Fraudsters are quick to exploit uncertainty and the travel disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East is no exception. We're already seeing criminals target people seeking refunds for booked travel and holidays, sending them a link to supposedly receive a refund but instead people's accounts are being charged.
It isn't a universal truth, but a vast number of goods and services have their own full-circle moments. While there are still plenty of travel agencies in the U.S., the overall number is still down considerably from a peak in the 1980s. For some industry forecasters, though, the future looks a lot like the recent past, except that instead of travelers trusting human agents with making their travel plans a reality, they'll use AI agents for the same purpose.
As a travel planner, I regularly stay at all-inclusive resorts and book luxury trips for my clients. All-inclusive vacations can be complicated to book, and many travelers make mistakes along the way. Booking the cheapest room, requesting an ocean view, and always bringing kids isn't the way to go. As a travel planner at Marvelous Mouse Travels, one of my areas of expertise is booking all-inclusive vacations.
Travelers are always on the lookout for easy ways to save money, and a new report reveals there is one particular day of the week that is better for booking flights than others. That day happens to be Fridays, according to new data from Expedia that was shared with Travel + Leisure. That is because the end of the week sees less business and corporate travel, the booking site noted.
WestJet is cancelling a new seat configuration that squeezed an extra row on board many of its planes and left passengers with less legroom. In a message to staff obtained by The Canadian Press, the airline's vice-president of inflight operations says executives made the costly decision to return the cabins to their previous layout following feedback from employees and customers amid a major backlash to the tighter arrangement.
A former flight attendant accused of posing as a pilot and working airline employee fooled three U.S. carriers into giving him hundreds of free tickets over a span of four years, federal authorities say. But precisely how he is alleged to have done it - and why the airlines wouldn't have caught on sooner - has industry insiders scratching their heads.
Airbnb says its custom-built AI agent is now handling roughly a third of its customer support issues in North America, and it's preparing to roll out the feature globally. If successful, the company believes that in a year's time, more than 30% of its total customer support tickets will be handled by AI voice and chat in all the languages where it also employs a human customer service agent.
When traveling by air, take a look at the type of aircraft you're expected to fly with, as it can make a difference in terms of overall flight experience. This can also help you get to know the different cabin classes so you can make the right seat selection for your comfort level and your wallet.
Gate changes, especially those sprung on travellers at the last minute, are a real pain point in air travel. The primary drivers are usually a last-minute aircraft swap due to a mechanical issue or an unexpected delay on an inbound flight occupying the planned gate.
I spend a lot of time in airports. Like, a lot of time. Last year alone, I took more than 100 flights and logged over 200,000 miles in the air, which means I've seen just about every airport mistake imaginable-usually unfolding in real time at security, the boarding gate, or mid-aisle as someone realizes their phone is at 3 percent.