• What's elliott?
• About elliott
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Business
• Commentary
• Destinations
• Help
• Leisure
• Technology
• Vault

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

March 7, 2004

>> Inside <<

* Being Frank
* Question of the Week: A Trip That Changed Your Life?
* Got a Travel Problem? Tell Us
* Defusing a Travel Tax Bomb
* Kiosk to My Room
* Should Passengers Be Weighed?
* What's a 'War Concern' Surcharge?
* Ramada Reneges on Room Rate
* Amex Lost My Miles
* Flying Fido
* Too Many Dollars for My Rental
* This Week in Travel
* First Class Baby
* Protect Your Personal Space
* American Airlines Gets it Right
* No Refund on the 'Seven Seas'

>> First Off <<

** Being Frank
Whenever one of our colleagues starts a new editorial feature, we hope for a respectable debut, of course. But when A Frank Steward launched his column by the same name on Ticked.com, who would have though he'd hit one out of the ballpark on his second try? Well, his First Class Babies column - an irreverent commentary about kids in first class - really got readers steamed (it appeared on our sister newsletter, MilesLink Voices a few days ago and makes its debut here today). See for yourself what the fuss is all about. And remember, when it comes to edgy and uncompromising travel opinions that haven't been tainted by the corrupting influence of big advertisers, we've got you covered.

>> Underwritten By <<

** 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.

>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: A Trip That Changed Your Life?
Ever gone somewhere on vacation or business that completely changed your life? Maybe it was the people you met or the places you visited, but you knew afterwards, you'd never be the same. This week, we want to know about that special trip - where did you go, how were you changed, and what did you do afterwards? Did you change careers? Did you get a new perspective on life? Tell us about it. 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 Sheldon Beck, our February winner.)

** Got a Travel Problem? Tell Us
Part two of the all-controversy issue consists of the most memorable Triprights.com features - impossible-to-solve cases that were solved against all odds. If you think you might have experienced a travel snafu that needs fixing, please let us know. E-mail us - and be sure to include all relevant details.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Defusing a Travel Tax Bomb
By almost any measure, traveling should be a pleasure these days. Air fares, hotel room rates and cruises haven't been this affordable in years. Complaints against domestic air carriers are at an all-time low. And the travel industry, badly hurt by a double-whammy of a recession and war, is finally recovering. So what's with all the anger? Why are passengers hurtling insults at their cabin crew with greater frequency? Why are they driving their SUVs into airport ticket counters and setting them on fire, as one man recently did in Maui? Maybe because there's a lingering feeling that somehow, travelers are still being taken advantage of. > Details in Opinion.

** Kiosk to My Room
When John Burrows arrived at the New York Hilton last month and found himself stalled in the long check-in line, his eye wandered to a bank of polished, electronic kiosks. A hotel employee asked the insurance executive from Hartford, Conn., if he wanted to take the new machine for a test spin. "About a minute later I was on my way to my room, while everyone else was still waiting," he remembers. Travelers have used this type self-service check-in kiosk in airports for almost a decade, with some hesitancy. Now the machines are coming to a hotel near you. > Details in US News & World Report.

** Should Passengers Be Weighed?
In nation with an ever-expanding waistline, it's inevitable that many passengers will balk at stepping on a scale before takeoff. The perception of our privacy being further invaded is bound to add to the tension that airline passengers already feel as they're processed through security. Goofy as many of us might feel padding around in our stocking feet, being weighed is worse. But none of it troubles me as much as what will happen with the information that's being accumulated. > Details in NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday.

>> Fix My Trip's Most Controversial Moments <<
Since we ran out of room in last week's issue of Elliott's E-Mail, we've saved the most controversial and engaging Fix My Trip columns from Triprights.com for this week. So here they are - the best of the worst:

** What's a 'War Concern' Surcharge?
(Most controversial cruise case.) A week before her Caribbean cruise on the Royal Olympia's Voyager, her travel agent faxed a notice saying that there would be a new $6 per person, per day fuel surcharge relating to "war concerns" and a $3 per person per day security surcharge. But hang on - doesn't the fine print on her ticket say she's entitled to 20 days advance notice if there are any new costs? Yes, it does. So what's Royal Olympic going to do about it? > In Fix My Trip.

** Ramada Reneges on Room Rate
(Most controversial hotel case.) He makes a reservation on the Ramada corporate Web site for what he thinks is an unbelievable promotional rate at the Hollywood Beach, Fla., Ramada. Just to be on the safe side, he tries it from two different computers, on two different days before booking my room, because he thinks it might be too good to be true. It is. Ramada refuses to honor the rate. > In Fix My Trip.

