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Should You Use a Travel Agent for Booking a Rail Journey?

The problem is, many travel agents — maybe even most of them — really don’t know very much about booking long-distance trains in the U.S. As an example, suppose you’re going from St. Louis to a family wedding in Santa Fe. You don’t like to fly, so you want to take the train. Take a look at this brief itinerary. No rail-savvy travel agent would suggest it. Can you figure out why?

           3:00 p.m. – depart Chicago on the Southwest Chief            2:24 p.m. (next day) arrive Lamy, NM (Santa Fe) This itinerary allows just over one hour for your connection from the Eagle to the Chief in Chicago. Consider: by the time the Eagle gets to St. Louis, it will have traveled more than 2400 miles since leaving Los Angeles. What are the chances that it will be more than 90 minutes late by the time it gets to Chicago? Well, for the past year, the Eagle has been on time only 45-percent of the time. In other words, you should take an earlier train to Chicago. There’s one that arrives at 10:00 a.m. and another that will get you there at 12:20.

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TOPICS Southwest Chief Superliner The Texas Eagle train travel

There are 5 Comments.

Jim…really good advice above. Thanks a bunch! Carolyn

Do it yourselfers should also be wary of how the Amtrak website attempts to put together itineraries. Best to consult the timetables of each route and use the Multi-City option (next to One-Way and Round Trip on the Tickets tab) to separate each route on the trip so you can choose different connection possibilities.

Sure … absolutely. I used the Eagle-Chief illustration as an example of what a travel agent inexperienced in booking Amtrak might propose.

What about taking one of the Missouri River Runner and making the connection in KC?

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Table of Contents

How much does a travel agent cost?

Do travel agents get discounts on flights, how can a travel agent help me, smart money move: book with the right credit card, how do i find a good travel agent.

With a few keystrokes, you can find cheap travel deals on the web. But travel agents can do that and more.

Often, travel agents receive deals directly from hotels and tour operators that you may not have access to. They also have contacts with resorts and hotels, so they can bargain for better deals. But just how much do travel agents cost? Some people assume that travel agents are expensive, which may keep them from using their services. However, that's not necessarily true.

Regardless if you go with a travel agent or plan on your own, it can be a smart money move to book with a credit card thats earns rewards on your bookings and helps you avoid foreign transaction fees if you end up traveling abroad.

The cost of using a travel agent is generally marginal, and often, they won't charge you at all. Much of their money comes from commissions the hotels and wholesalers pay them. Before you decide to book with a travel agent, inquire whether or not they charge fees.

Also, if you’ve booked a trip with a travel agent and for whatever reason need to cancel, they might be able to help get the refund more directly.

» Learn more: How to become a travel agent

Generally not, and especially not for short distances. For the most part, any discount you'd get from using a travel agent would be for a combined package. Still, it never hurts to ask if your travel agent can get you a deal on your flight.

If you're traveling internationally — especially to a country you've never visited — a travel agent can be a useful resource in helping you plan your trip. They can manage all of your booking needs, which can be easier than juggling a long itinerary that includes flights, hotels and excursions on your own.

Group travel is another common situation that can benefit from an agent's assistance. Coordinating bookings across multiple parties can get confusing. A travel agent can keep things organized, negotiate with services and personally work out any complications that may arise. Rather than trying to reserve rooms in the same hotels and seats on the same flights with multiple credit cards and names, let a travel agent do that work.

Travel agents can also be helpful by providing destination advice. Many specialize in particular destinations and can offer insight as to how you should structure your visit. Agents can direct you to the services, facilities and entertainment that best align with your interests and needs.

» Learn more: Other things a travel agent can do that a search engine can't

Whether you decide to use a travel agent to book your trip (i.e. flights, accommodations, excursions, cruises, car rentals, etc.) or plan the whole trip on your own, consider what credit card makes the most sense for your vacation.

