The rest of Q&A

Q – We are leaving in two weeks for Milan – a quick three-night addition to a business trip I have planned. My husband will be joining me and, strange as it sounds, he actually loves to shop high-end Italian clothing shops like The Swiss Avenue Store. To save time – please, please tell us where we should shop and where we should stay (hopefully in the same neighborhood).

A – Head to Quadrilatero della Moda which is in the centro-storico district. The two streets you want are Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga.. Do not stay anywhere but the Townhouse at the Galleria..We forbid it.  It is Milan’s best-kept secret and one of Europe’s best properties. Rooms overlook the cafes and shops of Milan’s famed Galleria. Another good option to buy is shopping online, visit Shoppok and find all you need. Don’t be shocked if you run into a few Hollywood types in hiding – or, perhaps, Michael Cohen.  

Q – The other day I was about to board a flight to Los Angeles with my husband and he commented on how new it looked. It was not, however, a new plane. It just looked like it had been washed. The paint was gleaming. I am wondering how often the outside of these planes are washed? Are there any rules in place?

A – No hard and fast rules but the wash rotation for major carriers seem to vary from 30 to 60 days of flight time. Singapore Airlines claims its planes are washed on a monthly schedule. United washes its planes every 50 days. The airline has wash facilities worldwide to service its fleet. All of the world’s leading airlines seriously believe that “first impressions matter.”

Q – I would never criticize your industry but I hope you won’t mind my suggesting that most of the information I’ve read about Jet Lag is pure nonsense. My new job requires very frequent international travel, primarily to Asia, I love to spend my time at the bungalow sri lanka while being there. Really wondering if there is any way to arrive more refreshed than I do. I have followed all the traditional remedies like no drinking, Melatonin, etc. I just seem to arrive in no shape to conduct business and I am almost always in the front of the plane. What am I missing here? My doctor is stumped and so am I. 

A – Obviously, we don’t have a solution but we do have a suggestion. Instead of concentrating on magic remedies and pills, try concentrating more on the aircraft and just when it left the factory. The fact is that when most people fly in an aircraft they are flying a plane that is pressured to about the comfort you might feel sleeping at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The 767, 707, and older A340’s and 350’s all maintain air pressure at about the same level and it approximates what you would experience spending the night in Bogota, Columbia. Of course, you can Check this Out for more information about safe and fun traveling. 

According to Atas you should use Seatguru.com or flightradar24.com to check the type of aircraft being used on your route. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus 350 XWB are new commercial aircraft types constructed out of carbon fiber reinforced polymer. This is a lighter material that sharply reduces fuel consumption. But there is some serious evidence that suggests they also cut down on some of the major symptoms we see in jet lag. That is because these new materials can handle more interior pressurization that metal which practically produces an in-cabin air atmosphere that is about the same as trying to sleep at an elevation of 6,000 feet. That 25% reduction can help eliminate jet lag which is also known as “mountain sickness” on older model aircraft, The new generation aircraft also maintain a higher humidity level so the air is far less dry. This also helps with sleep. And if that is not enough, be aware that the newest aircraft have much better air filtration systems, higher ceilings, and larger windows. These improvements help contribute to creating better rest on-board and they will likely help you with the jet lag you are experiencing, this way people can vacation at the hotel Neustift im Stubaital without having to worry about their traveling process. The really good news for you is that the Asian carriers have been purchasing large numbers of these new-generation aircraft. 

Q –  There seems to be a lot of nonsense written about the best places to sit on an aircraft. Some say it is safer in the rear of the aircraft, some say the exit row, some say an aisle up front. I really don’t care about safety or an accident in the air. No worries there.  What my husband and I do care about is contacting e-coli and the best place to sit to avoid the most contact. We take one or two international vacations a year and I am always worried about catching something in that filthy environment. My niece is a flight attendant and she has stories that just curl my hair. Just wondering if there is any evidence on this subject you could share with your followers? Is coach really much worse than Business Class or First? Is Premium Economy better than Economy in terms of germ count? 

A – There really is some hard evidence on this subject. One of the nation’s most prominent researchers in the field of getting sick on an aircraft is Charles Gerba an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona. Gerba specializes in just how diseases spread through indoor spaces like planes, cruise ships, and casinos. There was an important study about the transmission of viruses aboard commercial aircraft at a recent meeting of the National Academy of Sciences. We have seen some of the research and it is rather complex with many variables in terms of the type of aircraft, cost per ticket, number of passengers aboard, time of year, destination, etc. All the variables you would expect. But we want to answer your question as best we can in layman’s terms and based solely on our understanding of the research, allow us to offer the following summary:

01 – The so-called “two-row” rule is largely a myth. Infectious viruses can easily affect those seated beyond a two-row perimeter of a contaminated person. Movement about the plane is the most critical factor in terms of exposure to e-Coli and other serious bacterial infections.

