News and notes from around the interweb: It’s hard for me to overcome my mental models and remind myself that United sometimes has wifi now and it’s not even that rare anymore. Meanwhile, Gogo inflight internet is getting faster speeds but not yet overwater coverage. United was selling $0 base fares (tickets pricing out at $5-10) yesterday. At one point they shut down their booking process to stop these from selling. One of the sad things about not doing this travel thing full time is that my ‘real job’ had me in meetings all day yesterday and I didn’t get to be a part of the drama. We’ll see what sort f position United takes on these tickets. My guess is that domestic coach mistakes that weren’t booked by nearly as many people as some…
About Gary Leff
Developing an Even Greater Appreciation for Central Texas Barbecue
Last Labor Day I made a barbecue pilgrimage to Lockhart, Texas. It changed my life, or at least how I think about meat and barbecue. While my very favorite foods are generally Southeast Asian, whether Singapore Hawker Centers or really good Thai, after being exposed to Central Texas barbecue it’s certainly up their on my list of favorites now. It was worth going to Austin just for the barbecue, and it’s worth going back. Central Texas barbecue is all about the meat. At a central Texas barbecue restaurant, the customer takes a tray. One staff member serves the customer the meat and often also carves it, while another server provides side dishes. Slices of packaged white bread are often included with the barbecue. Barbecue, sold by the pound, often includes beef ribs, brisket, chicken, pork…
The TSA Has Caused More Deaths Than Terrorism — But Maybe it No Longer Does
This week I linked to a post by Bruce Schneier where he explained how post-9/11 increased airport security led to more deaths than terrorist attacks have cuased. That’s because people switched from flying (short haul routes) to driving with the increased hassle and time taken by security. That predictably led to some consternation in the comments and in a barrage of emails. One of the smartest responses I got pointed out that overall traffic fatalities are on the decline. Now, the statistic may get overused or there may be overclaims about what it says, but I’ve read John Mueller (Woody Hayes Chair of National Security Studies, and Professor of Political Science at Ohio State University) on this issue and the post appears to be based on sound research. And there’s not a claim that I’ve…
Singapore Airlines’ Excellent New “Understanding Your Needs” Campaign
At the end of last month I pulled together some of the best historical airline ads I know of. Frankly it’s fun (for me, but I’m a bit nuts for this stuff) cruising through Youtube for these things, and I think it’s an amazing thing about our world that it’s all available there a few clicks away. Looking at those ads it struck me how bad most airline advertising is, and I don’t think it’s because the ad agencies aren’t creative or the airline executives make bad customers. Instead it’s because it’s hard to differentiate their products in mass media. How do you communicate in a meaningful way on television why you should choose United over American? Airline advertising is hard because to the median consumer there isn’t a dime’s bit of difference between the…
Bits ‘n Pieces for September 11, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: Euan points out in the comments to yesterday’s post on British Airways lifetime elite status that BA is also offering lifetime Gold Guest List status for twice as many lifetime tier points. That status lets you trump capacity controls on awards twice per year and also comes with Hilton HHonors Diamond status. Changes you’re going to like at the United Club: The complimentary wine is Sycamore Lane. A drink with Beefeater gin is $9 ($11 for Bombay Sapphire; McCormick’s vodka is complimentary). Heineken is $3, the only complimentary beer is Budweiser (so far, just Bud Light). Of course I remember stockpiling Red Carpet Club drink chits, because no alcoholic beverages were free! For our friends up North, the RBC British Airways Infinite Visa has up to 45,000 points…
Choice Privileges – Two Stays Earns a Free Night (Sort Of)
Choice Hotels’ Choice Privileges is offering “Take Two Separate Trips Earn One Free Night”. And then in smaller, lighter print they clarify ‘at over 1500 hotels’. So it’s not a free night anywhere, and it’s not exactly a free night that you earn at all. What you earn are points in the Choice Privileges program, enough to be used for a free night at a subset of their hotels. And it’s not even enough points for a free night in addition to the points you earn for two stays. Instead, it’s a bonus meant to top up the points you earn for those two stays so that in total you have enough for one free night at that subset of hotels. Specifically, after two stays you will earn a bonus of between 5000 and 8000…
The One Thing That’s Most Broken About Starwood Hotel Awards
Yesterday I shared my one wish that would make Starwood points the clearly most valuable rewards currency: timeliness of transferring points. Other programs figure out how to make transfers instantaneous, while Starwood can take literally weeks to move points around. In the comments to that post, Jay hits on my biggest frustration with Starwood hotel night awards. for me, i’d be that ridiculous rule on charging double points for hotels that don’t have standard rooms. ALL hotels should have standard rooms. that really ires me to no end I have hit on this before. For instance, three years ago I wrote Starwood’s outrageously-priced unattainable high-end hotel redemptions. [I] am increasingly bothered by another feature of their redemption program — the exorbitantly high redemption rates for some of their high-end properties that are described as ‘all-sute’…
Virgin America Double Points on Premium Fares and Threshold Bonuses
Via Notiflyer, Virgin American wants you to Feel the Earn. My mother caught me doing that once. Virgin America is offering double points on first class and Main Cabin Select fares booked and flown between September 10 and December 31. Instead of earning the standard 5 points per dollar, you earn 10 points per dollar. Tickets purchased before the promotion do not earn double points, unfortunately. And they are also offering bonuses based on the total points earned from flying between September 10 and December 31. Flights in any cabin count for this bonus but double points for premium fares offered under this promotion do not count nor do other bonuses (like route bonuses or elite bonuses). Registration is required and bonus points count towards elite status qualification — Silver is 20,000 points and Gold…
Bits ‘n Pieces for September 10, 2013 (Part II)
News and notes from around the interweb: TSA security screening has killed many more people than terrorist attacks have. We should shout this from the rooftops. The new international terminal at LAX will open September 18th. It will still, sadly, bear the name Tom Bradley. How good could it be? The lounges won’t be done, either, so passengers with lounge access will have to use the lounges in the old terminal to start. A federal judge supports the TSA’s decision to lie in response to a Freedom of Information Act Request for non-classified, non-“sensitive security information” records. Virgin America’s safety video has been running since the airline’s first service in 2007. It apparently doesn’t have captions for the benefit of the hearing impaired. SO after an investigation (sic), six years in, the Department of Transportation…
The One Thing That Would Make Starpoints the Single Most Valuable Currency, or How SPG Slows You Down in the Internet Age
I love Starwood Preferred Guest points. In many ways, Starpoints are the single most valuable currency. They transfer one-to-one into more airline mileage currencies than any other program, and they add 5000 bonus miles with the transfer when moving Starpoints into 20,000 mile increments. That’s incredible flexibility. Oh, and they can be used for hotels too! But the one knock on the points, and the reason I ultimately value Starpoints less than I do Chase Ultimate Rewards, is how long they take to transfer to mileage programs. Whereas Chase is ‘live’ with most of its partners — meaning that points show up in the mileage accounts instantly when you make the transfer — Starwood takes several days to up to a month to put points into a mileage account. That means you cannot just find…