If you're going abroad, use a card that waives foreign transaction fees so that you can avoid those fees. Also consider credit cards that include complimentary travel insurance so that you can be protected on your trip if things go awry.

Here is a sampling of cards that include travel insurance and also waive foreign transaction fees. These cards also earn rewards on travel, which you can redeem in various ways.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining, hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on air travel purchased through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining not booked with Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

• Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Travel accident: Up to $1 million.

• Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

The cards listed above all carry annual fees, especially given all the perks they provide.

If you don't care about the perks listed and simply want a card with no annual fee that waives foreign transaction fees, check out this list of options .

Several websites can help you track down and contact suitable travel agents. TravelSense.org , part of the American Society of Travel Advisors, allows you to search by some useful parameters including specialty and geographic location.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance

Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Amtrak RailAgent provides professionals in the travel trade with easy access to the railroads network of 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day - at speeds up to 150 mph - to more than 500 destinations. Log in today to shop, book, pay and generate Amtrak eTickets for all your customers' rail journeys across the USA.

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Travel Professionals

Limited time offer: 20% commissions..

If you’re a travel industry professional based in the United States or Canada, you now qualify to receive 20% commission on your Brightline fare sales , for a limited time. That’s our best rate ever. Get on track and register to become a Brightline Travel Advisor below.

Brightline brings new opportunities for you and your clients visiting The Sunshine State. With a direct connection at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Brightline Orlando Station in partnership with Orlando Health offers a travel alternative that’s faster, more fun, and less stressful than driving or flying. Higher speed rail service connects Orlando to West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, and Miami — with centrally located stations within minutes of ports, airports and plenty of world-class adventures.

Train tickets between South Florida and Orlando are on sale . Reserve fares to Orlando and help your clients prepare their travel plans ahead of time.

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Program perks, broaden your reach with florida's leading transportation solution, access the lowest published fares available, book direct anytime, anywhere, at gobrightline.com, earn commission on all of your brightline bookings, submit your application to our commissionable fares program..

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There are several options to get you to and from the station — from hassle-free parking, to Uber vouchers, and more.

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Holidays by Train

Gates travel - rail ticket specialist, international rail travel.

Travelling by train across Europe has never been easier. With fast and frequent Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel and excellent onward connections, you can reach many European cities without any of the time-consuming tedious airport check-ins and long taxi journeys.

Gates Travel are agents for Eurostar. Go direct from city centre to city centre by high-speed train between the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Services can be booked up to 120 days in advance and the earlier you book, the better value the fares.

Onward journeys to all corners of Europe can also be arranged using Voyages SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Renfe/Spanish Rail Services and more and we are able to supply virtually all types of tickets and seat reservations. Note some countries only make bookings available 2 or 3 months prior to travel date. In some instances multi-journey passes may be your best option, and this can be discussed based on enquiry details received.

Further Afield

We can also provide information, tickets and reservations for many journeys Worldwide, including Amtrak, Japanese Railways and Trans-Siberia.

Booking Process

Please be advised, for European rail point-to-point enquiries, we charge a non-refundable £25 deposit to start our investigations. This amount will be deducted from the full cost should you proceed with a definite reservation. Note prices are subject to change based on availability at the time of confirming. If you wish to proceed on this basis please email your proposed travel criteria to Rail Enquiries and follow up with a phone call providing card payment details, or arrange a bank transfer. We will respond with an itinerary suggestion and current quote at our earliest opportunity.

Interrail Passes

Unfortunately Gates Travel are presently unable to supply Interrail passes, or book specific journey seat reservations if you have obtained one independently.

Visit our Holidays by Train page for information and ideas.

An Interrail Pass is a single travel document that lets you travel by train in one or more European countries. With an Interrail Pass, you can explore up to 30 countries without having to buy point-to-point tickets. 1st Class and 2nd Class passes are available.

Interrail passes can only be purchased by residents of European countries and are valid for travel outside their home country.

Youth Pass - Travellers aged 12 to 27, up to 35% cheaper than the Adult Pass.

