June 20, 2007

ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
First aid for travel
June 20, 2007

Note: A draft version of this newsletter was inadvertently sent to some subscribers this morning, which contained information about the “What You Get For The Money: Vacations” sweepstakes. The contest has already ended.

Bizarre travel tales you won’t read anywhere else. I couldn’t have made up this week’s travel news if I wanted to. From the strange story of the TSA’s interception of a dangerous sippy cup to the ridiculous news of airlines being rewarded for their mediocrity, you’ll read it all in this issue of Elliott’s E-Mail. There’s also a brand new troubleshooter about EU compensation for denied boarding, blog photos and a provocative question that you will want to answer.

» Read this week’s newsletter online.

This issue of Elliott’s E-Mail is 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.

FIRST | Random thoughts about the week in travel

Burning question … If I could put one travel company out of business, it would be [fill in the blank]. Let’s not mince words. Here’s your chance to sound off about the one company you want to knock off in the travel biz. Which airline, car rental company, cruise line, or hotel would you want to go out of business — and why? Send me a note or shoot me an IM (celliottlive on AIM).

Face it … you want to connect with me on Facebook. Sign up now (it’s free) and get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how the sausage is made. I’ll share my observations, insights and links in real time. Here’s my profile. See you online!

SIGHTINGS | Noted Elliott appearances online and offline

Bumped without a check — Nancy Kreinberg’s partner gets a check for 600 euros after the couple is bumped from a flight on Iberia, but Kreinberg doesn’t get a check. The airline says it’s because Kreinberg is “not on the list.” Is Iberia stonewalling her or is she really entitled to nothing? (From The Troubleshooter)

Elliott’s E-Mail is also 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

BLOGGED | New posts on Ellipses

J.D. Power confirms: North American airlines suck — No matter how J.D. Power and Associates tries to spin the results of its 2007 North America Airline Satisfaction Study one conclusion is inescapable: domestic airlines are dreadful. Consider the “winner” of J.D.’s award for best traditional network airline, Continental Airlines. It received an overall score of just 704 out of 1,000. (From Ellipses)

Europe mulling minimum legroom requirements on planes — It isn’t your imagination. The space between economy class seats — also called “pitch” — has slipped from a comfortable 34 inches at the end of airline regulation in the late 70s to a cozy 31 inches or less today. Now European authorities want to stop the pitch shrinkage before it gets any worse. (From Ellipses)

Hotwire’s hotel switch — and a happy ending — I love a happy ending. But you don’t always get one when there’s a problem with a so-called “opaque” Web site that doesn’t let you pick the exact hotel or airline itinerary you want. What if you end up with a room or flight you don’t like? (From Ellipses)

TSA protects nation against dangerous sippy cup — If you believe that the Transportation Security Administration is our last line of defense against terrorist hijackers, this story will make you proud. If you think the TSA is just another useless government agency charged with enforcing a pointless ban on liquids and gels, it’s more likely to make your blood boil. (From Ellipses)

3 tips for steering clear of outrageous car rental fees — There’s a debate raging on rec.travel.usa-canada about confiscatory car rental fees. The whole thing was sparked by a user who posted his Hertz bill at San Francisco International Airport, which included an 8.60 percent airport concession recovery on flight arrivals within 12 hours, an 11 percent “customer facility charge” and a 0.65 percent vehicle licensing cost recovery fee. Ouch! (From Ellipses)

Admit it, you didn’t bother to read your policy — Traveling somewhere this summer? If you bought travel insurance, good for you. If you didn’t read your policy, you’re in good company. A new survey by Go Travel Insurance, a British travel insurance company, finds an astounding 78 percent of travelers hadn’t read the fine print on their insurance policies and didn’t know how much protection it offered or what it excluded. (From Ellipses)

Got a travel complaint? 3 mistakes you should avoid — As far as e-mails go, the one I received this morning seemed about as level-headed as could be expected. A car rental company had overcharged a reader because of an apparent clerical error, and she was asking for help. What she didn’t say — but what a subsequent call to the company revealed — is that in trying to get this resolved through normal channels, she’d turned abusive and had hung up on a phone agent. (From Ellipses)

FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives

More bizarre travel stories. Truth is stranger than fiction, especially in the travel industry.

Serving itself — Travel is still thought of as a service industry. But someone must have forgotten to tell Craig Kobayashi, the Hawaiian Airlines pilot who recently refused to fly his plane from Honolulu to San Francisco with Joshua Gotbaum on board. (From Commentary)

Piling on the perks — From free cigars to fluffy pillows, hotels are pulling out the stops to win your business these days. Complimentary shoeshine? No problem. Personalized business cards? Consider it done. How about a free after-dinner drink? Choose between the port, Grand Marnier or a premium tequila. (From The Travel Critic)

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

Nap time? I don’t think so — It’s the weekend, and that means Iden skips out on his nap … until he collapses in bed, exhausted. In this photo, he gives his father a defiant gaze after climbing out of his bed for the fourth time this afternoon.

Oma — Oma came to visit Erysse and her brothers all the way from Austria yesterday. They hung out on the back porch while she tried to get over jetlag.

TALKBACK | How to sound off about this site

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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.

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