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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

June 15, 2003

>> Inside <<

* Stay or Go?
* Bidding Upscale?
* Elliott on the Air
* Being Civil
* Calling the Whole Thing Off
* Island Birds Behaving Badly
* Europe By Air
* Dude, Where Are My Miles?

>> First Off <<

** Stay or Go?
When should you cancel a trip? When should you go (and how do you save money)? And if you travel, will you get your airline miles? Those questions, and more, are answered in this week's transmission of Elliott's E-Mail. We start with my article about the reasons for not traveling. Then Charlie Leocha returns with a collection of columns on how to get to Europe on the cheap. And we conclude with a cautionary tale about collecting frequent flier points from codesharing airlines. Enjoy the newsletter, and remember to e-mail us to let us know how your summer travels are going.

>> Underwritten By <<

** Bonjour Paris
France has recently come under a lot of fire. Access Bonjour Paris if you're interested in the pros and cons about travel to France. Bonjour Paris is the best content site about France and is not afraid of controversy. If you're a Francophile, Bonjour Paris is the best on-line resource about tout La Belle France.

>> By The Way <<

** Bidding Upscale?
Have you used a last-minute travel site such as Priceline, Site59 or LastMinuteTravel to book an upscale vacation recently? If so, let us know how it went and if you'd do it again. Send us an e-mail at and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

** Elliott on the Air
Is there such a thing as a "safe" vacation? Listen to Elliott's travel commentary on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday to find out. Here's the whole commentary. Elliott also joined Chicago talkshow host Rob Sherman on his show earlier in the week to chat about summer vacations, airline seat pitch, and the meaning of life. You can listen to the whole show here. (If you can't access these files from the e-mail newsletter, please click on the HTML version.)

** Being Civil
Last week's question, which included a reference to "egregious travel agency booking fees," drew an angry response from agents reading this newsletter. Although some of the e-mails were well-reasoned and thoughtful, many were not. The agents, who had also posted their responses to an electronic bulletin board, also demanded that I answer them. Unfortunately I couldn't, and here's why: In the interests of civility, this newsletter has a "no-flame" policy. E-mails containing profane language, written in all-uppercase (yelling), or which otherwise are unmannerly, will be bounced back and deleted. If the messages persist, their sender will be unsubscribed from this newsletter.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Calling the Whole Thing Off
When should you call a trip off ? Just after Sept. 11, 2001, one-third of the business travelers surveyed told pollsters that the threat of a new terrorist attack would make them change their plans. How about a war? A survey found that more Americans postponed their trips after the start of Gulf War II. And sickness? More than half of corporate travel managers said the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Asia precipitated a fall in travel (and, presumably, some cancellations). But those aren't the only reasons. > Details in Power Trip.

> Creative Delays
> Outrageous Change Fee
> Reservationists Lie

** Island Birds Behaving Badly
Key Largo is for the birds. Roseate spoonbills stand like statues in the shallow saltwater flats. Broad-winged hawks cut circles in a cloudless tropical sky. And yellow-crowned night heron perch on the sulfur-scented mangroves at low tide. But this being the Florida Keys, the eclectic island chain that stretches more than 100 miles from here to Key West, the bird encounters can also be a little … odd. > Details in Destinations.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Europe By Air
I fondly remember the old days of Eurailpass when it was the best and cheapest way to scoot around Europe. I spend a couple of summers riding the rails from southern Italy to Oslo and from Vienna to Paris. Every trip was an adventure and I saved a bundle of money. Then as Eurailpass prices steadily climbed, I began renting cars whenever I traveled with a friend in Europe. I found that an automobile rental arranged in the U.S. before arriving in Europe was almost always less expensive when split two ways than two Eurailpasses. Plus, I had a lot more freedom. > Read more in Cheap Charlie's column.

> Auto Europe Rules
> Upscale to Europe
> France Without the French

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** Dude, Where Are My Miles?
He books a codeshare ticket on El Al from Miami to Tel Aviv, hoping to collect a few Delta SkyMiles. But 90 days after he travels the miles are MIA. Can the travel troubleshooter help this frequent flier find his missing miles, or are they gone for good? And how long should it take to get credit for a trip, anyway? Find out. > In Fix My Trip.

> Avoid SkyChoice
> Rescheduled on Delta
> The Lowdown on Rule 240

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** EasyTravelAir
If you've fumbled with your ID while taking off your shoes and coat, emptying your pockets, and removing your computer, you'll find getting through airport security a lot simpler and less stressful with the Security Pouch. It all started when Judy Jacobs lost her driver's license, everyone's worst nightmare. She vowed she'd find an easier and safer way to negotiate the security maze. When she could not find it, she made it. Now you can purchase her travel-warrior-tested Security Pouch. Get the online special only $10 or call 800-282-1469 to order at $14.99 each.

** The Great Alaskan Toursaver
Developed by Alaska travel expert Scott McMurren, it's full of free and 2-for-1 offers on all the state's top activities and attractions: flightseeing, fishing, whale-watching, adventure lodges, train rides, hotels, rental cars and much, much more. Just $99.95 - it's got $25,000 in travel savings. Everything is 2-for-1 or free! Tell them Elliott sent you.

** Cruisemates.com
Cruising is the world's best vacation value! And the best cruise bargains are in CruiseMates' Cruise Bazaar. One-stop Internet shopping for a variety of cruise lines and agents offering cruises around the world. Known for unbiased cruise reviews, feature articles, news and advice, CruiseMates means complete cruise information. Message boards, chat, polls, contests, humor, consumerism, family, single, teen, gay, and first-time cruiser information.

>> Who's Reading Elliott's E-Mail? <<

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 14,465
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 46,069
Ticked.com - 23,617
Triprights.com - 7,820
Total E3 Network visitors - 77,506
Change from last month +12,311 visitors/580 subscribers

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