Conference 7.286::digital

    
    
    The hotels should ask for a badge or form of company id.  Or maybe the
    	DEC rate isn't such a hot deal anyway so they don't care.
    
    

>    The hotels should ask for a badge or form of company id.  Or maybe the
>    	DEC rate isn't such a hot deal anyway so they don't care.
    
$75 vs. $120 sounds a reasonable deal to me...    

Gavin

    
    I imagine that DEC can negotiate a special rate because of its
    historical and/or potential volume. If more (albeit bogus) people claim
    they are DECies, then the perceived volume increases, and the
    possibility of negotiating an even better rate should also increase.
    
    Under those assumptions, I say "More power to them."
    

    But if the hotels operate at the same level of expense (is it really
    cheaper to lodge a DEC employee?), then the hotel will have less
    revenue than it would otherwise have.  The hotel will be need to raise
    the DEC rate (or some other rate) in order to maintain its revenue.
    
    The hotel is, of course, at fault, for not asking to see an employee
    id.

    
    In answer to first part:- The Hotels should be asking for proof.
    
    For the latter question, I ask for DEC discount when on Vacation from
    Hotels/Car rentals.
    
    It works if there is a reasonable sized DEC Office in the vicinity,
    and does not appear to be restriced to the Multi-National Groups
    (Hertz/Avis)
    
    Having said that, it may still not be the best deal for spending your
    vacation money.
    
    	Shop Around.

    Agree that Digital should demand that these hotels request a good ID.
    Otherwise, place the hotel "off-Limits".

Re: .4
    
>    The hotel is, of course, at fault, for not asking to see an employee
>    id.

According to the manager at the Sheraton, they would rather take the lower
rate than risk losing the client by asking them to pay the rack rate as a
result of failure to provide proof of eligibility. From their point of view 
it must be a real tricky situation...

Anyways, I will have no qualms about asking for the rate myself in future,
provided I'm at Digital at the time.

Gavin

    
     Guess I don't get it. What a hotel chooses to charge a non-DEC employee
    is none of our business. How they oversee their business is none of
    our business. And I would imagine with room bookings so low, they're
    glad for any "walk-in" business as an empty room produces no revenue.
    
     If Digital feels inclined to do something, I'd rather DEC negotiate 
    lower corporate rates for hotels or go Motel-6; I have generally 
    beat the corporate rate for car rentals so some work is needed there
    (Why not say to AVIS, you give us a deal, we'll give you facilities
    next to helipad at PKO, Maynard, etc. ). 
    
    my $0.02,
    clay  

    Re: .-1
    
    But somebody falsely representing themselves as a Digit *is* our
    business!

re: .9
    
>    But somebody falsely representing themselves as a Digit *is* our
>    business!

I curious, why do you feel that way?

I believe that it is the hotel's/car rental agency's/etc responsibility
to determine if the person is really employed by DEC. If they choose
to acquiesce then that is their problem...

If someone represented himself as a DEC employee, and then trashed his room,
would the hotel try to sue Digital? 

    Maybe the "DEC" rate is also for our customers and vendors not just
    DEC employees.   I have also found in the past myself that sometimes
    the DEC rate is higher than if I book as an individual. 
    

>If someone represented himself as a DEC employee, and then trashed his room,
>would the hotel try to sue Digital? 

What difference would that make?

	JUDGE: Is XXX in fact a DEC employee?

	DEC:   No

	JUDGE: Case dismissed

re: .11

>If someone represented himself as a DEC employee, and then trashed his room,
>would the hotel try to sue Digital? 

I don't know how anybody could answer that question. Who knows what a hotel
would or would not do? I suppose they might try. The real question is:

"Is DIGITAL responsible for the actions of somebody claiming to be an employee"?
Further, "Is DIGITAL responsible when the hotel or whoever fails to verify that
the person is really an employee"?

I think that this is a question for the legal beagles, my guess is that they
are not too worried about it, for in my opinion if they were worried about
such a situation then the hotels would be requiring proof of employment as a 
term of the agreement with DIGITAL.

- George

   Re:                      <<< Note 1817.12 by MCIS2::MACKEY >>>

Your assumption is correct.  Before I worked for or had even
thought about working for Digital, I was a potential (not even
cash-carrying) customer.  Digital invited me to examine some of
its educational facilities at its expense.  I was put up at the
Marlboro Holiday Inn at Digital employee rates.  I have no
reason to believe we have changed this policy in the last 18
years.

