America West has a website (intended for internal use) which will show you exactly how many passengers are booked on any of its flights.
About Gary Leff
The Vatican is
The Vatican is looking to name a patron saint for the Internet by Easter. Goodness knows the pathetic websites of United, Continental, and USAirways could use one.
Hooters Air really
Hooters Air really will be staffed by Hooters waitresses — two per plane to serve beverages, etc.
The most important thing I
The most important thing I read today — Jude Wanniski’s hawk/dove quiz which offers a debunking of common myths about Iraq. (Thanks to Mark Brady for the link.)
I haven’t been able to
I haven’t been able to travel — or post — much recently. Because I’ve been on the phone. With the IRS. Well, I’ve been busy at work dealing with some crises (like a flood). So it’s not entirely because of the IRS. But I’ve spent way too much of the past few days jousting at bureaucratic windmills. Yesterday I spent nearly three hours on the telephone trying to find out where to get a simple IRS form. Three hours of my life that I’ll never get back. After calling the main help line, the phone number for my local IRS office, several other offices, and the taxpayer advocate, I still had no answer. Here are the highlights: The form I needed cannot be printed from the website. Oh, it’s there, mind you. With a notice…
USAirways is offering
USAirways is offering systemwide double miles. Remember that these are on top of all the other USAIrways bonuses.
Lots of folks are angry
Lots of folks are angry at the changes to Delta’s Frequent Flyer elite-level benefits, but the Delta American Express still have one of the better bonuses going — up to 25,000 miles.
More USAirways Bonus Miles
More USAirways Bonus Miles Earn 2,500 to 10,000 bonus miles for flying 4-12 segments Double or triple miles to and from Denver 25,000 bonus miles for traveling to Europe in paid business class 10,000 bonus miles for traveling to Europe in coach Double miles to Ireland
In fairness to United… Many
In fairness to United… Many of United’s 747s have been going away, being replaced by 777s. That means the business class capacity drops tremendously (almost in half!) across much of the international route network. That means available upgrade inventory likely drops dramatically as well. So the upgrade inventory needs to be rationed somehow. Otherwise United would have had a whole bunch of flyers with upgrade certificates that could never be used, because there simply were too many coupons out there for the number of available seats. Making Systemwide Upgrades good only on pricier fares means rationing based on price. Of course, if a competitor doesn’t restrictions use of similar certificates or reduce available business upgrade inventory, United will lose A will lose… I still think they would have been better off solving the problem in…
Dilution at the top for
Dilution at the top for United? I sent this email last night to a friend that’s a top-level elite (“1K”) with United: Looks like I was right about Systemwide Upgrades being useable on Lufthansa (though on a standby/day of departure basis only). Of course, you can still use miles to upgrade LH flights on the higher fares (as long as it’s on a LH flight number, not a UA codeshare). In other news/rumors, it looks like the promised extra goody for elites who requalified “the real way” (rather than through the extended qualification period) is only going to be a free companion ticket (not upgradeable). Also, it looks like the new Systemwides are only going to be valid on “H” fares and above. 🙁 That means no more upgrading the lowest fares internationally, folks. United…
