Travel Week in Review – July 15th, 2022

Amid the summer travel surge, the Department of Transportation is putting pressure on airlines to provide more reliable and equitable services to all passengers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced two initiatives meant to give all travelers a better experience in the air: A bill of rights for disabled passengers and a notice urging airlines to prioritize seating families together. The bill of rights is a summary of existing laws that protect disabled airline passengers. Read More…

So the bell tolls for you, and your flight has been canceled. Following the gut punch and shifting of your travel plans, if you decide not to rebook, the time has come to take back what’s properly yours: a full refund. Airlines are not financially inclined to make your right to refunds immediately visible. The email notifying you of your canceled flight may urge you to rebook the flight but will likely omit the part about your right to a refund. As a flier in the United States, you’re entitled to certain protections. Read More…

Canada is once again extending all of its existing border requirements for all inbound travelers through at least September 30, 2022. All travelers entering Canada are still required to provide proof of full vaccination or take a recent negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for two weeks upon arrival. All travelers are also still required to use the ArrivaCan app to upload their travel and personal information. Read More…

It’s been an unusual couple of years for the aviation industry. After months of pandemic-related groundings, travel’s returned not with a bang, but with a bit of a whimper, as many global airlines and airports struggle with cancellations and delays. In the midst of this chaotic season of travel, Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com has released its annual round-up of the world’s best airlines. Nabbing the top spot for the second year in the row is Qatar Airways. Read More…

Many of the health and safety protocols that cruise lines adopted at the height of the pandemic are beginning to loosen, with both ocean and river lines citing the policies of the destinations they visit as influencing their decisions. “We are starting to see the ability for us to reduce our protocols and reduce the friction,” David Bernstein said during a Q2 earnings call in June. “I think that will bring back people from the sidelines and will create additional demand, which will allow us to get better occupancy at a better price.” Read More…