USAirways may have paid a consultant $1 million years back to tell it it’s new name (changed from ‘USAir’) but it really should have had Washington Post columnist Bob Levey on the payroll for this column from earlier in the week. (Thanks to Joe Brancatelli for the pointer.) How silly is the column? Levey tells readers: Connecting flights when non-stops are available are no big deal, because you can get a paper or a snack or check your voicemail. In his experience, USAirways has the best frequent flyer program — and he has alot of experience, since he belongs to only one other program. And in a bit of DC-jingoism, he figures that USAirways is a local company and so he benefits local families by flying them. Of course, no local folks work for United…
About Gary Leff
Alternative to picking taxpayers’ pockets
David Rowell thinks that the solution to the airline industry’s woes is to attract capital and entrepreneurial talent from foreign investors by lifting the ban on foreign ownership of U.S. airlines rather than through another taxpayer funded bailout.
We shouldn’t let the fog of war distract from abuses of power and waste at home
The Los Angeles Times is reporting on gross abuse and waste at the Transportation Security Administration [T]he Charlottesville, Va., airport handles about 470 departing passengers a day. When the airlines paid for security at Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, they managed to check passengers with a staff of 15 screeners. But since the federal government took over airport security, it deploys 39, a daily average of 12 passengers per screener. Among other things, the Transportation Department’s Inspector General audit found that: The primary contract for recruiting federal security screeners cost $700 million — up from an initial agreement for $100 million. An inspector general audit found $305 million in overbilling by airport security contractors. Six of 13 companies that provided most of the security guards increased their hourly billing rates by 58% to 97% above what they had…
Too cute by half
American Airlines is offering a chance to win a Lincoln Navigator for taking an online tour of the new web check-in feature. It’s probably more trouble than it’s worth, but the demo was cute and I enjoyed doing it.
‘Nuff said.
The Smurf Name Generator.
I’ve Been Renting from Thrifty
I used to be an Avis zealot, especially since I could usually save about 30% using the ‘D002807’ discount code (Amateur Sports Assistance Program). But with that code now gone, and a whopper of a frequent flyer bonus from Thrifty, I’ve been moving my rentals recently. Thrifty Car Rental is offering 1,000 America West miles per rental. Most of my rentals are one day and about $25. Pretty nice deal. Twenty car rentals — $500 — would equal a free domestic ticket. And I still get free “blue chip” express service. I still don’t find them quite as well organized as Avis or Hertz, but as long as I’m earning 1,000 miles on a $25 rental I’ll stick with ’em. And the offer lasts through the end of the year.
What to do with all that money?
Lynn Kiesling says that Iraqi oil revenues shouldn’t go to the new Iraqi government for ‘reconstruction’, but should go to the people instead to foster private enterprise and development.
If you pay bills late, the terrorists will have won
TAPPED is all over the deleterious civil liberties effects of CAPPS II.
Tips for securing award seats
CBS Marketwatch offers six tips for securing airline awards. They’re basically sound, but I’d quibble at the margin with them and clarify in some cases. So allow me to rewrite their six. If you don’t earn alot of miles, consolidate your miles into one or two programs so that you reach a critical mass of miles for redeeming tickets. If you do earn alot of miles, be sure to spread out your mileage earning so that when it comes time to redeem, you have more than one option to use to find availability. (And if you don’t earn alot of miles, make sure you take advantage of more opportunities – credit cards, telephone, online shopping, etc.) Be flexible. Sure, I agree with this one. If you’re able to choose a variety of days for travel,…
What the Coalition is Contributing to the Iraq War Effort
From the Washington Post’s weekly “Ideas Industry” column: THINK TANK HUMOR: Oh, and you thought think tankers were dry, mumbling folks. Ha! Laugh-parched staffers at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace came in one morning last week to find a listing of “Coalition of the Willing: Contributions to War Effort” in their mailboxes, complete with “official” U.S. Department of State header. Here’s an excerpt of the countries and their “donations”: Lithuania: Giving up the Bomb: What’s in it for You? A Foreign Ministry Documentary. Denmark: 721,999 boxes of Her Majesty’s Butter Cookies. Georgia: Eduard Shevardnadze will resign to serve as interim Iraqi president. Portugal: 23,339 tons of fresh calamari for Iraqi POWs. Uganda: Offer of asylum to Saddam Hussein. Netherlands: 290,000 tons of cannabis for medical purposes only. Singapore: 50 copies of government film, Spanking…
