Wonkette has the scoop on how “Famous-for-DC-types” behave when the Delta Shuttle is held on a weather delay. Fred Thompson fares well, Warren Rudman does not.
About Gary Leff
Sweepstakes Entry
Travel & Leisure is giving away airfare for 2 and 7 nights hotel at any Hilton in the world.(Hat tip to the Frequent Flier Crier.)
Another Sharebuilder Signup Bonus
I still like their offer of 5000 eBay Anything Points for a new account the best — but signing up for a Sharebuilder account can also be a good way to pick up 2000 Delta miles (3500 for Delta elite members).Set up the account, which is free, and then choose to transfer $5 into the account from your checking account. Then establish a “ShareBuilderPlan” to make a one-time investment of $5 in whatever stock you want (it can be any stock because you’ll just buy a fractional share) and schedule it for the upcoming Tuesday (oddly, this plan only makes purchases on Tuesdays!). You’ll be charged a $4 commissiona and own $1 in stock and then Sharebuilder will credit you with your points.
Inside Hilton’s CRM Strategy
There’s a fascinating article on Hilton’s investments in information technology in the August 12 issue of Hotels Magazine. Their system is called OnQ: OnQ is the IT centrepiece of a two-year-old Hilton customer relationship management (CRM) strategy – officially known as ‘customers really matter,’ though company wags prefer ‘customers rejecting Marriott,’ Hilton’s chief rival and the only other hotel company expanding at such a pace. The strategy is pinned on the idea that employees with a clearer idea of who customers are and what their past Hilton experiences have been can engineer constant improvement. The system is geared towards meeting customers’ preferences, speeding their checkin process, and in the future may allow Hilton to sell additional value-added products like theatre tickets based on show availability and guest interests.It can also tell the hotel chain when…
Looking Up Security Wait Times
Via MSNBC’s Savings Sleuth, the TSA launched a new website yesterday to give average and maximum wait times by airport based on previous month’s data.This isn’t real-time information (which would be better – the Virginia DMV used to offer it, so it’s certainly possible) but I’ll take it.
Cheap Ritz Carlton Nights
The Naples, Florida Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort is available for $129/night during the week through October 13th. Nice rate.
It’s not just Safeway and Vons anymore
Haagen supermarkets (Washington and Oregon) are offering Alaska Airlines miles for purchases through September 21 – including triple miles on Tuesdays.
Spin to Win AA Miles
Learn how to update your American Airlines profile and spin a wheel to win 50, 500, 5000, or 50,000 miles (or just a discount from HP shopping). (Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)
The government may grow but some things are still legal
At least unless a Dutch MP has his way The Dutch Labour party wants to pass a law making unsolicited toe-licking an offence after police were unable to prosecute a would-be Casanova with a taste for female toes because he had committed no crime.
More on Signaling and Anti-Trust
Several months ago I wrote that airlines used “fuel surcharges” rather than price increases as a way of signaling, announcing their intentions to change fares in an attempt to coordinate pricing with other carriers. They need to utilize these smoke signals so as not to run afoul of anti-trust laws. Or so they hope. American has settled a Justice Department probe, agreeing to a $3 million fine for violating terms of the 1994 decree by publishing certain fares with increased advance purchase requirements only for future travel dates, rather than current travel. This effectively reduced American’s risk of losing passengers to other airlines. American was publicly announcing future price changes which didn’t affect current bookings, and waited to see whether other carriers matched. If other airlines didn’t make similar changes, they could rescind their price…
