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

October 22, 2001

> Inside

* Death of Online Travel
* Frustrated by the Fine Print?
* Mile Markers starts Nov. 1
* Devalued Currency
* Batteries Give Travelers a Charge
* Can't Get a Refund
* When is a Deal Not a Deal?
* Are Steerage Seats Unsafe?
* Rewriting the Rules of the Road
* Bait and Switch

> This Week in Travel

** Death of Online Travel
Travelocity magazine and Expedia Travels magazine went belly-up within a week of each another, two high-profile casualties of the dot-com travel downturn. There are those who wonder if the Web sites from which the publications were spun off can be far behind. Certainly, there's no shortage of rumors, including talk that the most ambitious of the travel Web sites, Orbitz, is in serious trouble. Is this the end of online travel as we know it? Recent surveys by the likes of PhoCusWright suggest that the dot-com travel business is retreating, perhaps retrenching, but not logging off. I hope they are right. - CE

> By the Way

** Frustrated by the Fine Print?
Ever found a travel deal that was too good to be true - only to discover that the terms and conditions made it a bad deal? If so, then I want to hear from you. What kind of "deal" was it and what did you do when you read the fine print? E-mail feedback@elliott.org and please don't forget to include your full name, city, and what you do for a living. Your answer may appear in a future column.

** Mile Markers starts Nov. 1
This newsletter will begin featuring a new column on Nov. 1. Mile Markers is a weekly feature that will help business travelers save money when they're on the road. It will contain practical tips, insider information and real deals. Mile Markers will appear on CBS MarketWatch and in syndication. If you're a road warrior with a column idea, please e-mail chris@elliott.org. And if you're a publicist with a product or service you'd like to pitch, please don't hesitate to contact me.

> Elliott's Cheap Travel Tip

** Devalued Currency
Reader Michael Scott recently returned from Mexico with a warning about currency devaluation - and he's not talking about a bad exchange rate. "We received a 200 Peso note in change from a beachfront restaurant by the La Jolla de Mismaloya Hotel," he reports. "There was a piece torn from one corner of the note. This was by no means a large piece of damage, but when I attempted to spend it that evening I was told that the note was worthless. I was also informed that it could not even be redeemed at a bank." Not exactly what you would call a favorable exchange rate. Got a moneysaving tip? Send it to tip@elliott.org

> Our Sponsors

** WeBeenThere.com
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** Readers Like You
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> Elliott's Commentary

** Batteries Give Travelers a Charge
What a difference the right battery makes. Believe me, I know. Finding a fitting power supply is often the last thing you worry about when you buy a new gadget, which is exactly what happened to me when I started shooting pictures with a new Leica digital camera last year. Snap! Here's a picture of a hotel's grand opening. Snap! Here's a shot of a cruise ship illegally dumping trash at sea. Snap! Hey … what happened? Turns out I had neglected my camera's power needs on the trip. In The Travel Technologist at http://www.elliott.org/technology/2001/batteries.htm

** Can't Get a Refund
The hotel just wasn't what she and her fiancée expected, so they checked out within minutes of checking in. Now they want their money back - but the hotel is refusing. What can they do? Columnist Christopher Elliott tries to explain what's going on and offers more than a solution. This time he actually helps solve the problem. Get all the details. In The Travel Troubleshooter at http://www.elliott.org/ask/2001/crmoneyback.htm

** When is a Deal Not a Deal?
Travel prices are dropping faster than temperatures this fall. But look closely at who's subsidizing these sales - it could be you. Take Air Canada's recent Thanksgiving fare discounts. You could fly from Vancouver to San Francisco for as little as $248, or from Calgary to Phoenix, Ariz., for just $198. Not bad. But who's underwriting the fare reductions? Could it be…the taxpayer? Bingo. Even as Canada's largest carrier cut prices, the Canadian government offered its ailing airline industry $105 million in "emergency aid." In The Travel Tightwad at http://www.elliott.org/tightwad/2001/not.htm

> Ticked.com Talk

** Are Steerage Seats Unsafe?
On some planes, seat rows in Economy Class are too close together to allow people to take the recommended "brace" position in preparation for a crash landing. And some seats are too narrow to allow people to get out and leave the plane quickly. Those are the conclusions of a recent British study now being considered by European aviation authorities. For average people, notes the report, seats should be at least 3 inches farther apart than they are now; tall people need an additional 10 inches. That study again raises what may be the airline industry's biggest "dirty little" secret: Coach/Economy seating that may be too tight for safety. Read the rest of Ed Perkins' column at http://www.smarterliving.com/columns/ed/Tight20011018.1.html

** Rewriting the Rules of the Road
It's been five weeks now, long enough perhaps to begin rethinking the rules of life on the road and rewriting the playbook for day-to-day survival, writes Joe Brancatelli. As any hard-core business traveler knows, nothing was ever written in stone when it came to dealing with airlines, airports and hotels. And, for now at least, we're writing tips and strategies in the sand. Rules and routines change by the hour and there seems to be more inconsistency in the system than ever before. We're suddenly strangers in a very strange land. But here, as best as he can make out, are some of the new rules of the road. Read the rest of Joe Brancatelli's column at http://www.zyworld.com/brancatelli/branc.htm

** Bait and Switch
Cheap Charlie's senses are overwhelmed with "great deals" from the airlines. So, like the cheapster that he is, he dove into the fray searching out the best deals. He spent hours calling reservations agents and tapping on my keyboard working his way through the Internet. But - and with the major airlines there is always a "but" - most of these so-called deals are what amount to bait-and-switch. They sound great, but seats are virtually non-existent or have so many restrictions that few can use them. Read more Charlie Leocha's column at http://www.ticked.com/cheapcharlie/2001/chbait.htm

> Other Sponsors

** The FrequentFlier Crier
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** The Alaska Travelgram
Find the secrets the airlines won't tell you about! Get the special prices that don't show up on the Web. Navigate the state with help from the EXPERT: Scott McMurren, a 23-year resident of the Last Frontier. Check the Web site for the hottest bargains: www.alaskatravelgram.com . Then subscribe to the Alaska Travelgram email newsletter...it's free.

** AirJet Airline News
After last week's terrorist incident, AirJet offered the most comprehensive coverage of the unfolding drama. No wonder it's the largest electronic airline news magazine on the Internet. News updated hourly at http://www.airlinebiz.com

** CruiseMates
How have recent events affected the world of cruise ships? Most ships scheduled to sail abroad next near are being re-deployed to North America, creating a glut of cabins and some of the lowest cruise fares ever. Get the latest perspective on cruise bargains, ship security, new itineraries and cruise industry news at http://www.cruisemates.com. Or subscribe to our newsletter here: http://www.cruisemates.com/linkto/newsletter.html

> Your Opinion Matters

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Your opinion can make a difference. E-mail editor@elliott.org or call (305) 453-4781 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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> Credits and Subscription Information

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