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B&B.
n. Bed and breakfast. Traditionally, a private home which takes in
guests, with breakfast included in the price of lodging. B&Bs can
range from modest homes with one spare room to elaborately restored
historic houses with luxury prices. Used increasingly to describe any
lodging arrangement that includes breakfast, even in a hotel.
BA.
CRS. BankAmericard.
back of the
house. Support and service areas usually not seen by guests of a
hotel or theme park.
back
office. adj. Describing business activities, such as accounting,
that typically take place out of the view of customers.
back
to back. Sequential booking of two different tours, so that the
traveler has a continuous journey. Also used to describe arrangements in
which one group arrives as another departs.
back
to back ticketing. A strategy used to reduce the cost of a round
trip involving no Saturday stay when the cost of two excursions is less
than the cost of one unrestricted fare. For example, if a traveler wants
to fly from New York to Denver on Monday and return Thursday, he would
purchase two excursions, one from New York to Denver beginning on the
Monday and the other from Denver to New York departing on the Thursday.
The traveler then uses only the outbound portion of each excursion. The
itinerary can be designed in such a way that the return portions of each
excursion can be used on another trip. A technically illegal practice
discouraged by the airlines. Also called "nested excursions."
backhaul.
1. The movement of an airliner, or other vehicle, from a destination to
the point of origin. 2. The shipment of cargo on a returning vehicle.
backwash.
1. A disturbance of the water caused by a ship's propellers turning in
reverse. 2. The turbulence caused by the exhaust of a jet plane.
Baedecker. Originally, a series of guidebooks
published in Germany in the late nineteenth century, now used
generically or metaphorically for guides in general.
baggage.
All of a passenger's or traveler's personal belongings, whether checked
or unchecked. See also checked baggage and unchecked baggage.
baggage
check. The claim check (qv) or receipt, usually numbered, issued to
a passenger for his or her luggage.
baggage
claim. The area at an airport or other terminal where passengers
retrieve their checked luggage.
bagonize.
Slang. To wait in agony at the airport luggage carousel for your luggage
to appear.
bait
and switch. An illegal sales tactic in which a consumer is lured by
a low price only to be told that the "special offerÓ is no longer
available and steered to a higher priced product.
baksheesh.
Arabic. Literally, "gift." A constant refrain of street
beggars, the word is also used to refer to "gifts" or bribes
paid to facilitate business.
balance
sheet. A financial report detailing a company's assets and
liabilities as of a specific date.
balcony.
An open-air space or platform off a room. The uppermost level of a
theater.
ballast. Any weight placed in a ship's hold, or
other special compartment, to increase stability or reduce motion.
Weight used in a hot air balloon to control altitude.
bank
rate. The official rate at which currency trades between banks.
Usually more favorable that the rate that can be obtained by the
traveler from the bank.
Bank Settlement Plan. See Area Settlement Plan.
bankruptcy.
A legal proceeding in which a company seeks protection from its
creditors while it either reorganizes in the hope of surviving or
liquidates its assets. Thus, a bankrupt company may or may not still be
conducting business.
banquet
event order. A document providing complete and precise instructions
to a hotel for the running of a banquet, meeting, or other event to be
held in the hotel. Also called a function sheet.
banqueting
room. A room, typically at a hotel, available for rent for a public
function at which food may or may not be served.
bar.
1. A retail establishment or a counter in a restaurant which sells or
dispenses alcohol. 2. In navigation, a sandbar.
bareboat
charter. A charter of a boat or yacht which does not include
supplies or crew.
barge.
A low draft (qv) vessel, often towed or pushed, used to transport cargo.
A vessel designed for use on inland waterways and canals.
barge
cruising. Pleasure cruises along canal systems, using converted
commercial barges or new vessels built to resemble them.
barometer.
A instrument which measures air pressure. Used to forecast weather.
barometric
pressure. The density of the atmosphere, which varies according to
altitude and weather conditions.
barrier island. A narrow strip of land lying just
offshore that protects the main coastline from high waves.
barrier reef. A line of coral that protects the
main shore line, usually of an island, from high waves.
barter.
