Apart from news and views on media covering tourism, travel, and hospitality, writers, editors, photogs, and bloggers share tips, leads, ideas, news, gripes. PR reps/journos ISO press releases/trips, see also "PR/Marketing." Opinions stated are not necessarily those of Tripatini.

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A tribute to my friend, the late travel media icon Arthur Frommer

    The legendary U.S. travel journalist and entrepreneur Arthur Frommer passed away November 18 at the age of 95. Born in Virginia and with an early boyhood in a small town in Missouri, Arthur was a lawyer who became a pioneering and great travel journalist, and who will be remembered as having helped open the joys of travel to the masses. While serving in the U.S. Army in Europe in the 1950s, he got the travel bug, came out with a travel guide for servicemen, and followed up in 1957 with…

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1 Reply · Reply by José Balido Nov 24

Free access to Encyclopaedia Britannica for journalists

My editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica has asked me to extend this offer to all my journalist colleagues. You are invited to enjoy free access to all its factchecked resources, and if you do link to a Britannica story in your articles, none of the content linked to will be paywalled. Your readers in turn will have full and free access to Britannica's content. To get your free, personal subscription, just go to britannica.com/journalists and enter the code: EXPERT-CONTENT.

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1 Reply · Reply by Michael Raviv Jul 18

What do you wear to Seven Magic Mountains?

Seven Magic Mountains is an art installation located in the Nevada desert, and the weather can be quite hot and dry. Therefore, it is recommended to wear comfortable and breathable clothing, such as shorts, t-shirts, and sandals or sneakers. You may also want to bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun. It's also a good idea to bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated. While there is no strict dress code, it's important to dress appropriately for the weather and…

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1 Reply · Reply by Surendra Singh Aug 7, 2023

What is global entry?

Global Entry is a program that allows pre-approved travelers to expedite the process of entering the United States.To apply for Global Entry, you must be a citizen or national of the United States, Mexico, or Canada and have a valid passport. You can also be a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., Canada, or Mexico.Once you have applied for Global Entry and been approved, you will receive an email with instructions on how to complete your interview appointment at any U.S. Customs and Border…

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  • I did too. And no, I haven't had any PR firms string me along. Just lucky, I guess.
  • And yes I did sign the Mad as Hell Petition the moment word got out on MSNBC.
  • Open question: Has anybody been strung along for several months by a PR firm for a FAM trip only to find out third person they did not make the cut? Most firms tell you flat out whether or not your papers are what the client is looking for so you don't waste your time. However, I had the misfortune of the "if it seems to be too good to be true" variety....
  • Attending a press event tonight featuring a lecture by an NYU professor of classics and art history. These days, I've grown more accustomed to press events at lofts that feature Day-glo martinis. Is this lecture the new retro?
  • Tomorrow is Mad As Hell Day. If you haven't signed the petition at www.madashellabouthiddenfees.com please do so and tell all your friends. We are into the 10s of thousands of signatures. It be a powerful message to send to DOT and the airlines.
    Men and women are different
  • The airlines are making money again, lots of money. Try $2.1 billion last quarter from baggage fees alone. http://snipr.com/15j12d
  • I have written and spoken to Congressional staff about both the exit-row seating issues and the taxation issues.

    RE: Exit rows -- Airlines assure safety regulators that anyone assigned exit row seats must be willing and able to open the emergency doors. Of course we know that is questionable whether the seats are sold or assigned randomly.

    RE: Excise taxes -- The federal transporation excise tax that is be discussed is assessed only on passengers. Airlines do not pay that tax, you do. It is a tax that is added to airfares and non-optional portions of the ticket. It is hidden and charged directly to passengers, bypassing the airlines.

    Senators and Representatives barking up that tree are only suggesting that passenger taxes be increased. The current rules issued by the IRS were issued after a letter from American Airlines asking for clarification of whether baggage fees should be taxed. IRS determined, no. That means we are only paying $35 for a bag for instance instead of $37.62 if it was taxed.

    Airlines pay taxes on the profits that they make from all of their fees. Those federal and state corporate taxes are not exempted.
  • Charlie, another issue is that airlines pay federal taxes only on the money they earn from passenger tickets and cargo. They keep all the fees for checked baggage, the the pillows and sandwiches they sell us on board. They are making zillions on these fees and bypassing federal taxes -- which could help support air traffic control and other safety improvements.
  • Thanks a lot, Allan! If the airline execs read your post they will no doubt hit upon a new way to reap additional revenue: Charge an extra fee for flying on an aircraft staffed by flight attendants, who, like those emergency row seats are there for safety purposes. (On flights without such attendants, passengers will be randomly assigned those roles).
  • Charlie, Allan's framing of this question is logical and compelling, because it underscores the hypocrisy of airline safety rules. Please include it verbatim in your remarks to the industry.
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