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COOL TRAVEL MAIL'S
TRAVEL TIPS
Tips & Adice for the Seasoned and Armchair Traveler Alike!
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http://www.CoolTravelMail.com
July 24, 2007
I don't know many people who actually go out on New Years
Eve any more. Not even those folks who usually enjoy
alcohol-fueled nights on the town.
Several of them sniff at the television footage of bleary
eyed, whooping crowds at midnight and derisively refer to
the holiday as "amateur night".
Frequent fliers who this summer have found themselves in
packed airport lobbies with bewildered families and retirees
more accustomed to RVs and mini-vans than airline counters
probably understand the sentiment.
This week's edition includes:
* AIRLINES, AMATEURS AND ADVICE
* AIRPORT SURVIVAL TIPS
* WHAT A BOY SCOUT WOULD DO
P.S. If you're interested you can now post comments on this
and recent issues on our forum at... Travel Tips Forum
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AIRLINES, AMATEURS AND ADVICE
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Yes, it's been a miserable summer to fly - for all the
reasons we’ve talked about ad-nauseam in the newsletter. But
travelers who take to the air regularly have learned to
adapt pretty quickly to overbooked airplanes, canceled and
delayed flights, evolving strategies for finding low-priced
tickets, changing security regulations (By the way, you can
bring cigarette lighters now) and the disappearance of that
"the customer is always right" maxim.
Infrequent fliers, who tend to fill airports more than usual
during the summer en route to weddings and long-planned
family reunions or vacations, are much more likely to be
caught off guard.
Earlier this year, U.S. News and World Report, anticipating
a rough summer for once-in-a-while fliers, published a list
of survival hints from readers who fly a lot. Based on many
of those responses and my own airport battles, I'm offering
a similar mid-summer flying guide to you.
* Fly off-peak.
Lines are shorter, and if something goes wrong you'll be
competing with fewer passengers for the attention of agents.
But when is peak? Generally, most leisure travelers are
taking off or landing on weekends. Business travelers tend
to hit the road on Mondays and travel back Thursday or
Friday. That leaves the middle of the week as your best
target.
* Look, but don't book.
Use the big three fare-finder sites - Orbitz, Travelocity,
and Expedia - to search for the best flights and fares. But
once you've used them to find the best price, keep
searching.
At a minimum, go directly to the airlines website and book
you're ticket through them, assuming you can get the same
attractive ticket price. Frontier, for example, guarantees
their Website will always have the lowest prices.
If you go direct, it's easier to rebook if you need to
change your plans, and there's a better chance the airline
will waive any fees. And remember, third-party sites
typically add a $5 to $10 service fee.
One of my favorite sites, sidestep.com, searches and
compares all airline and discount websites, but then you
book directly with the airline.
Some airlines, most notably low-price Southwest, don't list
their fares on third-party sites, so you should always check
with them directly when looking for a ticket.
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AIRPORT SURVIVAL TIPS
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* Check out your seat
The airline's seating charts can leave out some important
details, such as seats that don't recline or have the window
removed.
When planning your flight, make use of seatguru.com. It
lists everything you need know to pick the best seat on a
particular aircraft. Details include pitch, width, legroom,
and the availability and placement of video monitors.
* Overcome your fear of robots
I'm one of those folks who tended to avoid the automated
self-checkout line at the grocery store or Home Depot. Once
I got used to it, however, I can see how it's often a lot
easier.
The same goes for the electronic kiosks set up in airports.
They can help you check in quickly and also hunt for a
better seat if you're on the second leg of a connecting
flight.
One frequent flier recommends using the kiosks to update
your seat assignment up to one hour prior to departure.
Last-minute seats become available that weren't there when
you checked in at your original city.
* Extend yourself
Prepare for a flight delay. Years ago, that meant stuffing a
paperback book in my back pocket. Now it means plugging in
my laptop to get a little work done.
But power outlets, however, can be scarce and inconvenient.
Carry a 12-foot extension cord in your computer case with a
three-prong adapter. I know one writer who tucks a surge
protector into his laptop case so he can piggyback off that
single power outlet that some kid has taken to send instant
messages to his girlfriend about how boring it is.
* Break the etiquette rules
Yeah, I remember all that politeness stuff I said last week,
and I still stand by it. But sometimes, you've got to fight
a little dirty in the name of a larger cause. Namely, your
sanity.
I'm talking, of course, about the guy who reclines his seat
into your lap. Without using one of those increasingly
popular blocker thingees to stop him from squishing you,
there are more subtle ways to discourage him. Consider this
tip a frequent flier sent to U.S. News:
"This may be not so nice, but my biggest complaint is the
individual who throws his or her seat back into my lap so
that I cannot even move. I discovered that by turning the
overhead air nozzle as far forward as you can, it blows air
on the person's head. Most people give me a look but move
their seats forward.
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WHAT A BOY SCOUT WOULD DO
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* Be polite, but persistent
If you're trying to get rebooked or you're asking the
airline for a favor, make a firm, reasonable case and ask to
talk with a supervisor or customer-relations official if
necessary.
When 'negotiating' with them, don't lose your temper. Try to
argue your case based on logic. Even if they have a policy
that doesn't allow for something, supervisors can often
waive the policy if the argument is rational.
* Be a Boy Scout
No, it's not another item about politeness. It's about the
Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.
Whether checking bags for a weeklong vacation or making a
day trip with nothing more than a briefcase, it's a good
idea to carry on a toothbrush, a change of clothes,
prescription medicines, your hair product and any other
essentials in case you get stuck overnight.
By the way, if it looks like you won't be flying out till
the next morning, don't wait for the airline to arrange a
hotel – they rarely do that anymore. Instead, use your cell
phone to book a nearby hotel room before all the other
stranded travelers beat you to it.
Look around you, they'll all be doing it. Nobody fires a
starting gun, but it's a race all the same.
* Take the obvious option
It's what I've actually been recommending to travelers since
late May: If you can help it, don't fly.
Well, that's it for this week, group. Thanks again for
reading, and please keep those comments, complaints and
questions coming in.
You can send me an e-mail message at: Email Pierce
Until next week, thanks for reading.
Your Tipmeister,
Pierce
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