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ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

EDITOR'S NOTE: Elliott's E-Mail has a new name starting next week - Tripso Weekend. Please adjust your e-mail programs and spam filters to receive messages from the tripso.com domain. I also invite you to take a look at the new site and let me know if you have any suggestions or comments.

>> Inside <<

* Fare Insanity
* Wireless Traveler Gripes
* Tripso Takes Off!
* Needed: A Good Tagline
* This Week in Travel
* Airlines Decline
* Psst! 3 SkyMiles Secrets
* Lost in Translation
* 10 Saving Tips For Europe
* Refund or Credit?
* Flashback: Air Fare Madness
* One-Way Ticket Rip Off
* Yield Management Strategies
* More Yield Management Strategies
* Airlines Punish Back-to-Back Travelers

>> First Off <<

** Fare Insanity
Wow, what a week it's been. Delta cut fares - the rest of the flock followed. The no-frills airlines launched their own sales. Madness! As always, this newsletter has it covered - from the latest edition of Travel Notes to our columnist insights into air fares. Plus, we have all-new columns from Joel Widzer, James Wysong, Charles Leocha and a brand-new troubleshooter.

>> Underwritten By <<

** International Living
Learn about the world's six best places to live or retire. Live like royalty on $17 a day. Own an exotic beachfront getaway for $35,000. Or a romantic pied-a-terre for under $60,000. Enjoy fine restaurant dining for $7 per person. Employ a maid or gardener for $2 a day. Buy comprehensive health insurance for $20 per month. > Get the details in your free report.

>> By The Way <<

** Wireless Traveler Gripes
You've probably read about cell phones coming to planes. But when it comes to wireless devices being used by travelers, what irks you right now? Beyond the guy next to you talking loudly on the phone, is there anything else that bothers you? Does your wireless device (PDA or phone) work where and when you want it? Do people - especially business travelers - always use their gadgets considerately? E-mail us As always, please include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

** Tripso Takes Off!
I'm pleased to announce that our new Web site, Tripso, is almost done. Starting next week, we're moving most of the columns and features to the new Web site. For the next few weeks we'll be in "soft launch" or beta-mode, meaning that you could see some significant changes to the site. Meantime, here's what we need from you: your honest opinion. How can we improve? What do you like and dislike? What do you want to see more of? Send your feedback to me directly.

** Needed: A Good Tagline
Here's your chance to shape the future of travel journalism. Or something like that. We need a tagline for Tripso - a three- to five-word kicker that describes who we are and what we do. Any suggestions? Send them to us.

> Trying to e-mail me? Please read this first.

>> This Week in Travel <<

EDITOR'S NOTE: Travel Notes has a new name starting next week - Tripso Daily. Please adjust your e-mail programs and spam filters to receive messages from the tripso.com domain. Comments? Please send 'em to us.

> New Leads in Mizener Case (1/7)

> Airline Stocks Fall - And So Do Fares (1/6)

> I-Air Cuts Flights to Avoid Chapter 11 (1/5)

> Rental Tracking Case Goes to Court (1/4)

> Delta Cuts Prices, Fare Rules (1/3)

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

> NEW! Sign up for Travel Notes by e-mail. Find out more.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** ProTravelGear.com
The new SearchAlert re-settable combination padlock from Outside The Box offers unique innovations in luggage security. SearchAlert may be opened with an override device controlled by Transportation Security Administration agents. No SearchAlert lock should be cut off by TSA agents. In fact, we offer a free replacement if it's ever cut off. SearchAlert features a Security Window which changes color from Green to Red when any override device is used. $9.99 each or two for $17.98 Available exclusively online. Enter coupon code: ELLIOTT for a discount. Click here to order.

>> On Elliott.org <<

** Airlines Decline
Delta Airlines slashed its fares this week. And - no more Saturday night stayovers needed. Other airlines are following, and others may never be able to compete. Christopher Elliott, Ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler, offers consumer tips on how to deal with all the news in the airline industry. > Details in Sound Money on Public Radio.

>> On Travelcomment.com <<

** Psst! 3 SkyMiles Secrets
I'm all for pinching pennies and paying the lowest airfare whenever possible. But the reality is that a few passengers account for a majority of an airline's profits. Shouldn't an airline's reward program reflect that reality? Many readers of this column apparently don't think so. Which is funny, because many of those same readers also run businesses. They wouldn't think twice at rewarding their best customers. > In Joel Widzer's column.

