of year and it reminded me of traveling anywhere with your pet.

According to recent Travel Industry Association study 14 percent - or 29 million Americans - travel with their pets.

AWA Travel releases new invoice/itinerary format

Service is our most important product and it always thrills me when we add features that improve our service to you. So, I'm really exicted to announce the release of a new invoice/itinerary with many features to benefit you.

A lesson even for a travel planner

I tout the advantages of working with a travel planner, such as myself, all the time – less time, less cost, service, support, etc.. And. I’ve been a traveler all my life. So, what happens when the travel planner finds himself stuck at the airport?

Tough week for the airline industry

Airlines ground planes. What shoe will drop next?

In the last week four airlines have shut down or announced shut down of passenger operations, and two have announced cut backs in their operations. Starting Monday, a shoe fell every day. Then news hit about skipped maintenance on planes, which grounded flights. No doubt the problems will continue. What shoe will drop next?

Terry Keeling Earns CTA Designation

Terry W. Keeling, CTA, MCC, of AWA Travel in Minneapolis recently earned the Certified Travel Associate (CTA) designation from The Travel Institute.

From Chips to Movies - Airlines go á la Carte

Carry some extra cash as you prepare to go to the airport. More airlines are starting to charge for services that used to be free. United is just the latest to join this growing trend in the industry....

Cruise Safety During Hurricane Season

Every year I have people ask me about the safety of cruising during the hurricane season. Many of us are all too familiar with tornadoes, and equate the suddenness of a tornado with a hurricane. The idea of a hurricane and a cruise ship can be frightening. However, hurricanes are significantly different than tornados and the likelihood that a cruise ship will be caught by surprise by a hurricane is extremely unlikely. Here's why....