Dick

    re: Non-employee identifies himself as employee to obtain Digital
    discount.

    Fraud is always wrong.  Period.

    Whether this satisfies the threshold for criminally actionable fraud is
    unclear.  Whether Digital is injured by this fraud is unclear.

    Whether the hotel has recourse against Digital when it didn't verify
    the identification is unclear.

    
    
    I think the question is, is this an employee discount or a corporate
    discount to be used by Digital employees and guests (customers)
    while on company business.  I know when you call AMEX they will 
    give you the Corporate discount for personel use so to me that is
    legal use.  I am against what is mentioned on the base note regarding
    people being told to say they are from DEC when they do not fit
    the criteria of being either an employee or customer.  
    

    I always leave this to the discretion of the hotel.
    
    I support the Corning account and sometimes travel to remote locations
    to visit a Corning site.  Like Digital, Corning has its own list of
    hotels which typically give them preferred rates.  Since many of their
    plants are in small towns, these motels value Corning related business.
    
    I have stayed at some of these and told them that I am here on Corning
    business, without any attempt to pass myself off as a Corning employee. 
    Often, this is all you need to do to get their rate.
    
    I see no reason why a non-Digital employee who is visiting a Digital
    site couldn't do the same thing.  In fact, I think may of the motels
    around Maynard/Marlboro already do this for non-Digital people
    attending Digital sponsored training.
    
    I understand this isn't the same thing as outright lying about being a
    Digital employee. 

    re .18
    
    Not only do hotel rates get passed on to our customers who are taking
    courses, but some airline discounts apply as well.  AMEX asked for
    EY-numbers for related courses on reservations I just made for two
    upcaming trips - and I am the instructor.  It appears that I got better
    fares as a "customer",,,,
    
    

    We've gotten significant discounts at 'Royal Plaza' type hotels
    just by asking for them, usually over the phone.  "Hey, we're
    going to be in your town for a long weekend, and would like you
    to have the chance to bid on our business!"  If they're full up,
    they won't offer a discount, if they've got empty rooms and a
    full staff, they'll bargain.   mwr
    

    We have historically suggested to our customers, CSOs, guests,
    visitors, that they stay at a hotel that has a DEC rate, if they 
    ask for a recommendation or if we are having an event or formal visit
    to our company.  We many times tell them to ask for the DEC rate,
    although some of our guests have better rates then we do at some
    hotels.  Anyway, no big issue, imho
    
    Mark
    

    I have seen signs behind hotel counters that say "If a customer asks
    about a corporate rate, give them a [forget the number]% discount."
    
    These guys value your business.  Each one has its own policy about
    whether or not they verify your affiliation, but from the above quote
    I suppose you could just make up any company name and get the discount.
    
    On the other hand, if DEC is subsidizing the hotel and the DEC rate is
    way below any other special rate, then non-DEC employees should not 
    use the rate.  If the rate were THAT good, however, I as a hotel 
    manager would at least ask for a business card or business phone
    number, or turn in the list of names to DEC when I get my subsidy
    payment.
    
    But that's for the hotel and DEC to work out.  Since I don't know the
    specifics of the agreement, I would just say whenever you travel, ask
    the hotel, rental car company, etc., if they have any specials or a
    corporate rate, AAA rate, etc.  A Florida car rental company has a 
    special rate for Massachusetts residents; Denny's has a special for
    people on their birthday - these two require proof, however.
    
    The idea of non-employee use reminds me of a previous scam.  Many trade
    shows, conferences, even road races offer discounted air fares and in the
    brochure give you an ID number to get the rate (say from anywhere to San 
    Diego on TWA in Mid-March).  Well, if you had access to every trade show
    brochure that did this, you could use these discounts even if you 
    didn't go to the trade shows.  I have heard of people doing this.  In
    all honesty, I think it is cheaper to get a 30-day advance super-saver,
    but a discount is a discount.  Is there anything illegal about this?
          
    

    Why are people so concerned about "illegality"?
    
    That's a consideration, but the primary consideration should be
    honesty.
    
    It's dishonest to claim that one is attending a conference when one is
    not.  It's dishonest to claim that one is a Digital employee when one
    is not.
    
    Whether these individual acts of dishonesty meet the threshold of a
    civil or criminal fraud is for a lawyer to decide.

