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ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

July 25, 2004

>> Inside <<

* That's Sick
* Question of the Week: Four Cities For Fall Travel?
* See You at NBTA
* Don't Miss Out: Get The News First!
* Going to RoachFest?
* This Week in Travel
* Cruising With The Norwalk Virus
* Hot Stuff, Baby
* Standby Rules Toppled
* Are You The Client From Hell?
* Web Sites' Brave Last Days
* No Refund For My No-Show
* Flashback: Car Rental Primer
* Steer Clear of Car Surcharges
* Car Rentals on the Skids
* Rental Customers 'Have No Clue'
* 5 Keys to Getting the Right Rental

>> First Off <<

** That's Sick
How else do I describe the reaction to my first-person account of cruising with the Norwalk Virus, which I write about in this week's issue? Or James Wysong's chilling tale of nearly losing a certain part of his anatomy on a layover in Mexico City? Look, we don't make this stuff up. We also have new Travelcomment columns from John Frenaye, who tells you if you're the client from hell; and from Joel Widzer, who takes time from his book tour to explain why third-party hotel Web sites are dying. Check out archived columns from Charlie Leocha and a flashback on rental cars that could save you a lot of money on your next trip. Please remember to answer this week's question, too.

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>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: Four Cities For Fall Travel?
Seen any too-good-to-be-true deals on travel this fall? If you've booked a really cheap fall trip anywhere - but specifically, to San Diego, Naples, Fla., Honolulu or Paris - then let us know. Send us an e-mail at and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living. Remember, your story could mean free luggage.

> Trying to e-mail me? Please read this first.

** See You at NBTA
If you're attending the National Business Travel Association convention in Orlando next week, and you happen to see someone who looks like yours truly wandering the trade show floor with a dazed expression, please don't be a stranger. Come on by and say "hello," because, well, it is me. I'll be there to look for stories and make introductions - and I'd very much like to meet any Elliott's E-Mail subscribers who are there. I'll try not to look dazed when I see you, but I can't promise it.

** Don't Miss Out: Get The News First!
In the two short weeks since its launch, more than 1,100 travelers have signed up for Travel Notes by E-Mail, the free newsletter featuring the day's top travel stories. Why? Maybe it's because Travel Notes won't waste your time, offering quick links to the top stories every weekday morning. Tim Winship of Frequentflier.com calls Travel Notes by E-Mail "a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the travel biz." > Sign up here.

** Going to RoachFest?
I received an invitation yesterday to attend RoachFest '04 on Aug. 7 in Philadelphia, which is billed as the first-ever forum where frequent fliers can meet face-to-face with US Airways executives to share ideas and ask questions. Details are on the Cockroach Web site. What makes this different from an airline focus group? Well, anyone can come - even yours truly. I've gotta hand it to the US Airways brass for taking that kind of risk.

>> This Week in Travel <<

News, opinion and analysis from Elliott's Travel Notes.

> Iberian: Deaf Passengers Can't Fly (7/23)

> Man Takes Tractor on Airport Joyride (7/22)

> Drunken Attendants Attack Passenger (7/21)

> Delta Air Lines Loses Record $2 Billion (7/20)

> Motorist Finds Airport Safety Plans (7/19)

> See archived blog postings or catch up on today's news.

> NEW! Sign up for Travel Notes by e-mail. Find out more.

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>> On Elliott.org <<

** Cruising With The Norwalk Virus
To this day, I don't know how I got infected. Maybe I picked it up on our flight from Newark or on the layover in London. But by the time I boarded the riverboat in Mainz, Germany, I had a full-blown case of the Norwalk Virus: Chills, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. The cruise industry is quick to point out that infection can happen anywhere - in a plane, a restaurant, an airport terminal. And that may be true. Equally true, however, is that the reports of cruise ship passengers spending part of their voyage in the infirmary are on the rise. > In Destinations.

** Searching For Hidden Cities
When the airlines talk about "hidden cities," they're not referring Shangri-La, El Dorado, Atlantis or some other far-off, mythical place. No, hidden cities may be places like Philadelphia, Denver or Charlotte, North Carolina. And carriers view them with the same fondness they reserve for unruly passengers and carry-ons the size of St. Bernards. Scheduling a hidden city is sort of like booking a back-to-back itinerary that circumvents a Saturday night stayover: It's a bit of subterfuge that costs the flier less money and angers the carriers. > Details in an archived Travel Critic.

>> On Ticked.com <<

** Hot Stuff, Baby
Our plane went mechanical in Mexico City on the way to Costa Rica. The local mechanics said they didn't have the parts on hand and it would be at least 38 hours before our aircraft was going anywhere. The airline decided to hedge its bets and set us free for a 30-hour layover at the Mexico City airport hotel. That's when I almost lost my penis. You read correct. In the hours that were to follow, I came precariously close to parting with Mr. Happy. > In A Frank Steward.

