Travel As A Second Language - 19/NOV/2008
A glossary of key terms for bewildered travellers
The world of travel is a complex one, and so is the lingo. It's filled with acronyms, jargon and the odd exaggerated or completely misleading definition (see Direct Flight). The staff and contributors to TakeOffeh.com work to make sense of this world for Canadian travellers, with an editorial policy...

Sea Change - 12/NOV/2008
Why cruising isn't just for seniors
It's true that cruising has always had (and continues to have) an undeniable appeal for the older crowd. The secure environment, coupled with the ability to see the world without packing and unpacking between stops, makes it a very attractive travel option for elderly passengers. Not to mention endless...

Looking For Some Cheap Sun? - 03/NOV/2008
It's time to get real about bargain basement travel
Travel wholesalers have been flooding the market with bargain beach getaways since August. Good news for sun-starved Canucks? Perhaps. But, like sub-prime mortgages, dirt cheap winter packages to all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico don't make economic sense.   'Operators...

The Bowels Of The Airport - 28/OCT/2008
True tales from the baggage crypt
You stand behind the check-in counter and watch as your now defenceless luggage rides down the conveyor until it disappears behind ominous rubber strips into a dark void. The airport speakers squawk at you to watch your bags at all times. But now they're gone, deep into a vast underworld to which you...

Where's The Green? - 21/OCT/2008
Enviro leader challenges Canadian travel & tourism
The second annual Responsible Travel & Tourism Forum held last week in Toronto was a two-day affair, but the first day left some in the audience wondering where the passion and urgency was, at a time when the effects of global warming on the planet are no longer in credible dispute and the unsustainable...

The Fine Print - 15/OCT/2008
Does anybody read that stuff?
The universal theory goes like this -- the fine print on the back of an airline ticket is not meant to be read. It`s just meant to be there. [If anyone has read their ticket`s full conditions, without the aid of a sub-micron imaging microscope, please contact us immediately. Deprogramming is available.]...

Airing Out Airfares - 06/OCT/2008
Inside the labyrinth of airline pricing
The last time I tried to book a flight on the Internet it seemed like a no-brainer. It was a simple flight to Florida and I had a few choices. Tampa would work, so would Sarasota or Fort Myers – since I was going to rent a car anyway. Of course I had seen all the $99 Florida flight ads and...

Huff & Puff: Hurricane Update - 24/SEP/2008
Most of the Caribbean unscathed
The Caribbean region, over 4,000 kilometres long and consisting of more than 7,000 islands - is perceived by a significant number of travellers as a small, concentrated group of islands. In the minds of many, if a hurricane hits one destination, the whole region is affected. It's just not true. So far...

Fly Away Home - 15/SEP/2008
How to prepare your kids for solo travel
Even if you don't think of yourself as an over-protective parent, the idea of putting your wee one on a plane by his or herself can be pretty scary. But with a little research and informed preparation, your kid will make it there safely.  But it's not as simple as handing your child over at...

Flight Or Fight - 10/SEP/2008
Know your rights
Hey Canadian airline passengers! You have rights! In an environment where airlines can advertise prices that bear little relation to the actual final fare, where they can fund current operations with the money you paid for a future flight and then fail before you get your chance to fly, and where Transport...