Monthly Archives

Apr 09 2015

This week Steve Belkin who runs Competitours offered to help me cover the $3850 trip for one teammate (team partner responsible for their trip fee). So in the latest Amazing Race for regular folks giveaway the winners are: Scott who wrote, My girlfriend wants to get married, I’m dragging my feet. Sounds like the perfect test for future compatibility! Steve advises that there was a marriage proposal on the 2011 Competitours trip, so be very afraid that it could happen to you and your better half! Shane who wrote, When I was 10 years old, my cousin and I bought a greyhound bus ticket intended for San Diego (from Des Moines). We apparently were too young since we got confused at our stop and ended up in Seattle… At age 14, we did our first…

Continue Reading »

Apr 09 2015

US Airways Dividend Miles has been folded into American AAdvantage. Apparently a very large number of customers who had accounts in both programs linked them, and that ensured miles got folded into the right accounts.

If yours didn’t, you can do it yourself. Here’s how to merge your accounts, online, yourself.

Continue Reading »

Apr 08 2015

There’s an ongoing spat between United, Delta, and American Airlines on the one hand and Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar on the other. The former US airlines don’t believe they should have to compete against the large aggressive Gulf carriers which they claim are substantially subsidized by their governments. They don’t think consumers should reap the connectivity advantages, service advantages, or low prices that their prices bring. They released a report purporting to do the math on subsidies to the big Gulf carriers. I was not impressed. And I believe that the US airlines can and should compete successfully without government protectionism. A pretty big piece of research dropped that ought to play a signficant role in the debate – detailing just how subsidized the US airlines have been. While they’re throwing potshots at their competitors,…

Continue Reading »

Apr 08 2015

The Chinese government has announced a policy of tracking its tourists who behave badly in other countries. Just the thread of having one’s behavior monitors, and logged, while outside the country is expected to serve as a deterrent to tourists who fail to adhere to local customs in an egregious way while on vacation.

Though it responds to a worldwide perception, and results from the new wealth which has led to a tremendous migration from rural areas to cities and has allowed Chinese people to travel outside the country it is likely unnecessary. And it’s darned scary…

Continue Reading »

Apr 08 2015

It struck me reading about ten of the ‘most garbage’ airports in the world that while many of these are bad, the worst are completely left off — especially the worst U.S. airports.

It’s simply unreasonable to consider Chicago O’Hare worse than New York LaGuardia and… Manila.

Paris and Frankfurt are awful. JFK is worse than LaGuardia. And where’s Miami on this list? Here are the worst airports, and the ones that deserve a reprieve. Although I’ve only ever seen roosters break out of a cage at baggage claim in Manila..

Continue Reading »

Apr 08 2015

American Airlines and US Airways have been granted their ‘single operating certificate’ by the FAA. That means in the eyes of the government they’re now operating as one airline, even though consumers will continue to see the two brands until late in the year.

This change is a big deal on the back end, it makes the rest of the merger integration possible, but it doesn’t mean anything is different today for consumers. Still, it truly is the end of an era. All US Airways flights are now referred to as “American [Flight #]” by air traffic control.

Continue Reading »

Apr 07 2015

I post 5-7 items a day. Not everything is interesting to everyone, and many of the posts are truly ‘real time’ or as a story develops. Some once a month I look back, see what stories turned out to be the most interesting and enduring, the things you should probably know if you haven’t already read them.

Take a look and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Continue Reading »

Apr 07 2015

American just made it easier for customers who buy premium cabin tickets to earn elite status — without taking anything away or making it harder for everyone else. This stacks with the existing premium cabin mileage-earning bonus that American introduced for the year.

This way, American rewards premium customers — something they have to watch with United and Delta having gone revenue-based — without penalizing anyone. Will it work, and will it be the approach American AAdvantage uses going forward?

Continue Reading »