February 28, 2007
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
February 28, 2007
Driven to distraction! If you’ve been cut off by a driver who was chatting on a cell phone, then this issue of Elliott’s E-Mail is for you. In addition to the first-rate travel commentary and news you’ve come to expect from this newsletter, there’s a question about distracted [...]
Whose ticket is it, anyway?
Blake Robinson cashes in his US Airways frequent-flier miles for a ticket on a partner airline, United. But is the ticket valid? A US Airways representative insists it is, but a United ticket agent disagrees — and requires Robinson to buy a new one. Is he entitled to a refund, and if so, from whom?
The airlines’ luggage quandary
Why haven’t more airlines begun charging passengers for their checked luggage? It’s easy money, and customer resistance to it seems relatively low. Here’s what is probably going on.
Does Delta get customer service? Maybe
One of the best parts of my job as The Travel Troubleshooter is seeing customer complaints resolved through normal channels, without need for my intervention. That happened twice this week with an airline that I would have considered an unlikely candidate: Delta.
The world’s longest commute
I live in Bali, where our workshops are located, and I work in New York. I’ve been known to make the 25-hour flight to Indonesia every month or so. It’s probably the world’s longest commute.
Overlooked: court upholds pricey car rental fuel
In all the excitement over the latest runway-imprisonment incident and the prospect of a passenger bill of rights, the travel blogosphere has overlooked a small but important court ruling. Earlier this week, Avis Budget Group Inc., persuaded a U.S. District Court judge to dismiss a lawsuit against it that challenged the legality of its $5.99-a-gallon fuel.
Cruise lines try to lure more first-timers
Before Gary Levinson embarked on his first cruise, he was just another skeptical landlubber who wouldn’t even board a fishing boat for fear of getting seasick.
Passenger bill fight gets dirty
Readers of this blog who were hoping for a day off from the Passenger Bill of Rights debate — sorry to disappoint you. This is just getting more and more interesting. I can’t not write about it.
So many bills, so little time
Pity the folks who have to figure out what a passenger bill of rights should — and shouldn’t — include. As if JetBlue’s entry into the fray yesterday wasn’t confusing enough (after all, why would an airline advocate for its customers unless it had a hidden agenda?) it turns out there are lots and lots of proposed bills.
JetBlue’s apology
Since JetBlue’s Valentine’s Day meltdown, we’ve heard from passengers, critics and the airline industry apologists. But today, JetBlue reached out to its frequent fliers with the following apology. I’m running it here without comment.
February 21, 2007
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
February 21, 2007
Can airlines police themselves? Well, to paraphrase Garrison Keillor, it’s been a not-so-quiet week in the airline industry. The JetBlue Valentine’s Day meltdown gave the Passenger Bill of Rights new momentum, to the point where a contrite David Neeleman announced yesterday that his carrier would voluntary adopt its [...]
Travelocity’s hidden change fee
The first set of tickets Melanie Mouras buys on Travelocity is a bargain. But when she needs to change her itinerary, the price of her tickets skyrockets — and then there’s a surprise $30 change fee on top of the expected $100 fee from the airline. Should Travelocity offer Mouras a better deal? And why does it cost an extra $30 to switch flights?
Can airlines police themselves?
A few weeks ago I suggested that airlines might be able to fend of a Passenger Bill of Rights by adopting key elements of the proposed law in their contracts of carriage. I didn’t think any airline in its right mind would go that far. But that was before Jet-Blew it on Valentine’s Day.
Why we don’t need a Passengers Bill of Rights
When airlines start adopting their own Passenger Bill of Rights, something is wrong. Something is very wrong.
Round trip on the conveyor belt
In North American airports, there are warnings posted above the luggage carousels: “Please don’t step on the conveyor belt.” These signs are often missing when you travel internationally, and I recently discovered why.