Massive apologies to everyone who struggled with a bizarre and obscure Frontpage bug in the reader survey form. Trying to resolve the issue took too much of Friday, but I’ve now come up with a workaround that will allow things to work perfectly. I believe/hope.
So please now go to our reader survey to identify the most innovative travel items of the last 25 years and share your opinions/views.
This is bad news for anyone who has already voted. Would you please do so again.
Usually weekly, since 2001, we publish a roundup of travel and travel related technology developments, and often a feature article too.
You’ll stay up to date with the latest and greatest (and cautioned about the worst) developments. You’ll get information to help you choose and become a better informed traveler and consumer, how to best use new technologies, and at times, will learn of things that might entertain, amuse, annoy or even outrage you.
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David.
E-Z Pass
I cannot think of ANYTHING.
The quality of travel from cruises, to hotels, to flights has deteriorated every year.
Gone are the lovely small hotels (for the most part) replaced by mega-resorts seething with people.
Lovely small 100-passenger ships calling at charming islands have now been replaced with monstrosities disgorging multi-thousand passengers and overwhelming the destinations with tacky people in shorts and flip-flops.
Air travel used to be fun; people actually dressed up to fly. Wonderful service, quite good food. All gone. Replaced by aircraft that resemble cattle cars full of people on computers and cell phones.
You used to be able to see family and friends off at the gate and greet them on their return. Today you’re lucky if you can even GET to the airport.
Getting there is no longer half the fun.
Upright luggage with wheels.
Ability to choose seats online, especially when booking (if one has the right status and depending on the airline. US airlines are the best at this by far)
MasterCard tracking flights and notifying you when prices are decreased.
In the 1960s British Eagle introduced a service which had a coach meet all Heathrow domestic arriving flights at the airstairs and whisked them straight to Central London.
Today I find it hard to identify any innovation worthy of note for economy passengers. Perhaps in Europe EasyJet’s unlimited weight allowance on a single carry on item is great compared with Ryanair’s 10kg limit AND they weigh carry ons at the gate and if it’s over you pay £40 to put in the hold
The internet. Searching online for airfares, hotels, apartments and reviews is a god-send. While we book a tour to travel to some exotic locales like Tanzania and Machu Picchu, we like to go it alone in Europe. The internet lets me read about tours, noting where they take travelers–the most interesting attractions! We make our own list of things to see and we’re off. What’s not to like?
wheels on luggage
Lap top computers, iPads, and the intelligence NOT to allow people to talk on cell phones.
Although not sure question pertains to the automobile, the GPS navagation systems, even now on smart phones, would never have been thought of 15 years ago.
Since the demise of Wardair… air travel has sunk into the abyss..ditto with Peter Fulton Foss.
However, other travel using the internet, allows greater access and choice than was ever available with retail travel agents that only represent their ‘preferred’ tour operators with high commission margins on travel insurance (can be around 40%) et al.
We can now book directly with an unlimited supply of global travel operators and insurance providers and get ‘net of commission’ prices for our efforts. As a member of The Top Travel Club I have access to thousands of direct booking purchases around the world.
I also have access to the World Privilege Club (UK) and the Aussie Travel Saver (Australia) that would not be available without the internet.