Travel plans made easy on the web
Flight plan A travel agent is almost obsolete today, unless of course, you like loading up on all the glossy brochures. Now, with half the inconvenience, travelers can plan their own trip from beginning to end, from the comfort of their own homes. Sites such as www.previewtravel.com, www.travelchannel.com, and www.travelocity.com offer features of interest to travelers, no matter where they are headed. The fare-finder option gives airline prices, allowing travelers to not only locate the cheapest tickets but even to choose their seats and meal preferences. And to make planning your connections and accomodations even simpler, reservations for trains, cars and hotels can all be made online. For the busy customer, many of the Internet sites will alert passengers to flight changes via e-mail or pagers. There is no excuse to arrive at any destination with a suitcase full of inappropriate clothing, since most travel sites offer weather forecasts and radar maps for major cities all around the world. Another interesting site, www.thetrip.com does not offer all of the benefits as the other sites, but it does allow family and friends to get a virtual view of a plane’s in-flight progress with the “FlightTracker” option. Plus, with the trip a traveler can notify up to three people, via e-mail, when he or she has arrived at a given destination. Also useful to those waiting for loved ones is the online departure-and-arrival-time feature available with most travel sites. Flight facts on the Net – now the only reason to leave your house is to board the plane.