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

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September 3, 2004

Travelers Flee Hurricane Frances
Florida officials requested the largest evacuation in state history today, asking some 2.5 million residents to leave their homes through a combination of voluntary and mandatory orders, a development that clogged roads, airports and other transportation options. Most people who were told to leave were in South Florida -- 300,000 in Palm Beach County, 250,000 in Broward County and 320,000 in Miami-Dade County. On Florida's west coast, Sarasota County ordered 40,000 people living in mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and travel trailers to evacuate by 8 a.m. Friday. In Brevard and Volusia counties, there is a mandatory evacuation in place for the barrier Islands. Also, both Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Center have been evacuated for the first time. Orlando Sentinel | Posted 6:30 a.m.
• Labor Day Travel Foiled By Monster Storm (Democrat)
• Get The Latest Storm Updates, Forecasts (NOAA)

Here we go again.

Northwest Adds, Takes Away Fees
Northwest Airlines Corp. said on Thursday it canceled a new fee it charged travel agencies for a round-trip domestic ticket booked through global distribution systems, effective immediately. At the same time, Northwest, the No. 4 U.S. airline, extended fees on tickets purchased through its reservation call centers and at airport counters in the U.S. and Canada. A $7.50 fee on a round-trip ticket, which Minneapolis-based Northwest announced on Aug. 24 as part of a push to save $70 million by trimming costs, sparked a dispute with Sabre Holdings Corp. and Cendant Corp., which operate global distribution systems. Northwest hoped the move would drive customers to its Web site to buy tickets, which do not include ticketing fees. Reuters | Posted 6:35 a.m.

Fees Waived For Storm Cancellations
If you had travel plans for Labor Day weekend, the money you've already spent on airline tickets or hotel reservations may not be entirely lost. In fact, your travel agent or insurance company might be in touch soon. Expedia.com spokesman David Dennis said more than 30,000 travelers used Expedia to schedule vacations in Florida, the Bahamas and nearby areas this weekend. The online travel site is sending some e-mails and calling others, with offers to waive cancellation fees for hotels and to help reschedule trips. A growing number of savvy travelers could fare even better financially -- those who took out travel insurance. Miami Herald | Posted 6:45 a.m.

American Matches Northwest Fees - Following Northwest Airlines' lead, American Airlines and American Eagle will tack on a $5 to $10 service fee for tickets purchased from non-Internet sources starting Sept. 6, the airlines said Thursday. The $5 fee will apply to tickets purchased through its U.S. reservations centers and the $10 fee will apply to tickets bought at US airports. It will also apply to tickets redeemed through AAdvantage program awards. American said it expects to bring in more than $25 million a year from the fees. Biz Journal | Posted 7 a.m.

Future is Uncertain for Airlines - For decades, an airline job was a coveted plum. Good pay, generous benefits, strong unions and the glamour of air travel made pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and even baggage handlers the envy of their neighbors. Now there are two airline industries, one that created those attractive jobs but can no longer afford them, and another that is thriving in large part because it has avoided creating them. The New York Times | Posted 7:05 a.m.

Expedia Buys U.K. Travel Agency - Expedia Corporate Travel quickly has made good on its promise at last month's National Business Travel Association annual convention to expand in Europe with its purchase of the London-based travel management company World Travel Management for an undisclosed sum. World Travel managing director Mike Bor confirmed that the sale had taken place and will be announced officially in the next few days. Business Travel News | Posted 7:10 a.m.

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• Off the Record ... If there is anything worse than being hit by a hurricane, then it must be waiting to get hit by a hurricane. In a just-posted commentary, I note that the days and hours before a storm strikes offer a special opportunity to see humanity at its best - and worst. Especially in a tourist town like Orlando. Posted 7:15 a.m. | Send us your comments.

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