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Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

February 11, 2002

> Inside

* Make Flying Fun
* Vegas Discounts
* 7k and Counting ...
* Elliott's E-Mail Takes a Break
* Thanks, Scott
* Your Money or Your Miles
* Know the Code
* The Lowdown on Rule 240
* Consolidate Your Cell Phone
* A Guide to Guidebooks
* Crew Security Checks
* John-Erik's Profiling Adventure

> This Week in Travel

** Make Flying Fun
When it comes to air travel, the thrill is gone. Flying just isn't fun anymore. But that's more than a morale problem for the nation's airlines - it's a money problem. The dreadful, humorless state of the aviation industry is keeping them from a recovery. Read the whole story at http://www.elliott.org/vault/oped/2002/fun.htm

> By the Way

** Vegas Discounts
We're working on a series of stories about the most popular destinations in America and how to save money when you visit them. This week, we're taking a look at Las Vegas. How do you cut costs when you're in Nevada? Tell us your story. Send us an e-mail at editor@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.

** 7k and Counting ...
This newsletter reached a milestone over the weekend - 7,000 subscribers! Thanks to all of you who heard about the new Elliott's E-Mail/Ticked.com Talk newsletter, and to everyone who helped spread the word. (We were recently mentioned in Kiplinger's Retirement Report as a great resource for moneysaving travel strategies.) Our goal is to hit the 10k mark by mid-year. You can help by telling all of your friends to sign up for this free weekly newsletter at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elliottslist

** Elliott's E-Mail Takes a Break
We're taking a week off while yours truly is on assignment, but don't forget to bookmark elliott.org for the latest stories and moneysaving tips. Look for another transmission of MilesLink Voices, the newsletter published in conjunction with Ticked.com and WebFlyer, on Feb. 20. The next edition of Elliott's E-Mail will appear Feb. 25.

** Thanks, Scott
Scott McMurren's roundup of travel newsletters in yesterday's Anchorage Daily News travel column included a very nice mention of both Ticked.com and elliott.org. Our "commentary runs from everyday travel issues such as finding the best fare to the obscure, including detailed descriptions of your rights in an overbooking situation," he writes. Read the whole article at http://www.adn.com/life/story/760554p-811991c.html

> Elliott's Cheap Travel Tip

** Your Money or Your Miles
US Airways' Dividend Miles program last week introduced a new travel package offering members the opportunity to combine award miles with cash for tickets across the carrier's network. Its Miles-Plus-Money program offers a selection of award options, for travel within the U.S., between the U.S. and the Caribbean and between the U.S. and Europe. Tickets are available for purchase through March 2 and are valid for travel through March 21. For details, see http://usairways.com/dividendmiles/redeemingmiles/us.htm

> Got a moneysaving tip? Send it to tip@elliott.org <

> Our Sponsor

** Travel-Comments.com
How was your last trip? Go to Travel-Comments.com and talk about it. Travel-Comments.com is a new Web source for travelers and potential travelers to post and view comments about segments of their travel experience, whether it's air, car, hotel, cruise or restaurant. Visit http://www.travel-comments.com

> Elliott's Commentary

** Know the Code
Want to save serious money on your next trip? You can spend hours shopping for the lowest fare, find a coupon for your rental car and book an inexpensive room in a bargain hotel. Or you can look to your employer, special-interest club or favorite travel Web site for the secret code. The code - usually an alphanumeric sequence that's keyed into a computer reservations system when you book a trip - often unlocks a door to the travel industry's deepest discounts. In The Travel Tightwad at http://www.elliott.org/tightwad/2002/code.htm

** The Lowdown on Rule 240
Is there an obscure airline rule that outlines your rights if you're bumped from a flight? A reader says he's heard a rumor that that airlines don't acknowledge the rule unless you mention it by name and he wants to find out more about it. Sounds like a case for the Travel Troubleshooter. Read the details in The Travel Troubleshooter at http://www.elliott.org/ask/2002/240.htm

** Consolidate Your Cell Phone
The easiest way to double your cellular phone bill is to travel with it. It's a sad fact that I've described in a previous column about roaming charges, and despite loud complaints from subscribers, these fees show no signs of fading. But for some wireless users, the higher rates are only part of the problem. For them, technological incompatibilities add even more to the cost of every call, often tripling or quadrupling their cell phone bills. Check out The Travel Technologist at http://www.elliott.org/technology/2002/travelcell.htm

> There's much more news and commentary about travel. Click on http://www.elliott.org for details. <

> Ticked.com Talk

(Note: Some of these URLs are long and may break up in your e-mail program. If they do, just cut and paste them into your browser, or go directly to http://www.ticked.com and follow the hard links.)