Family Pass - Up to two children (aged 0 to 11) can travel for FREE with an adult.

Senior Pass - Travellers aged 60 and over receive 10% discount on Adult prices.

Contact us to find out more about eligibility and prices.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) brings together the companies that run Britain’s railway into a single team with one goal - to deliver a better railway for you and your community.

All the passenger and freight rail companies are members of the RDG, as well as Network Rail and HS2.

The following pages will give more detailed information which may help you in the completion of your application to become a RDG Licensed Travel Agent.

Q. As a RDG Agent what rail products can I sell?

A. RDG Agents can sell the full range of National Rail Products which are made available by all Train Operating Companies.

Q. What Rail Products can I NOT sell?

A. Season Tickets, local promotions, short term promotions, certain types of tickets which include entrance to theme parks or exhibitions and special fares introduced by TOC’s from time to time.

Q. How will I obtain Ticket Stocks?

A. When you are appointed as an RDG Agent, you will be given an account code which will entitle you to request rail ticket stock from RDG’s approved suppliers.

Q. What if the Agency is not IATA approved?

A. If your agency is not IATA approved, your application will still be considered.

Q. What costs are involved?

A. There will be an initial set up fee of £300 plus VAT. This is a non-refundable charge. A Bond or Banker’s Guarantee will be requested in which case your bank might raise a charge for this service. If you need to send members of your agency sales staff on a course for the rail qualification you will need to pay the fees raised by RDG’s Approved Training Suppliers.

Q. How long does the licensing application procedure take?

A. A completed application, where you have appropriate financial security and a robust Marketing Plan could be complete in around six to eight weeks. All applications are referred to Train Operating Companies for their endorsement. If you have to send staff on training courses or apply to other organisations for qualifying factors, then the procedure will be extended and could take a little longer.

Q. What level of Commission will my agency earn?

A. The commission level will be 3%. Licensees are required to provide a bond or financial guarantee. Any incentives over and above the basic rate of commission must be negotiated with individual Train Operating Companies who may agree a specific proposal based on their company’s level of sales at your agency.

Q. Is there a minimum level of rail sales turnover needed before a licence will be granted?

A. As a guide the minimum requirement in the first year’s trading should be between £25,000 and £50,000. Consideration may be given by RDG if the circumstances were that the agent was in a rural geographical area and revenue expectation was less than £25,000.

SECTION A – GUIDANCE NOTES FOR COMPLETION OF THE RAIL LICENCE APPLICATION FORM

A1 REGISTERED NAME & ADDRESS - This is the formal legal name & address under which your company is recorded at Companies House.

REGISTRATION NUMBER - This is the legal number under which your company is registered at Companies House.

TRADING NAME - This is the name that your company is using as its “brand name” on shop signs, letter heads, brochures etc. A copy of your letter headed paper will help here.

CONTACT NAME - who is the person in your company with whom RDG’s Travel Trade Administrator should deal?

CONTACT POSITION - What is the Job Title or Job Role of the person whom you have designated as the Contact Name.

OFFICE HOURS - If your office is open just Mondays to Fridays or Mondays to Saturdays, then tick the box to the right of the appropriate days. Please show the hours e.g. 09-00 to 13.00/14.00 to 18.00 when your office is open.

A2 If you have RDG rail licenses at other branches of your business, this will help to support this application, so please list the Licence Numbers. If you currently sell for other rail companies such as Eurostar, then indicate the name of the Rail Company and the appropriate account number.

A3 Agency organisations can differ, so please list the principal directors of your organisation who would be responsible for the rail business.

A4 If you are an IATA (International Air Transport Association) approved agent this will help with your application to become an RDG licensed travel agent. Please provide details of your IATA number and also the name and address of the Bankers who will be processing the business payments for the agency for which you are applying for a licence.

Please include all of the details including your Bank’s postcode and the sort code. The sort code is normally shown in the top right hand corner of your cheques.