** Standby Rules Toppled
Over the past month, my airline world of standby travel on non-refundable tickets has crumbled. Make no mistake about it. By attacking standby travel and confiscating unused advance-purchase tickets, the airlines are attacking the growing habits and money-saving efforts of frequent flyers and business travelers. Most occasional leisure travelers never had any idea that their non-refundable tickets could be used at any other time than that written on their ticket or itinerary. > Read more in Charles Leocha's archived column.

>> On Travelcomment.com <<

** Are You The Client From Hell?
Has your travel agent seemed a little on edge with you lately? Have you noticed a change in tone when he talks to you? Are you becoming more and more intimate with his voicemail? Quite possibly you could be turning into the client from hell. Relax. There is still time to reclaim your status as a nice person. Read on. > In John Frenaye's column.

** Web Sites' Brave Last Days
The days of third-party travel Web sites are numbered. The biggest misconception in travel is that you have to shop around for the lowest rates and fares. This simply is not the case. Right now, hotel and airline sites are extremely competitive by offering exclusive deals and added value only available on these sites. In most cases, you get the best deal directly with travel providers. In all instances you get better value. > In Joel Widzer's column.

>> On Triprights.com <<

** No Refund For My No-Show
When you're a no-show at a hotel because of an airline delay, who's responsible for your room? That's the question one traveler has after he and his family are delayed on their way to Boston. The airline won't cover the cost of his accommodations. Neither will Hotels.com, the agency he booked it through. Who's to blame? And how can you prevent it from happening to you? > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** FirstClassFlyer.com
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>> Flashback: Car Rental Primer <<
Renting a car on your summer vacation? Here's a must-read collection of car rental columns to keep you from getting overbilled. Flashback is sponsored by Dream of Italy, the award-winning newsletter about Italy.

** Steer Clear of Car Surcharges
Rich Swisshelm thought he'd found a bargain when he locked in a rate of $28 a day for a sport utility vehicle in San Jose, Costa Rica. But when he tried to pick the truck up from the Advantage Rent-A-Car counter, he discovered he'd thought wrong. "The agent informed me that I had to purchase liability insurance at $20 per day and personal accident insurance at $8 per day, which doubled the cost of the rental," he remembers. "They said both insurances were mandatory, and I could not rent the car without purchasing the insurance." > In The Travel Tightwad.

** Car Rentals on the Skids
It took a car rental agent almost an hour to process Chelsea Grogan's paperwork for a one-way rental between Orlando and New York. Then the employee couldn't find her vehicle in the airport parking lot. And when the Forest Hills, N.Y., graduate student dropped off the Dodge Intrepid, she discovered a surprise $350 surcharge on her bill. "The customer service department wouldn't return my calls to straighten things out," she said. Stories like Grogan's are becoming increasingly common in an industry that seems to have lost its way. Of all the complaints I hear as National Geographic Traveler's ombudsman, the ones from car rental customers are the most disheartening: Tales of agents pushing unnecessary collision-damage-waiver options, trying to strong-arm customers into buying upgrades and arbitrarily billing motorists for services they never requested. > In Opinion.

** Rental Customers 'Have No Clue'
Xanax-popping co-workers. Overbearing managers who fire employees for not being aggressive enough. Ignorant customers. That was life behind the car-rental counter for Ute Hodges, a customer service agent for Alamo and Budget at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Fla. "I had a friend who worked for a rental car company and she made good money," says Hodges. "So I wanted to try it." What she learned about the business serves as a cautionary tale for anyone renting a vehicle today. > In Interview.

** 5 Keys to Getting the Right Rental
To most travelers, a rental car is an afterthought - as in, "Oh, will I need a car while I'm there?" at the end of a reservation. And that's unfortunate. True, the auto rental only accounts for 9% of the average corporate travel budget, according to Runzheimer International. But over several trips, that can add up to a lot of money. In an earlier column, I explained how to avoid the most common car rental traps. I also helped you sort through the best and worst car rental companies. Now it's time to determine which rental company to actually do business with. > In Power Trip.

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** Travelhunters.com
If you like to find great travel bargains, you've got to check out TravelHunters.com - the bargain travel community. The site was created by two brothers from Minnesota who love to help people find the best travel bargains. You'll find numerous hot deals for vacations and cruises, bargain travel articles, travel resources, and a comprehensive travel message board. Be sure to sign up for the free monthly newsletter - the Travel Hunters News - dedicated to helping people find amazing deals. > Need more information? Here it is.

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

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 26,508
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 53,005
Ticked.com - 29,456
Triprights.com - 10,707
Not2far.com - 2,834
Travelcomment.com - 10,491
Total network visitors - 106,493

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