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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

March 21, 2004

>> Inside <<

* Clueless Travel
* Question of the Week: Airport Parking?
* Trying to E-mail Me?
* Travel Industry Dumbs Us Down
* Get Good Wi-Fi While You're Away
* Newsletter Exclusive: Columns That Got Me Into Trouble
* Trashing Travel Agents
* Something for Nothing
* Talk Isn't Always Cheap
* Bye-Bye, Byebyenow.com
* Two New Sites for Cheap Seats
* Taking the Shot
* One Room, Two Bills

>> First Off <<

** Clueless Travel
Does the travel industry - and by industry, I mean suppliers like airlines, hotels and rental companies - have a vested interest in keeping us ignorant? That's the intriguing question I tackle in this week's opinion column. But travelers aren't the only ones who are ignorant. As A Frank Steward explains on Ticked.com, airlines such as his are, too - at least when it comes to communicable diseases carried by the crew. We also have clueless hotels who double-bill their guests on Triprights.com. By the way, this week's issue is being sent a little early so that I can get up to Miami for the Travel Expo. See you there!

>> Underwritten By <<

** 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.

>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: Airport Parking?
It's one of the most overlooked aspects of travel: Parking. Should you drive your own car to the airport or take a cab? And if you park, then where? This week, we need your tips on how you've managed to navigate the parking lot dilemma. Do you park on-airport or remotely? How much do you spend on parking? Do you have any advice for other would-be parkers? 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.)

** Trying to E-mail Me?
I'm not ignoring you. Because I receive a lot of unsolicited e-mails (about 2,500 a day), I've installed several filters to weed out spam. In some cases, they tag legitimate e-mail. If yours is one of them, then I apologize. > Here's how to make sure your message gets through. (Special note to AOL users: if you have another e-mail account, please try sending me a message from it. My spam guard catches almost every AOL address.)

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Travel Industry Dumbs Us Down
Never underestimate the ignorance of the traveling public. That's the painful, but inevitable, conclusion I've arrived at after more than a decade of solving other people's travel problems. Simply put, there are more clueless people on the road, at the airport, and staying in our hotels, than ever. Call it the dumbing down of the American traveler. Preparing for a trip is out of fashion. Travelers are also forgetful and helpless when it comes to resolving their troubles. > Details in Opinion.

> Plus: Screen your travel supplier - check out the full list of industry trade groups.

** Get Good Wi-Fi While You're Away
Before a recent JetBlue Airways transcontinental flight, I sat in the Long Beach, Calif., airport and waited. And waited. And waited. Not so much for the flight to take me back to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., mind you, but for that reassuring "Wireless Network Connection" message to pop up above the taskbar on my laptop PC. The posters on the wall promoting free in-terminal Wi-Fi access - JetBlue calls them "Hot Zones" - promised a connection as effortless as a Bar-headed Goose coasting with the jet stream. Sure enough, finally, there was the message. Or so I thought. > Details in Power Trip.

>> Newsletter Exclusive: Columns That Got Me Into Trouble <<

This week, Elliott's E-Mail takes a look at columns that got us into a whole lot of trouble. This newsletter exclusive is sponsored by Dream of Italy, the critically-acclaimed publication that covers everything from art to villa rentals. > For more information or to place your order, visit the Web site or call 877-OF-ITALY.

** Trashing Travel Agents
Travel agents sure have a good scam going. They tell you that they can always get you the best fare available, and that they charge you nothing or, more often these days, only a nominal service fee. What a bargain. But do the math: at $10 a pop, how many reservations would it take to turn a profit? Someone is subsidizing this service, and knowing who's paying your agent's bills can save you money and hassles. Agents make most of their money from commissions paid by airlines, car rental companies and hotels, not from the booking fees you cough up. > In the Travel Critic.

** Something for Nothing
United Airlines wants $1.8 billion. US Airways is asking for $900 million and Amtrak needs $100 million. And who are they hitting up? You. The airlines are going to the Air Transportation Stabilization Board while the National Railroad Passenger Corporation is requesting the money from Congress, but the bottom line is: that money could come out of your pocket when you pay your taxes. And here's a question that's gone unasked in the debate over whether the government ought to salvage these carriers. What's in it for us? What are United, US Airways and Amtrak doing in exchange for our help? Apparently nothing. > In Opinion.

** Talk Isn't Always Cheap
Talk is cheap - unless you're at 36,000 feet. Then it can be very costly. I just spent 4 ½ hours on a flight between Los Angeles and Baltimore staring at the graphic display on my seatback phone. With nothing better to do than add up the rates being flashed by at regular intervals, I soon reached the same troubling conclusion that many other travelers have: this phone is a rip-off. > In The Travel Technologist.

** Bye-Bye, Byebyenow.com
Is ByeByeNow about to go bye-bye? It depends who you listen to. Insiders and former employees describe a company in disarray, with an out-of-control cash burn rate, low staff morale, and bookings that are "way below" expectations. The numbers - or lack of numbers - suggest the critics may be correct. The Pompano Beach, Fla., vacation travel retailer has laid off nearly half its employees since this summer. The most recent cutbacks came this month when ByeByeNow reportedly bid adieu to 60 workers. Company executives refuse to reveal the number of bookings, revenues, and operating costs, citing "competitive" reasons. In light of the reductions, however, their silence sends a less-than-reassuring message about the company's future. > In Inside Interactive Travel.

>> 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.

> Travel Stress Reaches New Highs (3/19)

> New York Considers New Hotel Taxes (3/18)

> Norwalk Virus Strikes Casino Hotel (3/17)

> TIA: Traveler Sentiment Takes Off (3/16)

> Say Good-Bye to Cheap Online Rooms (3/15)

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

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Two New Sites for Cheap Seats
Two relatively new tools for online fare searches are now available: BookingBuddy.com and CheapFlights.com. Both serve as a portal to booking engines and both can be added to the mix of any fare search on the Web. At the risk of repeating myself, the secret to getting the best fares on the Web is to check different Web sites for pricing. When checking for flights from Boston to Madrid leaving on July 1st and returning on July 17th, I found a fare of $797 on Orbitz, $1,041 on Expedia and $1,374 on Travelocity. The moral of the story is check, check, check. > Read more in Cheap Charlie.

** Taking the Shot
On a hot December afternoon in Rio de Janeiro, I ordered a sandwich and Coke from a hot dog stand that changed my life forever. One month later, after it was time to take down the Christmas decorations, a deep depression hit me. I would get back from a flight and feel extremely tired. I had horrible night sweats and my appetite all but disappeared. I had lost 15 pounds in three weeks, and found the depression and fatigue almost paralyzing. > In A Frank Steward.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** One Room, Two Bills
Should you pay for a hotel room twice? One hotel tells a guest "yes." The travel agent who booked the room agrees. But now it's up to American Express to determine if he'll have to shell out $1,180 for inadvertently making two reservations at the same hotel. Find out how one traveler got stuck with a bill he shouldn't have to pay - and what American Express did about it. > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** 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.

** 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.

** 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.

>> 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

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