Finding more room on an airplane

Having just flown myself and talking to people who are traveling, I know how crowded the flights are this summer. It is also discussed a lot in the industry and newsmedia. In addition to long delays and lost baggage, travelers are being packed in like sardines. All of my flights in the last six months have had every seat occupied. What to do? There are some strategies air customers can use to make themselves more comfortable. Use a less-traveled route or less common air carrier. This article explains these approaches.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/travel/15prac.html?n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fA%2fAirlines%20and%20Airplanes

Airline Fees and Cancun

Yesterday I overheard one of our agents who was scheduling travel for a customer on the phone mention that there was a $10 extra charge to reserve a seat assignment. That surprised me and I went online to find out more. That led me to an article in CNN Money.com. It discusses all the new fees that are being added by the airlines. It is pretty interesting reading. The address is http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/30/pf/airline_fees.moneymag/index.htm?cnn=yes

From there, I followed the link to the "7 Amazing Travel Secrets" at the bottom. More valuable information for travelers. Check it out.

Today I am busily preparing materials for our outside agent’s retreat in Cancun on Wednesday.

One of the important parts of our business is the support we offer independent contractor travel agents. These home-based agents pay a fee and benefit from our relationship with suppliers and ticket software suppliers. We also do much of their accounting and help them resolve customer service issues. This trip is an appreciation gift to them, but also an opportunity for them to see properties in Cancun and learn more about vendors and efficient business processes. I am looking forward to seeing what Cancun has to offer for the first time and to getting to know many of our outside agents.

I will share what I learn on the blog.