A5 All Agencies must have suitable security arrangements, which should include a safe and burglar alarm.

A6 The rail qualification certificate is a mandatory element of criteria for obtaining your RDG licence. Agents must have a minimum of two staff or 20% of the staff engaged in selling rail products, whichever is the greater with rail qualification certificates in order to receive your rail licence. Details of training course suppliers can be found on the RDG travel agents website www.atoctravelagents.org/training

A7 RAIL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Please refer to Appendix 2 below

A8 OFFICE EQUIPMENT - Please define what office equipment is available at the location to be accredited.

A9 SET UP FEE - There is an initial non-refundable set up fee which is currently £300 plus VAT. This fee should be paid before the licence is approved.

SECTION B - MARKETING PLAN

The information you give in this Section will be important in supporting your application.

B1 BACKGROUND - Enter the date that you began business as a travel agent at the location for which you are applying for an RDG licence and enter your gross company turnover for the last five years as annual figures

If you currently acquire rail tickets for your customers show if you get these from a rail station or another agency.

Enter NO to both if you DO NOT currently supply rail tickets to your customers.

Enter the approximate annual value of the rail tickets that you anticipate supplying to your customers based on current demand or the acquisition of a new customer.

In the Section headed Significant Business Developments including future plans, show events such as: Acquisition of new business account worth £2m etc.

B2 TARGET MARKETS - You have potentially two markets to target: one for business travel and one for leisure. Many of your potential customers may fall into both categories. The total of both Business and Leisure should be shown as a percentage split of your total potential rail business.

B3 RAIL REVENUE PROJECTIONS (FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION)

As a guide for RDG you must show that you will produce a significant amount of new rail business to support your application as a sales agent we as that this is split out by Ticket on Purchase (ToP) and Ticket on departure (ToD). You then need to indicate how you expect this to grow in the second year of your sales operation.

B4 MARKETING ACTION PLAN - This section is very important and you may want to produce separate documentation. You may already have prepared a business plan and can simply attach it to your application. You need to indicate what business actions such as Promotional events, advertising in the media, television, joint promotions with tour operators etc. at which you will be able to promote the rail business for which you are now seeking a licence.

ACCOUNTANCY

Travel Agents are required to settle accounts on a 4 weekly basis.

The Agent will receive an invoice and itemised statement by e-mail at the end of each four weekly accounting.

Payment is by Direct Debit. Your account will be debited by the amount due 19 days after the period end. Further details will be sent to you upon the licence being granted.

Applying for a RDG rail licence should be seen as a mutually viable business activity. You will be entering into a legal contract with RDG on behalf of the Train Operating Companies. As well as the benefits that this will bring, it is important to remember that any breach of clauses in the legal agreement will incur financial penalties.

Late payment will incur a penalty of 4.5% above the current bank base rate per day and may be subject to additional administration charges.

PUBLICATIONS

Items such as product brochures are supplied by the individual Train Operating Companies directly on request.

Requirements for these documents will be subject to additional charges to the agent.

APPENDICES INDEX

1.Train Operating Companies

2.Ticketing Issuing Strategy

APPENDIX 1 - TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES

1. Abellio East Anglia Limited 2. Abellio ScotRail Limited 3. Arriva Rail London Ltd 4. Arriva Rail North Limited 5. Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru Limited 6. East Midlands Trains Limited 7. First Greater Western Limited 8. First MTR South Western Trains Limited 9. First TransPennine Express Limited 10. Govia Thameslink Railway Limited 11. Grand Central Railway Company Limited 12. Heathrow Express Operating Company Limited 13. Hull Trains Company Limited 14. London & South Eastern Railway Limited 15. London North Eastern Railway Limited 16. Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Limited 17. MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Limited 18. Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited 19. The Chiltern Railway Company Limited 20. Trenitalia c2c Limited 21. West Coast Trains Limited 22. West Midlands Trains Limited 23. XC Trains Limited

 (as at November 2018)

APPENDIX 2 - TICKET ISSUING STRATEGY

RDG has been working with several Ticket Issuing System (TIS) suppliers, interested in the travel agency market to facilitate their entry into the market. Please see a list below of system suppliers you may like to contact.

