Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Holiday Travel

Aired November 26, 2002 - 07:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel time of the year. We're told tomorrow will be the busiest of the year thus far. If you're flying, though, things will get more congested than in past years, because of those strict, new security measures.
So then, with a new airline policy that promises to get tough on passengers who show up late, how do you make sure that your plane arrives on time, as well as you?

From Minneapolis, a few tips right now. The travel expert, Terry Trippler, is back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Terry, good morning -- good to see you. Happy holidays to you.

TERRY TRIPPLER, TRAVEL EXPERT: Good morning, Bill -- happy holidays.

HEMMER: Listen, you are saying essentially that travel is up percentage-wise, because there's a bit of a comfort level that's come back to the American public. Is that right?

TRIPPLER: It really has. It's up from last year. Of course, last year was an anomaly, because it was down right after September 11. But it is better. It's not where it was a couple of years ago, but people are more comfortable than they were a year ago, even six months ago. It's getting better.

HEMMER: Yes, if we can put up on our screen right now, just compare 2001 to 2002, the increase, as you mentioned, is -- I think it's a bit more than slight -- up about 6 percent. But nowhere does it near what we saw in 1999 and the year 2000.

Buzz words this year, we hear this all the time, arrive early. Why is that more critical this year than in years past, Terry?

TRIPPLER: Well, this year, Bill, we tell them to arrive early, and this year we mean it. The airlines have gone to a use-it-or-lose- it situation. If you have a non-refundable ticket or you miss your flight and you don't show up within two hours, you lose that flight unless you rebook. And that could be a real problem, particularly when we look at the northeast, which now could be experiencing a snow problem.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: People could be getting to the airport late. We have another situation where the airlines are not allowing standby, or at least the top five aren't, without charging $100. This can be tough. I mean, right now, it would be great for the airlines to say, look, we've got a problem in New York, you know, somebody has a 4:00 flight tomorrow, if they want to get out of town at 10:00, come on out, we'll get you out of town.

HEMMER: But, Terry, this use-it-or-lose-it, does a passenger have any recourse on this? I mean, essentially you bought the ticket, you paid for it, it's yours, right?

TRIPPLER: It's yours, but the value of that ticket is no longer -- it's worthless after the day of travel if you have not rebooked to another day. And one of the problems is, if you have a 21-advance day purchase ticket at 249, miss your flight, the next day you go to buy a ticket, you have to pay walk-up fare.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: It could be very expensive.

HEMMER: Yes, I agree with you there.

Listen, let's talk about boarding passes right now. It's come to my attention this past week that several airports right now initiated the policy where you can't even get to the security line until you have that boarding pass. It's my impression, though, in Atlanta and places like LaGuardia here in New York City, that you haven't been able to do this for about a year's time. You always needed that boarding pass in order to proceed. What's different, then, Terry?

TRIPPLER: Well, there really is no major difference that we can see, and that's why it surprises me they're making the big announcement that they are. You've always had to have a boarding pass here out of Minneapolis-St. Paul...

HEMMER: Right.

TRIPPLER: ... to get into the boarding area. But what they claim is going to happen now is they're doing away with the extra security at the gate area. I don't know how that figures in with the boarding passes. Quite frankly, many of us are confused on that issue.

HEMMER: Yes, let's make life easier for some travelers. You've brought a few tips with you today. Let's run down the list right now. I think we have about four of them we can check off.

Don't let them slow you down and arrive early -- go ahead, Terry.

TRIPPLER: Absolutely. Get to the airport as fast as you can, as soon as you can (AUDIO GAP)...

HEMMER: I believe that is dead air. Terry, are you back with us? All right, we lost our satellite. Our apologies to Terry Trippler out there in Minneapolis. Again, just so you know, Terry also talked about removing the metal objects before you reach the security. Sometimes it saves a little bit of time.

And don't overpack your carry-ons, because many times, as people will tell you, when you get stopped, certainly it can delay your process considerably, depending on the amount of material you have.

Terry, you're back with us, right?

TRIPPLER: Yes.

HEMMER: Ah, we got that worked out.

Quickly, what do you think about -- I just read off your tips. I don't know if you heard me or not. But tell us about, right now -- the Transportation Security Administration right now, how do you measure right now how these federal workers are working out in the airport? Because some people are of the opinion that even though the federal screeners are tougher on you, it's actually going to speed up the process of getting through, because they are such pros and have been trained that way. Your thoughts on that.

TRIPPLER: I agree with that, Bill. I just flew to D.C. not too long ago. I found them to be professional, to be efficient, and boy, did I find them to be courteous. And I heard you say about an hour earlier in a promo how courteous you found them. I agree with you.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: These people have been taught customer service, and the travelers are going to notice it.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Terry, if you go back to post-9/11, so many of the complaints from travelers had to do with the way they were treated, the way they were approached. And certainly, they have taken some lessons, would you not agree on that?

TRIPPLER: Oh, absolutely. They've got -- we've got to tweak it...

HEMMER: Oh, yes.

TRIPPLER: ... but it's better than it was -- a lot better.

HEMMER: Hey, happy traveling to you and be safe, OK?

TRIPPLER: Same to you.

