The rest of Q&A

Q – We are thinking about a Danube River Cruise on Uniworld that will sail from Budapest this August. In sort of preparing for this journey I see that Hungary is ruled by Victor Orban, a rather right-wing, authoritarian ruler. We are in our late sixties and not all that much traveled. Not sure I want to go anywhere where there could be dangerous street demonstrations. If Orbin caused some commotions would I be able to get my money back? Is this a trip you would do? Is August the right time to do it?

A –  If you don’t wish to travel in Europe in countries led by, more or less, authoritarian leaders, you might try skipping Italy as well. If the idea of very strong right-wing opposition parties frightens you, add France and Spain to the list. We have spoken to Victor and he assures us that Budapest and the waters of the beautiful Danube will be safe to cruise when you are there.

You would not get a refund for civil disturbances unless Uniworld determined that it was not safe to cruise there. That would be their decision – not yours.

Sadly, you have chosen a month to cruise the Danube that we are encouraging travelers from the States to avoid. The heat issues and the crowds do not bode well for a stress-free journey. Add the heat to the possibility of Orbin’s friends tossing rocks at you as you sail by their villages, makes us think that you should re-schedule your plans. For the Danube, the ideal months are May, September and the first three weeks in October.

Q – (8.4.23) –  As you are aware, my wife and I always purchase comprehensive travel insurance when we travel overseas. Last week, however, we had dinner with friends who are really well-traveled and who will soon be using your travel services. They mentioned that they depend on their Chase Sapphire Reserve card in lieu of separate or independent insurance. I’ve since looked over the coverage and it looks pretty good including 100K in emergency evacuation coverage.

We’re considering upgrading our credit card portfolio but wanted to get your thoughts before we do, Apologies if you have already covered this topic and warmest regards.

A – Thanks so much for your question, one that is on the minds of many travelers. And please no worry about the question possibly being asked previously. Insurance can be a confusing game and it is always good to have the opportunity to update information. Unfortunately, the consumer travel media does not cover this subject in great detail because of the travel advertising clout of credit card companies, banks, and insurance companies.        

No need to mince words – we never suggest that travelers rely on a credit card company for coverage. They outsource coverage and there is no one in the transaction to seriously represent your interests.

Our Senior Editor, for instance, carries the Chase Preferred Sapphire card. It is a lovely little card but we think the coverage is inadequate although it does improve with the highest levels of upgraded cards. These days, we think that $100,000 is an inadequate amount for emergency evacuation, the most critical component of any credit card used for travel purposes. An emergency helicopter evacuation can cost close to the maximum amount covered and that would not cover hospitalization or medical care. We are now recommending a minimum of $500,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.

Here is the problem: When the media tries to analyze the cost/benefits of several policies, they rarely speak to those who sell those policies on a regular basis. That means that the two most critical questions are rarely if ever, asked:

01 – How do you determine the financial standing of the insurance provider?

02 – When you purchase a travel insurance policy for a trip from a travel advisor, to what degree have they and will they become your advocates should a claim initially be denied?

Suppose, for instance, you have what seems to be a valid claim. But, for whatever technical reasons, your claim is denied by the insurance company’s underwriters. Is your consultant in a position to personally intervene with the possibility of getting your insurer to reopen the case? Will your travel advisor be your advocate?

This is the real secret of purchasing travel insurance and, for some rather obvious reasons, travel insurers never bring it up. Sorry for the long answer but hope this is helpful.

Q – 4.18.23 – Perhaps someday, my husband and I can convince you to do a Q&A site totally dedicated to air-related advice. Meanwhile, we are headed to Europe on September 9th of this year to meet friends in Budapest where we will be going on an Avalon Danube Cruise. We are definitely going to have to change planes somewhere in Europe and I am wondering which cities I should concentrate on and which ones you think we should definitely avoid. We picked September because we don’t like crowds and very warm weather. We booked with Avalon based on the ship, which we thought was lovely, and the great offer they gave us.  We are hoping to see some great air pricing since we are flexible as to where we would change planes. Any advice would be really appreciated. This is our first “cruise” of any sort. 