Buying and selling without the exchange of money. Purchasing by means of
the exchange of goods or services. Typically, airlines will exchange
airline seats for goods or services rendered by various suppliers.
base
fare. The fare, as of an airline ticket, before tax has been added.
Commissions are calculated on the base fare.
basis two.
Another term for double occupancy.
bassinet.
A small, portable crib for an infant.
batch
mode. A computer operation in which a specific task, ticketing, for
example, is performed on a group of records.
BB.
CRS. Buffet breakfast.
BBML.
CRS. Baby meal.
BBR.
CRS. Bank buying rate.
BCHFT.
CRS. Beachfront.
beam.
A measurement of a ship's width at its widest point. bearing. The
compass direction in which a vessel is traveling.
Beaufort
Scale. A scientific scale from zero to seventeen measuring wind
force.
bed
and breakfast. See B&B.
bed
night. In the hotel industry, a measurement of occupancy. One person
for one night.
bedienung.
Ger. Gratuity included.
bedroom.
A railway compartment for two, with toilet and sink.
beeper.
A paging device which alerts the user that a telephone message has
been received.
bell
captain. The person in charge of a shift of a hotel's bellhops (qv).
bellhop.
In a hotel, the person who carries a guest's luggage to or from the room
and performs sundry other services. The term, short for
"bell-hopper," derives from the bell used in hotels to summon
someone to carry a guest's luggage.
bellman
and bellstaff. See "bellhop."
below.
n. On a ship, any area underneath the main deck.
benchmarking.
The practice of studying the methods of an acknowledged leader in an
industry as a way of setting standards for one's own operation.
Benelux.
Nickname for the area comprised by Belgium, the Netherlands, and
Luxembourg.
BEO.
Abr. Banquet event order (qv).
bereavement
fare. A lower airline fare offered to those traveling due to a death
or illness in their immediate family.
Bermuda
Plan. A hotel arrangement which includes a full breakfast with the
room rate.
Bermuda
Triangle. A triangular area of the Atlantic whose apices are
Bermuda, Miami, and the Lesser Antilles. Reputed to be the site of
numerous mysterious disappearances of planes and ships.
berth.
1. A bed on a ship, usually attached to the bulkhead (qv). 2. By
extension, a passenger's stateroom. 3. The space on a dock at which a
ship or boat is moored. See also slip.
beyond
rights. See freedom rights.
BG.
Abr. Business group.
BHC.
CRS. Backhaul check (qv).
BIC. Bank identifier code. See also SWIFT
code.
bicentenary.
The 200th anniversary.
bidet.
A porcelain bathroom fixture, common in European hotels, designed to
bathe a woman's external genitalia and for douching.
BIKE.
CRS. Bicycle.
bilateral
agreement. A treaty or other agreement, usually between sovereign
nations, detailing their mutual understanding, policies, and obligations
on a particular matter, such as trade or airline landing rights.
bilge.
The bottommost part of a ship's interior. In seaman's slang, worthless
talk.
bilingual.
Written in or speaking two languages.
bill
of fare. A menu.
binnacle.
On a ship, the holder for the compass.
biodegradable.
Capable of being broken down into its constituent elements by natural
processes. Used to describe "environmentally friendly"
products.
biorhythms.
The natural cycles of the human body, said to vary from person to person
and to be affected by travel. See also jet lag.
bird
dog. n. A person who drums up or brings in business for a travel
agency.
birdcage.
Slang. Air traffic control term for the airspace in the immediate
vicinity of an airport.
bistro.
Fr. A small restaurant, featuring simple fare, sometimes with
entertainment.
black
market. Illegal trade, commerce, or currency exchange which evades
taxes, governmental oversight, or both.
blacked
out. Not available. See also blackout dates.
blackout
dates, blackout periods. Dates on which tickets or certain fares are
not available. Blackout dates usually coincide with holidays and peak
travel seasons.
BLCY.
