tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post4035725621045947166..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: Instant InternetAviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-62250878288058844992008-06-30T14:11:00.000+00:002008-06-30T14:11:00.000+00:00Seconding what MajRoj says. it's very true that i...Seconding what MajRoj says. it's very true that it's not who you are but who you know. Throw in a few letters and you'll almost always save a good chunk of change. I think that the internet is awesome but for this type of real time communication, the phone is king. Keep a list of the 1-800's for each hotel chain's booking department and you don't even need to look for free wifi. ;)<BR/>This works especially well after DHS steals your laptopAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-11424262578684484462008-06-30T03:43:00.000+00:002008-06-30T03:43:00.000+00:00Yeah, call the hotel. While you have the person on...Yeah, call the hotel. While you have the person on the phone, toss down the "Oh, yeah, I just remembered! Do you have discounts for professional aviators", or "AAA members", "seniors", "retired military" etc etc. Pick some personally credible ones. Law enforcement and military seem to work well, and even though I DO qualify, they hardly ever actually check my credentials! Might cough up a reservation for you if another one is "iffy" and they need to get that room "for-sured".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-4994665311884768012008-06-29T22:02:00.000+00:002008-06-29T22:02:00.000+00:00I've had to integrate software with a couple of ho...I've had to integrate software with a couple of hotel reservation systems. Quite a few major chains are setup with the online processing handled at corporate HQ, while the individual hotels have their OWN systems and databases. The hotel systems exchange information with the corporate system only a few times a day. So if it's too close to the time you would be expected to check in, the online system will (wisely) deny you, because the hotel may not get the update in time, or because the hotel might have already independently sold the room.<BR/><BR/>It's all a bit primative for this day and age. However, franchise owners don't want to get rid of their local system and work directly off corporate because if the network lines go down, they won't be able to run their hotel. Certainly the existing systems could be updated to communicate with each other "live", but nobody wants to pay for that major overhaul for a relatively minor benefit. The newest systems don't have this limitation, of course.<BR/><BR/>Just remember, with most hotels, what you see online doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Your reservation needs to be in the hotel's OWN computer for your check-in to go smoothly. After I make a hotel reservation online, I call the hotel directly the next day and confirm they have my booking. Often they don't! (Of course, I rarely travel same-day.)<BR/><BR/>While you have them on the phone, ask if you have the lowest rate. VERY often they'll cut your rate on the spot. The online systems often aren't aware of each hotel's local rate policies or don't have the knowledge or authority to offer a rate as low as the hotel can offer itself.dpiercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03397601206317363858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-77003061189120500132008-06-29T15:29:00.000+00:002008-06-29T15:29:00.000+00:00Such an "Instant On" lifestyle must not leave room...Such an "Instant On" lifestyle must not leave room for much of a social-life. :(<BR/><BR/>|S|Stelvenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00177675212098310200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-64080050251618041202008-06-29T14:46:00.000+00:002008-06-29T14:46:00.000+00:00...[because we have moronic software]...Wouldn't t...<I>...[because we have moronic software]...</I><BR/><BR/>Wouldn't that be great! Alas it would require a degree of honesty and a sense of humor that aren't often cultivated in large IT departments.nec Timidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03017143602023726206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-37222484200006881972008-06-29T13:23:00.000+00:002008-06-29T13:23:00.000+00:00I hate last minute stuff while traveling. The only...I hate last minute stuff while traveling. The only thing worse is when you have to make a snap decison, but someone else feels it's time for some consensus building while the opportunity slips away.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com