    Indeed, and as far a hotel is concerned, an occupied room at whatever
    discount, is better than an empty room.
    
    q
    

So, is it, or is it not DIGITAL's business that some unethical twit(s)
are receiving hotel discounts fraudulently by claiming to be a DIGITAL
employee?

That is the question that got this string going....  (-:

- George    

    
    
    IMOHO
    
           Tell a white lie, vs. be stupid.
    
           I dont think its a BIG thing.
    
           The choice is up to you.
    
           I know what I would do to save $, if all I had to do was say
           "JOE BLOW SENT ME".
    
    Honest Dan
    

    I toured thru 7 US states last year and I never once got a "DEC rate"!
    Typically they looked at me blankly, but quite often they said they
    could offer me the "corporate rate" (not DEC specific). This included
    Hilton's, Holiday Inn's, Travellodges etc.
    
    Q. What is a DEC rate?
    
    US hotels are so cheap compared with England anyway, I wasnt too fussed
    what they charged.
    
    Richard

    Just got back from a trip to the GMA with customers.
    
    They insisted on flying on the Continental shuttle (Newark to Boston)
    so we (myself and another DECcie) flew with them instead of on US Air -
    where Digital has a 'deal' so AMEX marked our tickets - "refused better
    fare ($50 difference)".
    
    We did NOT make reservations for them at the hotel (Westboro Marriott),
    since they booked the hotel and flight thru their travel agency.  When
    we got to the hotel (together) and went to check in, they had the
    standard corporate rate of $99 and we had the DEC rate of $65.  We
    tried to get the hotel to give them the $65 rate and the hotel refused,
    saying that it was only for DEC employees with badges!
    
    Go figure!
    
    	-Barry-
    

    BTW- the "DEC rate" is usually not a national deal, but is locally
    negotiated between the hotel and the local office.  It is not even on
    VTX all the time.
    
    	-Barry_who_got_a_DEC_rate_of_$29_at_the_Hilton_Inn_CXO_last_week_
    		for_both_self_and_customer-
    

The only time having a non-Digit taking the Digital rate could hurt Digital is
when the Hotel has a limited number of rooms they will discount.  This was true
at the Irvine Marriott and the Irvine Hyatt, for example.  I found that by 
asking nicely they often would extend the offer beyond the limit, though I 
don't know if that is due to my Black card at the Marriott or not.

Normally nobody loses as Hotel's are second only to airplanes in marginal cost
avoidance due to spoilage.  (There is nothing more "spoiled" than an emptly 
airplane seat once the plane leaves the gate).

Digital customers and vendors are normally granted the Digital rat in most of our
negotiated hotel deals.  You may have to have AMEX call it in.  The other 
solution is to simply inquire the next morning when the day manager is in.

    >>                  <<< Note 1817.30 by ESGWST::HALEY >>>
                         -< Limited numbers can hurt >-

Digital customers and vendors are normally granted the Digital rat in most of our
                                                               ^^^
    
    What? we give them a RAT! Why can't we give customers golf umbrellas
    and things like IBM does?
    
    8-)                        
    

This is pretty much a non-issue.  Usually when corpate rates are are
negociated on the basis of volume.  Digital guarantees N nights
occupancy and the hotel gives a reduced rate based upon volume.

If an Analog (non-digit) goes to a hotel because they have a Digital
rate then:

1) Digital benefits because it counts towards the number of nights we
said we'd be using.
2) The Hotel benefits because they get a customer they would not
normally get (such is the case with customer's and Digital related busines).

NOW, if this gets out of hand (People are publishing lists of hotels
with Digital rates) then the hotels would be stupid not to crack down.
...but this is not Digital's problem.  

What't the corporate rate anyway?  On my last vacation I got the
"corporate" rate without asking for it at every hotel I visited.  The
desk clerks were nice enough to give the lowest rate possible. In fact
at the Boca Raton Hilton I even got the Digital rate without asking for
it because I had stayed there so much they knew who I was.  (In theory
you should only get the Digital rate on Digital business.)

John

        Re: .32
        
> (In theory you should only get the Digital rate on Digital business.)
        
        That isn't correct.  Go into VTX TRAVEL, select 1 (Hotel
        Information) then 4 (Hotel policies).  The text reads:
        
>                             Hotel Policy (USA)    
>                        
> o    Digital has negotiated PREFERRED RATES with many chains/hotels near
>      DEC sites, airports, and major cities.
>
> o    Travelers should request these preferred rates when travelling for
>      business.  These rates may also be used for personal travel.
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
        
        					B.J.

