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

June 20, 2004

>> Inside <<

* Travel, Unplugged
* Question of the Week: Expecting More - But Getting Less?
* About That Other Blog …
* This Week in Travel
* Summer Squeeze
* Unwiring For Your Visitors
* Spain's Affordable Backroads
* 10 Things I Learned This Summer
* Why Pilots Have to Shave
* We'll Always Have Warsaw
* Flashback: In The Real "Terminal"
* Bugged By Airport Buggies
* Cattle Call at the Airport
* Five Best Airports
* Worst International Airports

>> First Off <<

** Travel, Unplugged
Remember MTV's popular "Unplugged" series? The premise was that if you took away all of the electronics, all the extra stuff, you'd be left with great music. Well, this week's issue might as well be called "travel, unplugged," because our columns focus on real travel. Read Cheap Charlie's insightful take on trekking through the backroads of Spain. Check out James Wysong's insider view of air travel (and find out why pilots have to shave, too). I have a story on wireless travel - that's the more literal unplugging, of course - and an archived column about what happens when airlines take away legroom. And there's even more from Terry Riley plus a new troubleshooter case that you won't want to miss.

>> Underwritten By <<

** ProTravelGear.com
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>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: Expecting More - But Getting Less?
What are your expectations from your hotel, car rental company or airline? Have your expectations gone up - or down - since 9/11? Have travel companies increasingly met your expectations, or are they falling short? This week, we need your thoughts on whether the travel industry is delivering the goods, or not. (Please specify whether you travel primarily for business or leisure.) Send us an e-mail and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living. Remember, your story could mean free luggage. It did for Robert Johnson, our May winner.

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

*** About That Other Blog …
Those of your following Aren's blog have probably noticed that there have been few updates. Aren and his parents would like to apologize for that (especially to members of his extended family reading this newsletter). The good news is, the blog is updated again. And there is some even better news. Get all the details here.

>> This Week in Travel <<

News, opinion and analysis from Elliott's Travel Notes is underwritten by Travel Hunters - the bargain travel community.

> Airline Travel Goes Hollywood (6/18)

> United's Tilton Tries To Revive Airline (6/17)

> 'Trusted Traveler' Program Ready (6/16)

> Pittsburgh Airport Slips into Chaos (6/15)

> Europe Open Skies Deal Rejected (6/14)

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

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Net-roamer.com
Access the Internet anywhere in the World through a local call, keeping your own email address and home ISP at a reasonable cost per minute. User-friendly point and click software enables analog dial-up, ISDN, and broadband. Thousands of access points, many "all-cities" and "toll-free" with access throughout the country that you are visiting. No sign-up fees. No minimum usage or monthly quotas. Pay for usage only. Detailed usage reports. First half-hour free. Professional, personal service. > Check it out.

>> On Elliott.org <<

** Summer Squeeze
Just as the busy summer travel season took off earlier this month, American Airlines announced it would scrap its roomier economy-class seats on nearly a quarter of its flights serving leisure and vacation markets. Midwest Airlines also said it would rip out its spacious seats on its new "saver" service and replace them with narrower ones. Both airlines are playing catch-up with the competition, which seems intent on squeezing the most passengers into the least amount of space. Compressing more travelers into a tiny aircraft cabin may lift the airline industry's profits in the short-term. But it's a dangerous mistake with long-term implications. > In an archived Opinion column.

** Unwiring For Your Visitors
At first, the 802.11b hotspot I sprung for in 2003 seemed so frivolous that I didn't bother mentioning it to clients who visited my office. And since my PC remained wired to a high-speed land connection, I nearly forgot I had installed it. Then one day I caught an editor who was visiting me as he tried to dial an Internet connection through the phone. I was horrified anyone would revert to dial-up in the 21st century, let alone my supervisor. "Why don't you use the Wi-Fi," I asked him. It was nothing a wireless card and a password couldn't fix -- but it did get me to thinking about the importance of having wireless Internet access in your office, and how that can help boost business. > Details in Power Trip.

>> On Ticked.com <<

** Spain's Affordable Backroads
My favorite country to visit in Europe is Spain. Though it's not the bargain it was two decades ago, it can still be very affordable when visitors venture outside the big cities and tourist centers. I'm making plans for my annual pilgrimage to Pamplona for the running of the bulls. It is a complete escape from everyday reality. It is one place where I can relax with no phones, no newspapers, no conversations about stocks and bonds, and no troubleshooting for airline problems. > Read more in Charles Leocha's column.

