News and notes from around the interweb:
- Amtrak accidents have been getting less common over the past 15 years.
- Code for 30% off Hiltons in Southeast Asia
- Virgin America’s CEO thinks it makes no sense to “give the most valuable space on the airplane to people for free” by not charging for carry on bags. He’s wrong, it’s not free, passengers pay for their tickets. Most airlines haven’t ‘unbundled’ carry on space. Of course doing so would lead to longer airport processing times, which can increase costs for an airline at least as much as they bring in in fees.
- American’s senior vice president for government affairs, Will Ris, will retire at the end of the year. That leaves only 2 members of American’s senior leadership team left that come from pre-merger American: Beverly Goulet (Chief Integration Officer) and Maya Leibman (Chief Information Officer). Once integration is complete, if all continues to go well, either or both could write their own ticket…
- Delta plans $5 billion in new stock buybacks (Wall Street Journal so Google it if you hit a paywall). No one said they aren’t operating a good business, indeed here are 5 good reasons to choose Delta. For most people, though, SkyMiles just ain’t one.
- La Quinta is again offering 500 free points
- The CEO of Qatar Airways says US airlines offer crap service (to go along with his claim that Delta flies crap planes though I’m not sure he should talk given much of his fleet has angled business class seats). He also thinks American CEO Doug Parker “has been ‘misled’ by CEOs from another carrier in joining Delta and United in pressing claims of anti-competitive behavior.” Akbar al-Baker really should just keep his mouth closed when his US rivals are politically self-destructing on their own…
Regarding carry-on space being paid for with your ticket, I think it’s pretty clear that the notion of what your ticket gets you has continued to evolve. I’m sure 10 years ago, most passengers thought their ticket got them a checked bag. I agree that logistical hassles will probably mean that this won’t happen, but it’s a pretty good point on a spot in the value chain that isn’t currently being recognized.
Spell check please – “budiness”
They do seem to be doing well financially, and sharing it with current employees. It’d be nice, however, it they’d live up to their commitments and fund the retirement plans of past employees whose plans are chronically under-funded. They’re making money off our backs to some degree, and can’t simply depend on the PBGC to act as a backup.
The Hilton SE Asia 30% was reported here on Monday: https://milepoint.com/forums/threads/thailand-travel-sales-promotions-deals.2599/page-24#post-2603561
Qatar should just buy Alaska Airlines. That would be some good theater with Delta 🙂
02nz- This is the forum about frequent flyers and points. I think you are looking for the Anal Retentive Spellers Extravaganza forum, or ARSE.
“Akbar al-Baker really should just keep his mouth closed when his US rivals are politically self-destructing on their own…”
I agree that Al Baker is his own worst enemy, but his US rivals are certainly not “politically self-destructing.” To the contrary, their lobbying efforts have been well played so far. Their handling of Congress should be taught in a Lobbying 101 course at the Kennedy school. Just check out today’s developments:
http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1431651229.html
Finally an airline has recognized that carry-on bags are the most expensive thing they offer besides the seat and is going to charge for it!
The difference in time to unload and load an airplane in the U.S., where everyone carries the entire contents of their closet onboard due to baggage fees, and in Asia, where most people check-in bags, even the smallest ones (no baggage fees), is staggering. As a result a U.S. airline has a $100m+ aircraft stuck on the ground waiting for people to offload and onload their carry-on bags, all of this at a great cost.
Charge for them, I say: it only makes sense!! I bet DL, AA and UA could each run the same schedule with one or two less aircraft if they started charging for carry-ons, leading to more people checking bags. And TSA lines would get far shorter. Finally, why should passengers who check-in bags or are on a day trip with no bags subsidy those gumming up arrival and departure and TSA lines with their huge carry ons?
This is a GREAT idea. Kudos, Virgin America!
gary please stop the clickbait
Does one reader out of ten thousand care about a measly 500 Quinta points?
Even Elliot is better than you the last couple of months
@iahphx – US airlines managed to get members of congress to send a letter? shocking. they’ve played well *to you* maybe, since you seem so easily swayed by the thin arguments.