Majority of people say they do not want phone calls to be allowed during flight

We recently surveyed 258 people and asked them if the FCC should remove the ban on using your phone to make calls during flight. An amazing 96% of those surveyed said “NO” to the question, “Would you like calling to be allowed while in-flight?”  Some airlines in Europe are opening up to the idea of in-flight calling but it looks like flying is the one place Americans don’t want to be bothered by their next seat over flyer talking on their phone during the flight.

American Airlines is shunning small business and making it very hard to do business with – The world’s largest airline is playing hardball with business travelers and small and medium sized businesses. They are taking away discounts as well as making it much harder to reach elite membership level for frequent flyers. One big thing AA is doing is hiding some of their lowest airfares so people can only book them using the AA website. As far as service goes, AA is having major problems even keeping their flights running on time. Their customer service stinks, and their telephone hold times can be hours on end. The bottom line is I put AA at the bottom of my list of airlines when I consider flying.

Some hotels adding marijuana as an amenity – As more and more states and countries de-criminalize weed, we now see a few hotels that have started to add weed to their amenity package. The new Ace Hotel Toronto has added a phone to a “budtender” to help them select their weed.  The news service also offers co-branded accessories, which include rolling papers, a rolling tray, and a lighter. CLICK HERE to read more.

When an airline says they are “Going Green” it basically means get out your wallet –  Analysts expect that the recent changes to the EU’s Emissions Trading System will dramatically increase the costs for the aviation industry will, which ultimately hit passengers in their pocketbooks. Going Green is a code word in the aviation industry for increased carbon offset fees that will be assessed to passengers when they fly. The government will say they will tax the airlines, but the airlines will simply pass the cost on to the customers.  My guess is this will start out costing about $10 to $15, but once it starts, who knows how high it can go?

President Biden takes aim at hidden fees of airlines and hotels in his state of the union speech – For almost 10 years, I have been campaigning for the federal government to outlaw outrageous hidden fees charged by airlines and hotels. In his State of the Union speech several days ago, President Biden jumped on board this cause by saying, “We’re going to ban surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill. Those fees can cost you up to $90 a night at hotels that aren’t even resorts.” I hope this will finally get enough momentum to see the death of hidden fees in the coming months.  CLICK HERE to read more.

The Most Meaningful Escorted Tour – France and More! – One of the most meaningful trips I have ever taken was back in 2019 with the Nebraska National Guard Historical Society to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of WW II. I call it the “Never Forget”-trip for a good reason. Our tour this year includes scholars and academics on military history. We will pay homage to the fallen at the American cemeteries but also take advantage of wonderful French cuisine, wine, and arts. Listen to the detailed presentation of this once-in-a-lifetime journey via Youtube by CLICKING HERE. To see the detailed tour brochure, CLICK HERE. Call or email our friendly group department today at (402) 435-8888 / GroupDepartment@executivetravel.com. Do not miss this opportunity!