May 2, 2007

ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
May 2, 2007

No, no, no … yes. Travelers have grown weary of hearing the chorus of “nos” from the travel industry. No, you can’t have a refund. No, we don’t have a room. No, you have to pay that surcharge. This week, amid the many “nos” there’s one “yes” from an unlikely source. Plus, I’ve got more on how hotel guests sleep, rudeness in the travel business and an airline that won’t take your calls.

» 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 … Denied! — Since we’re on the subject of “nos” … what’s the worst “no” you’ve ever gotten on a trip? Have you ever been turned down in a way that made you never want to do business with an airline, car rental agency, cruise line or hotel? Send me a note or shoot me an IM (celliottlive on AIM).

See you at NATJA If you’re planning to attend the North American Travel Journalists Association meeting in Little Rock, Ark., next week, please stop by and say hello. I’m doing several workshops on how to write for Web sites, and I’d love to meet you!

Skype me. No, I’m not being obscene. You can now contact reach me on Skype. My username is christopherjelliott.

Many thanks for your support! My spring fundraiser is officially over, and the results are great! You donated enough to keep the bills paid through the end of summer. Here’s a list of everyone who pitched in. Is your name missing? No worries, you can still become an underwriter. Here’s how.

SIGHTINGS | Noted Elliott appearances online and offline

Your passport’s no good — An American Airlines ticket agent tells Nancy Dreher that she can’t board her flight to Costa Rica. It seems her passport is valid — but not valid enough. That ends Dreher’s vacation, but now the airline won’t respond to her requests for a refund. What, if anything, does the airline owe this passenger? (From The Troubleshooter)

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.

BLOGGED | New posts on Ellipses

Secrets of Hilton’s sleep survey — An overwhelming majority of hotel guests — 96 percent– say they sleep better in their own bed than in a hotel bed. That’s according to a recent survey conducted by the market research firm Synovate for Hilton. But you won’t see that in this morning’s press release announcing the results. (From Ellipses)

The Web site ruined my trip! — 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 Ellipses)

How to contact Skybus — 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? (From Ellipses)

United Airlines does the right thing — 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. (From Ellipses)

FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives

You call that service? More on rudeness in travel.

Mile-high madness — Nearly one third of passengers believe rudeness is a serious problem. More than half of all travel employees say passenger impoliteness is the top source of on-the-job tension. Have travelers lost their manners? (From Commentary)

Ticked at seat kickers — Who owns the space between airline seats — you or the passenger in front of you? It’s not an academic question for a traveler like Dean Burri. At 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds, he can hardly debate the finer points of law with a passenger in front of him who leans back. (From The Troubleshooter)

A runaround at the Holiday Inn — When Robert Donovan makes a change to two back-to-back hotel reservations, he is assured by a reservations agent that he won’t be charged a cancellation penalty. And he’s right. Instead, Donovan’s second reservation is cancelled — and he’s billed for a missed night. What’s going on here? And is there any hope for a refund? (From The Troubleshooter)

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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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