PlaneSassy: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TOP 13 PET PEEVE LIST

PlaneSassy: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TOP 13 PET PEEVE LIST: "The Sassy, Surly Flight Attendant…Everyone has encountered one or two during their travels in the sky. Some Flight Attendants appear miserab..."

PlaneSassy: planesassy: HELP! ONBOARD SQUISHED AND SEATED NEXT...

PlaneSassy: planesassy: HELP! ONBOARD SQUISHED AND SEATED NEXT...: "planesassy: HELP! ONBOARD SQUISHED AND SEATED NEXT TO FATSO: 'You're seated comfortably on the airplane in your economy seat watching the hy..."

PlaneSassy: YOU GOT A BUDDY PASS?

PlaneSassy: YOU GOT A BUDDY PASS?: "You've been dreaming of taking a weekend vacation to Miami or Los Angeles to soak up the sun, watch beautiful people lay out on the beach, ..."

PlaneSassy: SECRETS TO FINDING TRAVEL DEALS

PlaneSassy: SECRETS TO FINDING TRAVEL DEALS: "Do you dream of taking vacations, but you're on a tight budget? Do you want to learn how to become a 'Budjet Jet setter?' Savvy travelers ..."

SECRETS TO FINDING TRAVEL DEALS

Do you dream of taking vacations, but you're on a tight budget? Do you want to learn how to become a "Budjet Jet setter?"  Savvy travelers know how to find creative travel deals and ways to save money. Certainly, saving money allows you to enjoy more activities and excursions while traveling and gives you the freedom to travel more often.

First, a savvy traveler researches destinations, prices and compares travel deals. Many people don't know where to begin the search for Real Travel Deals. We've done the research for you. In this article you will discover:

Peak Travel Seasons vs. Off Peak Travel Seasons

How to Click, Click and Save

One Stop Shop, All Inclusive Resorts

Best Reward Programs

Last Minute Deals

Timeshare Presentation Gifts and Timeshare Rental Discounts

Group Travel Discounts

Deals on the Road Less Traveled: Home Share, Hostels and Volunteer Abroad


Peak Travel Seasons vs. Off Peak Travel Seasons

Before you plan and book your vacation, determine peak travel seasons and off peak travel seasons for your desired destination. Traveling during peak seasons can increase the price of your cruise, flight and hotel rate by several hundreds of dollars. Hotels, flights, resorts, and cruises are jam-packed with travelers and tourists during peak travel seasons. If you're looking for discounts, exemplary service and less crowds, travel during off peak seasons.

Looking for tropical sunshine? The Caribbeans off peak season is from mid April through early December. Winter rates are discounted between 20-40%. Visit the Caribbean between June 1st - November 30th during hurricane season for even greater discounts. No need to lose sleep over the possibility of getting caught in a hurricane. Satellite forecasts give ample notice of hurricanes and tropical storms.

Purchase travel insurance for your flight, cruise, or hotel stay in the event you need to cancel or change the dates of your vacation. In the event you cancel your vacation or change the dates of travel, you will not be penalized or charged extra fees. In most cases, you will receive a full refund. Travel insurance costs only a few dollars and can save you thousands in the event you must cancel your vacation plans. Read the fine print carefully when purchasing travel insurance.

To learn the peak and off peak seasons of your travel destination, do an online search. Type in the name of the destination and the words "off season" or "peak season" using a search engine and you will learn the best time of year to plan your vacation.

CLICK, CLICK, CLICK and SAVE

The best time to shop for travel deals online is late at night. Night owls will find the most recent online discounts for flights and hotels between 10pm-2am. Travel sites update their inventory when most people are sleeping.  Usually airlines discount their fares for a limited number of seats on Wednesdays around 12:30am. Click your mouse continually to find updated fares. Prices of tickets occasionally change every 10 - 15 minutes.

Subscribe to travel e newsletters and search engines. Some websites conduct an ongoing search for discount rates for flights and hotels for your desired destination. You will find valuable information and a bang for your buck on the following sites:

http://www.hotelscombined.com/
http://hotels.com/
http://www.TravelZoo.com/
http://www.Expedia.com/
http://www.TripAdvisor.com/
http://www.AirfareWatchdog.com/
http://www.Yapta.com/
http://www.Comparefare.com/
http://www.ItaSoftware.com/
http://www.CheapCaribbean.com/
http://www.Bing.com/

TripAdvisor.com is a valuable tool for travelers. The website posts traveler's reviews of numerous resorts, tours, hotels and restaurants. Learn tips and suggestions on how to save money and get great deals all over the world. Read reviews about traveler's experiences at resorts, restaurants, tours, cruises, excursions, and hotels before booking vacation plans.