CRS. Balcony (qv).
blimp.
A lighter-than-air airship. Used primarily as an advertising vehicle or
a camera platform for sporting events; occasionally used for tourist
excursions.
BLND.
CRS. Passenger is blind.
block(ed)
space. n. Seats, berths, or rooms set aside for group sale. Also,
v., to reserve such space.
board.
1. To get on a plane, train, or ship. 2. Meals, as in a hotel stay.
board
of directors setup. Configuration of a meeting room in which chairs
are placed around rectangular or oval conference tables.
boarding
pass. A ticket-like form or stub, usually containing a seat
assignment, issued to a boarding passenger. Serves as an additional
check in the boarding process.
boat deck.
The deck on a cruise ship on which the lifeboats are located.
boat
station. A ship's passenger's assigned space during lifeboat drills
or an actual emergency.
boatel.
Combining "boat" and "hotel." A motel for boaters.
bodega.
Sp. A wine cellar. By extension, a winery. In some Spanish speaking
countries, a bar or grocery store.
bon
voyage. Fr. Literally, "good voyage." The traditional
farewell for those departing by ship.
bond.
A sum of money held in escrow to assure full payment or to indemnify a
party against financial loss. An insurance agreement that accomplishes
the same ends.
bonded.
Protected or guaranteed by a bond.
bonnet.
Brit. The hood of a car.
booking.
A reservation. booking code. The code used to make a booking on a CRS (qv)
for a specific fare. Also called a fare code (qv).
booking
fee. The charge levied by a CRS on a supplier for handling a
reservation.
boot.
Brit. The trunk of a car.
booth.
An exhibit area at a trade show. A covered-over stall in a market.
bottom
line. The net profit or result in a transaction. By extension, the
final word or the outcome.
boutique
hotel. A small property, typically offering an enhanced level of
service and marketed to the affluent. boutique operation. Any business
venture that seeks to provide an enhanced level of service, at a premium
price, to a select clientele.
bow.
The front of a ship.
BP.
CRS. Breakfast plan or Bermuda Plan (qv).
BPR.
CRS. Boarding Pass Reserved or Boarding Pre-Reserved. A boarding pass
with seating assignment arranged at the time of booking.
brasserie.
Fr. A restaurant serving hearty fare, usually with a liquor and coffee
bar.
breakage.
A budget line item for items that will be broken and have to be replaced
during a specific time period, for example glasses in a restaurant.
breakdown.
The process of clearing and cleaning a meeting room, as in a hotel,
after a function.
break-even
point. The dollar figure at which an enterprise begins to show a
profit. The amount of sales that must be reached for a project to become
worthwhile.
break-out
room. A smaller room, near a larger meeting room, for use when a
larger group breaks into sections.
brewpub.
A bar or restaurant that brews its own beer and ale on the premises.
bridge.
On a ship, the navigational center. Where the captain stands.
bridge
officers. On a cruise ship, the personnel charged with the
navigation of the ship.
briefing.
An informational talk, usually given to those with a professional need
to know the information being dispensed.
briefing
tour. A tour, usually for travel agents and other industry
personnel, intended to acquaint them with a new destination or new
procedures.
brioche.
Fr. A type of breakfast roll.
Brit.
Slang. A Briton. A citizen of the British Isles.
Britannia.
The mythical female personification of Britain.
BritRail.
British Railways.
brochure.
Any piece of promotional literature.
brown
bagging. Bringing one's own food. In a restaurant, bringing wine or
liquor when the restaurant is not licensed to serve alcohol.
browser.
A software program enabling users to navigate the World Wide Web and the
Internet.
BSI.
CRS. Basic Sine In.
BSO.
CRS. Basic Sine Out.
BSP.
CRS. Bank Settlement Plan. See Area Settlement Plan.
BTD.
Business Travel Department, usually of a large corporation.
BTH.
CRS. Bath.
BTS.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
bubble
car. A train car with a domed plexiglass top for sightseeing. Also
called a dome car (qv).
bucket
shop. Brit. slang. A consolidator (qv). Any retail outlet dealing in
discounted airfares.
budget.