    	I still don't understand the "ethics", integrity, honesty, 
    	fraud?, whatever involved in stepping up to a counter and
    	asking if they offer a DEC rate.
    
    	I am not saying I am a DEC employee.  I am not saying I am a
    	DEC customer.  I am simply asking to benefit from the rate
    	that DEC (or IBM, or EXXON, or whatever) has negotiated with
    	that establishment.  A simple question by the desk clerk such
    	as "Are you with DEC?" would determine my status with that
    	company.  
    
    	Actually, most hotels have a "corporate" rate, and when you
    	ask for the DEC rate you get the corporate rate.  So it really
    	doesn't matter what company you ask for, you'll get the same rate.
    
    	But again, simply asking if you can get the DEC rate in and of
    	itself is in no way fraudulent.
    
    	"But you are IMPLYING that you are with DEC."  I can hear you all
    	winding up to throw that statement at me.
    
    	Wait until I try to IMPLY something from your next notes entry
    	and you'll be screaming, "I never said that!  You are adding
    	words to what I wrote!  All I said was xyz...  You're the one
    	interpreting it that way!"  You see/hear it every day.
    
    	Joe Oppelt

    As was said earlier, almost all hotels would prefer to have a guest
    staying in a room paying x% less than another guest, rather than have
    that room empty and receiving exactly ZERO for its use.  Sometimes if
    you call the hotel, and when quoted the corporate/DEC/Amex rate, you
    can say "gee, that's too high but I'd really like to stay there instead
    of your competitor down the street", it's surprising how often they
    will suddenly come up with a much lower rate; ie, "the IBM rate is
    this, you've *touched* an IBM computer before, haven't you", or "the
    government rate is this, you pay taxes, don't you".  Taking the first
    rate quoted is similiar to paying sticker price for a car in a
    showroom; if you don't have time to dicker, then the hotel deserves
    every penny you're willing to pay.
    
    Now if the hotel is at or near capacity, then they get a bit stickier
    about the dicker process, but again, it's the *hotel's* problem, if it
    is really a problem at all.  I know some Digital people that travel
    frequently will (if they are familiar with the hotel and its rates)
    will ask for the IBM rate when they check in, which is about $25 less
    per night than the Digital rate.  It's clearly up to the hotel to ask
    for ID, but they rarely do.
    
    fwiw
    Jon

    re: .-2
    
    You ask "Is this fraud"?
    
    Richard Helms said it best when he said "I didn't lie or mislead
    Congress.  They just didn't ask the right questions."
    
    For the literal minded: "Call me a cab."  "OK, you're a cab."

    There is an interesting ethics book by Sisillia(sp?) Bok called
    "Lying".  In it she says that any action or statement which is designed
    to lead another to a false conclusion is lying.

    Under this definition, asking, "Do you offer a DEC rate?" might be
    lying or not.  If the question was simply to find out for the sake of
    the information, then there is clearly no problem.  But if the question
    is designed to lead a hotel clerk to assume the asker is entitled to a
    DEC rate and therefore to offer one, and if the asker does not deserve
    a DEC rate, then the asker has lied.  If the asker does deserve a DEC
    rate, then, again, there is no problem.

    Since all of us in this notes conference do deserve DEC rates, there is
    no problem for anybody reading this.

    re: .26
    
    ah yes let's see...
    
    	1) tell a white lie instead of being stupid...
    
    	you mean white lies like:
    
    		watergate/bay of pigs/vietnam/ etc..
    
    	what ever happen to being responsible, telling the truth,
    and doing what is right?? Maybe only in a civilization light years
    ago...or something...oh well everyone else does it I might as well...
    
    

    .0 says that he is a contractor to Digital (not a Digital employee),
    and ELF has no Gavin Wynford.
    
    What is a non-Digital employee doing in this notes file?  Didn't we
    just learn a painful lesson with the leaked memo to the Washington
    Post?
    
    steve

.39>    .0 says that he is a contractor to Digital (not a Digital employee),
>    and ELF has no Gavin Wynford.
    
>    What is a non-Digital employee doing in this notes file?  Didn't we
>    just learn a painful lesson with the leaked memo to the Washington
>    Post?
    
    There are a lot of contract people on this network. Many of them need
    access to it to do the job for which the company pays them.
    
    Is there any evidence that it was a contract person who leaked to the
    Washington Post?
    
