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.
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