Ed Perkins
Travel columnist Ed Perkins is a nationally recognized reporter and consumer advocate. His weekly columns focus on how travelers can find the best deals and avoid scams and misleading promotions.
Perkins recently retired as founding editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, one of the country's most influential travel publications, known for its consumer-oriented research and reporting. From 1992 until 1997 he was the principal author of the annual "Best Travel Deals" books (Consumer Reports). He has also written for the London-based Business Traveler magazine.
Perkins' travel expertise has led to frequent television appearances, including spots on ABC's "Good Morning America," "This Week with David Brinkley," "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN, and numerous local TV and radio stations.
Before Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Perkins spent 25 years in travel research and consulting with assignments ranging from national tourism development strategies to the design of computer-based tourism models.
Ed Perkins Samples
Seniors on the Go: Sign or sue?
Dave Frishberg's mordant lyric to "My Attorney Bernie" includes the lines, "When Bernie says sue, we sue; when Bernie says we sign, we sign." What's happening with Costa?
Refunding a nonrefundable
"$150 to retain the value of a $300 ticket I had to cancel," complains a reader "Is a complete rip-off." Southwest is unique in that it assesses no charge to exchange a ticket -- an advantage it is pushing in the marketplace.
Seniors on the Go: Where can I buy discounted business-class tickets?
A reader recently asked about where and how to buy the discounted business-class tickets to Europe or Asia I sometimes mention.
'Best' hotels? Ask TripAdvisor
The world's best hotel, says TripAdvisor, is the Phoenix Resort in San Pedro, Belize. Most press coverage of TripAdvisor's "Travelers' Choice" awards for 2012 will likely delve into details of the top 25.
Seniors on the Go: Fuel surcharges: The scam that refuses to die
Despite Department of Transportation rules, some travel sellers still feature phony -- and ridiculously low -- airfares with "plus fuel surcharges" in a fine print footnote.
Travel Insurance for 2012
Don't forget to consider travel insurance when you plan your 2012 travels: Decide if you need it and figure the cost into your budgeting. When do you need travel insurance?
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