    	Andrew.

    Contractors sign a contract as you did when you joined the company.
    There is no reason why they should not have access to the Network, if
    they signed the usual sort of non-disclosure agreements.
    

>>    Contractors sign a contract as you did when you joined the company.
>>    There is no reason why they should not have access to the Network, if
>>    they signed the usual sort of non-disclosure agreements.
    
    Contractors in fact, sign a more stict non-disclosure form than regular
    DEC employees do. At least they used to.
    
    And depending on the sensitivety of certain projects (such as ALPHA),
    contractors were 'gagged' from even saying what they do for Digital.
    
    
    
    Scott

    Ditto .43, ELF is far from conclusive.  At the risk of getting into an
    ELF rathole, I was recently trying to find someone who I knew full well
    worked for DEC, a "Tom <lastname>".  I even know what office he works
    in, but nothing in ELF.  Finally found out that his "official" name is
    "C. Tom <lastname>".  Without the first "C" and even spelling his name
    correctly and using "/LOC=xxx" gave ELF no clues.
    
    Now back to the regularly scheduled rathole.
    Jon

>    .0 says that he is a contractor to Digital (not a Digital employee),
>    and ELF has no Gavin Wynford.

Since my name is Gavin Wynford-Jones, ELF might have difficulty finding
me even if I were an employee... Are you taking issue with the fact that I
was being honest and up-front about my status?
    
>    What is a non-Digital employee doing in this notes file?  

We're allowed. I have a strong interest in this company and its future. It
has provided me directly and indirectly with my income for nearly fifteen 
years.

You might want to ask yourself, "Why is a contractor bringing the abuses of the
current system by outsiders to the attention of this conference and, hopefully,
thereby helping to protect Digital?" 

What would you have me do next time?

Gavin
PS I have mailed you directly about this in more detail.

    It's a game!
    
    Airlines, car dealers, hotels, and a host of others are out there
    trying to get you to pay as much for a given product of service as
    possible.  For example, if you call United and say "I'd like to fly to
    Florida and I'd like the cheapest rate" the agent will probably respond
    with "...and when would you like to fly?"  You would like to fly down
    on Monday and back on Friday, so you state same.  You will be quoted
    $500, when in fact if you stayed until Sunday you could fly for $300. 
    Did they give you the lowest fare?  Hmmmmm...
    
    Part of the question seems to be..just how far are each of us willing
    to go as we play "the game".  If you tell the Leachmere clerk that you
    know you can do better at Fretter, are you playing the game smartly or
    are you lying? (Assume you have not yet verified that you can indeed to
    better at Fretter.)  Hmmmmm....   If you tell the car dealer you can
    only afford $100/month when you can really afford more, are you lying
    or just trying to strike the best possible deal?  You know he's not
    going to lead with the lowest possible price.
    
    
    If the DEC rate was really special, and in many cases it's far from it,
    the hotel would verify your entitlement.  BTW, Digital only gets
    credit for the stay if you charge it on your corporate card.  At least
    that's what I was told when I called Travel.  If DEC or someone else
    were harmed (deprived of something to thich they are entitled), then
    claiming to be a DEC employee is wrong.  The same applys to
    parking in a handicapped spot, or in a fire lane.  In the latter two
    cases, we've agreed on "the rules" and that violation of same is wrong. 
    But in business, the rules seem to be much less clear.  Should we
    really have to ask..."is this product really what you say".  I wish we
    didn't, but them seem to be.. "the rules".
    

    
    Sometimes it is better not to use DECs name:
    
    marriott in Vienna Virgina,     DEC's coporate rate is 108.00 a night
    				        my rate             70.00 a night.
    
    I just spent 15 days there.
    
                 whats wrong with this picture>?

    IT'S A "SPECIAL CORP. DISCOUNT"...Heeeeeeeeeee.. Haaaaaaaaa!!
    
    Whatsa matta for you...????
    

    re: .47
    
    There's nothing wrong with the picture, they are probably using a
    DEC pricing formula.  We offer less for more. ;^)
    
    Dave

>>>    There's nothing wrong with the picture, they are probably using a
>>>    DEC pricing formula.  We offer less for more. ;^)

Don't forget all the Digital added value! Don't you sleep better knowing you
paid more for a "Digital" room?

