Elliott’s E-Mail/August 21, 2007

This issue of Elliott’s E-Mail is underwritten by FirstClassFlyer.com, the only tool you need to fly first class for the price of coach — or close to it. Looking for free and purchased upgrades, two-for-ones and a fast-track to elite status strategies? Look no further than FirstClassFlyer.com

FIRST | Random thoughts about the week in travel

Burning question … lessons learned from a summer of travel? Summer is just about over. What kind of lessons did you learn while you were on the road during the busy season? Any surprises — good or bad? Things you would have done differently? Send me a note or shoot me an IM (celliottlive on AIM).

Travel better, now. You don’t have to wait until Tuesday morning for the comprehensive stories and irreverent insights in Elliott’s E-Mail. Now you can get it in real time, either through an RSS feed or by connecting with me on Facebook. You’ll never miss a minute.

Get a discount on IAG Blog. Innovation Analysis Group publishes a terrific blog devoted to the nexus of travel and technology — its coverage areas range from aircraft to IFE and everything in between. I’ve found that it’s a must-read site for anyone involved in commercial aviation. IAG is offering Elliott’s E-Mail subscribers a discounted annual subscription of just $29.99. Here’s how to get it.

SIGHTINGS | Noted Elliott appearances online and offline

Help! My shuttle’s a no-show — Joan Cole’s airport shuttle bus is a no-show. A customer service agent finally tells her to take a cab and promises to pay Cole’s fare. But now Gray Line, the company that was supposed to pick her up, is ignoring her request for a refund. What should she do? (From The Troubleshooter)

Blacklisted: 4 travel companies people avoid — ‘Fess up, you’ve got your own blacklist of airlines, hotels, car rental companies and cruise lines you’d do anything to avoid. I know you do because I run the travel industry’s unofficial complaints department, and I get thousands of e-mails each week from angry passengers. Many of these missives end with, “I’ll never do business with your company again!” So who’s on the list? (From MSNBC.com)

Elliott’s E-Mail is also underwritten by Priceline.com, the leading travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers. With both Name Your Own Price and everyday fixed low prices, no other travel service gives more ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. No one does deals like Priceline.com!

BLOGGED | New posts on Ellipses

Busted: TSA making up its own myths? — The TSA’s “mythbusters” are at it again, and this time they’re trying to debunk my claim that bottles of water are safe enough to be cleared for takeoff. But in trying to prove how dangerous liquids are, is the government propagating a few myths of its own? (From Ellipses)

Here’s what travelers need to know about Hurricane Dean — It probably goes without saying that when a ferocious hurricane like Dean is bearing down on you, it’s best to get the hell out of the way. But for those of us who were waiting for the government to tell us what to do, our own State Department has issued public advisories for the Eastern Caribbean and Mexico this morning. Their advice? Get the hell out of the way. (From Ellipses)

Overlooked: The Florida Keys in fall — In just a few weeks, the Florida Keys will disappear from the map. Not literally. But early fall is by far one of the slowest times of the year in the islands. It’s also the best time to plan a weekend getaway to one of my favorite destinations. (From Ellipses)

It’s official: Feds name 5 cities with worst traffic — So who’s got the worst traffic? A few weeks ago, the Transportation Department named nine cities as finalists for a new federal initiative to fight traffic gridlock. The announcement touched off speculation in the blogosphere over which metropolitan area would be most deserving of the grants. But now our wait is over. (From Ellipses)

Mark your calendar: start holiday ticket shopping next week — Air fares have been pretty reasonable this summer, as I’ve mentioned in a previous posting. But reason goes out the window when the holidays come around, so early fare shoppers will be rewarded with less exorbitant prices. That’s the conclusion of research conducted by Farecast, which advises holiday travelers to start shopping for Thanksgiving tickets as early as next Wednesday. (From Ellipses)

Elliott’s E-Mail is also underwritten by Cheapflights.com, which lets you search and compare flights to find the lowest-priced airfare for your next trip. Get the details at Cheapflights.com.

FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives

Shuttle trouble More shuttle stories …

A shuttle disaster — Lana Carlson’s airport shuttle is supposed to pick her up at 11 p.m. But it’s a no-show. Four hours later, she still has no ride to the airport. Finally, Carlson hails a cab after the van company, SuperShuttle, promises to refund her fare. But guess what? Now her reimbursement is delayed, too. What gives? (From Ellipses)

Shuffle by United — It took Norm Gilbert 4 1/2 hours to fly from Orlando to San Francisco a few weeks ago. Then it took him another four hours to fly home to San Diego. Did he exchange his plane tickets for a hot-air balloon ride? Hardly. He boarded United Airlines’ West Coast shuttle, better known as “Shuttle by United.” (From Ellipses)

Elliott’s E-Mail is also underwritten by the Alaska Travelgram, which gives you the inside scoop on Alaska, with information on activities, accommodations, hot air fare deals and secret insider tips — from the folks who live there. Subscribe here. It’s free.

POSTCARDS | The latest from Elliott’s personal photo blog

Racing chair — The office chair doubles as a great race car. Aren likes to catch a little air over the bump between the living room and the hallway. Watch out for the Ming vase!

At the ruins — The shade of the faux Mayan ruins at Epcot are an ideal place to rest on a hot Saturday afternoon. Now if Dad would just get that camera out of my face. And what’s with the B&W, dude? That’s SO retro.

First day of kindergarten — It’s Aren’s first day of kindergarten. He’s all grown up now. Well, almost. Dad had to fly to Phoenix for a meeting, but he took this snapshot on the way to the airport. He’s going to miss everyone.

TALKBACK | How to sound off about this site

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here’s how to be heard:

» Send me an e-mail.

» Call me. My direct phone number is (407) 699-9529.

» Send me an instant message on Gmail.

» Shoot me a note or chat by video on AIM.

» Skype me. My username is christopherjelliott.

» Find me on MySpace.

» Link to me on LinkedIn.

» Catch me on Facebook.

» See me on Flickr.

» Find out what I’m doing now on Twitter.

» Post a response below an article, in the “Comment on this article” field.

» Contact me with this handy feedback form.

Please note: Unless you specify otherwise, all e-mails, letters and phone conversations are considered “on the record.” That means your name could be used in a future article.

BECOME AN UNDERWRITER | How to support Elliott

This site relies on support from travelers like you. If you care about journalism that’s uncompromising, cutting-edge and consumer-focused, then please consider becoming an underwriter. Here are the details.

SUBSCRIPTIONS | Manage your e-mail delivery preferences

You can manage your newsletter subscription here. You can also sign up for this newsletter’s RSS feed. Having technical trouble? Please send a note describing your problem we’ll do our best to help.

Here’s how to unsubscribe from this newsletter. (Sorry to see you go!)

Elliott’s E-Mail is published 50 times a year by Christopher Elliott. (c) 2007 Christopher Elliott.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

Be the first to comment