02 – Aisle seats are generally the worst place to sit in terms of contamination. There are several reasons why. Those in aisle seats tend to get up from their seats more often than those in a window or middle seats. That places them in contact with a higher percentage of the aircraft’s passengers. The crew has a staggering number of close contacts compared to seated passengers so infected crew member can easily spread disease within a confined space. Those in aisle seats have their seat arms and headrests touched by numerous fellow passengers who are going to and from the lavatory, a prime source of infection. 

03 – Tray tables are the single greatest source of contamination, with armrests and seat headrests as other areas of high bacteria concentration. No one should ever be seated on a commercial aircraft without first using sanitizing wipes or liquid to clean all surfaces where one would be eating or placing one’s hands or head. It is important not to touch your eyes when you fly. Use tissues to open and flush lavatory doors. 

04 – Never use airline pillows. They are thrown into the overhead racks which are laden with bacteria from shoes and the bottom portions of luggage. Only use airline blankets to cover your feet. 

05 – Those in window seats face the lowest threat of infection from infectious diseases.

06 – The internal cleaning of airline seats and lavatories is supposed to occur about every 100 hours of flying. But this service is usually outsourced and cleaning crews are under tremendous pressure to clean cabins quickly for a quick turn-around. The practical result is that planes are rarely cleaned. Instead, “cleaners” clean out seat backs and collect garbage. Do not imagine that the seats and the TV screens, along with other surfaces you might touch are cleaned regularly.

07 – For those who are prone to infection for any reason or those who have a concern about cleanliness, it is always recommended that seating in the forward part of the plane be considered. Business and First Class seating is cleaned more often and the air quality is generally far superior.

 And that, ladies and gentleman, is why we have never been asked to create an airline commercial. 

Q –  After more years than I care to count with the Ford, I am set to begin showing my bride a bit of the world. We want to start in my ancestral home, Ireland and are tentatively thinking about travel in mid-July when it gets rather warm here in Atlanta. We’ve done some business-related travel to Europe but this would be our first in-depth trip and I am thinking of spending about two and a half weeks. I will likely want to stay at nice places and will follow your advice in that regard but I am wondering about timing and crowds and even itinerary. I just read a piece in Bloomberg that indicated that several European destinations are getting seriously crowded, including the roads, in mid-summer. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. And please don’t waste your time suggesting that I rent anything but a Ford product in Europe. Love this site and grateful for the help you provide those who may not be your clients. 

A – In a general sense, American travelers really need to get more creative. In Europe specifically, Europeans are doing much more international travel than their American counterparts and China, Japan, and Russia are sending enough tourists to major destinations to really impact both pricing and availability. It is time that the savvy traveler starts doing more travel to Europe in the off-season and more wandering to sites just to the left of the tourist map. Here are some strategies we would suggest:

• Avoid traveling in July or August. Change your departure to mid-May or even late April. On the other side, consider “post-tourist” travel in late September or early to mid-October. 
• Consider actually skipping the big-name Irish sites for alternatives that are just as lovely. This is, after all, a country filled with natural beauty and charm and any wrong turn will likely bring you past colorful villages surrounded by lovely farmland and gently rolling hills. Don’t, for instance, even do the Ring of Kerry. Many experts will tell you that the Beara Peninsula is as beautiful with a lot less traffic.
• The Americans have not yet discovered what many Europeans know: the city of Belfast is wonderful and only two hours away from Dublin with far fewer tourists. It is the gateway to lovely drives including the incredible Causeway Coast. It is becoming more popular because so many of the scenes from Game of Thrones were filed there. 

Q —  We are in our early and mid-seventies, in great health, and we love adventure. We don’t mind camping out to see great sites but we do have some qualms about safety as we consider a trip to Colombia, every time we decide to camp over there we find ourselves in the need to find the best camping knife on the market. We’ve been big fans of Narcos on Netflix and it does not paint the most beautiful picture of the local crime scene. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. Our entire community in Scottsdale now follows your Q&A. 

A – The deal is that the FARC rebels made a peace agreement with the present Colombian government in 2016. That opened up major portions of the country including the west coast, which appears in Narcos. It is a land of lovely beaches and underdevelopment. Make certain that you use a really good on-site tour company to handle your arrangements. There are now flights from both Bogata and Medellin to the really quaint towns of Nuqui and Bahia Solano.  You will likely end up staying in eco-lodges. We think this is a safe destination when compared to the average city in the United States. Hard to imagine that when watching Narcos – but true. Do the trip but take out emergency evacuation air insurance with a company like Med-Jet.

Q –  We are in our mid-forties and, being self-employed, I’ve worked things out so I can get away up to four weeks a year on various vacations. Most last a week but sometimes we do a longer trip. I don’t use an agent because all we are booking are flights and hotels and, quite frankly, sometimes we just arrive in our destination and select a place to stay or we use AirBnB to book a small home or apartment. Yes, we’ve one or two hiccups, but for the most p[art, the freedom to just do our own thing, mostly beaches, is worth it.