Vicki Meagher

    Reminds me of the "discounts" Digital gets for plane fares through
    American Express ...  <sigh>
    
    Steve

    I get a better price on a full-size (read "real") Ford from Budget than
    Digital gets with it's "negotiated" corporate deal with Avis for a
    rinky-dink foreign toy - yet management seems to think I should follow
    the party line.  
    
    My wish is:  When it's salary review time, can Digital be represented
    by the same people that represent it in these outside things. 
    Quadrulple salaries, here we come...
    
    

      	Hmmm...I wondered where you got you "DEC Rate" hotel price from, 
    so I took a look at $VTX TRAVEL.

	And, if that infobase is up-to-date, it appears that DEC does NOT
 have a special rate at that hotel.  Might what you be quoting as "the DEC 
 rate" actually simply be their standard corporate rate?  What kind of rate 
 is "my rate" ???  Do I say, "I want the 'my rate' price?"

 I note from VTX TRAVEL that DEC does NOT have special chain-wide discounts:
 "Negotioations are conducted with hotels on a property by property basis."

	MANY hotel rates may udercut standard "corporate" rates: summer rates,
 long-stay rates, advance-booking rates, and other such promotional rates.	
 And the best of these rates, often limited to "quiet" periods of the year, 
 may well even uncut a special negotiated rate.  I would expect a rate
 for stay of 15 days should generally undercut a DEC negotiated rate;
 even special negotiated DEC rates assume a short-stay, mid-week residence.

	To get the best rates, you (or the travel agency) should ask for
 "the DEC rate OR OTHER CHEAPEST AVAILABLE RATE, whichever is less expensive".

 Dennis

    
    The DEC rate came from the FRONT DESK at the Marriot specifically ask 
    for DIGITAL by name.  You make it sound as though I was not telling the
    truth. Besides I saved money on my flight back by not using American
    distress travel services also. 

    If American Express, or other travel service provider, is not offering
    you the least expensive service available, you should document this
    and advise Corporate Travel.  There might be a contract violation,
    or simply a missunderstanding or error.  If Corporate Travel is not
    advised, how can they bring the provider into compliance?
    
    Note what was offered as "best available" by the service and what you
    found that they overlooked (assuming the same paramaters that you
    gave the service to work within, regarding acceptability of cancellation
    penalities, flexibility regarding travel times, etc.)

    Heck, I ranted and raved about American Express years ago through my
    managment.  It was "checked into".  The response back (this was in
    1988) was that we had some sort of agreement with them and had to use
    them even though they were (proven) more expensive.  There was some
    smoke and mirrors about some sort of rebate, but no figures on the
    rebate.  I was also NOT permitted to book this through my travel agent
    (for about half the cost).  This was so that I could present a paper.
    Back in the good old days when travel for such things were funded ...
    I don't know who my management contacted about all this.
    
    Steve

    re: .56  American Excess
    
    I also raised the flag about AMEX charging more, and got the same
    kickback, er, "rebate" story.  I think the upshot of it is that
    your Cost Center has to pay more for your travel, but the kickback,
    er, "rebate" goes back to Corporate Travel.  It sounded to me (dumb
    ignorant bystander) that Corporate had figured a new way to get
    money out of our own Cost Center budgets.  Of course, AMEX doesn't
    refund nearly as much as they keep, either.
    
    I'm certainly not saying that AMEX is doing anything underhanded or
    illegal;  Discover has had a similar "rebate" system for private use
    for years.  I do question whether this system really saves Digital
    (the company) any money overall.
    
    Anyway, the question for me is moot;  My management has killed travel
    requests just about across the board.  If it isn't local, I don't even
    ask about it anymore :'(
    
    Geoff
    

        The last time I used American Express I had trouble getting the
        best rates (even when I told AmEx the flights I wanted, AmEx
        only suggested other, more expensive flights).  I found a
        solution to this problem:  I called the airline and made a
        reservation but didn't book it.  I then told AmEx to book the
        tickets I had reserved.  I used AmEx and got the best price.

        After that, I notified Corporate Travel of the problem with
        AmEx.  Corporate Travel certainly seemed concerned about the
        problem--they called me twice to discuss it.

        					B.J.

RE:                     <<< Note 1817.59 by RTL::LINDQUIST >>>

I though it was on Fairway Drive?

    Re: American Express costing more.
    
    I am surprised.  All the flights that I have done they have been very
    helpful always recommending the lowest fare first.  I even call the
    airlines directly periodically to verify lowest rates.  Hotels seem to
    be another matter...
    
    Linda B