I spent the past weekend in Denver for the close of the Star Mega DO, landing minutes ahead of the charter flight. My job was to get everyone onto buses while another group went immediately over to United’s training center for flight simulator time. Once everyone had their checked bags, it was out to the taxi/limo booth to have our buses called from the waiting pen, got everyone on, and then I was on my way over to the Avis for my rental car. One of the funniest moments for me of the trip was as I was arriving on the Avis lot, my cell phone rang. Tommy, the event organizer, asked… Tommy:Have you left the lot yet? Me: No, what’s up? Tommy: What kind of car do they have for you? Me: Cadillac, why?…
Free Marriott Silver Status
Via Plane ‘N Simple, Marriott Rewards is offering complimentary silver status through February 2013 for residents of Australia, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, crediting your stays to Air China PhoenixMiles, China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles, China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, KingFisher Airlines King Club, or Jet Airways JetPrivilege earn bonus miles beginning with 1000 miles after your second stay, 1500 after each of your third and fourth stays, and 2000 after your 5th and each subsequent stay — up to 30,000 bonus miles (which would be earned on your 17th stay). Ok, not the most exciting promotion in the world. But it’s free elite status, even if you need to make a virtual move to the Asia Pacific…
A Key Update from the Live Blogging of the Mega DO
The Star Mega DO is streaming updates and I thought this one was especially cool — a marriage proposal on board the charter. Called to the front of the plane during a MilePoint paper airplane contest giveaway, the unsuspecting lady said YES! Photo of the happy couple at the link.
My Coolest Honor Yet?
Magazine articles, quotes in papers, whatever. I have to say I’m at least entertaining the notion that my coolest honor to date may be getting named Travel Tweeter of the Week by the renowned @JohnnyJet. And if you aren’t already following me on Twitter, what are you waiting for? 🙂
Star Mega DO 3 Chicago Launch!
Last night was the launch of the Star Mega DO. For most folks, anyway, about a third of the participants went on a pre-Mega DO trip to Germany, and I understand that it was a mind blowing experience, especially for the gang that found themselves in Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal. One person was pretty proud of the (4) rubber duckies that they brought home. A couple of participants even managed to talk their way into an upgrade from business class to first class on the aircraft, after pushback. That may truly have been a first. The flight from Frankfurt to Chicago was delayed about three hours, and a massive backup at immigration, meant that those of us starting in Chicago had the full spread and the airline and hotel executives to ourselves for the start…
Tracking Your Inbound Aircraft and Predicting Flight Delays
My morning coffee ritual for just about any day that I’m flying involves checking in online (if my upgrade hasn’t cleared, I’ve probably checked in the day before). I check in online even if I have no access to a printer, and I’m not flying an airline or through an airport where a mobile boarding pass will work. I want to be checked in. If I’m running late, I can always re-print a boarding pass at the airport, but if I miss the check-in cutoff time I can’t be initially checked in. So online check-in is something I always do, and not just when I expect to be cutting it close, I’ve been caught in massive traffic jams due to freeway accidents, where a drive to the airport has taken an hour and a half…
New Technology May Allow Shoes to Stay Attached to Feet While Crossing Through Airport Security
Supposedly here’s what we can expect. Air travelers will eventually be able to keep their shoes on to pass through security, but the restrictions on carrying liquids on board are likely to remain in place for some time, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a POLITICO Playbook breakfast Tuesday. As I’ve explained before, sometimes it seems that the only way to get rid of one silly boondoggle is with a more expensive boondoggle. Napolitano suggests that I may be correct. “The solution to many if not all of these inconveniences is better and better technology,” Napolitano added. Indeed, we get to keep our shoes on if taxpayers are willing to shell out for expensive equipment. The reason it works is because it aligns the lobbying of equipment manufacturers with those who wish to change silly…
The Myth of Booking Award Tickets at Midnight 330 Days Out
When to book award travel: There’s a persistent myth that the best time to book an award ticket is instantly when an airline’s schedule opens, and also that the moment when that happens is 12:01am exactly 330 days prior to travel. But before explaining why this isn’t true — as well as those times when it is! — it’s helpful to understand making award seats available on flights from an airline’s perspective. Airlines want to release those seats as (saver / low) awards that they don’t expect to sell for cash. Sure, they may load some award seats when the schedule opens but 11 months out they only have a rough idea of what seats are going to go unsold. They may not add a single award seat on a given flight when the schedule…
How Much Risk of Terrorism is There, and What’s it Worth to Stop it?
Bruce Schneier: John Mueller and his students analyze the 33 cases of attempted [EDITED TO ADD: Islamic extremist] terrorism in the U.S. since 9/11. So few of them are actually real, and so many of them were created or otherwise facilitated by law enforcement. The death toll of all these is fourteen: thirteen at Ft. Hood and one in Little Rock. I think it’s fair to add to this the 2002 incident at Los Angeles Airport where a lone gunman killed two people at the El Al ticket counter, so that’s sixteen deaths in the U.S. to terrorism in the past ten years. Given the credible estimate that we’ve spent $1 trillion on anti-terrorism security (this does not include our many foreign wars), that’s $62.5 billion per life [EDITED: lost]. Is there any other risk…
Free Hilton Diamond Status and Delta Lounge Access for Most Airline Elites (Willing to Make a Virtual Move to Australia)
Virgin Velocity is offering a status match for residents of Australia. Anyone with an Australian address and elite status in a program other than their partners Air New Zealand, Delta, Etihad, Singapore, and Virgin Atlantic, can be matched up to the equivalent tier in the Virgin Velocity program — including their top Platinum tier. To be eligible for the Promotion the applicant must be or become a Velocity member and send to statusmatch@velocityrewards.com.au their valid Velocity membership number along with a legible copy of their frequent flyer membership card (or most recent monthly statement) that clearly shows their current elite status level and expiry date. Virgin Velocity’s elite benefits are interesting, Gold members get Gold status with Hilton and Platinum members get Diamond status with Hilton. Apparently the status lasts six months and extends to…
