General

Category Archives for General.

GOP Pushes Pork They Used to Rail Against in the Senate: Essential Air Service Coming Back

by Gary Leff

woman waiting on sand outside international airport
Apr 26 2016

When Congress passed the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978 they put together the political coalition in part by assuaging concerns that small communities would lose their flights. The legislation included a 10 year transition period in which small community service could receive subsidies. That was the Essential Air Service Program, and it was supposed to last only through 1988.

There are routes being subsidized to the tune of a thousand dollars per passenger roundtrip, that see load factors in the single digits, and that while a convenience to those passengers don’t really qualify as ‘essential’.

Continue Reading »

How Alaska Airlines Overpaid for Virgin America, and Why Their Mileage Program Won’t Go Revenue-Based

by Gary Leff

Apr 26 2016

SEC filings on the Alaska Airlines acquisition of Virgin America show that there were actually four airlines interested in Virgin America. Alaska was potentially interested at $44.75 a share….and finally agreeing to pay $57 a share.

The Mileage Plan program is said to be key to the merger’s success. Alaska’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison who shares the carrier’s thinking on sticking with a miles-based frequent flyer program.

Continue Reading »

Silvercar Opening at Newark Airport, Doubles Referral Bonus

by Gary Leff

Apr 26 2016

Silvercar is opening at Newark May 9 at Wally Park. I never rent cars in New York, but if I were headed somewhere other than Manhattan I probably would. I love Silvercar and am always thrilled to see them expanding to key markets.

First time Silvercar users get $25 when referred by someone (for a limited time the referrer gets $50 — double the previous amount). This is my referral link, feel free to leave yours in the comments if you’d like.

Continue Reading »

25 Rowdy Scottish Men Removed from Flight, Other Scots Think This Was Unfair

by Gary Leff

Apr 25 2016

I tend to avoid the ultra low cost carriers in the U.S. If an airline doesn’t participate in PreCheck I’m going to have to spend more time in transit, getting to the airport earlier. If they don’t have inflight internet I won’t be as productive. And without a redundant route network, it can be difficult ensuring I get where I’m going in the event something goes wrong.

One other unique feature of low cost carrier life, though, is that it enables people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to fly to travel more efficiently. That’s great from a societal standpoint, but it can also create culture clash. The profile of an ultra low cost carrier traveler isn’t the same as that of a business traveler.

Continue Reading »

Watch This Passenger Attack a Flight Attendant When His Plane Gets Cancelled Due to Weather

by Gary Leff

Apr 25 2016

Goodness knows Americans behave badly at the airport especially when flights are delayed or they find themselves pitted against other passengers over scarce room onboard. But Americans have no monopoly on bad behavior.

And passengers behaving badly has become almost a cliche in China, like opening the aircraft door and popping the slide while looking for the bathroom or using one airline ticket to eat in an airport lounge for a year.

Continue Reading »

Get Worldwide Mobile Data With this Unlocked Hotspot

by Gary Leff

Apr 25 2016

I have an unlocked Mifi hotspot. I can stick any sim card in it I want. So if I’m going to be in a country for awhile and need mobile data, I can stick a local sim card in it for the best rates.

But if I’m going to be there just a short time, I’ve been using Gigsky. Their sim card lets me buy a local plan for a fixed amount of data through their app. I get better data rates than roaming and faster speeds than T-mobile (3G/4G versus 2G). I have to buy a new prepaid plan for each country I visit, though.

Via ScottC there may be an even better solution.

Continue Reading »

No, the CIA Didn’t Blow Up Malaysia AIrlines Flight MH17. Why Do You Ask?

by Gary Leff

Apr 25 2016

There’s a new BBC documentary exploring alternate theories of what happened to the Malaysia Airlines MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that crashed on July 17, 2014 after being shot down. The Boeing 777-200ER was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew. All were killed.

It’s fairly settled that the plane was shot down by a surface to air missile filed from within Ukraine, in an area controlled by pro-Russian forces (the “Donbass People’s Militia”). However, this new BBC documentary explores alternate — pro-Russian — theories of the event.

Continue Reading »