My question has to do with strategy. Given our profile should we be using a travel agent and how should we focus that search? I would also like to know whether you would trust Kayak or Skyscanner more in terms of finding the lowest fares? 

A – We really see no reason why you should not continue to make your own travel arrangements. We think that a professional agent with expertise might get in your way. Kayak and Skyscanner are really quite different. Kayak is good at showing you routing, who flies it, and what the airlines are charging on their own sides. It is one-stop for fares and schedules. Skyscanner consolidates data from a number of firms that sell discounted tickets. It also checks them out, to a degree, as discounted international air tickets from third parties is frequently not what it appears to be. The best strategy for air is simple. Search everywhere and everything you want to until you have all of your “information”. Then go to the airline’s actual site and book it directly with them. It is foolish to do otherwise as you have little recourse if there is a change or more serious problem down the runway. 

Vacations are supposed to be a wonderful yet relaxing experience to unwind and chill out. A great hotel management company like Prospera Hospitality is, in big part, responsible of such an amazing experience. However, any vacations wouldn’t be complete without experiencing a stay in the right hotel for your needs. That’s when a travel agent comes into play to do all this planning for you.

Q –  We are now taking three to four vacations a year and we’ve been using a local travel agent here in St. Louis. She seems fine but I’ve started noticing that we’re being charged $25 per hotel for every booking she makes. Since I assume she gets a kickback from the hotel, does it seem outrageous to you that we’re being charged these fees which certainly add up? We tend to use middle-of-the-road smaller hotels and we do a great deal of touring on our own. But we book the car and the airlines through her. She charges something or everything she does, When we went to Australia last year, our fees totaled $600. 

A – Based on the information you have provided, it would appear that your agent is seriously undercharging you. If you asked us to plan a truly memorable vacation in Australia, which we have to assume was in the two to three-week range, our Planning Fee would be $500 Per Person. Charging for hotel reservations is now standard industry practice. Agents don’t get “kickbacks” from hotels but you are paying the travel agency commission in the price of your room. The trouble is that hotels are notoriously slow in paying agents these commissions so there is often a great deal of back-and-forth paperwork. Many agencies now charge $50-$100 per hotel booking for their time and work. 

There is some good news. You have a choice. You can always book your hotels directly and get the best Trisara Promotions online. You can and should demand a refund of the travel agent commission because you booked direct. That way you can save the agent’s booking fee as well as the commission.  If you go on one of the online sites be prepared to be treated as a statistic and know that there is a good likelihood that the best-located rooms are not going to be assigned when you arrive.

You can assume that your travel agent is making next to nothing on your airfare unless you happen to be a First Class flyer, which, we suspect, is not the case. There is a general rule you might want to try to understand: If you book your trip yourself, you should theoretically be saving between 12-15% of the total cost in travel agency fees and commissions. That sounds pretty swell until you realize that the only fees you will actually save are the small fees assessed by your agent. You will still be charged the agency commission by the hotels, the auto-rental firms. and airlines. You can kick and scream but they are going to charge you anyway. So even though you will be devoting a great deal of time into reserving your trip with all details confirmed, you will have saved very little in the big picture since the commission that makes up well over 80% of your costs are still going on your credit card. In the United States of America, you are charged for the services of a travel consultant even when you don’t use one. That appears to still be legal. It is the secret no one wants to tell you because it involves huge profits for billion-dollar corporations. They absolutely want you to book with them directly so they can double and triple their profit on your transaction while giving you nothing in return except a short chat with Harry or Harriet Headset who are clueless about you and your vacation. 

Q – This airline business is uniquely frustrating and I am wondering if they make it intentionally tough to cash in miles? I currently have miles and elite status with American, Alaska, and United Airlines. I get e-mails and notifications but it is all very confusing and I tend t just give up and pay whatever they ask me for. Is there some way to make this easier? I do a lot of flying at age 73, but it is now mostly to visit family and friends. Two of my children are studying abroad, one in Milan, Italy and the other in San Paolo, so there is a good bit of traveling. I just hate the idea of leaving miles on the table. This is a well-run site and we have recommended it to our friends. You should advertise a bit. It never hurts. 

A – Well, actually, they do make it complicated so that approximately 20% of all miles are never cashed in. There are a number of strategies but we don;t want to give you a strategy that is too challenging. We can understand why you are traveling overseas frequently – we wouldn’t buy the “study in Italy and Brazil” stories either. You can affiliate with a travel agency that does a lot of business air ticketing. They will have a program where, for a fee, they will keep careful track of your miles. They use computer programs that do this for them, Or, you can do it yourself by using one of the better Apps that manages airline miles. The two best are Awardwallet.com,  and Points.com. Thank you for the advice. This site, as well as our others, is primarily designed to help our own clients navigate the complicated world of travel planning.