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ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
The Last Honest Travel Newsletter
http://www.elliott.org

May 14, 2001

> Inside

* 'Fare' Report is Foul
* Don't Click Here
* Exclusive: Wireless Booking Query
* Your Laptop Travel Advice
* Second Chance for Priceline.com?
* Who's to Blame?
* A Cure for PDA Sync-Shyness
* Road Trip
* The Travel Industry's Version of the Truth
* Travel Can Be Murder
* Is it Sync-ing in?
* Leocha: Read the Rules
* Perkins: Beware of New Foreign ATM Surcharges
* Brancatelli: Fare Tales and Bizarro Logic


> This Week in Travel

** 'Fare' Report is Foul
Are travel agents lying to us about airfares? Consumer Reports Travel Letter last week reported the results of a nationwide survey of 840 agencies, and it suggested that in many cases the answer is "yes." The newsletter found that almost half of the agents didn't give complete answers to requests for lowest airfares when first asked. And you call that news? Since airlines began cutting agency commissions, agents have had little incentive left to even be bothered with airline tickets. Agents have a name for the kind of queries that the Travel Letter made: nuisance calls. Instead of bothering the beleaguered travel retailers, the publication should have investigated whether airlines offer the lowest fares when they're called. Who knows, maybe there'll be a sequel to the story. - CE

> By the Way

** Don't Click Here
If you enjoy reading insipid destination articles that have been bought and paid for by travel suppliers, don't click on the link below. If you like reading travel news that's toned down by editors who are afraid of offending advertisers, then ignore this. If you prefer dull, recycled, useless information about travel, then keep scrolling down. But if you'd rather read uncensored, honest (and occasionally, unedited) news about travel, then consider becoming an underwriter for The Last Honest Travel Site. Your pledge of $5, $20 or $50 will help support quality consumer advocacy journalism. Click on http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P34Z3D2F0Z734N

** Exclusive: Wireless Booking Query
A reporter for a major U.S. daily newspaper wants to talk with business travelers who have used wireless flight notification systems. If you're interested, please send an e-mail to rafer@mail.com with your name, city and which notification system you use.

** Your Laptop Travel Advice
For a story about "secrets" of the laptop traveler, your tips on traveling with a portable PC are needed. How do you stay connected better? How do you keep your laptop lighter? Where do you go to find a power outlet at the airport? Do you prefer wireless modems, or do you like it better wired? Send your comments to laptop@elliott.org and please remember to include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

> Elliott's Cheap Travel Tip

** Second Chance for Priceline.com?
This week's cheap travel tip comes from reader Dennis Tucker, who suggests that despite all the bad publicity Priceline.com has gotten, the "name your own price" site might be a good way to save money. Flying from Indianapolis to Oakland on a family emergency, he was quoted a roundtrip bereavement fare of $700 by his airline. "Finally, we remembered Priceline.com. Perhaps because the flight was leaving the next day and the airline knew it would have unsold seats, they took my first offer of $175 plus tax, for a total of about $215," he reports. "I knew within 15 minutes that I had gotten the ticket."

> Our Sponsor

** RoadNews.com
Subscribe to the Laptop Warrior Digest, a free monthly e-mail discussion list newsletter published by Roadnews.com that shares reader exchanges on today's hot mobile computing issues. Sign up for the newsletter at http://www.roadnews.com/html/Digest/i-lw-signup.htm or check out past topics at http://www.roadnews.com/html/Digest/archive-index.htm

> Elliott's Commentary

** Who's to Blame?
Last week's column about intoxicated airline passengers went over like a proverbial lead balloon. Numerous readers were upset that travel critic Chris Elliott suggested gate agents should ultimately be responsible for either allowing drunken travelers on the plane or denying them boarding. Read two of the responses - and the answers - in this week's ChrisCrossings at http://www.elliott.org/ask/2001/crbooze2.htm

** A Cure for PDA Sync-Shyness
Eric Christ blamed his personal digital assistant's sync-shyness on the software. PocketMirror, the syncing application that shipped with his Palm Pilot, didn't reflect the Atlanta manager's needs. "I wanted something that kept everything in sync, but I also needed something that could work on the Web," he says. Then he heard about ReadySyncGo, a free service that synchronizes data between mobile devices but also offers the same information from any Web browser. Read this week's Travel Technologist at http://www.elliott.org/technology/2001/sync.htm