It should be noted that some suppliers have completed or are near to completing their software development to enable entry into this market whilst others have simply indicated an interest in entering this market.

RDG firmly believe this important change to TIS provision, through the creation of a competitive TIS supply market, will bring significant improvements to the quality of systems available to Travel Agents and the ease with which they can continue to retail the rail product into the future.    

Top Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Must-See Attractions

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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

2. Statue of Lenin

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

5. Museum of Labor Glory

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

Time in Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia now

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Time zone info for Elektrostal

• The time in Elektrostal is 8 hours ahead of the time in New York when New York is on standard time, and 7 hours ahead of the time in New York when New York is on daylight saving time.
• Elektrostal does not change between summer time and winter time.
• The IANA time zone identifier for Elektrostal is Europe/Moscow.

Time difference from Elektrostal

Sunrise, sunset, day length and solar time for elektrostal.

• Sunrise: 03:51AM
• Sunset: 08:56PM
• Day length: 17h 5m
• Solar noon: 12:24PM
• The current local time in Elektrostal is 24 minutes ahead of apparent solar time.

Elektrostal on the map

• Location: Moscow Oblast, Russia
• Latitude: 55.79. Longitude: 38.46
• Population: 144,000

Best restaurants in Elektrostal

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Find best places to eat in Elektrostal

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The 50 largest cities in Russia

Will new airline consumer protection rules help you when you fly this summer?

You've probably heard about the new airline consumer protection rules that rolled out with a one-two punch last month. There were so many, it's almost hard to keep track. And maybe you're saying to yourself: Finally, I'll have some rights when I fly.

Please, don't get too excited.

"It's a good start," said Anthony Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor , a company that helps consumers file airline complaints.

Check out   Elliott Confidential , the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone!

The new rules address everything from junk fees to refunds, and although they may have some unintended consequences, they could help passengers – but those are expected to take effect until later, so not in time for the upcoming summer travel season.

Tipping is 'not an entitlement': Should travelers stop tipping for everything?

This type of vacation rental cancellation is on the rise. Are you next?

What did the government do?

Here's what's new:

◾ Two new consumer protection rules. The Department of Transportation released final versions of two new rules to protect passengers. One requires airlines to quickly and automatically refund tickets when they cancel or significantly delay a flight. The other requires airlines to disclose any fees for checked or carry-on luggage, as well as for changing or canceling a reservation, at the same time, they display a fare quote. 

◾ States will handle some airline complaints. The federal government also announced a partnership with 18 state attorneys general . The agreement allows states to investigate airlines and ticket agents and hold them accountable when they violate aviation consumer protection laws.

◾ New refund laws and minimum seat sizes. The latest version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Bill contains a new rule that would require airlines to refund a domestic flight if it's delayed more than three hours. For international flights, it's six hours. It prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together. Also on deck: a requirement that the FAA take another look at minimum seat sizes.

The new DOT rules go into effect in late June but have an implementation period of 6 to 12 months. Some, like the seat standards, might never happen. So don't expect to see new junk fees disclosed or to get a lightning-fast refund this summer – maybe next summer.

Turbulent skies ahead for new consumer protections

At least one of the rules may backfire, warn travel experts. Among the consumer protections is a requirement that a merchant of record must issue a refund for an airline ticket. That means unless you booked a ticket directly with the airline, your travel adviser – not the airline – would be responsible for a prompt ticket refund. In other words, the money would come out of your advisor's pocket and then force the agent to negotiate with the airline for the money.

"I'm already seeing travel advisers who had been providing flight booking services to their clients, who are now choosing not to offer that service," said travel adviser Brandi Taylor. "This will be a major inconvenience to consumers." 

