Via Curtis M., Tokyo’s Hotel Okura is slated for demolition. Five decades ago it was a gem of architecture, combining Japanese aesthetic and modernism. It’s across from the US Embassy, so has been a watering hole for ex-pats, State Department employees, and people who merely list their official employer as the State Department. Presidents from Nixon to Obama visited the hotel. So did Harrison Ford, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. And James Bond, in the novel You Only Live Twice. ‘Taking you to your hotel first – the Okura, latest of the Western ones. American tourist got murdered at the Royal Oriental the other day and we don’t want to lose you all that soon. Then we’ll do a bit of serious drinking. Had some dinner?’ The hotel, a Leading Hotels of the World property, will…
Is Delta Threatening Politicians Over $20-$60 Million in Handouts?
An Atlanta television station reports that a Georgia state lawmaker has taken to the floor of their legislative chamber to denounce Delta’s lobbying tactics. The lawmaker is opposing the extension of jet fuel tax breaks that are worth $20 to $60 million per year to Delta — saying that he supported the breaks during the Great Recession when the airline was hurting but that with $3 billion in profits it’s no longer appropriate for them to continue. His claim is that Delta is threatening lawmakers with elimination of air service from their districts if they oppose the tax break. The TV station puts another Delta lobbyist on TV to say that such tactics wouldn’t be appropriate, and Delta denies the claim. Delta took a stand against crony capitalism, opposing re-authorization of the Export-Import Bank when…
All Chinese Airlines Eliminating Fuel Surcharges on Domestic Flights — and What it Means for Your Award Ticket Costs
China’s civil aviation administration announced that fuel surcharges will be eliminated on domestic flights effective February 5. Chinese carriers will this week scrap fuel surcharges for domestic flights for the first time since late 2009 after fuel costs fell below a government-set level. Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and other carriers will abolish the surcharge from February 5, a spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said. Here’s what fuel surcharges are and how they work. Fuel surcharges aren’t about fuel. They are a convenient, easy way to raise or lower all fares in a market. Since they are a surcharge rather than part of the fare, they aren’t subject to percentage discounts that may attach to certain contracts. They conveniently are an excuse to charge more for award passengers…
United’s Award Pricing Mistake Continues: It’s Now An Official Sale Through February 28!
Two months ago I wrote about United’s unpublished business class partner award discount. United had been charging less for partner awards than their award chart says they should, charging as though you were flying on United. Since the Great Devaluation United has charged substantially more miles to fly business and first class on partner airlines rather than on United itself. Then last week the pricing glitch inexplicably came back. The first time it wasn’t an ‘announced sale’ — United fixed the glitch. But the glitch came back. United’s ‘bad penny’ IT started discounting partner awards again, and the fix must be challenging because a few days after they started underpricing award tickets they announced it as an official sale to run through February 28.
Korean Air Will Codeshare on American’s Dallas-Seoul Route
Korean Air is a founding member of Skyteam, but they’ve long been on the outs with Delta — even though they’re alliance members together Delta eliminated the ability to earn elite qualifying miles when flying Korean. American’s launch of daily Dallas – Seoul service has hurt Korean’s performance on the route with its own daily flight, carrying 19% fewer passengers year-over-year. Korean carried 114,192 passengers to and from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in the 12 months ended November 2014, compared to 140,784 in the 12 months before that. Oddly, the press release talks about Korean placing its code on American’s flight — and passengers being able to earn Korean miles when flying American — but it doesn’t mention the reverse, earning American miles flying Korean or the American code on any Korean flight. I confirmed…
Earn Elite Status Without Flying, An Exciting Hotel Opening, and My Debate With Lucky and Cranky on the Future of Miles..
News and notes from around the interweb: The full schedule is up for the only major ‘Frequent Traveler University’ even of the year. Do airline loyalty programs have a future? Lucky from One Mile at a Time, Brett from Cranky Flier, and I debate this in an online forum. 5 Ways to Earn Elite Status With Little or No Flying Enter my hotel points giveaway. If you win you get to choose the program, and it’s a whole bunch of points! The Park Hyatt Sanya has opened! I can’t wait to stay at this resort on the South China Sea. It will be a fantastic value at category 5 for redemptions, especially cash and points (10,000 points and $125 per night). The base room is over 600 square feet, and suites are over 1200 square…
Now It’s American’s Turn: HURRY for Great Business Class Award Space to Europe!
Yesterday I wrote that US Airways had (briefly) opened the award floodgates for transatlantic business class space. Inventory had also been wide open for the weekend and two weeks ago we saw nearly whole cabins available. These weren’t glitches mis-pricing awards, these were opportunities to get awards at their regular prices — but on most flights, most dates, on certain routes. And they were opportunities to do it without fuel surcharges. With British Airways as the primary transatlantic partner of US Airways and American, and with the hefty fees imposed for awards on that airline, many find Europe premium cabin awards cost prohibitive. Over the past few years, American hasn’t offered much space on their own flights. There’s some airberlin space and occasional Finnair space, but their routes are limited. Iberia is feast or famine,…
Today’s TransAsia Crash Video Footage Caught on Dash Cam
TransAsia Airways flight GE 235, an ATR-72 operating a domestic flight from Taipei to Kinmen crashed shortly after taxi after hitting a taxi and a bridge before landing into a river. Five crew and 53 passengers (22 Taiwanese and 31 Chinese tourists from Xiamen) were onboard. Reports are that the pilots communicated with air traffic control, “Mayday, mayday, engine flame out.” The flight data recorder has been recovered. The Taipei-based airline operates Airbus and ATR aircraft. Another one of their ATR-62s crashed in July. My thoughts are with the passengers and crew — both those that perished in the crash and those that escaped the wreckage to safety — as well as the families and the employees of the airline. You can join the 50,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day —…
Conrad Hilton Arrested: Went Berserk on London – Los Angeles Flight
Years ago I remember seeing somewhere online ‘the Paris Hilton video’… an animated version of the Hilton hotel leaning over to kiss the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, is neither animated nor cute. Paris Hilton’s brother, 20 year old Conrad Hilton — named for the family patriarch, founder of the hotel chain, and the man for whom the Conrad brand is dedicated — apparently has been arrested for an incident where he went berserk on a flight. He apparently yelled things like, “If you wanna square up to me bro, then bring it and I will [redacted] fight you.” and “I will [redacted] own anyone on this flight; they are [redacted] peasants.” Hilton is said to have started punching the bulkhead, near a flight attendant’s face and to have grabbed a flight attendant’s shirt declaring, “I could…
American Will Now Waive Telephone Fees for Awards You Can’t Book Online
American has updated its award booking fees and on net I actually like the change! On February 16, American’s telephone booking fee will increase from: Domestic: $25 to $30 International: $35 to $40 But American will now waive the telephone fee entirely for awards that cannot be booked online. Previously American would add the telephone booking fee regardless of whether you could book awards online or not. And since American currently only lets you book its own flights plus those of a handful of partners: That meant there was a de facto “partner booking fee” if you wanted an award on an airline like Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, LAN, Iberia, Etihad, etc. Now there isn’t. American’s top tier Executive Platinum members of course have telephone booking fees waived already — as long as they’re one…
