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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

July 1, 2002

> Inside

* Something for Nothing
* Welcome Back
* Ticked.com Talk Splits
* Travel Bestseller List Moves
* Saving Money in Miami?
* Five Clicks to a Car Deal
* Is Delta Out of 'Line'?
* Turn Off Your Phone?
* Third Class For Kids

> This Week in Travel

** Something for Nothing
United Airlines wants $1.8 billion. US Airways is asking for $900 million and Amtrak needs $100 million. And who are they hitting up? You. Bottom line: that money could come out of your pocket when you pay your taxes.

> By the Way

** Welcome Back
We've moved our newsletter delivery system to a new service, and as a result you may be getting Elliott's E-Mail for the first time in a while. Why? Well, our old service was less than reliable when it came to sending messages and we found that thousands of addresses were in limbo. We hope you'll keep your subscription, but if you'd rather not, there's unsubscribe information at the end of this e-mail. Or you can send an e-mail to this address to to be removed.

** Ticked.com Talk
Splits About a year ago, when Ticked.com Talk and Elliott's E-Mail merged, we promised that it would be temporary. This week, we begin publishing separate e-mail newsletters again. Ticked.com Talk will be transmit every Friday and will contain news and information for the "ticked-off tourist," including links to the best travel articles on the Web. It will also continue to co-publish a biweekly newsletter with Randy Petersen's MilesLink. Meanwhile, Elliott's E-Mail will appear every Monday. If you'd like to sign up for Ticked.com Talk, just click here.

** Travel Bestseller List Moves
Looking for this week's list of travel bestsellers? You guessed it - it's being moved to Ticked.com. The next list will appear on Friday as the new Ticked.com Top 10. We'll still be linking to it from elliott.org, but our site will no longer maintain the list. By the way, if you're a book author or publicist, you can get your book featured on the list by sending us a note.

** Saving Money in Miami?
Which Web sites do you click on to save money when you travel to Miami? Name your favorite URLs, please. Send us an e-mail 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.

> Our Sponsor

** 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.

> Elliott's Commentary

** Five Clicks to a Car Deal
The market for distressed car rental inventory isn't given the same attention as the one for last-minute airfares. But at any given time, there are hundreds of thousands of rental cars sitting unused in airport parking lots. They're incredibly cheap, often costing less than half the normal rate. But where do you find them? Here are five places to go looking.

** Is Delta Out of 'Line'?
She arrived at the airport two hours before her flight left but still missed her departure. Now she says Delta, the airline she was traveling on, is to blame because a ticket agent held her and her family back. What does the carrier owe her?

** Turn Off Your Phone?
Noel Ward thinks the ban on using cell phones in flight is pointless, so he sometimes doesn't bother powering his handset down when he's on a plane. "I'm not sure it matters," says the Web publishing consultant from Amherst, N.H. "I generally lose a good signal somewhere around 10,000 feet, anyway." Ward isn't the only traveler who ignores the flight attendants' requests to turn off wireless devices in flight.

** Third Class For Kids
Trapped in the last row of economy class, with the two-part soundtrack of an aircraft engine and the galley behind her, Katy Koontz says she'll never forget her recent flight from New York to Athens, Greece. "There was a long line for the bathroom next to us," she says. "We had no room for our luggage, because the flight attendants had blocked off the overhead bin above us. And they ran out of our choice of meals before they served us." The reason Koontz, a Knoxville writer, got sent to the back? Maybe it's because she was traveling with Samantha, her 5-year-old daughter, Koontz says.

> Other Sponsors

** Carlson Wagonlit Travel Tips
This week's tip: Your Passport is your key to the world, but only for ten years. Be sure to check your Passport and renew it today so you are not stuck tomorrow. Remember, a child's passport is only valid for 5 years. At Carlson Wagonlit Travel, your experience begins with ours. Visit our site or give us a call toll free at (877) 288-3138 and see what an experienced travel agency can offer! To subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, send an e-mail to carlsontravel@jvegroup.net and type "subscribe" in the subject line.

** JohnnyJet
Ever wish there were one site that listed every possible link to other travel-related Web sites? Johnny Jet.com does just that, and more. The site has links to practically everything you need to know that's travel-related. From general sites for airlines, trains, cruises and booking sites to maps and ground transportation, to practical information for pet, student, and senior travel, to the quirkier sites, such as places to buy beer or gas and a language translator. Everything is divided into categories, and this makes maneuvering very easy. Be sure to sign up for Johnny Jet's free newsletter that has the week's travel news, tips, webcams, websites, and where's Johnny Jet.

** First Class Flyer Travel Newsletter
Fly First Class for no more than coach? It's not only possible, such fares are available all the time - you just have to know where to find them. This travel newsletter, published by "Mr. Upgrade," reveals the secrets of First Class travel on a monthly basis. Deals like free upgrades, purchased upgrades, two-for-ones and elite status strategies.

** Volunteer Vacations Guide
Aid a good cause while taking a vacation - the updated and expanded Volunteer Vacations Guide includes nearly 140 organizations looking for domestic and international volunteers. The guide alerts you to volunteering projects, noting length of volunteer stays, age and experience requirements, costs, goals and locations for each organization. The Volunteer Vacations Guide provides a complete picture and explains the advantages and negative points potential volunteers need to consider before signing on.

> Your Opinion Matters

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Your opinion can make a difference. E-mail us 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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