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

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October 29, 2004

Dot-Travel Domain Approved
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has given preliminary approval to two new Internet domain names, ".travel" and ".post." The two suffixes have been under evaluation by ICANN, a public-private partnership that oversees the Internet's addressing system, and the approval moves the review process forward into the contract negotiation stage. New York-based Tralliance Corporation, a travel and tourism industry group, is sponsoring "Travel" Tralliance President and CEO Ron Andruff says the group expects the new designation "to allow consumers to find specific travel information much more efficiently. We're thrilled that we're finally achieving our goal of the "Travel" TLD [top-level domain]." Ecommerce Times | Posted 6:35 a.m.
• New Domains Could Appear Next Year (AP)
• Earlier: Travel Needs Its Own Domain (Elliott.org)

I said it back in 1997, and I'll say it again - it's about time.

Cruise Ship - Or Assisted Living?
Are you haunted by thoughts of spending your golden years vegetating in a dingy old folks' home, supping on denture-friendly peas and boiled beef, and playing endless rounds of cribbage? Fear not, there is a cost-effective alternative: life on a cruise ship. A year in an “assisted-living facility” costs Americans, on average, around $28,500 a year. In large cities such as Chicago, costs are even higher, topping $40,000. Living in a dedicated cabin aboard the Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas, on the other hand, rings in at a rather competitive $33,260 a year. Luxury liners offer many of the same amenities as old folks' homes: meals and housekeeping, laundry and hair-dressing services, and even an escort to dinner. Economist | Posted 6:45 a.m.

Southwest Might Try Assigned Seating
The cattle call could be ending. Southwest Airlines is giving serious thought to assigning seats on flights. "I know that sounds like heresy coming from my lips," said Southwest President Colleen Barrett, at the Dallas carrier's annual media day yesterday. The announcement is the latest example of how the 33-year-old discount carrier is shaking up its business, from scrapping reusable plastic boarding cards to flying longer flights. For years, Southwest said assigning seats would eat up precious time, preventing the discounter from loading and unloading passengers in less than 20 minutes at an airport gate. But testing as recently as four months ago showed the airline can meet its strict timetable with assigned seats, especially because technology has made other operations more efficient. Dallas Morning News | Posted 6:50 a.m.

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The Tourist is Back! - Ahh, another year, of travel for the Tourist. So, as Donald Trump says on his TV ad campaign ... did you miss me? Hah! The Tourist didn't miss you either. He was too busy with more tales of horror, mistreatment and devastation on the road. (Yes folks, the Tourist returns for his very special annual column. Read it here!) > All-new featured story from Ticked.com | Posted 7 a.m.

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Independence Air: 'Not Going Bankrupt' - Independence Air lost $82.7 million over the last three months, but airline managers say they're not going bankrupt. And there is confidence, not concern on the part of industry watchers. "We are actually happy to see losses at $82 million," says Danni Varlan, who heads East Tennesseans for Airfare Competition. "The anticipation was it could've been a lot worse." WBIR | Posted 7 a.m.

US Airways Loses $232 Million - Bankrupt US Airways lost $232 million in the three months ending Sept. 30, a dismal performance underscoring its desire to slash costs and remake itself into a leaner, more efficient carrier. The third-quarter loss at the nation's seventh-largest carrier capped a brutal period of red ink for an industry pummeled by record-high fuel prices and weak fares. Post-Gazette | Posted 7:05 a.m.

Guest Pays Hotel Bill - 24 Years Late - After putting up with pangs of conscience for 24 years, a Norwegian finally settled a hotel bill he skipped out on in 1980. The Clarion Hotel Ernst in the southern town of Kristiansand received a handwritten anonymous letter of apology with a 500 kroner note attached, hotel director Kay Johnsen said by telephone Thursday. "I've never seen anything like it," added Johnsen, who has been in the hotel business for more than 20 years. AP | Posted 7:10 a.m.

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