Tripod Home | New | TriTeca | Work/Money | Politics/Community | Living/Travel | Planet T | Daily ScoopLIVING & TRAVEL
Charlie Leocha
interviewed by Emma Taylor on January 27, 1996
" If you don't ask, you don't get."
Charlie Leocha is the author of "Travel Rights," a guide book to the inside secrets of traveling. You can read his monthly column,"Travel Rights," at biztravel.com.
Tripod: How did you discover that there was room for negotiation in the travel industry -- did you get fed up of being screwed over?
CL: I have been writing about travel for almost twenty years. Whenever I got in a jam I realized that I didn't know what my real travel alternatives were. I was reduced to meekly asking the airline personnel for help. I figured that if someone intimately connected with travel didn't know, others would be even worse off. I noticed that different passengers received different treatment, so I decided to dig into the subject to find out what the facts were. After asking question after question, I began to realize that passengers have few real legal rights. Each airline makes their own policy decisions with virtually no interference from the government.
Tripod: Can you actually negotiate lower prices, can you just make your trip more comfortable and smooth?
CL: The secret to every right I discuss is asking about it. The basic rule is -- If you don't ask, you don't get. For airline discounts ask the reservationist what is the absolutely lowest rate their airline offers in the market. They ask the reservationist on which flights that rate is available. You may find out that if you change your departure by a couple of hours, or connect, you will save hundreds of dollars. When dealing with car rental companies, whose rate structure is approaching the complexity of the airline industry, make sure to mention every discount program which might be applicable such as AAA, USAA, AARP, your frequent flyer programs, plus Sam's, Price/COSTCO and BJs Wholesale Clubs. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Elks, the Association of Left-handed Refrigeration Repairmen and the neighborhood association might even have programs.
Tripod: What's the most common mistake made by travelers less savvy than yourself?
CL: They don't ask about benefits. Once when flights were canceled due to a mechanical problem I listened as passengers were compensated. The agent asked each the same question. What can we do for you to make this overnight delay easier? One man requested a hotel; the agent said "OK" and made out a voucher. The second man asked for a hotel, meals, cab fare to and from the airport and the use of a phone to let friends know his change in plans; the agent said "OK" and made out a voucher. Yet another, after calling friends and getting a couch to sleep on, asked nothing; the agent said "OK" and handed him his ticket back validated for the next flight out in the morning. Each was treated differently.
Tripod: What about frequent flyer miles -- are they a big scam?
CL: Frequent flyer miles are a great benefit. Try to concentrate your mileage so you can reach the gold or elite levels. The additional benefits are well worth it.
Tripod: Where's the best place to get the cheapest tickets?
CL: It depends. If you have time and can make reservations early enough and are flexible, you can do it yourself or through a travel agent. If you are making reservations after the 21- 14- or 7- day deadline, or your trip doesn't include a Saturday stay, try a consolidator. Consolidator tickets can be purchased through most travel agencies as well, but you have to ask.
Tripod: Do we really have any travelers' rights?
CL: Amazingly, the only rights granted through the law are for involuntary denied boarding compensation and for lost luggage compensation. The first benefits the traveler, requiring some form of compensation for airline mismanagement; and the second is for the benefit of the airlines, limiting the liability of the airlines for lost luggage to $1,250 per passenger regardless of the actual value of goods lost. International rules differ in amounts of compensation.
Tripod: You're quite a ski buff too, right?
CL: Yes, I write the leading guidebooks to skiing -- Skiing America '96, and Ski Europe.
Tripod: Where have you skied so far this season, and how is this year looking, as far as skiing goes?
CL: So far this season I have had the chance to ski at Crested Butte in Colorado and judge the American Airlines International Ski Film Festival, then I skied in Vail and had editorial meetings for five days in Steamboat. I have also been to Loon in NH and Stowe and Sugarbush in VT. The early season in New England was fantastic and a bit thin in the West, but now seems to have settled into a normal pattern of good western snow and variable conditions in the East.
Tripod: What's your recommendation for the best skiing spot this year?
CL: It all depends on what you want from your ski vacation. The ski resort perfect for a family with young children is far different from the perfect resort for a honeymooning couple. One ski resort may be perfect for experts and another far better for intermediates and beginners. Those are the differences I cover in the two guidebooks.
Tripod: Any closing advice for the traveler?
CL: Educate yourself before you travel. It makes life on the road and in the air much easier and enjoyable and you'll get more out of your travels.
For more information about skiing or travel rights, e-mail [email protected]. Check out cocktail.com for excerpts from Charlie Leocha's ski books. Travel Rights, Ski Europe, and Skiing America are all available by calling 1-800-444-2524.
Map | Search | Help | Send Us Comments