A – You might want to deal with a knowledgeable travel agent who specializes in international air arrangements. You are very late to begin this search and you should assume that 60-70% of available seats on the best routings into Budapest are already fully booked. As you have not indicated where you will be flying from, it is hard to suggest specific flights. Do note, however, that there are non-stop flights into Budapest on both United and American among others. JFK and O’Hare will have the best options. 

If you have to connect through an airport in Europe, these would be our top recommendations based on current data and anticip[ated crowds when you will be traveling. Do note that “September is the new June and July” but your assumptions about fewer crowds and more comfortable weather are largely inaccurate. Pack for temperatures ranging from 85-92 on the Danube in early September. Expect high occupancy and crowds during several portions of your journey. This summer we do not expect to see anything like a tourism slowdown much before the last week in September running into October. Our current rule is that we want you coming home from a major river journey no later than the 20th of October. 

The Current Best “Change of Plane” Connecting Airports in Europe for Budapest are:

• Vienna
• Zurich
• Munich
• Copenhagen

Q –  OK, we are now “fans” but one or two of your revelations about the travel industry seem to be so “first time I have ever heard that” off-the-charts. I just read a piece you had published suggesting that because I fly to Europe and Australia on business, I should be smearing my face with protective suntan lotion for up to fifteen hours at a time in the air. I do always prefer a window seat whether I am flying Economy Plus or Business. But I have never, ever seen a fellow passenger lather up. Not asking for a scientific treatise but wondering what led you to suggest this strategy. Wouldn’t I scare my fellow passengers if I get up covered with lotion, to use the restroom?  

A – You might – but on a long flight with the sun streaming in through the windows mid-day, sun exposure is a credible risk that has been affecting pilots for years. The New York Times has reported on some of the abnormally high cancer rates  pilots on longer routes have experienced.

We know that airplane windows are typically made of polycarbonate plastic or layered composite glass.While there is negligible transmission of UVB rays through plastic and glass windshields, UVA transmission through these windows is significant.”

It is thought that the heavy amount of light transmitting through airplane windows contain potentially-harmful UVA rays.

Why should you care? Well, though you won’t necessarily get a sunburn since that’s caused primarily by UVB radiation, UVA rays penetrate the deeper layers of skin and are known to cause photoaging (sun spots and wrinkling).

When you are flying at 33,000 feet one of the most remarkable characteristics of your flight is that you are, quite literally, flying above the atmosphere. But you are closer to the ozone layer by about six miles. You are that much closer to the sun so we can hopefully agree that the sun’s rays are, at that altitude, considerably more powerful. Added to that, is the fact thatyou are flying above weather- above clouds, that serve to filter some of the harmful rays from the sun .

The bottom line appears to be that flying long distances, particularly in an aisle seat with the shades left open, your exposure to UVA rays can contribute to the development of skin cancer. 

And since you’re closer to the ozone layer — almost six miles closer to be more exact — the sun’s rays are simply more powerful. Plus, extended exposure to UVA rays can contribute to the development of skin cancers.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the plane’s windows stopped about 99% of UVB rays, but only about half of UVA rays. That means about an hour of exposure on a plane is the equivalent of 20 minutes in a tanning bed. And, according to SkinCancer.org, there is no safe amount of time you should spend in a tanning bed.

We will continue to suggest that clients flying in a window seat on any flight of three hours or longer, apply protective amounts of high-quality suinscreen while keeping the window shades down as much as possible. It just makes sense. Family and friends in adjoining seats may want to do the same as UVA rays penetrate the aircraft’s structure. 

We are not suggesting a full face two-inch lather of protective cream – just the same amount you might apply for a few hours At the beach. If you ever run into any professional pilots you may want to see what they have to say on the subject and the steps they take,m with so much window exposure, to protect themselves. 

We will know we are making progress when Business and First Class Amenity Kits start containing small tubes of sunscreen.

Q – We are taking the family to see family in Denver for Thanksgiving, including a particular branch of the family that buys into every conspiracy theory on God’s earth. They actually believe that high Holiday airfares are controlled by a cabal designed to keep families from connecting with one another. I won’t bore you with some of the other stuff they believe today. But here’s my point: I am going to be paying $723 Per Person for the four of us to fly out to see them. That’s a coach fare. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I truly love my wife, I am doomed to repeat the trip again next year. How can I save on these fares next year? 

