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E L L I O T T' S TRAVEL NOTES
Travel news, opinion and analysis

March 29, 2004

Airline Flights Are Getting Longer
What crosses the largest ocean, 10 time zones and more than 8,700 miles, and depending upon the direction can take two days on the calendar — or no calendar time at all? It's the longest commercial flight on Earth — Singapore Airlines Flight 19 from Los Angeles, carrying four pilots, 151 passengers and 543 meals for the 18½-hour trip. "I mean, that's a whole day, isn't it?" asked Janet Rienstra, a passenger embarking on a recent run. "I've never done it before, so we'll see," said another. ABC News | Posted 6 a.m.
-- Time: Here's what it's like to fly for that long
-- Times: Look out for deep vein thrombosis

• As the flights get longer, the planes get bigger. Airbus is rolling out its new A380 superjumbo soon. Now, if they could only make these planes faster. Send us your comments.

Looking for a Hotel Review? Click Here
Even if you've never actually booked a hotel room online, the steady barrage of television and Internet advertisements touting "insane" Internet discounts makes it clear there's no shortage of Web sites for helping travelers of every ilk find their home away from home. But unless you're lucky enough to have access to that oft-sought friend or relative who's actually stayed at a particular property, how can you know what it's really like? A good travel agent can sometimes be helpful here, but it's midnight and I want to hear from multiple voices before I plunk down hard-earned dollars on that trendy resort. For those willing to dig a bit deeper beyond the Web's best-known hotel booking sites, unbiased hotel reviews are there for the reading on a 24/7 basis. Chicago Tribune | Posted 6:20 a.m.
-- N&O: Developers court diamonds and stars

Yes, Travel is Getting More Expensive
It's not your imagination. We are paying more for travel than we did last year. A big reason is supply and demand; business is bouncing back after two lean years. But there's more at work here: Hotel, cruise and tour companies are cracking down on discounters. The campaign started a couple of years ago with big hotel chains. Book directly on their website, they promised, and you'd get the best price. The unspoken corollary: Forget about getting better deals from Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com and other Internet travel sellers. Now tour and cruise companies are joining the push against discounts. They're reining in Internet retailers and bricks-and-mortar travel agents who advertise lower prices than the companies offer. Los Angeles Times | Posted 6:30 a.m.

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• And finally ... on Saturday afternoon, while out on assignment in Palm Beach, Fla., I turned on the radio to hear the public radio show The Savvy Traveler sign off for good. I've known about the program's demise for months, but I couldn't believe it until I heard Diana Nyad say good-bye. I will miss being on the show, but most of all, I will miss hearing the show every week. Posted 6:40 a.m. | Send us your comments.

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