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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

November 25, 2002

>> Inside <<

* Irreverent Holiday Helper
* Living for "Dead Week"?
* Thanksgiving Break
* Rx For Holiday Travelers
* TSA Needs Your Help
* A Better Way to Buy a Cruise
* Mr. Etiquette's Pop Quiz
* Economy Class Purgatory

>> First Off <<

** Irreverent Holiday Helper
No one likes to travel during the holidays. But sometimes it's unavoidable. This week, in a special Power Trip column on bCentral, I take a look at a few ways to improve the holiday travel experience. (No, it's not the same "how to survive the holidays" story you read every year around this time. Would I do that to you?) Also worth checking out: The Occidental Tourist's hilarious pop quiz for travelers and Charlie Leocha's view from the back of the plane. - Elliott

>> By The Way <<

** Living for "Dead Week"?
The first week of the year is typically the slowest travel time. Airlines are running at half their capacity or less. Hotels are underbooked. In industry parlance, it's called "dead week." This week, we want to know if you've ever scheduled a business trip to coincide with "dead week"? How about other slow times, like early fall or late spring? How did it go? 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.

** Thanksgiving Break
Elliott's E-Mail won't publish next Monday in observance of the American Thanksgiving holiday. We'll be back on Monday, Dec. 9 with another issue. Have a great holiday.

>> Underwritten By <<

** The Readers of elliott.org
You're the reason that elliott.org is now completely ad-free. Thanks to your generous support during our last pledge drive, all the content on this site is free of banner ads, skyscrapers, pop-ups, and other annoying commercials. Who are you? Here's a list of underwriters by category.

>> This Week <<

** Rx For Holiday Travelers
Thanksgiving. Labor Day. The Fourth of July. Leisure travelers look forward to these holidays with anticipation - it's a time when Mom, Dad and junior pack up their suitcases and board a plane, minivan or cruise ship for some well-deserved time off. Not so for business travelers. For them, it's those three holidays in particular - but also other celebrations such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter and Memorial Day - that that make them shudder. > In bCentral's Power Trip.

** TSA Needs Your Help
Since its creation last year, the Transportation Security Administration has refused to answer specific questions about its screening criteria, arguing that if it told the traveling public what made someone look suspicious, it would tip off the terrorists. Fair enough. But Nov. 18 is the deadline for the government to switch from private security guards to new federal screeners. Some of the airports are already fully staffed with the new agents and have been for months. So it seems as good a time as any to judge their performance. > In Opinion.

** A Better Way to Buy a Cruise
Carol Scott and her husband, Jeffrey, wanted to get out of town for a few days last Thanksgiving. A Caribbean cruise sounded like a great idea. She checked with a travel agent but didn't like any of the prices she was offered. "I knew I could find a better deal online," says Scott, of Carson City, Nev. So she clicked on the Internet and found a Web site called Cruise411.com. Within a few minutes, Scott says, she'd tracked down the right itinerary: a trip on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas that included stops in Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico for $2,400. That price was $2,500 less than what her agent had offered for the same vacation, so she snapped up tickets. > In the Access Magazine.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Mr. Etiquette's Pop Quiz
By now, loyal Ticked.com readers, you could very well be confused over the various protocols when it comes to proper behavior on the road. So, once again, the Tourist steps in as Mr. Travel Etiquette, offering this simple quiz to test your knowledge. > Read The Occidental Tourist's column.

** Economy Class Purgatory
It is always good for me to see how the other half lives. I don't always ride up in first class or business class, but with elite status I have been lucky with upgrades. And, for short domestic flights, it really doesn't make much difference, especially when you can score bulkhead or exit row seats. When flying to Europe, in the past, I have been lucky to have been up in business class for most of my recent flights. > Read Cheap Charlie's column.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Ticked.com Top Ten
What are travelers reading? Find out at Ticked.com's Top Ten list of bestselling travel titles. Compiled monthly, the list features the most-purchased travel books on the Internet, thanks to the Web site's affiliate relationship with Barnes & Noble. Whether you're looking for something to read on your next trip or wondering what to buy for the traveler in your life, the Ticked.com Top Ten can help.

** 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.

** The Magic For Less
A full-service travel agency specializing in family vacations, romantic getaways, and cruises. The hallmark of our travel consulting is personal attention mixed with a bit of "magic" for the very best prices. A graduate of the Disney College of Knowledge is available on staff to offer advice, share recommendations and help you plan a magical Disney theme park vacation. For a limited time, The Magic For Less Travel is offering discounts of up to $200 on all qualifying travel. The Magic for Less Travel will help you get where you want go - for less.

>> Talk To Us <<

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