** Lost in Translation
Accents are wonderful; they are the variables that make the English language interesting. They are the ingredients that seem to spice up this plain, but popular, way of talking. It's when a person has a different comprehension of a common saying that things can get really interesting. > In James Wysong's column.

** 10 Saving Tips For Europe
You've probably read all the stories about how Europe is getting outrageously expensive. With the dollar taking a beating from the euro, a fast-food lunch in London costs $40, and a hotel room in Paris will set you back $500 a night. Maybe you should just stay home? Well, don't believe everything you read. The European Travel Commission reports that 12.7 million Americans visited the Old World in 2004 -- the second-most on record -- and this year could be even busier. Maybe it's because on balance, traveling to major cities in Europe costs about the same as visiting a big city in the United States. > In Charles Leocha's column.

>> On Triprights.com <<

** Refund or Credit?
When Earl Hathaway cancels the flight he bought through Expedia, he's offered a credit through the airline minus a $100 change fee. But only a few weeks before he tries to book a new trip, the online agency changes its mind and wants to give him a refund. Problem is, that could take a long time. He needs the cash now. Did Expedia drop the ball? Is it the airline's fault - or the customer's? Plus, find out how you can prevent this from happening to you. > In Fix My Trip.

>> Also Underwritten By <

** FirstClassFlyer.com
Want to 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.

>> Flashback: Air Fare Madness <<
So Delta has "discovered" that its fares needed to be simplified. Yeah, right. We've known that for a long, long time. Here's the evidence.

** One-Way Ticket Rip Off
Next month, I'm moving from California to Maryland. Since I'm not planning to return any time soon, I checked the one-way fare between Los Angeles and Baltimore. While a roundtrip, 21-day advance ticket costs $366, a one-way - and I'm not making this up - is $603. Most frequent travelers are well aware that one-ways are significantly more expensive than roundtrips, even though you're only going half as far. But many don't know why. > In The Travel Critic.

** Yield Management Strategies
What's the easiest way to start an in-flight brawl? Tape a picture of Osama Bin Laden to your seat? Drink a quart of vodka and make a pass at your seatmate? Nope. Just tell anyone how much you paid for your airline ticket. Chances are they shelled out more than you did (they'll get the first swing) or you overpaid (then you'll get it). > In The Travel Tightwad.

** More Yield Management Strategies
In last week's column, I compared the airlines' mysterious yield management systems to a game. In this installment of the Travel Tightwad, I'm going to tell you how to stack the metaphorical deck in your favor - and win. Airfare sales, which were the topic of last week's story, are a great way of getting on the right side of the yield management equation. But if you overlook the other opportunities to play the system, you'll miss out. > In The Travel Tightwad.

** Airlines Punish Back-to-Back Travelers
Daniel Bopp is grateful to the American Airlines reservationist who told him too much. When the Dallas management consultant called the carrier recently to see if he could score an upgrade using his frequent flier miles, the employee let it slip that he was in trouble. "She looked at my record and said, 'Oh, there's a note in it,'" he recalls. "She said that when I checked in, the airline would confiscate my ticket." Bopp's offense? He booked an itinerary that circumvented the airline's Saturday night stay-over clause, commonly called a "back-to-back" or "B-to-B" ticket in the trade. > In The Travel Critic.

>> Even More Underwriters <<

** Cheapflights.com
Flights price comparison site. Compare sales, specials and cheap flights to New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, London, Cancun, San Jose and over 600 more destinations. Cheapflights.com provides a quick and independent picture of the market for cheap flights from airlines (including Southwest and JetBlue), travel agents and specialist discounters. > Find cheap flights now.

** Dream of Italy
Looking for the perfect gift for the Italophile on your list? Look no further than a gift subscription to Dream of Italy, The Insider's Guide to Undiscovered Italy, recommended by National Geographic Traveler and American Way (American Airlines). Each holiday gift subscription (for that matter - each subscription - even one for yourself!) comes with a 2-DVD set of the Italian cinema classic La Dolce Vita (a $35 value). Published 10 times a year, Dream of Italy covers everything Italian (art, cooking schools, cultural events, destinations, hotels, museums, restaurants, shopping, villa rentals) for luxury travelers. All subscribers receive online access to over two years of back issues! A subscription by mail is $79 per year and a subscription via the Internet costs $69 a year. > Visit Dream of Italy online or call 877-OF-ITALY

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

* Demographics
* Elliott's E-Mail newsletter circulation - 35,374
* Travel Notes by E-Mail newsletter circulation - 5,624
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 57,360
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Not2far.com - 3,085
Travelcomment.com - 21,146
Total network visitors - 112,087

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