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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

January 4, 2004

>> Inside <<

* Three Resolutions
* Worth the Trip?
* America's Worst Road Trips
* Passengers Rule
* Less is More on Sixt
* Topless in Tampa

>> First Off <<

** Three Resolutions
Now that we've begun another year (or, in the case of the travel industry, survived another one) it's time for resolutions. 1) To do better than last year (and that's particularly true if you're running an airline); 2) To remember why we do what we do (in the case of this newsletter, it's all about looking out for you, the traveling public). And 3) To keep you informed with the accuracy of a beat reporter and the perspective of a pundit. In the short term, that means beefing up the blog. You can get a sneak peek at the upgraded Travel Notes.

>> Underwritten By <<

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>> By The Way <<

** Worth the Trip?
Can an online meeting replace a business trip? If you've ever called off a trip and used a Web conferencing service instead - or, if you've scrapped a Web conference in favor of a live meeting, then let us know. What happened? Would you do it again? Got any advice for those of us who are considering it? Send us an e-mail at and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** America's Worst Road Trips
Which U.S. roads are the most hazardous? As many travelers abandon commercial airlines - one of the safest ways to get around - in favor of autos, it's a question worth asking. But don't look to the government for answers. I just spent the better part of a day calling every federal agency remotely associated with highway safety, and there are apparently no lists of bad or dangerous roads. Or even of highways that motorists complain about a lot. I've been talking to answering machines and reading one incomprehensible agency Web site after another. As one of my old journalism instructors said, "Down that road lies madness." > Details in Power Trip.

> Low fares may be here to stay. Plus, the dirt on drunken pilots, feuding online agencies - and Travel Notes gets a brand-new look and mission. It's all on Elliott's Travel Notes.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Passengers Rule
A little-publicized event occurred this past month in San Diego. A whacked-out passenger boarding an American Airlines jet yelled, "I can't take this flight!" grabbed his carry-on luggage and blew past the flight attendants and off the plane. Airport security was notified but was never able to locate the distraught-or, who knows, dangerous-passenger for questioning. In the meantime, the Dallas-Fort Worth bound flight crew must have thought, "No big deal." They just loaded up the remaining passengers, shut the door, put the plane in gear and drove away from the gate. The passengers however had other ideas. > Read more in Terry Riley's archived column.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** Less is More on Sixt
If your car-rental company offers you a smaller vehicle than you reserved, do you pay less for it? Not necessarily. The Travel Troubleshooter unravels the case of a reader who is billed $310 more after accepting a downgrade on a Sixt rental in Milan, Italy. He also details her 14-month odyssey to get her money back and offers tips on how to keep the same thing from happening to you. > In Fix My Trip.

>> Destination of the Week <<

** Topless in Tampa
If someone handed you the keys to a late model convertible that had never been driven and cut you loose on Florida's West Coast in late January, what would you do? Forget business and hit the road? My thoughts exactly. So you won't blame me for putting 600 miles on that Chrysler Sebring convertible last week. Or for permanently lowering the top, even when the mercury dipped below 70 degrees. Hey, after all, we're talking the Sunshine State here. I didn't mean for it to happen like this. > In Destinations.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** FirstClassFlyer.com
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** Cheapflights.com
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** EasyTravelAir
The must-have travel accessory 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. Purchase the travel-warrior-tested Security Pouch online special only $10 or call (800) 282-1469 to order at $14.99 each. Order now.

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

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 17,872
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 47,179
Ticked.com - 23,751
Triprights.com -11,300
Not2far.com - 2,231
Total E3 Network visitors - 84,461

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