The Washington Post's travel writers and editors discuss your travel stories, questions, gripes and more at live.washingtonpost.com. Here are some edited excerpts from a recent discussion:
Q: We are traveling to Vienna and are looking for suggestions and thoughts on where to stay and what to do, including eating. We expect to go to a lot of art museums and enjoy walking.
A: You’re in luck. Vienna is a terrific walking city and if you ever get tired, the mass transit is among the best in Europe, if not the world. I’d plan stops by Schönbrunn Palace and Hofburg, the imperial palace. I would probably take a stroll down Mariahilferstraße for some shopping and hit an ice cream shop and coffeehouse, maybe even stop by the Hotel Sacher for a slice of cake.
- Christopher Elliott
Q: How far north need one travel to escape Zika — Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island?
A: I don’t think there are any instances of Zika being transmitted here in the United States. It’s travelers coming back with it.
- Carol Sottili
Q: Looking for ideas for our honeymoon in early November. We are not the laying on the beach type of people, so not the Caribbean. We are thinking U.S., South America or Europe.
A: That’s so wide open, it’s difficult to recommend a spot without knowing your interests. If you’re hiking, outdoorsy type people, Vail, Colorado, or Park City, Utah, might be nice. If you’re more city-oriented, Florence and Venice in Italy could work. Choose by your interests first, and then lay out a budget and time constraints.
- C.S.
Q: I recently purchased four tickets for a family wedding in Puerto Rico. At the time I made the reservations Expedia was telling me that to cancel the tickets would cost me $300, $200 for one airline and $100 for another. The tickets cost $470 with fees, etc. Well lo and behold one of the group is no longer coming. When I called Expedia I was told that the tickets were not transferable and non-cancellable. The only remedy they could give me was to give me a credit but the only person who could use the credit was the person the ticket was for. Since the person is now estranged from my daughter there is no way I’m going to let them use the credit. It just seems really not right that airlines can oversell flights but not give you any refund if you can’t use a ticket. Do I have any legal remedy?
A: You’re absolutely right, airlines should allow you to change the name on a ticket. Sometimes, they do, but generally, they don’t — and in your case, unfortunately, they will not. I’ve seen them do it for large companies whose employees are terminated and the corporate travel department wants to re-use the ticket and in one or two instances, where a destination wedding is called off, leaving the bride or groom with a worthless ticket. I really wish I had better news for you. I’m sorry.
- C.E.
Q: I am hoping you can help us anticipate security check lines this weekend. We’ll be flying out of BWI on Saturday around 2 p.m. How far in advance do you recommend we arrive at the airport in order to allow enough time for security without having to rush? We have a toddler and will be gate checking some of her gear. Thank you!
A: TSA has been experiencing longer wait times. You might keep an eye on the My TSA app, which displays wait times. BWI suggests you contact your airline directly, which is good advice. If I were traveling domestically with a toddler, I’d probably arrive two hours early.
- C.E.
