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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

October 28, 2002

> Inside

* Beware Airlines Bearing Gifts
* Your Favorite Hotel Chain?
* Thank You - We're Almost There!
* A Word About Archiving
* Aren's First Fantasy Fest
* Tech Luggage Gets an Upgrade
* Remembering Alamo's Flat Tire
* All Passengers Not Created Equal
* They Still Don't Get It
* Want Less Travel Stress? Don't Read This!

[Editor's Note: Something happened when this newsletter hit 10,000 subscribers a few months ago. I think it became nothing more than a series of story links that I pasted into an e-mail and then blasted out every Monday morning. Too sterile, too commercial. Well, that's going to change. From now on, I'm introducing each edition of Elliott's E-Mail with a personal note and a rundown of what I've prepared. This week, my travel commentary, "Beware Airlines Bearing Gifts," is actually a chart. It's a little different - I hope you like it. I've also posted an all-new troubleshooter column, "Remembering Alamo's Flat Tire," about a rental car experience gone awry. And please don't forget our fundraiser, which is in its final week. - Elliott]

> This Week in Travel

** Beware Airlines Bearing Gifts
The major airlines are offering us early holiday gifts in the form of mileage bonuses or free amenities, hoping we'll reward their generosity with more business. But a closer look at the presents suggests that the sins these airlines are trying to atone for are usually too egregious to be patched up with a few gimmicks. Is your favorite carrier naughty ... or nice? >> In Opinion.

> By the Way

** Your Favorite Hotel Chain?
What's your favorite hotel chain - and why? Here's your chance to nominate the best national hotel chain in your book. Is it the service? The rates? Or maybe the miles? 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.

** Thank You - We're Almost There!
We're only two underwriters away from making elliott.org banner-ad free! So if you're one of the 11,550 Elliott's E-Mail subscribers who haven't signed on as a supporter, here's your chance to support an ad-free site that pulls no punches when it comes to covering the travel industry. To all of you who have already pledged your support for this site - thank you! This is the last week of our official fundraising drive, and I for one am happy that it's nearly over.

** A Word About Archiving
Some of the stories featured in Elliott's E-Mail come from the site's extensive story archives. Every effort has been made to disclose the fact that these aren't new articles. Each story carries a date at the top of the page. On the Web site, you'll also see a "From the Archives" disclaimer. I feature these stories because I think some of them were interesting and fun - I hope you like them.

** Aren's First Fantasy Fest
For those of you following Aren's baby blog, our little boy turned five months old last week. He went to his very first Fantasy Fest in Key West over the weekend and has been helping his mother's campaign. Look for a full report in an upcoming story on next year's 25th anniversary of Fantasy Fest.

> 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

** Tech Luggage Gets an Upgrade
Is your luggage slowing you down? If you're a technology user traveling in this post-Sept. 11 world, it probably is. Most major airlines have instituted a strict new "one-plus" carry-on luggage rule allowing you to bring a single regulation-size bag, plus a smaller pocketbook or laptop on to the plane. But you still have to remove your laptop and turn it on when you're screened - and that's the challenge. >> In The Travel Technologist.

** Remembering Alamo's Flat Tire
She rented a Mitsubishi Eclipse from Alamo Rent A Car for two weeks in Las Vegas and returned the vehicle on time. But two weeks later she received a vague note asking for money for unstated damage to the vehicle. What's behind the mysterious letter - and how much does the customer owe Alamo? Find out. >> Details in The Travel Troubleshooter.

** All Passengers Not Created Equal
The gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" is widening in the air, and the circumstances are enough to confuse even Karl Marx. Listen to what the carriers are saying, and you'd think the skies are becoming more egalitarian. American Airlines claims its new steerage seats have "more class." United Airlines insists it's won a "race for space" in the back of the plane. Startup JetBlue Airways says its larger leather seats will "bring humanity back to air travel." >> In The Travel Critic.

> Ticked.com Talk

** They Still Don't Get It
It is time for one of my regular columns about the miserable financial state of the major airlines. Again, major airline CEOs and other executives have proven what incompetent managers they are. I just don't understand why their shareholders don't throw the dim rascals out. >> In Charlie Leocha's column.

** Want Less Travel Stress? Don't Read This!
Allow me to paraphrase that wonderful old holiday ditty: It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween-Ramadan-Thanksgiving-Chanukah-Christmas-Kwanzaa-New Year's everywhere you go... So, naturally, broadcasters, print reporters and Web scribes have been asking about my best tips for less stressful travel during this upcoming omnibus holiday season. Unfortunately, none of them want my most creative suggestion. >> In Joe Brancatelli's column.

> Other Sponsors

** 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.

** JetReady
The pressures that business travelers face in today's environment are unprecedented. Each element of travel management dramatically affects a business's health and profitability. It is no longer enough to be there; each business trip requires employees to maximize performance creating positive value for their organization. To achieve sustained high performance, travelers need to be mentally focused, emotionally engaged, physically energized and aligned with their deepest values and beliefs. To learn more, call (714) 544-2855.

** EasyTravelAir.com
The must-have travel accessory to get through the post-9/11 airport is the EasyTravelAir Security Pouch. The hands-free pouch lets you display your ID and boarding pass and keeps your credit card, passport and other travel essentials safe and secure. Get one free when you buy three. Only $14.99 each. Call (800) 282-1469.

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