Airlines

The new “pay as you go” policies adopted by the U.S. domestic airlines make it hard to budget as new charges and changes proliferate. One travel guru called it bait and switch: “They bait us with a base fare and then start packing on the fees.”

Cuts are evident even in the smallest amenities. On a recent flight, in the interest of research, I ordered a meal which included yogurt but no spoons anywhere on the plane, not even in first class.

Frequent flyer programs have dramatically increased processing fees for booking award tickets, citing fuel costs as the reason. Delta has added a fuel surcharge of $25 for the U.S. and Canada, and $50 for other destinations. US Airways has soared from having the lowest fee to book, change or redeposit flights at only $5, to having the highest at up to $30 for domestic flights and $40 for international trips.

And that’s online. Phone bookings cost fliers $55 for domestic tickets, $80 for Hawaii flights and $90 for an international ticket. To change an international ticket entirely—or just the return date—is $250 international and $150 domestic. Of course, all this changes (increases?) constantly.

US Airways has stopped giving bonus miles to elite members of their program. Some people flew extra flights just to earn or keep their elite status. The airline will lose that revenue. Go to www.savedividendmiles.com to read about the changes and charges, and to register your opinion.

Particularly disturbing is the difficulty in changing a return flight at any cost, as the airlines are combining scheduled flights resulting in overbooked planes. This is why a flight showing plenty of seats online will be filled when the gate opens.

Be certain of the rules on your ticket. You cannot miss a segment without flights down the line being cancelled, necessitating the purchase of a one-way ticket. To return from a different city, a new ticket is required. A travel agent should know this. Some advice columnists do not. You cannot change a name on an airline ticket, and if there is a mistake in spelling, etc., request the airline to note that in your record before you get to the airport. Tickets are valid for one year from the date of issue. Some airlines give their staff permission to extend that deadline at their discretion, so it’s worth trying.

One comprehensive website is www.flightexplorer.com, which has real-time maps of routes, status of flights, WiFi spots, parking reservations, airline contact numbers, seat maps, weather and who flies where. Save time searching the Web and put in dates and cities at www.farecompare.com for daily updates on how much fares have gone up or down.

To complain or read other people’s gripes, go to www.howwasyourflight.com.

Medical Travel in a First-world, English-speaking Country

Springboard Vacations in Los Angeles has begun a surgical program with Medtral for medical travel to New Zealand, with Australia soon to be added. The private hospitals and medical specialists contracted are of the highest standard and have been trained in the United States, the United Kingdom, as well as New Zealand and Australia.

As an example, heart bypass surgery might cost $110,000 to $125,000 in the U.S. but would cost only $38,000 in New Zealand. Even adding the cost of flights and recuperative accommodation, the savings will be substantial. Participants are assisted every step of the way, from flights to transfers to four- to five-star accommodation. Medtral arranges specialist appointments and the surgery and aftercare while in New Zealand, in proactive partnerships with patients’ primary care physicians in the U.S. both before and after surgery. Quality Health New Zealand, an independent assessment organization, accredits each hospital using rigorous international standards.

Packages include preoperative time to adjust to the time change and the climate (New Zealand’s seasons are the opposite of ours, and they’re a day ahead of the U.S.) as well as postoperative time for healing and rejuvenation in a beautiful, relaxing environment. Especially appealing is the opportunity to take a vacation at a spa in New Zealand and return home healthier and, in the case of plastic surgery, mysteriously younger—or even glowing, as fertility surgery is also offered.

Loves Us, Loves Us Not

Pew Global Attitudes recently surveyed citizens from 24 countries on their opinions about American travelers. A majority of respondents in 14 countries have a favorable view of American guests. Great Britain likes us best, followed by South Korea with 77% approval, Lebanon with 74%, Poland, 70%, Australia, 66%, Japan, 65%, France, 64% and Germany, 55%.

Americans received only a 44% approval rating in Mexico (the top-ranked destination for U.S. travelers), 38% in China (ninth most popular for Americans) and 41% in Spain. The least favorable rating came from Turkey, where 13% voiced a positive view, followed by Pakistan at 20% and Argentina at 24%. Read it and sigh at www.pewresearch.org

Cruises

Feeling nostalgic for psychedelic rock? Then you won’t want to miss the Pink Floyd-themed cruise on Carnival. The three-day cruise to Nassau, which departs from Miami on May 1, 2009, will feature a touring production of Pink Floyd, including a complete rendition of Dark Side of the Moon, trivia contests, parties and games. Go to www.greatgiginthesea.com to order tickets and check out the group on video.

Betty Austin-Ware is a South Pacific travel consultant of 24 years. She can be reached at 866-847-9835 or baware96@comporium.net.