One of the things airlines have to do when they merge is combine their airport operations. They want gates to be as close as possible to facilitate connections, not to mention reducing the cost of staffing and lowering the cost of operations. This is especially true where one of the merging airlines has a hub. And this is uniquely difficult at airports which are really space-constrained. Now, US Airways doesn’t do a ton of Dallas flying and American has plenty of real estate at the sprawling Dallas Fort-Worth airport. Both Miami and Chicago are already fairly spread out and American’s operation dwarfs US Airways at both. Chicago isn’t a piece of cake, but American is fanned out across the four concourses of terminal 3 and there won’t be many US Airways flights to fold in.…
How to Survive Flying Business Class
Wendy Perrin offers her suggestions about how airlines could make sleeping on planes less awful. Recently Westin Hotels & Resorts, which sparked the trend of brand-name beds in hotels worldwide, announced that its signature Heavenly bedding would take flight on Delta, if only in the airline’s BusinessElite cabin. Sounds great in theory—who wouldn’t want a plush comforter on an overnight international flight?—but does anyone really think that a certain type of duvet and pillow can turn something that must be endured into something that can be enjoyed? Let’s face it: Sleeping on planes sucks. Bedding isn’t enough. Westin used to co-brand with United, and it didn’t help vault United’s product. United oversized co-branded blankets and pillows in premium cabins on their New York JFK – Los Angeles and San Francisco flights, and also redid portions…
US Airways to Join the oneworld Alliance by the Start of 2014
When American Airlines and US Airways merge, they will be jointly owned and for the most part jointly managed at least at the top. But they will remain separate airlines for some time. Airlines Combine Gradually US Airways pilots will fly US Airways planes for the most part along US Airways routes, and American pilots and planes will do the same. There will still be an American AAdvantage frequent flyer program and a separate US Airways Dividend Miles frequent flyer program. We don’t know how long these will remain separate, exactly, but a lot of behind the scenes work will have to happen before a single “operating certifiate” is issued an they begin to fly just as American. This is how mergers usually work. Even after Delta and Northwest merged, the two airlines continued to…
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 26, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: Where the money goes: How reimbursable business travel expenses break down My American Airlines Android App updated. It now lets me view the upgrade list on day of departure, and the problem of boarding passes not showing up sometimes after taking first flight is obviated by the ‘boarding pass’ function. No more need to take screen shots of my boarding passes. Amidst US Airways and American agreeing to mollify European regulators by giving up its Philadelphia – London Heathrow flight, it’s worth remembering that American itself used to fly Philadelphia – London, having purchased the right from TWA which it later acquired, and competing against the US Airways-British Airways partnership.. now merging with the former and in a joint business venture with the latter! “Confused? You won’t be,…
The Worst Reason to Pick a Restaurant, Ever?
Even on a hot day, not quite what I’m looking for. But you can’t say they aren’t upfront, no suing them for inducing you to eat there and hiding the calorie counts. Surely even Michael Bloomberg has to approve given the disclosure! You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
My Experience Taping the Colbert Report, and the Best Airline Hot Nuts
Randy Petersen interviewed me about my appearance on The Colbert Report and posted it to Milepoint.tv. And don’t ask me how I missed this (!!) but here’s Lucky‘s Top 5 Airline Hot Nuts You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Hotel Rooms Available Again and Another Speaker Added for Frequent Traveler University
While there are still some tickets available for Frequent Traveler University in Tampa, Florida September 27-29, after I posted details of the schedule last week the host hotel room block filled up. Now, folks don’t have to stay at the host hotel which is the Grand Hyatt Tampa. The group rate is $119 and most people prefer to stay where the action is, though some Starwood loyalists for instance may stay at the Westin Tampa Bay about a mile away. We’ll have the bulk of the hotel for this event — frequent flyers taking over the property — and we’ve managed to get additional rooms added to the block so that they can be booked at the $119 rate. If you plan to go, you’ll want to get your room booked asap. Meanwhile, last week…
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 25, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: 25% off Westin Heavenly Beds at Nordstrom US Airways and American will give up slots for Philadelphia-Heathrow service to accommodate European regulators. Rumors that US Airways will join oneworld on November 1. If true, that’ll be a quick (though not entirely unexpected) transition post-merger with American. Hyatt is opening a property in Phuket, Thailand US Airways 100% bonus on purchased miles ends July 31. It’s targeted – you have to enter your name and frequent flyer account number to verify eligibility. But it’s also almost now a way to buy American miles at less than two cents apiece. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to…
Swiss Yangon First Class Tickets — They Really Don’t Want to Honor Them and They Want You to Know You’re a Bad Person for Booking Them
Last month the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that Swiss had to honor first class tickets issued at a deep deep discount originating in Myanmar. I’ve never sued to have a deal enforced, I’ve always wanted to be a part of a deal when an airline or hotel chooses to honor it, I do not feel at all badly throwing my hat in the ring for that. Writing about it isn’t ‘encouraging folks to do bad things’. It’s sharing something exciting that may lead to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the way it has for others in the past. Many tickets were honored under this deal, but tickets issued on Swiss ticket stock were mostly cancelled. Some consumers pursued the issue with the Canadian government and won. Last week reader David J. sent me a copy of the…
Carlos Danger Sale: Spirit May Be the Worst Airline But They Have the Best Ads, Anthony Weiner Edition
When the Anthony Weiner sexting story first broke two years ago, Spirit ran an Anthony Weiner sale. Of course they ran a More Bang for Your Buck sale on flights to Cartagena when secret service agents were revealed to have frequented prostitutes there. Back in 2010 they invited customers to check out the (suntan) oil on the beaches that they fly to… during the BP oil spill. (At the time I was just thankful they hadn’t advertised ‘a flood of low fares to New Orleans’ after Hurricane Katrina.) And their most famous ad has to be their “MILF Sale” (Many Islands, Low Fares)… and in keeping with the ‘theme’ they ran a TV commercial, “Think that’s low? Spirit Airlines fares are even lower!” Now Weiner is back, as Carlos Danger in The Weiner Rises Again.…