A – We’re not at all conspiratorial but a “cabal” managing extraordinarily high airfares over the Holidays when families need to travel, is really not anything we would rhetorically rule out. This is a case where you want to be among the first 20% to book your seats. Book them at 12:20 am. on the morning eleven months prior to the date of your planned return flight. The flights for that day will be loaded at midnight so do what the air nerds do and set the alarm. On average, it takes about 20 minutes for the servers to load the new flights. This may save you some money but it is a procedure most often used by frequent flyers who will be planning to use miles and who are guessing that two or three mileage seats will be available on any Holiday flight. Good luck. 

Q – 11.19.22  – As a true Southerner, I do share the belief of most of my neighbors that when we pass we will have to go through a Delta security gate to enter the promised land. That said, the hold times lately have been driving me crazy, especially when I have last-minute questions, changes, or confirmations. The prompt e-mail responses just don’t seem to be arriving. I could care less about UA or AA, they barely know where the South is. But is there any way to get through to Delta that might be a back-door secret? These hold times are turning my beard grey. 

A – It is a growing problem but we would have thought that a grey beard might be a plus in your neighborhood. Delta does have a number that should get you right through but it only works within 48 hours of your departure time. Dial 1-855-548-2505. And don’t worry – we won’t let any other Delta fliers know about this trick. 

Q – We have become addicted, if I can use that word, to Aman Resorts, We have thoroughly enjoyed their properties throughout Asia believing that there really is nothing better on this planet in terms of accommodations and service. Last Tuesday, we came home from a stay at the new Aman property in Manhattan. Our entry-level suite was $3200 a night, which was more, but not that much more than we have paid for past stays. There was something so special about this property – my wife and I loved that it was a true oasis of calm. Looking out the windows to the crowded streets below, we heard no traffic, no sirens, and no honking horns. 

So two quick questions: Do you have any idea if Aman is planning on opening any more properties in urban areas of the US? Also noticed a lovely corner suite. Can you give us a rough idea of what that would cost us if we decide to upgrade next time? Thanks very much. Keep up the good work. 

A – The corner suite is running $15,000 per night this week. The news about Aman’s plans to open additional city properties based on their “urban oasis” long-term goals is good. There is currently a four-year plan to open new Aman properties in central Bangkok, Miami Beach, and, need you ask, Beverly Hills. On the day it opens its doors, the Aman property will become the chicest of all Hollywood haunt. The “influencers” will be falling over one another at the front entrance.

Q -We are leaving on an Avalon River Cruise on the Rhine. Given what we are reading about the airline situation in Europe, we are confused about how to arrange our air. Our agent has come up with an hour connection through Toronto or an hour-and-a-half connecting time in Zurich. Do we go with the Canadians? Zurich is one of several “secret” airports that have unusually high “connections made” statistics. The others include Vienna and Munich. 

A – No. One hour is just cutting it too close and you might not have clean clothes until the fourth day of your cruise. Toronto’s airport is understaffed. In this scenario, Zurich is the safer bet. In fact, Swiss nonstops from the States into Zurich with onward connections is a secret used by many air pros. And even if you miss your connection – you will be in Switzerland. We trust that your agent has built in at least one hotel night on arrival prior to your joining the Avalon riverboat. It is not widely known that the major Canadian airports have been encountering serious operational problems that have resulted in delay issues that are among the worst of major airports worldwide. Staffing shortages are the primary reason for the chaos that is particularly bad in  Toronto and Montreal 

Q – I am thinking of joining the travel industry. Are there college classes I will need to take to get certified to offer travel counseling and handle people’s vacations?

A- The short answer is that the only requirement is that you must have spent an hour in an International House of Pancakes at least once in your life. The vast majority of travel agents are unlicensed and not, in any way certified. The more professional agents will take courses and seek product certification as they spend time in the industry.

The best path to a worthy entry into travel is to decide what kind of agency might come closest to meeting your interests and then find the very best one. See if the owner will hire you as an intern in your area of interest. Don’t expect to handle clients for six months. Oh, one other thing. Please don’t even consider entering this industry unless you have lived and traveled abroad for at least six months. That’s how you get a “Real Life License”.