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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 3, 2003

>> Inside <<

* Clothing Optional
* Expensive Airline Ticket
* And the Correct Answer is …
* Our Condolences
* Master the Art of Complaining
* No Point Collecting Miles?
* Nude-Only Screeners?
* How Safe is Your Airport?
* A Budget Bait-and-Switch?
* How to Avoid Extra Cruise Spending

>> First Off <<

** Clothing Optional
When Terry Riley sent me this week's column on nude screeners, I couldn't stop laughing. Literally. Terry's story embodies (no pun intended) the perfect Ticked.com commentary: Funny, irreverent, but also, uh, revealing. His story headlines a package of features this week on clothing and travel, which includes the Tourist's take on clothing-optional travel and a classic Q&A on penis-rings and other body-piercing jewelry. On Elliott.org, the topic is effective complaining. Not as sexy as nude travel, I'll admit, but it could come in handy on your next trip.

>> Underwritten By <<

** JohnnyJet.com
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. The site has been featured in over 100 major publications including: USA Today, Time, Fortune, New York Times, CNBC, MSNBC, and has been named "One of the top best money-saving Web sites for travel" by Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine. Sign up for Johnny Jet's free newsletter that has the week's travel news, tips, webcams, Web sites, and "where's Johnny Jet."

>> By The Way <<

** Expensive Airline Ticket
What's the most you've ever spent on an airline ticket? Was it worth it? Would you make the same purchasing decision again? 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.

** And the Correct Answer is …
We asked, and you answered. Most of you said "don't change a thing," to our question about what you're looking for in this newsletter. Well, that's easy enough to do. A few others said, "Give us more deals!" Ooops, looks like you've subscribed to the wrong newsletter. Try bestfares.com or my old friends at smarterliving.com for bargains.

** Our Condolences
Just before the transmission of this newsletter, we learned of the tragic deaths of the seven shuttle astronauts on the Columbia. Our sympathies are with the families and friends of these fellow travelers. If you would like to learn more about the final mission of STS-107, minus all the media spin, click on the flight log.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Master the Art of Complaining
It was the kind of flight that made you believe in Murphy's Law. Whatever could go wrong did go wrong. A snowstorm had frozen all air traffic leaving Newark, N.J., grounding my Miami-bound plane. In an effort to keep the increasingly irritated passengers quiet, crew members passed out plastic cups of water and showed the in-flight movie: the critically maligned Serving Sara, starring Elizabeth Hurley and Matthew Perry. It didn't help. > In Microsoft's bCentral.

> Airlines Ignore Web Whines
> How to Complain About United's Squeeze
> Patience Pays for Flight Gripes

** No Point Collecting Miles?
Most of today's airline-mileage incentives are convoluted, mysterious and elusive. Maybe that's why travelers are skeptical of the latest mileage free-for-all and reluctant to take advantage of these magnanimous offers. Maybe it's the maddening makeup of the programs that airlines need to address. > Details in Opinion.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Nude-Only Screeners?
"Nude only" screening lines make a lot of sense. Think of them as a twist on the idea of a "Trusted Traveler Program" that the airlines have been kicking around for months now. An "Un-Trussed Traveler Program" could do for the airlines what they haven't been able to accomplish for themselves: rejuvenate air travel. > In Err Travel.

> Tourist: Baring it All on Vacation
> ChrisCrossings: X-Rated Honeymoon
> Yikes! That Penis-Ring Question

** How Safe is Your Airport?
Anyone who has motored up the New Jersey Turnpike past Newark during a winter evening rush hour has seen it: a stream of airplanes descending into the airport, lined up to the south one behind the other, each at a little higher elevation, coming in like a line of birds onto a lake. It looks like something out of a UFO flick; spooky, fascinating, and sometimes troubling. So many planes at the same time, all competing for precious little runway space. It sometimes makes you wonder: exactly what's going on when we're sitting out there on the tarmac in line for takeoff? > Read more in Ed Hewitt's column.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** A Budget Bait-and-Switch?
She booked a rental car but declined the optional insurance. So why is her final bill more than twice the rate she was quoted? Is Budget trying to pull a fast one, or does she really owe the rental company that much? The answer is in the contract. But not the solution. >> In Fix My Trip.

** How to Avoid Extra Cruise Spending
Cruising is one of the best vacation values going. The "all-inclusive" fare includes accommodations, meals, and entertainment. Still, there are extra costs that can really bloat the cruise cost. Here's some insight into what to look for and how to keep your budget afloat. > In AnitaVacation.com.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** The FrequentFlier Crier
Travel faster, safer, smarter, cheaper, better... and earn more frequent flyer miles in the process. How? Subscribe to the newsletter savvy travelers consider a "must read" - the FrequentFlier Crier. Every week, the Crier delivers travel news you can use: frequent flyer program updates, special fares, industry news and trends.

** DreamofItaly.com
Discriminating travelers with a passion for Italy finally have a timely resource for planning their next visit to the land of la dolce vita. Dream of Italy is a new, bi-monthly subscription travel newsletter available by mail or on the Internet. Each issue is packed with the latest news and insiders' advice on Italian travel and culture. For a free sample copy or to subscribe, visit its Web site or call 877-OF-ITALY (toll-free).

** 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.

>> Talk To Us <<

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here's how to reach Elliott.

Phone: (305) 453-4781
E-mail
AOL screen name: elliottdotorg
MSN Messenger: msn@elliott.org

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