It has been a while since the last podcast, but today, I took the opportunity of a bank holiday weekend, to record a new episode. I rant about the Florida gulf coast “disaster” and ask for your opinion on the UK’s worst airports, plus news of this year’s Travel BlogCamp. You can also subscribe to This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog . Worst UK airports and tourism rants  Read More →

There’s an interesting article on various news sites about the increase in deaths of foreign holidaymakers on the island of Phuket. Apparently, so far this year 52 tourists have died on the island, compared with 28 during the whole of 2009. An example of lazy journalism It’s the type of news that sells newspapers and This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog . Does media hype affect tourism?  Read More →

Last night I read a post on Tnooz about the lack of consumer information on airline extra fees online. I have written about this before, and that I feel comparison sites should truly compare flights, like-for-like, but many compare the flat-base flight price, not including taxes and extras. Sites must be consumer friendly I read This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog . Please! No more flight comparison sites  Read More →

There is a smell of desperation on social media networks with so many travel companies trying to get their social media campaigns viral and competitions pimped by bloggers. I wonder if the time and money could be better spent on improving customer support and other travel issues. Queensland tourism campaign was predictable I partly blame the Queensland tourism board ‘dream job’ campaign because every company, now thinks that it can get the... 

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of travelling in the UK, compared with the hassle of taking a holiday abroad. I spent most of this week on the Yorkshire coast, and it was hassle free. It cost me £25 per night in a decent B&B, with breakfast and free internet, and £21 return train fare. Hassle free British holiday The beach in Scarborough was fantastic, and you did not have to fight over sun loungers. Not once did I... 

I understand that Kiss flights, who specialise in cheap flights to Greece, Egypt, Turkey and the Canaries and have ceased trading. Kiss flights were ATOL so, arrangements are being made for those affected holidaymakers abroad. Update from the CAA The CAA estimates that around 13,000 people are currently overseas – all of them will be able to complete their holidays and return to the UK. Around 60,000 people have forward bookings and should... 

I understand that Kiss flights, who specialise in cheap flights to Greece, Egypt, Turkey and the Canaries and have ceased trading. Kiss flights were ATOL so, arrangements are being made for those affected holidaymakers abroad. Update from the CAA The CAA estimates that around 13,000 people are currently overseas – all of them will be able to complete their holidays and return to the UK. Around 60,000 people have forward bookings and should... 

Many of you will know that my main project these days is a local guide called My Life in Leeds , and tonight I thought I would do some research and check out a few travel websites to see what content they have for my home city, and I am not impressed. Forget for a few minutes that I am the owner of the guide – that aside I am extremely passionate about my home city. Would I have written this rant if I wasn’t working on my own Leeds guide?... 

Since early 2009, British holidaymakers have applied for entry into the United States as part of the visa waiver program. You complete the ESTA form online; it takes 72 hours to authorise, lasts for two years, and is currently free to enter the United States. That is all set to change, in that, from the 8 September though it will cost you £9 ($14). Promoting US tourism I personally, do not think that it is a lot to pay, but, surprisingly a... 

Did we know Goldtrail were going bust? Absolutely not. Rock Insurance supply our supplier failure cover; they monitor the financial health and risk of all of our suppliers. If they had deemed Goldtrail to be too much of a risk, we would have been notified to, “turn them off”. Problems with Goldtrail holidays We received no such notification until after Goldtrail announced their administration. Problems? Yes, we’ve had a few…... 

Travellers are always targets for robbers, be it a pickpocket, or a break in at your accommodation. I have laid out some tips here to limit the risk of you becoming a victim. Do not flash the cash, this is the most common and ignored advice and applies especially if you are travelling to a poorer country. Only carry the amount of money you need Think about the money you carry. I have seen people in the Gambia open there wallets or purse and... 

My email inbox has gone crazy since the collapse of tour operator, Goldtrail. Again, like XL, and the glut of other collapses, there are many questions left unanswered. A number of consumers have asked why less than 24 hours before Goldtrail collapsed, were they still accepting bookings. CAA predictions not much help to consumers Read the travel industry press, and like me, you will be outraged to read that and some agencies stopped taking Goldtrail... 

I have just heard that Turkish specialist tour operator, Goldtrail have gone into administration. This is not good news, at what will be the busiest time of the year for the company. Goldtrail also traded as Goldtrail Holidays, Goldtrail Travel and Sunmar, held ATOL licence 4684. So those holidaymakers who are stranded abroad will receive assistance. There are no more outbound Goldtrail flights, so if  Read More →

Over the years I have written (ranted) about most types of holidays, other than cruises. I do like the idea of sailing to different destinations, and some of the cruise ships are pretty impressive, but, the fact that I travel solo a lot means cruise holidays are out of my budget. Lack of cruise rants It is single person supplements that make a cruise holiday impossible for me. I receive a lot of complaints from consumers,  Read More →

A few weeks back, Andy Jaroz wrote a post about a restaurant that does not provide customers with tap water , and I suspect that is because too many people were asking for water, and not paying for drinks. Then today, I watched a video rant to hotels about them charging $4 for a bottle of water. Water for profit Travel to any popular tourist hotspot and you will find that the modest bottle of water doubles in price. At the end of the day there...