TravelsandEscapes

Check out special offerings by museums or zoos. You may come across a special evening event or program, such as lectures, socials, exhibit openings or films.

Pelicans hang around most fishing spots hoping for a hand out or the opportunity to steal some freshly caught fish. In this case they were just starting to gather for the afternoon catch. How do they know when the boats are coming in?

This guy is off in the distance…zooming in to join his friends.

The glide path is getting full.

He’s a little closer, followed by another friend.

Touch down…time to look for fish.

Sunny skies, California coastline, and gentle breezes accompanied us in Half Moon Bay Saturday.

Boats, boats, and boats…

Flowers of all colors grow in this climate.

Anyone for fresh fish? Halibut was the “catch of the day”.

This empty glass will have to wait several years for these grapes to be drinkable.

That’s okay…there are plenty of bottles of good California Cabernet Sauvignon available.

If you have ever been “bumped” from a flight you probably wondered why. Right? According to my friends at Budget Travel and the DOT, it may be due to the airline overbooking your flight.

OVERBOOKING

Overbooking is not illegal, and most airlines overbook their scheduled flights to a certain extent in order to compensate for “no-shows.” Passengers are sometimes left behind or “bumped” as a result. When an oversale occurs, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to ask people who aren’t in a hurry to give up their seats voluntarily, in exchange for compensation. Those passengers bumped against their will are, with a few exceptions, entitled to compensation.

Voluntary bumping

Almost any group of airline passengers includes some people with urgent travel needs and others who may be more concerned about the cost of their tickets than about getting to their destination on time. Our rules require airlines to seek out people who are willing to give up their seats for some compensation before bumping anyone in- voluntarily. Here’s how this works. At the check-in or boarding area, airline employees will look for volunteers when it appears that the flight has been oversold. If you’re not in a rush to arrive at your next destination, you can give your reservation back to the airline in exchange for compensation and a later flight. But before you do this, you may want to get answers to these important questions:

* When is the next flight on which the airline can confirm your seat? The alternate flight may be just as acceptable to you. On the other hand, if they offer to put you on standby on another flight that’s full, you could be stranded.

* Will the airline provide other amenities such as free meals, a hotel room, phone calls, or ground transportation? If not, you might have to spend the money they offer you on food or lodging while you wait for the next flight.

DOT has not said how much the airline has to give volunteers. This means carriers may negotiate with their passengers for a mutually acceptable amount of money-or maybe a free trip or other benefits. Airlines give employees guidelines for bargaining with passengers, and they may select those volunteers willing to sell back their reservations for the lowest price. If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask about restrictions. How long is the ticket good for? Is it “blacked out” during holiday periods when you might want to use it? Can it be used for international flights? Most importantly, can you make a reservation, and if so, how far before departure are you permitted to make it?

Involuntary bumping

DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and who doesn’t. Those travelers who don’t get to fly are frequently entitled to an on-the-spot payment of denied boarding compensation. The amount depends on the price of their ticket and the length of the delay:

* If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination (including later connections) within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.

* If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $400 maximum.

* If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $800 maximum).

* You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight. If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an “involuntary refund” for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from. The denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.

Like all rules, however, there are a few conditions and exceptions:

* To be eligible for compensation, you must have a confirmed reservation. A written confirmation issued by the airline or an authorized agent or reservation service qualifies you in this regard even if the airline can’t find your reservation in the computer, as long as you didn’t cancel your reservation or miss a reconfirmation deadline.

* You must meet the airline’s deadline for buying your ticket. Discount tickets must usually be purchased within a certain number of days after the reservation was made. Other tickets normally have to be picked up no later than 30 minutes before the flight.

In addition to the ticketing deadline, each airline has a check-in deadline, which is the amount of time before scheduled departure that you must present yourself to the airline at the airport. For domestic flights most carriers require you to be at the departure gate between 10 minutes and 30 minutes before scheduled departure, but some deadlines can be an hour or longer. Check-in deadlines on international flights can be as much as three hours before scheduled departure time. Some airlines may simply require you to be at the ticket/baggage counter by this time; most, however, require that you get all the way to the boarding area. If you miss the ticketing or check-in deadline, you may have lost your reservation and your right to compensation if the flight is oversold.

* As noted above, no compensation is due if the airline arranges substitute transportation which is scheduled to arrive at your destination within one hour of your originally scheduled arrival time.

* If the airline must substitute a smaller plane for the one it originally planned to use, the carrier isn’t required to pay people who are bumped as a result.In addition, on flights using aircraft with 30 through 60 passenger seats, compensation is not required if you were bumped due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints.

* The rules do not apply to charter flights, or to scheduled flights operated with planes that hold fewer than 30 passengers. They don’t apply to international flights inbound to the United States, although some airlines on these routes may follow them voluntarily. Also, if you are flying between two foreign cities-from Paris to Rome, for example-these rules will not apply. The European Community has a rule on bumpings that occur in an EC country; ask the airline for details, or contact DOT.