So this summer, if you're booking a trip through a travel adviser, they might tell you to buy the airline tickets yourself. They don't want to be on the hook for refunding the money your airline has already received for your flights.

That's not the only problem. There's a conflict between the FAA bill and DOT’s new rule requiring automatic cash refunds for flight cancellations and delays. Congress doesn't want the refund to be automatic. Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, said a lot of money is at stake in unpaid refunds.

"Airline lobbyists are fighting tooth and nail to ensure the onus remains on consumers to jump through hoops, rather than having carriers issue automatic refunds," he said. "The DOT has stepped up to protect passengers. Now it's time for Congress to do the same."

Asked about which rules would take precedence in the event of a conflict, a DOT spokeswoman said the agency's rule is "solidly rooted in DOT’s legal authority." So if there's a conflict the DOT rule would prevail.

'Expensive in every way': What travelers should expect this summer

Flying cars are coming! Here's how they could change the way you travel.

Will these consumer rules really help you?

"I'm skeptical," said Steven Rothberg, the founder of a job search site in Edina, Minnesota.

Like many experienced air travelers, he's seen this kind of thing before. The government promises protections, people get excited – and then there's no meaningful follow-through. 

Take seat sizes, for example. Airline seats are too small for the average passenger. So in 2018, Congress required the FAA to set minimum seat sizes. But to this day, there is no minimum seat standard, forcing air travelers to wedge themselves into tiny economy-class seats. 

There are also worries that airlines will quickly find a way around all these new rules, leaving passengers unprotected.

Travelers have every reason to be concerned. Airlines are clever and often find ways around new government rules. For example, if the government requires the disclosure of a junk fee like baggage charges, airlines will come up with a new charge not covered by the regulation to make up for it. It's a cat-and-mouse game, and the airlines always seem to have the upper hand. 

When will the new consumer rules go into effect?

So what's likely to happen? In the short term, not much.

Jonathan Feniak, a frequent traveler and attorney, said airlines will stall for as long as possible.

"I don’t expect airlines to adopt the new rules until they absolutely have to," he said. "Especially, during one of their busiest seasons, when delays and cancellations are bound to happen."

He said some forward-looking airlines may decide to adopt some of the requirements early, but it will also take some time for passengers to learn about their new rights.

On balance, he said the changes are a significant upgrade.

"It will mean fewer passengers being taken advantage of," he said.

A problem of enforcement

Here's the trouble with the new rules: There's some doubt the government will effectively enforce them. 

The DOT, which is in charge of enforcing the existing consumer rules, hasn't issued an enforcement action since December. It's one of the longest stretches of time without such action in years.

Think of enforcement actions as traffic tickets. And now there's a perception that airlines can get away with anything, according to Radchenko of AirAdvisor. Out of almost 300 complaints he filed in the last year, he said  DOT has not made any decision or issued enforcement action.

He said the government must prescribe penalties for airlines that ignore or fail to comply with the new rules for the new rules to work.

"They also need to provide the right to recover attorney's fees and legal costs for consumers bringing a lawsuit against an airline," he said.

What do we really need?

The bottom line for passengers is that almost none of the consumer protections will improve your summer flight. It may even be too soon for your Thanksgiving flight, and if there's a change of administration this November, some of these rules may never be implemented.

The gold standard for consumer protection, at least according to consumer advocates, is a rule in Europe called EC 261 . It requires airlines to assist passengers and compensate them when they're denied boarding or their flights are canceled or delayed.

For now, you have the same rights you always had when you flew in the U.S., which is to say, not many. 

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

Things to Do in Elektrostal, Russia - Elektrostal Attractions

Things to do in elektrostal.

• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Electrostal History and Art Museum

2. Statue of Lenin

3. Park of Culture and Leisure

4. museum and exhibition center.

5. Museum of Labor Glory

7. Galereya Kino

8. viki cinema, 9. smokygrove.

10. Gandikap

11. papa lounge bar, 12. karaoke bar.

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