** Amex Lost My Miles
(Most controversial charge card case.) American Express offered to upgrade his charge card to a corporate card more than a year ago. But when it did, it lost all of his frequent flier miles. He only found out about the missing miles recently when he went to cash them in for his honeymoon. When he told American Express what had happened, it asked him to file a claim in writing. He wrote to the company, but it sent him a form letter that showed they had not even read it. > In Fix My Trip.

** Flying Fido
(Most controversial airline case.) They're flying from Tampa, Fla., to Manchester England this winter. She wants to bring back a very small dog in the cabin. But some of the discount airlines such as Virgin Atlantic do not allow animals on the plane. The cheapest fare she's able to find is on Delta Air Lines. Does yours truly have any tips or sites to help her save money? Does he ever. > In Fix My Trip.

** Too Many Dollars for My Rental
(Most controversial car rental case.) The car rental agent takes 45 minutes to complete her reservation. Another employee flippantly quotes from the O.J. Simpson trial when she can't find her vehicle. Then - surprise! - she's billed an extra $350 for the car. Are these jokers auditioning for the next Airplane! movie? Find out what went wrong and how this trip gets fixed. > In Fix My Trip.

>> This Week in Travel <<

News, opinion and analysis from Elliott's Travel Notes is underwritten by TravelHunters.com - hunting down the best travel bargains on the planet.

> Student Wins 'Rental From Hell' Case (3/5)

> U.S.: Euro Carriers Can't Fly Domestic (3/4)

> Car Rental Industry Bounces Back (3/3)

> Another Fare Hike? Never Mind (3/2)

> Visa Offers Rental Coverage on Cards (3/1)

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

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** First Class Baby
You're fed up with the small seats, meager meals, and wine with screw-off tops in economy class. It's time for a little class in your life, you say to yourself. It takes a couple of months to rationalize the first class fare, which is three times the price of an economy-class ticket. But your sanity is worth it, you think. You make your way to the first class lounge, grab a paper and have a steaming hot cup of coffee until the boarding of your flight is announced. You board the flight - only to find a baby sitting next to you. > In A Frank Steward.

** Protect Your Personal Space
Gallagher, the comedian best known for the "Sledge-O-Matic," noted that people must like crowds because wherever you see a crowd, you see a lot of people. This observation is not altogether facetious when describing air travelers. Every day hundreds of thousands of flyers seem to prefer to deal with the crowds associated with air travel-perhaps "endure the crowds" is a better description-rather than make use of other, roomier, but slower forms of transportation. > Read more in Err Travel.

** American Airlines Gets it Right
Recently, I was trying to get to Miami from Boston and connect to Buenos Aires flying on American Airlines. The day in Boston was miserable. Heavy snow began falling at 6 a.m. and by 8 a.m. the runways were covered, planes were being de-iced and flights were being cancelled. So when I missed my connection through Miami, what do you expect American Airlines did? Surprisingly, it did the right thing. > Read more in Err Travel.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** No Refund on the 'Seven Seas'
If your cruise is canceled, are you entitled to a full refund? Even though one cruise line says "yes," the travel agent who booked a floating vacation tells one reader that Radisson has him listed as a "no show" - meaning that he didn't show up for the sailing and forfeited the entire cruise. Now, the agent has a commission check and the reader is $1,527.65 poorer. Find out who is to blame for the cancellation confusion, and how you can prevent it from happening to you. > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Award Traveler
Award Traveler buys and sells transferable frequent flier mileage awards and upgrade certificates. We are a broker between frequent fliers who choose cash rather than miles and air travelers who want first- and business-class service at a reasonable price. > Find out more.

** FirstClassFlyer.com
Fly first class for less than what others pay for coach? Looking for free and purchased upgrades, 2-for-1s, advanced ticketing techniques, and a fast-track to elite status strategies? Look no further ... these hot deals and more are available at First Class Flyer's Web site.

** 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.

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

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 20,889
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 50,662
Ticked.com - 23,322
Triprights.com - 9,964
Not2far.com - 2,254
Total E3 Network visitors - 86,202

>> 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 or e-mail

(Please note: Unless you specify otherwise, all e-mails, letters and phone conversations are considered "on the record." That means your name could be used in a future article.)

>> Become an Underwriter <<

This site relies on support from travelers like you. If you care about journalism that's uncompromising, cutting-edge and consumer-focused, then you're invited to become a member of elliott.org. Your contribution will help keep us operating.

>> Please Forward Elliott's E-Mail <<

Did you know the average reader forwards Elliott's E-Mail to two other people every week? We don't mind at all, but you could always save yourself the trouble by inviting them to subscribe. It's easy and it's free: just send an e-mail to this address with the word "subscribe" in the message header.

>> Credits and Subscription Information <<

Elliott's E-Mail is published 50 times a year by http://www.elliott.org. (c) 2003 Elliott Publishing.

To unsubscribe, please open your Web browser and click on this address.