The Internet was supposed to be a solution to all of our travel problems. It promised to deliver lower prices, eliminate the middle man and put travelers in control. Yeah, tell that to the thousands (and probably hundreds of thousands) whose trips were ruined by a Web site.
From the monthly archives:
April 2007
You’ve probably read about Skybus, the new no-frills airline that is scheduled to begin flying next month. Maybe you’ve heard about the $10 airfares or its Ryanair-like surcharges for everything from early boarding to lap children. But here’s the question no one seems to be asking: What happens when something goes wrong on a Skybus flight? Who you gonna call?
I’ve just learned that United Airlines quietly offered free domestic and international tickets to those who lost someone in the recent Virgina Tech massacre. Most impressively, it did so without issuing a press release. It was just the right thing to do.
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
April 25, 2007
The Web site ate my trip! Don’t you just love the Internet? A Web site can make your next trip so much easier to plan. Or it can ruin it. This week, we have several articles and blog entries about bad Web sites and the things they do [...]
Worries about inflation are tugging at the U.S. economy again, as consumers pay more for everything from gas to groceries. But that’s not the only place where our purchasing power is declining. As millions of Americans begin planning their summer vacations, they’re discovering that their dollar isn’t taking them as far as it used to. Call it vacation inflation.
Dwight Wolcczak and his wife miss their MAXJet Airways flight from New York to London. Catching the next plane costs them an additional $2,304 each, after the change fees and fare differentials are totaled up. Isn’t that too much? Or did the airline make a mistake?
Dwight Wolcczak and his wife miss their MAXJet Airways flight from New York to London. Catching the next plane costs them an additional $2,304 each, after the change fees and fare differentials are totaled up. Isn’t that too much? Or did the airline make a mistake?
Pay close attention to your next online reservation before clicking on the “book” button. You might be buying more than an airline ticket or hotel room. That’s what happened to reader Jody Collins when she recently bought tickets from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to New York on the Spirit Airlines Web site.
Pay close attention to your next online reservation before clicking on the “book” button. You might be buying more than an airline ticket or hotel room. That’s what happened to reader Jody Collins when she recently bought tickets from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to New York on the Spirit Airlines Web site.
Be warned, mateys. The largest convention hotel in Florida is being taken over by pirates on Memorial Day weekend. The Gaylord Palms is hosting its first Pirates Treasure Hunt challenge, and we got to experience a “dry run” a few days ago.
Be warned, mateys. The largest convention hotel in Florida is being taken over by pirates on Memorial Day weekend. The Gaylord Palms is hosting its first Pirates Treasure Hunt challenge, and we got to experience a “dry run” a few days ago.
I’m a fan of Best Western’s hotels. They’re unpretentious, reasonably priced and comfortable. But its Web site is dreadful, according to the latest Online Customer Respect Study which will be released next week by the Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm.
I’m a fan of Best Western’s hotels. They’re unpretentious, reasonably priced and comfortable. But its Web site is dreadful, according to the latest Online Customer Respect Study which will be released next week by the Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm.
Did your last flight, hotel stay or cruise go so badly that you swore to yourself, “That’s my last trip”? If you did, you’re suffering from something I call Last Trip Syndrome — and you aren’t alone.
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
April 18, 2007
My last trip! Call it “my last trip” syndrome. That’s where your last flight, hotel stay or cruise went so badly that you swore to yourself, “That’s my last trip!” It’s happening more and more these days. But don’t get mad about it. Get even. Support the newsletter [...]
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