Conference 7.286::digital

Implications...

Do this mean that my Business VISA card (which replaced the AMEX card
last year) will be re-replaced by an AMEX card?

Phil

>                     <<< Note 3376.1 by DASPHB::PBAXTER >>>
>                              -< Credit Cards ? >-
>
>Implications...
>
>Do this mean that my Business VISA card (which replaced the AMEX card
>last year) will be re-replaced by an AMEX card?
>
>Phil

AMEX just announced a new card, you do not have to payoff the balance each 
month.

So why not AMEX?

Lee

    RE: the new Amex card. They already had a card with the deferred
    payment option call Optima.  The new card has an extended grace period
    when carrying a balance, which should save you money.

If you stick around here long enough things start repeating themselves.
Up next: Diner's Club, Traveletter, raises and promotions, and massive 
hirings.

Paul

	re: .2

	actually, AMEX has had a revolving credit card (Optima) for some
	time...what differentiates its new card (some Optima variant that
	I don't recall the name of at the moment) is that you don't pay
	interest on new purchases for 30 days even if you already have
	>30 day balance...get it?

	anyway, this does not relate to the root topic...it will indeed
	be interesting to see what becomes of our much ballyhooed and
	maligned switch from AMEX->Thomas Cook...does anyone know offhand
	whether the purchase essentially merges TC into AMEX or whether
	AMEX is keeping TC (and its name etc) on as a "subsidiary"?

	_kelley

    USA TODAY says the deal will be officially announced soon and that 
    the Paresky's (TC's owners) will remain as consultants for 2 yrs. They 
    are calling it a merger and its unclear at this time whether the deal
    includes only the US franchise or if the Thomas Cook Group (owned by
    the German bank Westdeutsche) is involved also.
    
    BGN
    

    You're all missing the irony of this.  We swtiched from AMEX to Thomas
    Cook because Cook supposedly offered us a better deal.  Now, we're back
    with AMEX whether we want to be or not.

    
re: .4
    
|If you stick around here long enough things start repeating themselves.
|Up next: Diner's Club, Traveletter, raises and promotions, and massive 
|hirings.
    
    Air travel card, longer vacations, United Way, post-it notes, bottled
    water, ... the list goes on ...

    AND SALARY INCREASES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    

    re .7
    
    Why do you think I started this note in the first place!
    
    

    There was other, not-too-public, "bad blood" between DEC and AMEX, and it
    was not only because Thomas Cook gave the better deal.  I believe it
    stemmed from a massive H/W, S/W, services deal that AMEX backed out of after
    apparently (then) DEC thought the multi-million $$ deal was in the bag.
    
    I guess we wanted to "show them" by taking AMEX' 4% (or whatever)
    commission out of our $27+ million travel budget and cancelled the use of
    AMEX in lieu of VISA.
    
    I know the above first paragraph to be fact (albeit I don't have all
    the _facts_) as I spoke at-length with an AMEX exec on a flight from
    Phoenix to New York two months ago.  As far as digital "penalizing"
    something as big as AMEX, I'm sure they're still laughing all the way to
    the bank, or at least still laughing.  Now who will have the last
    laugh...Film at 11

Anyone experience the "Thomas Cook Express"?  You call their system
and enter:

departure city:
arrival city:
departure hour and Am or Pm:
one-way or round trip:
do you wish to receive a FAX:

The information is a matrix of supposedily ALL the carrier offering
flights.  I mentioned supposedily because I used it to very my travel
accomodations and the flight that I'm booked on isn't listed as an
option.  My flight also provided me with the least layover time.
I checked on CompuServe and their 3 travel programs listed this flight.

Another matrix is the fares and in BOLD is the lost cost fares.

The nice thing is IF TC was pushing a US AIR flight as the lowest cost
you can immediately see if someone else you prefer is also at the same
cost or how much the difference is.

Not bad.  The only thing I don't like is that everyone is FAX happy.
why can't I receive this information via email in TEXT format so that
I can easily edit and share this with others that I am travelling with.

	Regards,

 kam

��The information is a matrix of supposedily ALL the carrier offering
��flights.  I mentioned supposedily because I used it to very my travel
��accomodations and the flight that I'm booked on isn't listed as an
��option.  My flight also provided me with the least layover time.
��I checked on CompuServe and their 3 travel programs listed this flight.
    I'm experimented with it.  Pretty good.  It did some wierd
    things, though.

    It did find a lower fare than the online-OAG -- which is
    wierd, as the data is coming from OAG.

    It also used a non-published routing with a double
    connection.  The low-cost choice (with the double connection)
    was 11 hours of elapsed time vs. 6 for a slightly higher
    fare.  

��Not bad.  The only thing I don't like is that everyone is FAX happy.
��why can't I receive this information via email in TEXT format so that
��I can easily edit and share this with others that I am travelling with.
    The fax is coming from OAG (at least according to the
    answer-back on the fax machine) when it's receiving the
    fax.  As oag is on the internet (oag.com) they could
    certainly send you mail.  I think the fax is probably
    more universal -- most of their customers can receive
    faxes, fewer can receive email.

    This system does point out what a poor data entry device
    the telephone is.   With the online OAG, it dials an 800
    number, logs on automatically, and prompts;
    I type something like:
    	/f bos;lax;99;5

    With the phone system, it's five minutes of button pushing.

    Some airlines also have fare information available from
    touchtone phone as well.   I've used american's system.
    It's ok, but uses '*' to terminate commands.  A bit different
    from most systems that use '#'.

    My contact at Thos Cook sez that the information provided to Thos Cook
    Express (and Easy Saabre, for that matter) may take up to three days to
    be "loaded" - and the information provided by them may be
    less-than-totally up-to-date.
    
    FWIW,
    bill

    From what I can see TC only access one of the major scheduling systems.
    It did not, for exmplae, list TWA as an option for flights at all from
    one of my inquiries. I eventaully flew TWA anyway. I think TWA is on a
    different scheduling system than the others.
    

    Different travel agents subscribe to different airline reservation
    systems.  In fact different parts of the same travel agents subscribe
    to different airline reservation systems.
    
    The better reservation systems will show not only _all_ direct flights
    from A to B, but will also show routes with one change point.  For
    routes more complex that that you're using the knowledge of the person
    in the agent office.  Their knowledge can range from zero to
    mind-blowing, so it's a matter of luck.

    Well at least SABRE and Worldspan list all flights, direct, one-change,
    and even multi-change. However, a real time resevation is not available
    for all airlines.

From:	NAME: Sharlet Trilling              
	FUNC: Travel Department               
	TEL: 508-493-7987                     <TRILLING.SHARLET AT A1 at POWDML at PKO>
To:     See Below
CC:     See Below



In support of Discretionary Spending reductions the Thomas Cook Express 
Pilot will be discontinued immediately.

Corporate Travel will continue to pursue technology advancements 
for cost and service improvements as it relates to the provision 
of travel services.

Thank you for your interest and support of the Thomas Cook Express
Program (we will maintain your name for mailings on future 
technology programs).

Sincerely,
Sharlet Trilling
Travel Operations Manager,
Corporate Travel








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