HEMMER: Terry Trippler in Minneapolis.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired November 26, 2002 - 07:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel time of the year. We're told tomorrow will be the busiest of the year thus far. If you're flying, though, things will get more congested than in past years, because of those strict, new security measures.
So then, with a new airline policy that promises to get tough on passengers who show up late, how do you make sure that your plane arrives on time, as well as you?

From Minneapolis, a few tips right now. The travel expert, Terry Trippler, is back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Terry, good morning -- good to see you. Happy holidays to you.

TERRY TRIPPLER, TRAVEL EXPERT: Good morning, Bill -- happy holidays.

HEMMER: Listen, you are saying essentially that travel is up percentage-wise, because there's a bit of a comfort level that's come back to the American public. Is that right?

TRIPPLER: It really has. It's up from last year. Of course, last year was an anomaly, because it was down right after September 11. But it is better. It's not where it was a couple of years ago, but people are more comfortable than they were a year ago, even six months ago. It's getting better.

HEMMER: Yes, if we can put up on our screen right now, just compare 2001 to 2002, the increase, as you mentioned, is -- I think it's a bit more than slight -- up about 6 percent. But nowhere does it near what we saw in 1999 and the year 2000.

Buzz words this year, we hear this all the time, arrive early. Why is that more critical this year than in years past, Terry?

TRIPPLER: Well, this year, Bill, we tell them to arrive early, and this year we mean it. The airlines have gone to a use-it-or-lose- it situation. If you have a non-refundable ticket or you miss your flight and you don't show up within two hours, you lose that flight unless you rebook. And that could be a real problem, particularly when we look at the northeast, which now could be experiencing a snow problem.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: People could be getting to the airport late. We have another situation where the airlines are not allowing standby, or at least the top five aren't, without charging $100. This can be tough. I mean, right now, it would be great for the airlines to say, look, we've got a problem in New York, you know, somebody has a 4:00 flight tomorrow, if they want to get out of town at 10:00, come on out, we'll get you out of town.

HEMMER: But, Terry, this use-it-or-lose-it, does a passenger have any recourse on this? I mean, essentially you bought the ticket, you paid for it, it's yours, right?

TRIPPLER: It's yours, but the value of that ticket is no longer -- it's worthless after the day of travel if you have not rebooked to another day. And one of the problems is, if you have a 21-advance day purchase ticket at 249, miss your flight, the next day you go to buy a ticket, you have to pay walk-up fare.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: It could be very expensive.

HEMMER: Yes, I agree with you there.

Listen, let's talk about boarding passes right now. It's come to my attention this past week that several airports right now initiated the policy where you can't even get to the security line until you have that boarding pass. It's my impression, though, in Atlanta and places like LaGuardia here in New York City, that you haven't been able to do this for about a year's time. You always needed that boarding pass in order to proceed. What's different, then, Terry?

TRIPPLER: Well, there really is no major difference that we can see, and that's why it surprises me they're making the big announcement that they are. You've always had to have a boarding pass here out of Minneapolis-St. Paul...

HEMMER: Right.

TRIPPLER: ... to get into the boarding area. But what they claim is going to happen now is they're doing away with the extra security at the gate area. I don't know how that figures in with the boarding passes. Quite frankly, many of us are confused on that issue.

HEMMER: Yes, let's make life easier for some travelers. You've brought a few tips with you today. Let's run down the list right now. I think we have about four of them we can check off.

Don't let them slow you down and arrive early -- go ahead, Terry.

TRIPPLER: Absolutely. Get to the airport as fast as you can, as soon as you can (AUDIO GAP)...

HEMMER: I believe that is dead air. Terry, are you back with us? All right, we lost our satellite. Our apologies to Terry Trippler out there in Minneapolis. Again, just so you know, Terry also talked about removing the metal objects before you reach the security. Sometimes it saves a little bit of time.

And don't overpack your carry-ons, because many times, as people will tell you, when you get stopped, certainly it can delay your process considerably, depending on the amount of material you have.

Terry, you're back with us, right?

TRIPPLER: Yes.

HEMMER: Ah, we got that worked out.

Quickly, what do you think about -- I just read off your tips. I don't know if you heard me or not. But tell us about, right now -- the Transportation Security Administration right now, how do you measure right now how these federal workers are working out in the airport? Because some people are of the opinion that even though the federal screeners are tougher on you, it's actually going to speed up the process of getting through, because they are such pros and have been trained that way. Your thoughts on that.

TRIPPLER: I agree with that, Bill. I just flew to D.C. not too long ago. I found them to be professional, to be efficient, and boy, did I find them to be courteous. And I heard you say about an hour earlier in a promo how courteous you found them. I agree with you.

HEMMER: Yes.

TRIPPLER: These people have been taught customer service, and the travelers are going to notice it.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Terry, if you go back to post-9/11, so many of the complaints from travelers had to do with the way they were treated, the way they were approached. And certainly, they have taken some lessons, would you not agree on that?

TRIPPLER: Oh, absolutely. They've got -- we've got to tweak it...

HEMMER: Oh, yes.

TRIPPLER: ... but it's better than it was -- a lot better.

HEMMER: Hey, happy traveling to you and be safe, OK?

TRIPPLER: Same to you.

HEMMER: Terry Trippler in Minneapolis.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.