ONE STOP SHOP, ALL INCLUSIVE RESORTS

All Inclusive Resorts offer vacation package deals that include all alcoholic beverages, meals, non motorized water sports and several nights stay at a resort. Most All Inclusive Resorts have several restaurants, swimming pools, bars, and night clubs on the property. Spa amenities, tours and other excursions normally cost an extra fee. All Inclusive Resorts offer great deals for travelers that prefer to remain in one location while on vacation. 

If you are looking to meet and party with locals, eat a variety of traditional local cuisine, and explore nearby towns, villages, and cities, take advantage of finding a discounted rate at a centrally located hotel or resort. 

Several All Inclusive Resorts advertise dream vacations and accommodations featuring luxury suites, sandy beaches and gourmet dining. Quite often, advertisements and online brochures are misleading. Carefully read numerous online reviews on TripAdvisor.com before booking your vacation. If interested in finding deals at All Inclusive Resorts visit:

http://allinclusiveoutlet.com/
http://CheapCaribbean.com/AllInclusive
http://Expedia.com/AllInclusive

BEST REWARD PROGRAMS

If you are a frequent flier or regularly stay in hotels, apply for a credit card that offers its members travel rewards.  Points are earned on dollars spent. The reward cards with the highest ratings are Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card, Capital One Venture Visa, Chase Sapphire, Miles by DiscoverCard, Blue Sky by American Express and the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card. 

After earning points on your credit cards, visit http://www.BookYourAward.com/. For a small fee, they will get you where you want to go for as few points as possible. For example, a traveler needed 210,000 miles to fly business class to Bali, BookYourAward.com found airline first class seats for only 122,000 miles.

Another helpful site for cashing in your credit card travel rewards is http://www.EVReward.com/. The website will tell you the number of reward points or miles you will earn from your purchases at numerous stores and vendors.

Do you have several reward cards and need to keep track of your points and miles on your credit cards? Visit http://www.AwardWallet.com/. It keeps track of all of your travel miles and hotel points all in one place. You don't have to log on to various sites to keep track of your rewards. Keep your travel miles and hotel points updated and organized on one site.

Don't have time to build points on a credit card to earn free airfare? Check out Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Chase Bank Visa. After your first initial purchase, you earn a free round trip ticket. You can buy a pack of gum or a bag of peanuts and get a free ticket on Southwest Airlines.What a deal!  Visit http://www.southwest.com/rapid_rewards/visa.html.


LAST MINUTE DEALS

Weekend getaways, cruises, Caribbean vacations, Disney vacations and many other exciting destinations are discounted more than 40% with Last Minute Deals. Be spontaneous and find a real deal. Check out the Last Minute Deals on cruise lines, airfare, and resorts. Contact cruise lines and ask about Last Minute Deals. Looking for excitement? Pick up the phone and call Las Vegas casinos, resorts, and hotels and ask about their Last Minute Deal specials. Several travel websites offer big savings on Last Minute Vacations.

http://vacationstogo.com/
http://www.TravelZoo.com/
http://www.Expedia.com/
http://www.LastMinuteTravel.com/
http://www.FunJet.com/
http://www.LastMinute.Travelocity.com/
http://www.Orbitz.com/
http://www.Hotwire.com/
http://www.CruisesOnly.com/LastMinute

TIMESHARE PRESENTATION GIFTS

Although attending timeshare presentations can be quite annoying, listening to high pressure sales pitches and spending approximately 2-3 hours of your time saying "No," the payoff can sometimes be worth the hassle. Many timeshare presentations serve you free breakfast, lunch or dinner at an extravagant resort. Rewards for attending the presentation usually include phenomenal gifts such as free airfare and free night stays at resorts, hotels or condos worldwide. Other rewards include free theme park tickets and vacation excursions such as guided tours, para sailing, jet skiing, and packages to swim with playful dolphins.

Before attending the timeshare presentation, make sure the gift is FREE. If you are approached by a timeshare salesperson while on vacation, negotiate your gift before you attend. In fact, if you act hesitant about attending, the salesperson will usually offer you additional freebies and vacation deals for your time and commitment to attend the presentation. Do not be alarmed when you are asked for a monetary deposit. The timeshare salespeople want to make certain you will attend the presentation. Usually a $25 deposit is required to attend, however, you will be refunded the full amount at the end of the presentation.

Schedule your timeshare meeting preferably in the morning. Although the salesperson will tell you that you are only committed for 90 minutes, the time you spend listening to the sales pitch is at least 2 hours. You can sleepily listen to the presentation and still have the remainder of a full day to enjoy sightseeing, shopping, and sunbathing at the pool or beach. More importantly, never bring a check book or credit card to the timeshare presentation. You might be tempted to spend thousands of dollars and sign a contract you will later regret.