1. adj. Accommodations, tours, restaurants, etc. which are low in
price and appeal to the frugal traveler. 2. n. A written plan outlining
limits on expenditures. 3. v. To cost out an itinerary or trip.
budget
fare. Any of a number of heavily restricted airline fares offering a
substantial discount off the normal fare (qv).
buffer
zone. 1. A demilitarized zone between two countries, intended to
decrease the likelihood of hostilities. 2. An imaginary area extending
225 miles north and south of the United States border. Flights within
this area are subject to US tax.
buffet.
A serve-yourself meal featuring several choices in each course.
bug.
A defect or malfunction in a computer program. By extension, any glitch
in a system.
Buginese schooner. A two-masted sailing vessel or
schooner of Indonesian design, accommodating 12 to 18 passengers, used
by some soft-adventure tour operators.
bulk
contract. An agreement whereby an airline sells large blocks of
seats at a discount for resale by a third party.
bulk
fare. A fare available only when buying blocks of seats.
bulk
mail. A US Post Office category of presorted third-class mail mailed
at a special low rate.
bulkhead.
The walls on a ship or airplane, dividing the vessel into sections or
compartments.
bulkhead
seats. On an airplane, the seats immediately aft (qv) of a bulkhead,
usually with limited legroom.
bumping.
The practice of denying seats, usually on an airline, to ticketed
passengers due to overbooking or in favor of other passengers with a
higher priority.
bundling. The practice of combining a number of
different products or services for sale at a single price.
bungalow.
A cottage. A small house. In hotels, a room or suite that is a separate
building.
bunker. On a ship, a storage place for fuel.
buoy.
A floating navigational marker, used to mark channels or warn of danger.
burg.
Ger. suffix. A fortified place. A medieval city.
burgher.
A resident of a town. A solid citizen.
burgomaster.
In several European countries, a mayor or chief magistrate of a town.
burro.
A small pack animal, a donkey.
bush, the bush. Wild, unsettled land; by
extension, any rural locale. Frequently used in Australia and other
former colonial countries to indicate "the country" as opposed
to "the city."
bus.
1. n. A multi-seated vehicle used for inter- and intracity
transportation. Sometimes called a "motorcoach," especially
when specially designed for carrying tourists. 2. v. To transport by
bus. 3. v. To clear tables, as in a restaurant.
busboy.
A low-level restaurant employee who clears tables, serves water, etc.
Sometimes "busman" or "busperson."
Bushman.
1. A member of a nomadic tribe in Southern Africa. 2. In Australia, one
who lives in "the bush," the rural areas of the country.
business
class. A relatively new class of airline service, positioned in
marketing as between first-class and coach. Designed to appeal to the
business traveler. The amenities provided in business class vary from
carrier to carrier.
business
mix. In a travel agency, the percentage of corporate to leisure
travel booked.
bust-out,
bust-out operation. A scheme in which an ARC-appointed agency sells
large numbers of airline tickets in a short period but does not deposit
the funds with ARC. The agency then goes out of business and the owners
abscond with the funds.
buy forward. Enter into a forward transaction
(qv).
buyback
agreement. In the rental car industry, a practice in which
automobile companies repurchase their cars at a set price after a
negotiated period of time.
buyer's
market. An economic condition in which supply exceeds demand,
resulting in very favorable prices for buyers.
buyer's
remorse. A tendency to have second thoughts about a purchase, which
often leads to cancelling the sale.
buying
market share. A practice in which a company offers goods or services
at extremely low prices or at a loss to attract large numbers of
customers, in the expectation that many of these customers will remain
loyal even when prices move upwards in the future.
BVI.
British Virgin Islands.
BWI.
British West Indies. Sometimes pronounced "BeeWee."
bypass.
1. A route that goes around a city or other congested area. 2. v. To
skip or avoid a destination on a trip. 3. The practice of marketing or
selling direct to the public, without travel agents. See also agent
bypass Back
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