** A Guide to Guidebooks
Visit the travel section of any bookstore; especially a major chain, and the choices are overwhelming. You'll likely find a handful of bookshelves devoted to guidebooks for one destination alone. While the boom in the travel publishing over the last decade has brought travelers more variety than ever, it has also brought a measure of confusion. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a travel guide. Read Kathy McCabe's column in USA Today at http://www.usatoday.com/life/travel/column/informed-traveler.htm

** Crew Security Checks
Over the past four-and-a-half months Cheap Charlie has been flying across the country from East to West and North to South. He's flown north to Canada as well as across the Atlantic and through Europe several times. One scenario that he has seen repeatedly in airports in the United States has been the vigorous searching of flight crews - captains, first officers, pursers and flight attendants alike - as they pass through security on their way to do their jobs. This amazes him. Read more of Charlie Leocha's column at http://www.ticked.com/cheapcharlie/2002/chcrew.htm

** John-Erik's Profiling Adventure
John-Erik Moseler, "Rebel Commander" of Silent Planet, a Central Florida Web and print design firm, left the office at noon on January 18th with his dad (also named John without the "Erik" just to confuse everyone) to fly to Wisconsin, the Land of Snow and Cheese, to retrieve a 1987 Chevy Celebrity station wagon that was graciously donated by his brother to John-Erik's growing family. Unfortunately, they weren't counting on being profiled. They should have. Read more in John-Erik's column on Silentplanet.com at http://www.silentplanet.com/faa/index.html

> For links to other engaging travel opinions, visit http://www.ticked.com today. Don't forget to bookmark the site. <

> Other Sponsors

** IndependentTraveler.com
IndependentTraveler.com includes a comprehensive travel resource center and travel planning guide featuring the best selection of travel bargains, practical travel tips, travel news, message boards and trip reports from other travelers. Sign up today for our free weekly newsletter for travel tips and bargains for you and your family. So log on to http://www.independenttraveler.com/?pid=16 and happy traveling!

** Breckenridge Ski Resort
Snow conditions are prime and there's no better time to explore our vibrant mountain town! Planning a visit? Pre-purchase lift tickets for savings of up to $12 per day or take three half-day ski or ride lessons for $99! Click on http://breckenridge.snow.com for details.

** Journeywoman
Tell your mother, daughter, sister, aunt and grandma. Featured in Time and People Magazine, Journeywoman.com (http://www.journeywoman.com) is the premier travel resource for women on the Internet. Filled with thousands of travel tips and articles from a female's point of view, this website created by Evelyn Hannon recently welcomed its millionth visitor. This award-winning site offers a terrific FREE travel tip newsletter as well. To register go to: http://www.journeywoman.com/form.html

** MilesLink Voices
If you rely on Randy Petersen's WebFlyer site for timely news and information about mileage programs, you'll want to sign up for MilesLink Voices, a new electronic newsletter published in conjunction with Ticked.com. It features the sharpest opinions about travel delivered twice a month to MilesLink subscribers. Click on http://webflyer.com/newsletters/newsletter.htm

> Charter Underwriters

* AirJet Airline News - News updated hourly at http://www.airlinebiz.com

* Applied Psychology - Security tips online at http://www.appliedpsychology.com

* Bonjour Paris - This site's French connection at http://www.bonjourparis.com

* Journeywoman - The premier travel resource for women on the Internet at http://www.journeywoman.com

> 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.

> Be an Underwriter

This site relies on support from travelers like you. If you care about journalism that's uncompromising, cutting-edge and consumer-focused, then you're invited to become a member of elliott.org. Your contribution will help keep us operating. For more information, go to http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P34Z3D2F0Z734N

> Please Forward Elliott's E-Mail

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> Credits and Subscription Information

Elliott's E-Mail is published 50 times a year by http://www.elliott.org. (c) 2002 Elliott Publishing. To unsubscribe, please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elliottslist and follow the directions or send an e-mail to elliottslist-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com