If you are interested in finding a timeshare presentation to attend to receive a free vacation, airfare or a discounted hotel stay, visit these sites:

http://www.StarwoodVacationOwnership.com/
http://www.SheratonVacationOwnership.com/
http://www.MarriottVacationClub.com/
 http://www.HiltonGrandVacations.com/.

After subscribing to one or more of the timeshare sites, you will regularly be notified of special offers, discounts and free stays from other resorts and companies that sell vacation packages.

TIMESHARE RENTAL DISCOUNT RATES

If you'd like to stay at a resort or condo for a discount rate, consider renting a timeshare from a timeshare owner. Timeshare rentals are available in destinations all over the world. On occasion, owners are unable to vacation during their allotted timeshare weeks. Instead of losing money, owners rent the timeshare to travelers in search of a deal. Make an offer to a timeshare owner and save hundreds of dollars. Timeshare rentals are usually a better bargain vs. paying full price at a hotel or resort. Visit the following sites.

http://www.Timeshare-Resale-Rental.com/
http://www.MyResortNetwork.com/
http://www.RedWeek.com/

GROUP TRAVEL DISCOUNTS

Are you traveling with a group of 10 or more persons? Take advantage of resort, hotel, airline, and cruise line group discount rates. Book your reservation by phone and let the agent know you are traveling with a group. If you prefer to book your group travel online, make sure you look for a group travel discount rate before submitting a payment. Plan family vacations and reunions, class reunions and group events on a cruise or at a resort and save big.

DEALS ON THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Home Sharing, Hostels, and International Volunteering are other means of budget travel. Over the last 5 years, the number of travelers participating in Home Sharing has increased.  According to Budget Travel magazine, Home Sharing involves homeowners and renters connecting through global agencies to list their properties along with desired swaps on websites.

For example, you own a condo in San Diego and dream of staying a week in a French countryside cottage. List your home on a home exchange website, locate a home owner in France and make an agreement to swap homes for an agreed amount of time. The possibilities are endless. Home Sharing is not for everyone. You are essentially opening your home to a complete stranger as well as sleeping in a stranger's home. However, there are many success stories with Home Sharing.

If you would like to list your home or learn more about Home Sharing, visit the following sites. Some of the sites charge a fee to list your home.

http://www.homeexchange.com/
http://www.digsville.com/
http://www.homelink.com/

Hostels are located in thousands of cities worldwide. Accommodations are extremely frugal and offered at a very low price. Hostels provide a bed or bunk bed and a shared bathroom in a dormitory like setting. Hostels are often used by backpackers, students, and budget travelers. Needless to say, hostels are not a place to stay if you're looking for 5 star luxury and comfort. However, if you plan to explore several countries or cities and would like to save money, look into staying a night or two at a hostel.

For more information about hostels, check out:

http://www.Hostels.com/
http://www.HostelsCentral.com/

Volunteer abroad. Explore an exotic country. Connect with locals and make a meaningful difference in their lives. Build playgrounds for children, teach English, provide computer skill training and HIV/AIDS awareness while immersing yourself in a new culture. Volunteer programs range from 1 week through 2 years. Many volunteer programs allow you to customize your stay with tours and adventurous excursions. Volunteer packages are very affordable and are benevolent and awe-inspiring channels to see the world.

For more information:

http://www.VolunteerAbroad.com/
http://www.Ivs.com/
http://www.VolunteerTravel.com/

Many of the "Secrets" of finding Real Travel Deals have been revealed. You can plan a vacation of a lifetime on a budget with a little patience, creativity and a few clicks of your mouse.

Safe Travels
~theflygirl

COPYRIGHT 2010
PlaneSassy.com

Plane Sassy: PROBLEMS WITH TSA SCREENERS? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...

Plane Sassy: PROBLEMS WITH TSA SCREENERS? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...: "The Transportation Security Administration or TSA is the United States Homeland Security government agency in charge of providing security c..."

PROBLEMS WITH TSA SCREENERS? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Transportation Security Administration or TSA is the United States Homeland Security government agency in charge of providing security checks and screening for commercial flights in the nation's airports.

TSA SCREENERS

The Transportation Security Officers, commonly known as TSO, look for suspicious persons, bombs, ammunition, firearms, weapons, and other banned materials inside carry-on luggage at airport security checkpoints as well as random searches in jetways and gate areas before passengers board a flight. TSO also screen passengers and some airport employees via metal detectors, pat downs, and the latest anti-terrorist equipment, a full body scanning machine.

The controversial full body scanning machine provides a TSO screener an anonymous image of a person's complete body. See image below.

TSO REQUIREMENTS

All TSO applicants must complete a background check, credit check and other mandatory testing. During initial hiring, the TSO receives 56 to 72 hours of classroom training, 112 to 118 hours of on the job training and certification testing.

