February 14, 2007

ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
February 14, 2007

Love is in the air. Happy Valentine’s Day! I can’t resist a love theme in today’s newsletter, from giving you the lowdown on those amorous astronauts to an archive full of columns about love, romance, and everything that goes with it on the road. There’s a new Troubleshooter column and lots of blog entries. Hugs and kisses!

» Read this week’s newsletter online.

FIRST | Random thoughts about the week in travel

Burning question … How safe is your hotel? — The Transportation Security Administration would have us believe every airport is as safe as Fort Knox. That’s debatable. But when it comes to hotels, no one is making such claims. This week, I’m interested in your stories about hotel security — or lack thereof. Have you ever found a stranger in your room? Personal items stolen? Do you think hotels are a likely terror target? Send me a note or shoot me an IM (celliottlive on AIM).

Look at what these guys are up to. My good friend Addison Schonland has a new travel site, Betterfares.com where you can book air, hotel and rental car for your next trip. It’s definitely worth a visit. And the godfather of business travel himself, Joe Brancatelli, is working with Orbitz on its new site for business travelers. You go, Joe!

SIGHTINGS | Noted Elliott appearances online and offline

Airline grounded, miles gone — After she cashes in 100,000 hard-earned award points for a vacation in Mexico, Rachel Cohen-Mazouz learns that her airline has been grounded by aviation officials. If she cancels her getaway, can she get her miles back? Her bank says “No,” but her airline still isn’t flying. Who’s right? (From The Travel Troubleshooter)

In travel writing, even vacation is work — I envy business travelers for whom a business trip is a business trip, and a vacation is a vacation. As someone who edits a travel site, my business trips are business trips, and my vacations are — business trips. (From The New York Times)

BLOGGED | New posts on CSR and Ellipses

Bankrupt travel company? You could pay — Before you pick up that phone to call a travel company or click on that Web site, you might want to check on its financial health. Why? If the company declares bankruptcy before your trip starts, you could miss your trip and possibly even lose your cash. (From Ellipses)

At the Cape, post-love triangle — “Has anyone mentioned anything about that incident yet?” I asked the woman behind the Kennedy Space Center information counter. (From Ellipses)

Number one annoyance? Reclining seats — What’s the biggest annoyance for air travelers? If you guessed cranky flight attendants, chatty seatmates or delayed flights, you guessed wrong. It’s reclining seats, according to a survey by Australian travel agency TotalTravel.com. (From Ellipses)

BA bills for checked luggage — No one was surprised when Spirit Airlines announced that as of this weekend, the discount carrier would begin charging $10 for a second checked bag. That’s the kind of thing that discount carriers do, after all. But that Big Air would follow so soon … who would have predicted that? (From Ellipses)

Mandatory car rental insurance? — Car rental insiders know that in a business with razor-thin margins, the only way to make anything resembling a profit is to persuade customers to buy “extras” like upgrades or optional insurance. (From Ellipses)

FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives

Love is in the air …

Mile high club: the facts — The mile-high club is making headlines again. A California couple was recently in trouble for trying to join that elite group of air travelers who do the wild thing at 36,000 feet. A new private service offers travelers the chance to join the club without getting arrested. (From Ellipses)

Love, lies and the Caribbean — Picture yourself reclining on a secluded tropical beach, a palm tree gently swaying above you. It’s a tranquil and welcome image at a time when war worries and threats of severe respiratory infection are making travel anything but pleasurable, isn’t it? (From Commentary)

Compulsive cruisers hit the seven seas — He knows every inch of every ship in the fleet. He has logged 1,110 days at sea on 114 tours, including a few dozen trips through the Panama Canal and a couple of global crossings. And Chuck Wideen is not in the Navy. (From Commentary)

POSTCARDS | The latest from Elliott’s personal photo blog

Hi Daddy — Well, what can I say? He’s the man in my life.

D’you like my space station — I’ve got my ticket on the next shuttle to see this space station. In my dreams!

Back to the future — I can’t drive yet, but when I get my license, Dad’s gonna buy me one of these.

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Elliott’s E-Mail is published 50 times a year by Christopher Elliott. (c) 2006 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.

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