Wagon-Lits. European company providing sleeping
car services on trains.
wait list, waitlist. 1. n. A roster of names
of those wishing passage on a full flight or other trip,
usually honored in order in case of cancellations. 2.
n. A group of people waiting for cancellations. 3. v.
To place someone on such a list.
waiver. 1. A written acknowledgment by a passenger
of his or her declining something, as insurance coverage.
2. A document used by a travel agency and signed by
the customer indicating that certain forms of insurance
or other protection has been advised or offered. 3.
The formal acknowledgment of dismissal of a requirement.
wake. The trail of waves left by a ship.
wake-up call. In a hotel, a telephone call delivered
either by a person or a computerized system to a guestÕs
room at a prearranged time.
walked. adj. In the hotel industry, term used
to refer to a guest lodged in another property at the
hotel's expense because no room was available for his
or her use.
walkie-talkie. A portable radio communication
device with limited range.
walk-in. In a hotel, a guest who arrives without
a reservation. In a travel agency, a customer who arrives
unannounced, especially a new customer.
walkout. A labor strike.
walk-up. In the airline industry, a passenger
who purchases a ticket shortly before flight time.
wanderlust. A desire to travel.
WAPTT. World Association for Professional Training
in Tourism.
WATA. World Association of Travel Agents.
water closet. Toilet.
water table. A point below the surface of the
land, below which the earth is saturated with water.
waterfront. The section facing the sea. A harbor
area.
waterline. 1. The line on a ship's hull to which
the sea reaches. 2. Any of a number of lines drawn on
a ship's hull indicating the point to which the sea
will reach when the vessel is fully loaded.
watershed. The area drained by a system of rivers.
The crest of a ridge or mountain range, marking the
point at which water will flow in the opposite direction.
WATS. Abr. Wide area telephone service. A form
of long-distance telephone service which is purchased
in bulk at lower rates.
way station. An intermediate or less-important
station, especially on a railroad.
WB. CRS. Westbound.
WC. Abr. Water closet (toilet).
w/c. Abr. Will call.
WCHC. CRS. Wheelchair (passenger immobile).
WCHR. CRS. Wheelchair.
WCHS. CRS. Wheelchair (passenger cannot negotiate
stairs).
weather deck. An open-air deck on a cruise ship.
weather side. The side of a ship, either port
or starboard, exposed to the prevailing winds.
weather tourist. A person who travels to view
meteorological events such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
web. Informal term for the World Wide Web (qv).
web browser. A software program enabling users
to navigate the World Wide Web and the Internet.
web site. Informational or commercial computer
files posted on the Internet and viewable from remote
computers.
webmaster. The person designated to maintain
a web site.
well brand. See house brand.
wet bar. In a hotel room, a bar or counter area
with running water, used for preparing drinks.
wet landing. A beach arrival on a small boat
that requires passengers to step into the surf and wade
ashore.
wet lease. Rental of a crewed and provisioned
boat or vessel.
w/fac. Abr. With facilities.
wharf. A dock.
whistle stop. 1. Traditionally, a very brief
stop on a railroad. By extension, any brief stop. 2.
A very small town.
white cap. A wave with a frothy top, especially
one whipped up by the wind.
white-knuckle flyer. Slang. A person nervous
about flying.
white-knuckler. Slang. A derogatory term for
a short commuter flight on a prop aircraft. By extension,
any rough airline flight.
whitewater rafting. A group recreational activity
using multi-passenger, inflatable rubber boats, typically
steered by a professional guide, to travel down rivers
with numerous rapids.
WHO. World Health Organization.
wholesaler. Any company that sells to retailers
as opposed to the general public. A tour operator.
wholesaler rate. A non-commissionable rate for
a product such as a hotel room that is extended to tour
operators and packagers.
wide-body. An aircraft designed for increased
passenger load by expanding the number of seats in each
row and adding an aisle.
widow's walk. A raised platform or high porch
on the roof of a house, usually in a coastal town, originally
designed to provide a view of ships far out to sea.
will-call, will-call window. A place in a terminal,
lobby, theme park, or other venue where customers can
pick up previously ordered tickets or other documents.
winch. An electrical or motorized device used
to wind ropes used in lifting cargo.
wind chill, wind chill factor. A calculation
that takes into account the effect of the wind to provide
a reading of the apparent temperature (as opposed to
the actual temperature as registered on a thermometer).
wind shear. A violent and sudden downdraft of
wind which can be fatal to a landing airplane.
windjammer. 1. A sailing ship. 2. A type of
sailed cruise ship designed to resemble the merchant
ships of the late 1800s.
windlass. A winch used to raise and lower a
ship's anchor.
windward. In the direction of the wind.
wire transfer. The electronic transmission of
funds from one bank to another; used to make payments
to foreign suppliers.
WK. CRS. Was confirmed.
WL. CRS. Waitlist (qv).
w/o fac. Abr. Without facilities.
WOAG. Worldwide Official Airline Guide.
workshop. Seminar.
World Wide Web. A global network of computers
using hypertext technology to create a world-wide depository
of information.
Worldspan®. A computerized reservation system
(qv).
wrapper. Slang. A tour operator that
purchases a basic tour package from another supplier,
adds (or "wraps") some additional elements, and then
sells the resulting package under its own name.
write off, write-off. 1. v. Deduct, as from
one's income tax. 2. v. Regard as hopelessly lost or
damaged. 3. n. An expenditure that can be deducted from
one's income tax.
WTCIB. Women's Travellers Center and Information
Bank.
WTO. World Tourism Organization.
WTRVW. CRS. Water view.
WTTC. World Travel and Tourism Council.
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