Review of Involuntary Reroute

[Joanne Humphrey]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Involuntary Reroute" by Robert Laney.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Robert Laney’s business memoir, Involuntary Reroute!!! (The Initial Reroute Book 1), exposes the manipulation and deception of the airline industry, specifically AD75. In the early nineties, 19-year-old entrepreneur Robert Laney set up a travel agency, TESS, with his mother, Jackie. Despite the lack of funds and a business plan, the pair was aware of the two components required for a successful travel business: travel training and ticket fulfillment at a discounted price. Designed by airlines for airlines, the discount offers travel agents and agency owners a 75% discount on first-class fares. As TESS expands, it addresses Connie Chung's travel scam exposé, copyright infringement on travel agent ID cards, investor espionage, an Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) audit, employee recruitment, asset freezes, restrictions, federal lawsuits, an Asian currency crisis, internet travel sales, agency owner threats, and airline pettiness. In spite of the hardships, the company received an $18 million valuation in the late nineties.

Although Laney explains AD75 in simple terms, a few concepts are referred to without explanation, as if they were well known to the reader. For instance, Laney says the Marias are iconic. Needing clarification, I employed book and web searches on my Kindle that yielded no results. I wondered if they were actual people, a group name, or planes. Another instance is his use of the word TESS as his company name. What do the letters represent? Why did Laney choose it? What is the significance of the acronym? The last instance is the Hollywood Business Travel Model. Laney noted that this involved requesting debit card numbers for a 10% gain. Again, needing clarity to understand, I searched without success. For some readers, it might not be a big deal, but I was dissatisfied with the lack of information.

Involuntary Reroute!!! is a quick, informative read. Chapters are concise and free of jargon. I gave Laney’s book 4 out of 4 stars. My earlier observations do not diminish the knowledge the book imparts, and the editing was high-quality. Using a 5-point scale, Laney's novel would score 4 out of 5 stars. It was a worthwhile read, but not my favorite, which I understood was a requirement for a 5.

I recommend this book to curious readers who like looking behind the curtain to see how companies operate. The book also serves as motivation and inspiration. It is not intended for those looking for straightforward travel tips on finding cheap flights.

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Involuntary Reroute
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[Velson julliey]

Great review I must commend, good job, keep up the good work.

[Aleesha Jarral]

The book is genuinely exceptional, and your review demonstrates your expertise. I'm impressed by the author's ability to emphasize frequently overlooked elements, contributing to the story's depth. Well done!