** Road Trip
The Net can be a motorist's best friend. Destination ideas, directions, lodging and restaurants can all be found online. Sure, you could have your motor club or travel agent take care of the planning, or you could buy a bunch of travel books and do your own research. But the Web, with all of its travel sites, regional guides, obscure roadside attractions and serendipitous connections, will turn up things to do and places to go that otherwise would not have occurred to you. In Access Magazine at http://www.elliott.org/vault/access/2001/road.htm

** The Travel Industry's Version of the Truth
Like so many travelers, Pat Woods distrusts - if not disbelieves - many of the claims made by the travel industry. Can you blame her? On a recent America West flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia via Phoenix, Woods' first leg of the flight got cancelled. "Not to worry," the Philadelphia corporate training executive remembers a ticket agent telling her. "You can board a flight leaving a half-hour later and meet your connecting flight in Phoenix." From the vault at http://www.elliott.org/vault/critic/2000/lies1.htm

> PS

** Travel Can Be Murder
Becoming an underwriter isn't much different than supporting your public radio or TV programming. At the $5 and $20 level, your name is acknowledged on the site as a benefactor. This week, the first three $50 donors will receive a copy of Terry Riley's new book "Travel Can Be Murder: The Business Traveler's Guide to Personal Safety (Third Edition)" Since the online system elliott.org uses to administer its underwriting program is completely anonymous, you will need to send your transaction ID, name and mailing address to underwrite@elliott.org in order to qualify for the premium.

> Audio Commentary

** Is it Sync-ing in?
In case you haven't noticed, syncing a wireless device to a PC isn't as easy as they say. How do you overcome that communication "gap" between devices? Click on Outtakes from the Laptop Traveler at http://www.elliott.org/audio/outtakes/2001/syncadvice.mp3

> Other Voices

** Leocha: Read the Rules
Over the past couple of weeks, Ticked.com's Cheap Charlie has been exchanging emails with one of his readers. It seems that he had a problem with Alaska Airlines regarding damage to his guitar that was accepted and sent as checked baggage. It arrived with a broken neck. For a guitarist, this is not a good thing. Read the details at http://ticked.com/cheapcharlie/2001/chowe.htm

** Perkins: Beware of New Foreign ATM Surcharges
Never underestimate the ability of a bank to gouge its customers, reports SmarterLiving.com's Ed Perkins. The latest is a surcharge, in addition to the usual per-use fee, when you withdraw foreign currency from ATMs outside the U.S. That new surcharge erodes the advantage ATMs have long held over other ways of converting currency. However, surcharging banks have been careful to make sure that ATMs are still the best way to convert - albeit by a steadily narrowing margin. Click on http://www.smarterliving.com/columns/ed/Beware20010510.1.html

** Brancatelli: Fare Tales and Bizarro Logic
And now for something completely different: Total insanity on fares and still more evidence that airlines are clueless about the true nature of business travel. First, two tales from the fare front, courtesy of Biztravel.com's Joe Brancatelli. Go to http://www.biztravel.com

** Heard a Rumor? Got News?
If you've come across any interesting travel or technology-related news, let us know at Elliott's E-Mail. We'll check it out. Send a note to editor@elliott.org or call (410) 626-9618.

> Other Sponsors

** AirJet Airline News

This issue of Elliott's E-Mail is also underwritten by AirJet Airline News, the largest electronic airline news magazine on the Internet. News updated hourly at http://www.airlinebiz.com/wire/

** The FrequentFlier Crier
Want to travel faster, safer, smarter, cheaper, better... and earn more frequent flier miles in the process? Every week, The FrequentFlier Crier delivers travel news you can use: frequent flyer program updates, special fares, industry news and trends. Sign up free at http://frequentflier.com/subscribe.htm

** Bonjour Paris
Have questions about visiting or living in France? Or the French way of life? Access www.bonjourparis.com for travel information, food, wine and hotel tips, as well as lively cultural information. Bonjour Paris isn't the usual travel site that reports only the pluses and none of the negatives. We tell it as it is. If you have any questions, post them on the discussion board http://www.bparis.com/homepage1513/index.htm and you'll get the real inside scoop.

** SmarterLiving.com
Find the best travel deals of the web for airfare, hotels, car rentals and more to save you the time of searching the net. Sign up for free newsletter alerts for last-minute airfare bargains from your departure city of choice, travel specials from airlines, hotels and vacation providers, frequent flier mile earning info, and more. Join now for free and receive special travel discounts from our partners! Visit http://www.SmarterLiving.com/Elliott0501

> Your Opinion Matters

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Your opinion can make a difference. E-mail us at editor@elliott.org or call (410) 626-9618 with any comments, feedback or suggestions about anything in this newsletter. Your participation won't just make it a better service, but it could also improve travel.

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