When a flight is oversold and there are not enough volunteers, some airlines bump passengers with the lowest fares first. Once you have purchased your ticket, the most effective way to reduce the risk of being bumped is to get to the airport early. For passengers in the same fare class the last passengers to check in are usually the first to be bumped, even if they have met the check-in deadline. Allow extra time; assume that the airport access road is backed up, the parking lot is full, and there is a long line at the check-in counter. However, if you arrive so early that your airline has another flight to your destination leaving before the one that you are booked on, either switch to the earlier flight or don’t check your bag until after the first flight leaves. If you check your bag right away, it might get put on the earlier flight and remain unattended at your destination airport for hours. Airlines may offer free transportation on future flights in place of a check for denied boarding compensation. However, if you are bumped involuntarily you have the right to insist on a check if that is your preference. Once you cash the check (or accept the free flight), you will probably lose the right to demand more money from the airline later on. However, if being bumped costs you more money than the airline will pay you at the airport, you can try to negotiate a higher settlement with their complaint department. If this doesn’t work, you usually have 30 days from the date on the check to decide if you want to accept the amount of the check. You are always free to decline the check(e.g., not cash it) and take the airline to court to try to obtain more compensation. The government’s denied boarding regulation spells out the airlines’ minimum obligation to people they bump involuntarily. Finally, don’t be a “no-show.” If you are holding confirmed reservations you don’t plan to use, notify the airline. If you don’t, they will cancel all onward or return reservations on your trip.

What does this mean for you? Know what kind of ticket you have, what can happen if the flight is overbooked, and how to ask the airline for compensation. Good luck and I hope it never happens to you.

Hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th.

More on vineyard travels tomorrow.

Don’t fly until at least 24 hours after a dive. Due to the excess nitrogen in your system, it’s important not to fly until at least 24 hours after your last dive. Flying in a pressurized environment can cause decompression sickness if time is not allowed beforehand for the nitrogen to dissipate. Plan in a day off at the end of your diving for relaxing on the beach before you get on a plane.

Breathe Normally All The Time. Never Hold Your Breath. Scuba is a strange and exhilarating experience because you’re doing something technically impossible, breathing underwater. It is important to NEVER hold your breath. Breathe normally on scuba at all times. Holding your breath can cause an air embolism (where an air bubble enters the blood stream), which is a serious and potentially fatal injury.

Equalize frequently as you descend. Just like on a plane, the change of pressure as you descend to depth while scuba diving means you need to equalize your ears. This needs to be done frequently and before feeling any pain to avoid injury to your inner ear.

Stay aware of where your guide and buddy are located. Don’t be tempted to swim off on your own when you spot something interesting. Point it out to your guide and dive buddy and head towards it together. Staying with your buddy and guide is important for safety and also your orientation. If you do lose each other underwater, look around for 1 minute, and if you still can’t see them, slowly ascend to the surface where they should have done the same.

Keep an eye on your air gauge. You can only stay down as long as you have air in your tank, and you need to be aware of when your tank is half full and quarter full so you can plan your return to the surface accordingly. Your guide will ask you how much air you have left periodically, but you are ultimately responsible for your own air consumption.

Dive within the limits of your dive computer. If you are wearing a dive computer, ensure that you consult it frequently to see how much time you have at each depth during your dive. Otherwise, follow your guide and do not descend below their depth.

Don’t over exert yourself. Diving is often called an adrenaline sport, but you should actually be super relaxed when underwater. There is no gain to swimming fast over reefs. The slower you go, the more you’ll see. Avoid moving at a pace which makes you out of breath. If you do feel tired, signal your buddy and find a coral-free rock on which you can hang to have a rest.

Don’t touch anything. You should avoid touching anything, besides the aforementioned rock. This is to protect the coral reefs, as well as yourself. Many corals are sharp, many marine plants poisonous and many marine creatures will bite if they feel threatened. Keeping your hands to yourself ensures you and they stay safe and unharmed. It’s also important to perfect your buoyancy so you can hover without effort over the reefs and therefore won’t feel the need to touch anything.

Always Ascend SLOWLY from every dive. As well as not holding your breath, ascending slowly from a dive is the other Number 1 rule of diving. Coming up fast from a dive can cause “the bends” or decompression sickness, as nitrogen is forced into the bloodstream. By coming up slowly from a dive and doing the safety stop, the nitrogen in your body has a chance to dissipate and therefore cause no harm.

If you’re already certified to dive, avoid diving if you’re not feeling one hundred per cent. In particular, don’t dive with a cold or a bad hangover. Save the big party night for the finale of your diving days.

Dive with a reputable diving school. Locate a recommended dive school in the area where you’re going. It’s important to know they are well-established and have well-maintained scuba equipment and boats, along with experienced staff. Check if they have instructors that can speak your language fluently.

Listen to your instructor or dive guide. Once you’re on the dive boat, it’s important to listen to your instructor or guide, no matter how experienced you are. Plan Your Dive, Dive Your Plan is the number one rule of dive preparation. You need to follow your instructor’s brief on where you’re going, the route you will follow and what you need to watch out for.

Double check all of your scuba gear. En route to the dive site you will need to set up all your scuba gear. Take your time and double check everything is working. If you are not sure about anything, don’t be embarrassed to ask your guide or instructor.

Make sure you do your buddy check. Doing the buddy check of each other’s scuba gear is extremely important before you get in the water to make sure neither of you have missed anything. Introduce yourself to your buddy beforehand as well, so you can get to know each other a little. It’s better for you both safety wise and it can also be the start of a great friendship!

Have scuba diving and travel insurance. Ensure you are covered both above and below water with insurance that explicitly states scuba diving activities are included. Being covered on land is vital too, as diving often involves being in remote locations in developing countries.