Christopher Elliott interview’s the TSA’s Blogger Bob though unfortunately he tosses mostly softballs like, [What are the] qualifications for working at TSA. Also, how much training do agents get? [H]ow do you like working for the TSA. What are the most unusual items TSA officials have discovered in a pat-down? How do you feel about alliteration? If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? (Ok, just kidding about that one) When he does let a ‘tough question’ get through, he doesn’t ask any follow-ups. So he passes along a reader question, “Does the TSA believe it is making America safer? Can you name any specific, recent threats that TSA has stopped?” and lets Blogger Bob get away with “[Federal Air Marshals] have interceded on many flights to stop aggressive actions by…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for May 2011.
United Plans to Keep Channel 9 (Air Traffic Control as Part of Inflight Audio)
When I wrote about changes already announced and those still pending with the United-Continental merger last week, I meant to mention ‘Channel 9’ and simply forgot. United has long offered one of my favorite onboard features, at the pilot’s discretion, the ability for passengers to listen to air traffic control (on channel 9 of inflight audio). Pilots don’t always turn it on, some explicitly don’t like it and will not, but I’ll often ask a flight attendant whether channel 9 will be on for the flight and if they’ve learned during preflight briefing that it will not be I will politely request that they ask the pilot to reconsider, frequently they will when a passenger is requesting it. Look, I don’t care about the tulip. I suppose I do care about the Blue Carpet replacing…
Air India Finally Prepared to Join Star Alliance
Air India was invited to join Star Alliance in late 2007, and all sorts of problems with the carrier have continually pushed off the joining date. Apparently, however, now that Air India and Indian Airlines are operating jointly under the Air India code, they’ve finally met the minimum joining requirements. Last May Air India’s entry was put off – yet again – “until March 2011.” That deadline unsurprisingly passed. It sounds as though their joining may finally be imminent, which is all well and good though I’m not especially excited about the prospect of reciprocal earn and burn with them (though more options are certainly better than fewer). I am somewhat non-plussed because it suggests that Jet Airways may be less likely to become a Star Alliance member as a result. Though with Kingfisher tying…
Two Of My Favorite Benefits from Different Loyalty Programs Discontinued
When Radisson hotels announced the end of Goldpoints plus and its replacement with Club Carlson, I said that I really hoped they retained their “Our World, Your Lounge” benefit. One of the most interesting, innovative offers by hotel programs, their hotels in Europe, Middle East, and Africa offered elite members complimentary coffee, tea or hot chocolate for two people and use of free wireless internet any time, whether they were registered guests or not. It was a really a nice benefit that didn’t cost the hotels much at all but really created a feeling of belonging and a special relationship with the chain for its elite members. It’s one benefit that I really hoped other chains might pick up on, instead it’s been discontinued. British Airways is ending its Open Doors Policy for Gold member…
Free Points for Social Media Checkins
Since last summer TopGuest has been offering points for check-ins on Foursquare at various hotel chains. They started with Priority Club, added Hilton and some others. And though I was initially skeptical, I quickly made it a part of my daily routine. I check in at the Holiday Inn a couple of blocks from my office each day, and also at a Doubletree a few miles away as well. And I get 50 Priority Club and 50 Hilton HHonors points daily. Unfortunately though I do this frequently I cannot become ‘mayor’ of either property, because I travel too much, there appears to be someone checking in at each hotel who literally does it every single day without fail. Yesterday it was reported that Best Western Rewards has been added to Topguest. That prompted me to…
United Airlines, “You’re Going to Like Where We Land” (at Ground Zero)
After a week in which United Airlines resurrected retired flight numbers United 93 and United 175, the two flights that were downed on 9/11 (and quickly corrected the error), it was quite the capper to find themselves needing to remove a billboard similarly inappropriate in light of 9/11. A United Airlines ad across the street from ground zero that read “You’re going to like where we land” has been removed after NBC New York reported that some found it inappropriate. Some New Yorkers said it was insensitive because of its proximity to where United Flight 175 struck the south tower on 9/11. In fairness, United didn’t place the ad there themselves and acted quickly to have it removed once it was called to their attention. That’s in contrast to the true gaffe of placing United…
What if the Hokey Pokey Really IS What Airport Security Is All About?
GoRemy (whose Arlington Rap is an all-time favorite of mine, but then I live in Arlington) brings us The TSA Pokey Pokey.
When is Travel Insurance a Good Idea?
In most cases, travel insurance makes little sense. You want to insure against large losses, incurring which would be catastrophic. You don’t want to buy insurance against small losses, against those you ‘self-insure.’ And small losses are rarely worth the cost to recover, remember that a covered event doesn’t just generate a check, you have to navigate the bureaucracy of the insurer in order to obtain payment, which at the very least is going to involve filling out paperwork and waiting. Travel insurers offer the policies because they’re profitable. Travel websites and travel agents sell them because they’re profitable to them, in fact commissions can exceed 40%. Further, most of the benefits of travel insurance are relatively modest, it may not make snese to buy a policy on the chance you need to spend up…
What Exciting New Platinum Benefits are Coming to Starwood Preferred Guest?
Barbara De Lollis reports on her conversation with Westin’s new brand chief and asks about elite recognition. “We’re working closely with SPG to figure out how not only to deliver SPG awards, but a branded award as part of that,” Brian Povinelli, the newly named brand chief for the 179-location chain told me the other day. “Mid-year 2011, we expect to roll out some new platinum amenities and preferred member amenities that will be more in a brand voice,” he says. Now, Starwood definitely needs to improve their elite offerings. What was once a market leader has seen competitors catch up and even surpass them, while Starwood’s elite offerings have remained fairly constant for years. Starwood Platinums do get good space available upgrades, best available room at checkin up to and including standard suites. Marriott…
Changes So Far and Open Questions in the United-Continental Merger
In what I believe is the last story at the Chicago Tribune for Julie Johnsson, one of the really good aviation reporters (she’s changing industries and headed to Bloomberg), she covers the United-Continental rebranding and changing boarding procedures: United has moved to Continental’s boarding by row (back to front) rather than by zone (where window gets zone 2, middle 3, aisle 4). It’s the little things that frequent flyers notice and that mess with their routines. Though I argue that most of the non-aesthetic changes happening as part of the merger have been quite positive, in contrast to how I felt about Delta-Northwest. “It’s pretty jarring to see the globe on the tail. I do think there would have been a massive mutiny if they got rid of ‘ Rhapsody in Blue.’ For me, (the…
