May 9, 2007

ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
May 9, 2007

It just slipped my mind … honestly! Yeah, right. How many times have you heard that before? When you’re standing at the gate. The front desk. The counter. How many times have you said it? Uh-huh. Well, this week’s newsletter is all about forgetfulness — your airline’s, your government’s, and yours. Plus, there’s more on America’s passport problems, the passenger bill of rights, and fun from the archives.

» 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 … Forgotten? — What have you forgotten on a recent trip? Did you overlook something big, like making a reservation … or small, like leaving a tip? Your stories are wanted. Send me a note or shoot me an IM (celliottlive on AIM).

Good to see you in Little Rock! Many thanks to all of you who took the time to say “hello” at the North American Travel Journalists Association meeting in Little Rock, Ark., earlier this week. I had a great time meeting you, and sharing some of my thoughts on writing for the Web.

Comments upgraded. I’m out of the office on assignment for the rest of the week, so it may take a while to respond to emails. But in the meantime, why not leave a comment below the story or blog posting that interests you? My intrepid Web designer Chris Jernigan has made the comments section even easier to use. Check it out.

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

Contract, shmontract! — Passengers might be forgiven for being unaware of the dense airline contract of carriage — the legal agreement between them and their carrier. But airlines? When they “forget” about their obligations to their customers, that seems like an awfully convenient form of memory loss. (From Ellipses)

Passports: who needs ‘em? Who cares? — When it comes to passports, Americans are ignorant. And stupid. That’s the conclusion of a survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association and marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell. (From Ellipses)

Northwest’s ‘adults only’ lounges — Are Northwest’s airport lounges for adults only? Apparently some U.S. lounges bar passengers under 21, even if they are elite-level frequent fliers in good standing. (From Ellipses)

Passengers bill clears another hurdle — It looks as if the Passengers Bill of Rights has cleared a big hurdle — possibly its last on its way to becoming law. Senators Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe will today announce that the Senate Commerce Committee has included their Airline Passengers Bill of Rights language in the bipartisan draft Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, I’m told. (From Ellipses)

FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives

Oops, I forgot! More on convenient — and inconvenient — memory loss.

Sunk cruise, no refund — My family and I were scheduled to take a western Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody from Galveston, Texas. I had booked the entire vacation, including air fare, directly through the Royal Caribbean Web site. I even bought trip insurance. (From The Troubleshooter)

That’s not my wreck! — I recently rented a car from Dollar Rent A Car at the Denver airport. I returned the vehicle in the same condition in which I picked it up. Almost three months later, I received a letter claiming I was responsible for damages to the car incurred in an accident. Enclosed was a bill for $1,061 in damages, $125 for loss of use and an additional $100 for “administration,” along with two black-and-white pictures, both time-stamped nearly a month after my rental.
(From The Troubleshooter)

Avoiding fly traps — Gayle Miller suspected she was in trouble when a ticket agent at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport dangled a measuring tape in front of her luggage. Sure enough, her big bag exceeded the new limit. “No one has ever looked at that bag twice when I’ve checked it in,” complains the Ann Arbor, Mich., pharmacist. (From The Travel Critic)

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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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