Category Archives for Airports.
Delta listed a job for a sales associate on LinkedIn whose role would be to “develop relationships and ties in the Austin market with key community and industry organizations to support Delta’s Focus City initiative.”
Sleeping in airports is a time-honored tradition. It happens regularly during major storms, when flights are cancelled and airlines aren’t giving out hotel vouchers or nearby hotels are booked solid. Airports sometimes bring in cots.
Passengers with long layovers after an overnight flight may lay down in a quiet spot on the floor, too. There’s even a guide to sleeping in airports.
There’s no question that immigration and customs develops a different culture and reputation at different airports in the U.S. While you’d hope they would apply standards and procedures from their handbook uniformly, there’s a difference between de facto practice and de jure rules.
People learn procedures by watching other people, and by discussing how to go about doing their jobs with colleagues. In other words, customs and immigration procedures are carried out by people.
Back in the fall Priority Pass added access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LAX. That seemed fantastic, and it is — finally a Priority Pass-accessible lounge at LAX terminal 2. However it wasn’t exciting as it seemed at first blush. Hours are limited to when Virgin Atlantic’s own passengers aren’t there. Initially the LAX lounge was open 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. That’s been cut back to 10:45 a.m. Since they’re not servicing Virgin’s customers they don’t offer the extensive food service Virgin customers are used to. Credit: Virgin Atlantic Credit: Virgin Atlantic They’ve apparently extended the model of generating revenue for otherwise-unused lounge space, getting Virgin Atlantic lounges to open earlier in exchange for that sweet, sweet bank cash funneled through Collinson Group. Priority Pass cardmembers now have access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses…
Two years ago the Los Angeles Barney’s Beanery chain opened in LAX’s terminal 2 by gate 22. The original Barney’s in West Hollywood opened in 1920. So it fits the trend of airports driving to host brands that are local institutions.
The airport location now offers $28 credits per person for Priority Pass cardholders. This credit is not available before 10:30 a.m.. Of course in the mornings the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is available for Priority Pass guests albeit with limited service.
Last month I wrote that Priority Pass brings huge passenger volume to lounges, at least in the U.S. where so many memberships have been issued to credit card holders. This is big business at an average of $25 per visit.
We now have a little more insight into the economics of Priority Pass for restaurants.
United then cancelled her flight and she wound up sleeping in the airport.
The first time I visited Tokyo many years ago I wanted simplicity. I took the Airport Limousine Bus, which drops off at hotels. By the time I had gotten out of the airport I was on a bus departure after 5 p.m. and we got stuck in terrible traffic. The ride took almost three hours, and the bus seats weren’t particularly comfortable. I never did that again.
Taxis just aren’t an option from the airport in my view, they’re just too expensive, the idea of spending hundreds of dollars for a car and getting stuck in traffic doesn’t appeal to me either.
San Francisco airport has a new plan to help taxis and punish both Uber and its riders.
Now instead of curbside dropoffs and pickups the airport wants to force Uber to use the top floor of the hourly garage. In its own version of Newspeak San Francisco airport calls this “express drop-off and pick-up.”
Last Friday 50 crocodiles were found at London’s Heathrow airport. The saltwater crocodiles were all about one year old and were supposed to be headed for a farm where they would be bred for their meat. In my experience crocodiles taste like chicken.
These crocs originated in Malaysia and were being shipped illegally — because of how they were packed.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
