From time to time, I get behind on travel news ... oh, what the heck, truth is I'm always behind and running as fast as I can to catch up on what's going on. So here are a few travel tidbits for those on the go who want to be in the know (sorta):
-Hertz is buying Dollar and Thrifty rental car groups. They will soon own Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Advantage brands. Probably puts them in a better position to compete with giant Enterprise, which owns National, Alamo and Enterprise. Will it make it cheaper to rent a car? Don't bet on it. But I must say I've found great deals at Dollar in the past and I hope that doesn't change.
-Southwest Airlines announced that it will continue nonstop service from BWI to LAX through Oct. 30. The seasonal service resumes May 9 and was supposed to end in mid-August, but strong bookings led SWA to extend it by a few months.
-Southwest also got spanked, according to Travel Weekly, with a $200,000 fine for violations of bumping rules. The airline did not pay the required compensation - up to $800 if you're bumped involuntarily - in a timely manner to passengers who were removed from flights. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, in "numerous instances" the airline also did not provide passengers written notice of their bumping rights.
- The Maryland Office of Tourism has released its 2010 edition of the state's travel guide. Destination Maryland includes listings of more than 2,000 attractions, destinations, parks and more. It also includes a "passport" with up to $3,500 in savings at 250 retailers, restaurants, attractions, lodging etc. The guide can be viewed online at VisitMaryland.org or to receive a free copy, call 800-719-5900 or click on the online order form.