To maintain employment as a TSO he or she must demonstrate readiness for duty on a regular basis with no impairment of drugs, alcohol, or sleep deprivation. Recurrent training and specialized training are required on occasion. 

The salary range for a full-time Transportation Security Officer career position is $24,432 – $36,648 per year and they are eligible for federal health benefits.  All TSO positions begin as part time employees with the opportunity to become full time employees and supervisors.

Although the TSO screeners are trained professionally and are supposed to abide by the TSA civil rights statement that assures travelers will be treated in a fair, lawful and nondiscriminatory manner which emphasizes no tolerance for harassment in the treatment of the public through program and policy, some TSOs are unprofessional, abusive and amateurish .

I've witnessed numerous TSOs throughout the country verbally assault and harass passengers as well as airline employees.  I've also witnessed TSOs falsify events to their supervisors in order to justify their questionable and unprofessional behavior.

Other TSOs have denied or delayed passengers boarding a plane or have continuously referred passengers of a certain race, religion, age, disability, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation through secondary screening. Without a doubt, it is frustrating to watch TSOs abuse their authority over the general public and treat people unfavorably.

WHAT IF I'M TREATED POORLY BY TSA?

First, always remain cooperative with the TSO and all other TSA employees. Do not yell, curse or become argumentative. It is best to remain silent and make a mental note of futile remarks and questions. Answer questions only pertaining to security. Allow the TSO to search your luggage and conduct the screening. If you become combative or argumentative, the problem can escalate extremely quickly and you may get arrested. Please note, every TSA checkpoint is under video and audio surveillance. All conversations and actions are recorded.

After the TSO has completed the screening process, visit the TSA supervisor desk located near the exit of the metal detectors and other anti-terrorist machines at the checkpoint. First, request the name and badge number of the screener you feel treated you unfairly and behaved unprofessionally. More than likely, the supervisor will ask for a detailed account of the incident.

Secondly, request a TSA comment card and write down the name of the unprofessional TSO as well as the supervisor's name to whom you reported the problem. It is important that you also notate the date, time, name of the airport and airline, airport terminal and checkpoint location. You may also include a written statement why you feel you were subjected to unfavorable treatment.

Fill out the comment card completely and accurately. Next, submit the comment card at any TSA airport checkpoint. If you are unable to locate a drop box for the comment card, give the card to a TSA supervisor and he or she will submit the card to the TSA complaint office.

If you are not rushed for time and depending upon the time of day, ask to speak with the Airport Customer Service Manager. It may take him or her a long time to meet with you, but it is another valuable option.

CALL TSA CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPLAINT LINE

To ensure your complaint will be researched and followed up, call and file a complaint with a live TSA representative. The TSA complaint line number: (866) 289-9673. Store it in your cell phone just in case you need it at an airport.

If you would like to further complain to the TSA about unfair treatment, write a letter. Be certain to include all of the required information listed above for filing complaints.

TSA mailing address is:

Transportation Security Administration
Office of Civil Rights and Liberties (TSA-6)
External Compliance Division
601 S. 12th Street
Arlington, VA 20598
 email address
TSA.OCR-ExternalCompliance@dhs.gov

You may also contact the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to file a complaint. The Department's procedures for filing and handling complaints can be found at: http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/editorial_0373.shtm.

What will happen with your complaint?

• A Specialist will be assigned to handle your complaint.
• The Specialist's responsibility is to attempt to resolve your concern. The Specialist may conduct a fact-finding investigation into the alleged discriminatory act or incident.
• If a fact-finding investigation is conducted, the Office of Civil Rights and Liberties will review the available facts and will make findings as to whether or not the incident or act complained of constituted unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
• The Office of Civil Rights and Liberties may also recommend measures be put in place, such as conducting additional training, to resolve the concern.

The Office of Civil Rights and Liberties will process external complaints filed up to 180 days after the date of the alleged discriminatory act or incident. However, the ability to conduct a successful fact-finding investigation is greatly limited when an extended period of time has passed between the date of the alleged discriminatory act or incident and the date of receipt of the complaint.

How to contact TSA on other matters, such as watch list issues, claims issues, general questions, or to share your opinions or comments.

For additional information and contact information concerning watch list issues, please see the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program's webpage at: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/redress/index.shtm

Certainly become familiar with TSA rules and regulations before you travel. Visit TSA online.
http://www.tsa.gov/ 

Do not deviate from the rules and follow the instructions of the TSOs at the airport security checkpoints. If you are treated unfavorably, certainly file a complaint using the 2 or more of the methods listed above. All persons should be treated with dignity and respect at all TSA airport checkpoints, regardless of their national origin, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

Safe Travels
~theflygirl

COPYRIGHT 2010


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