Review of Involuntary Reroute

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 06 Oct 2024, 23:23

Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis wrote: ↑06 Oct 2024, 09:56 Another good review! I like your style of writing. It's very simple and easy without any long complicated words and complex sentences that some use in trying to impress you. This is another book that really sounds interesting. I will put it on my list of "Books to Read" list.

Thank you Shirley Ann for your kind words, I hope you enjoy this book.

Post by **Julie Marie Basil** » 19 Oct 2024, 21:26

As someone who enjoys traveling, this sounds like an interesting read that gives insight into what the travel world was like before the widespread use of the internet. Another well-written and engaging review, Stephen!

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 20 Oct 2024, 01:19

Julie Basil wrote: ↑19 Oct 2024, 21:26 As someone who enjoys traveling, this sounds like an interesting read that gives insight into what the travel world was like before the widespread use of the internet. Another well-written and engaging review, Stephen!

Thanks Julie, as a traveler I think you'd enjoy this one, if you've ever used a travel agent to book your travel you'll understand their methods a bit better too

Kshitija Sonawane · Post by **Kshitija Sonawane** » 30 Oct 2024, 01:41

I see this book as someone who first the version of what started on youtube, reading airlines policies and asking for compensation for late flights or lost luggage or things like that. However, I don't believe I will like this book because it sounds like non fiction.

Stephen Christopher 1 wrote: ↑26 Dec 2023, 02:09 [Following is a volunteer review of "Involuntary Reroute" by Robert Laney.]

5 out of 5 stars
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An involuntary reroute is when an airline changes a passenger’s flight after issuing the ticket. This change usually creates complications for the traveler, like arriving much later than planned or to a different location.

In Robert Laney’s book Involuntary Reroute, he takes us on his own tumultuous journey navigating the waters as a travel agent. Along the way, he learned how to take advantage of loopholes in the airline rules to help his colleagues travel in first class for less than economy passengers were paying.

Due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that he signed years ago, he has been unable to tell the story until now.

Involuntary Reroute takes the reader back to the glory days of the travel industry (the 1980s and 1990s), before the internet and before September 11, 2000 changed travel for everyone.

Back then — it’s rarely used today — there was a travel agent code called AD75. This harmless-looking code means deducting 75% off the price and paying the balance.

This offer was introduced to encourage travel agents to experience the airline product at a discounted rate so they could feel more confident selling it. The use of the code was rarely policed by the airlines back then, and Laney found a way to offer it to his colleagues by making them ‘owners’ (on paper).

How long did they get away with it? Did they ever get caught? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

The book is a memoir of how a 19-year-old and his mother opened one travel agent after another to keep ahead of policy changes and bad business partners. The ups and downs of the industry would make any reader wonder why they bothered.

As a former travel agent, I loved this book. I was taken back to my own agency days with the mention of jargon like MCO and ADM. Don’t worry; he explains what they mean for those not in the industry.

The book kept me hooked, and I binge-read it in one day. At 144 pages, that wasn’t a mammoth task anyway.

The only downside of the book for me was the repetition of the AD75 program. As it’s explained in detail at the start, I didn’t feel it was necessary to keep referring to what it means or stands for. I also noticed the repetition of ‘unsold seats are worth zero’ a few times.

The book could do with one more round of editing; I picked up four errors in total. But they didn’t take away my enjoyment from the book, nor did the slight repetition, so this one scores a 5 out of 5 stars for me.

While current and former travel agents will get the biggest takeaway from the book, anyone interested in how airlines and agencies operate will enjoy this, too.

******
Involuntary Reroute
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 31 Oct 2024, 00:29

Kshitija Sonawane wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 01:41 I see this book as someone who first the version of what started on youtube, reading airlines policies and asking for compensation for late flights or lost luggage or things like that. However, I don't believe I will like this book because it sounds like non fiction.

This book has a target audience,I feel that former travel agents like myself will appreciate it the most.