** 10 Things I Learned This Summer
Terry Riley has spent a lot of time on planes this summer. Here are ten things he's learned from the experience, along with his insightful notes on how the air travel experience has changed - and not changed - since 9/11. Read Riley's comments at your own peril. > Read more in an archived Err Travel.

>> On Travelcomment.com <<

** Why Pilots Have to Shave
In his search for the plane truth, James Wysong has stumbled across quite a few fun and interesting facts. For example, do you know why pilots have to shave (but flight attendants don't)? Did overweight babies force Virgin Atlantic to install new baby changing stations? Did you know that more Americans die each year by drowning in their bathtubs or falling from ladders than by flying on commercial airlines? And did you know that it used to be legal to hijack an airplane? Well, kinda. > In James Wysong's column.

>> On Triprights.com <<

** We'll Always Have Warsaw
If your valuables are damaged on an international flight, what does the airline owe you? For one British Airways passenger whose $4,000 guitar is cracked by baggage handlers on a flight from London to Newark, it's not an abstract question. When the airline refuses to compensate him for the repairs - citing a seven-day statute of limitations on claims - he goes looking for answers. Find out how your readers can prevent costly damage to their checked-in luggage. (And find out what in the world the Warsaw Convention has to do with any of this.) > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** edate.com
Where online dating meets travel. With the explosive popularity of online dating including a state of the art dating site, edate.com has teamed up with some of the world's largest travel partners to give away fantastic monthly trips and offer its members great travel deals, tips and more. Thousands of members can hook up in their own town or in some exotic locale. Check it out.

>> Flashback: In The Real "Terminal" <<
Step aside, Steven Spielberg. Move over, Tom Hanks. Here's a collection of past columns that deal with real airport terminals. Flashback is sponsored by Dream of Italy, the award-winning newsletter about Italy. Here's how to get more information.

** Bugged By Airport Buggies
Forget air safety. Travelers should worry about airport safety, to hear people like Leo Cole talk about it. "Those darned carts that are supposedly for the handicapped or the elderly are a menace," complains the Memphis, Tenn., salesman. "Every time you turn around, one is about to run over you." Cole's close calls with the electric buggies - he says they often approach from behind in a crowded terminal and push their way past him - thankfully haven't resulted in any injuries. > In The Travel Critic.

** Cattle Call at the Airport
Is it my imagination, or are airport waiting areas degenerating from passenger purgatories into outright hellholes? Like I have to ask. "Think of it as being in an elevator that never gets to your floor," says Eric Anderson, a computer consultant from San Diego, Calif. "The seating is uncomfortable. The view is boring." It's often no better from the other side of the ticket counter. John Steiner, an acting gate supervisor in Phoenix, says waiting areas "tend to be too loud, especially at hub airports. The announcements overload travelers and they cannot pick out the information they need to know from that information that is intended for others. So oftentimes nobody hears anything." > In The Travel Critic.

** Five Best Airports
Airport layovers are as inevitable these days as cramped economy class seats, annoying security checkpoints and nitpicky ticket agents. But unlike the other realities of flying, you've often got a choice about the terminal you're trapped in. Which airport should you pick? J.D. Power and Associates tried to answer that question a few years ago when it released its "inaugural" customer satisfaction study on U.S. airports. It named Orlando, Fla., the No. 1 airport, a choice I'm inclined to agree with. But then it offered a bizarre selection for runner-up: Las Vegas (Nev.) McCarran International Airport. > In Power Trip.

** Worst International Airports
Even if you travel abroad only occasionally, you may be familiar with some of the better airports internationally. Like wide-open spaces? Vancouver (B.C.) International Airport is your terminal. Shopping? Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is your preferred stopover in Europe. Tidy? Dubai International Airport, winner of the latest International Air Transport Association customer survey, fits the bill. The good airports are easy to find. They pop up on every "best-of" list. They're no secret. The bad ones? Well, that's another story. > In Power Trip.

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** Toursaver.com
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** Journeyware.com
The new destination for exceptional luggage, business/tech cases and travel accessories from leading brands like Travelpro, Lewis N. Clark, RoadWired and more. Great prices, fast, free UPS ground shipping on orders of just $50 or more! All with a level of uncompromising, personal service that you might not be used to getting these days (especially if you are a frequent traveler). Enter coupon code ELLIOTT and click "update" at checkout for an additional 10% off any order.

** 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. With focus on hotel and apartment reviews, consumer reporting, plus tons of articles, Bonjour Paris is the best on-line resource about tout La Belle France. > Click here for more information.

** 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.

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