If network television can be unpriced to the consumer, financed by advertising, why can’t airline travel be financed by ancillary revenue as well? Ryanair believes revenue from inflight gaming and gambling could eventually replace the need to charge air fares, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday. Ryanair gave away about a quarter of its seats last year and that figure could rise to between 50 and 100 percent depending on how ancillary revenues grow, O’Leary said. “Ultimately entertainment will be where the money is,” he told reporters, while answering questions about his plans to introduce gaming and gambling onboard, probably in 2007. “It would transform ancillary revenues and profits,” he said. “We’ll probably announce a gambling partner (company) in the next 2-3 months.” I’m not sure I believe this will become their business model,…
Triple Starwood Points on Hotel Stays
Starwood is offering triple points on hotel stays between November 28 and December 21. While Starwood is famous for doing only targeted promos, for once it appears as though this is open to everyone. Registration is required. And speaking of targeted promos, some holders of the Starwood American Express card are in the middle of a 50% bonus on all spending (Oct 1 – Nov 30). I wasn’t targeted. I wasn’t targeted last summer for double points on all spending above a certain threshold last year either. Apparently I use the card too much, they don’t feel the need to incentivize me further. I wrote to American Express last year to express my displeasure, their executive offices called me and they dropped a large number of points (likely more than I’d have earned from the…
See me here, see me there
Starting tomorrow I’ll be guest-blogging over at Marginal Revolution for five or six days. Check out my postings over there.
Amtrak tickets cost more at the last minute
For several years Amtrak has been using revenue management techniques in the midwest. Now they’ve introduced the concept to the Northeast Corridor. Early last month, Amtrak began charging its Northeast Corridor passengers 15 percent to 25 percent more for tickets purchased close to departure than for the same tickets bought weeks in advance. The new structure is based on the level of sales prior to departure. The more popular the route, such as the Northeast Corridor Metroliner or Acela on a Friday afternoon, the higher the last-minute rate. “If a train is almost sold out, you may pay a higher fare if you book at the last minute,” said Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell. My first reaction was that this is long overdue from a business prudence standpoint, but anathema to travelers. My second reaction was…
Unlikely auction
An entire airline is for sale on eBay.
SoHo Grand Hotel Report
HotelChatter offers some suggestions for Manhattan’s Soho Grand Hotel to help make it worth the $400 per night price tag. Key items are to update the rooms (flat screen tvs would help) and to get the free wireless working better. Note that language in the link isn’t 100% family friendly..
Double Delta Amex Miles
Oct
28
2005
The Delta American Express is offering double miles on all purchases from November 1 through December 31. Maximum bonus is 10,000 miles and registration is required.
Swan Song?
Oct
28
2005
Delta is considering dissolving its “low cost carrier-within-a-carrier” called Song. The wisdom of these operations has always been questionable at best. Delta used to offer a similar product to and around Florida. They resurrected the idea with Song, and expanded it to cross-country flights. USAirways used to have Metrojet. United had “Shuttle by United” on the West Coast. There’s still the occasional 737 in Shuttle by United colors (with less legroom and no ability to serve hot food) disappointing frequent travelers when they’re surprised at the gate. There’s the familiar joke about United’s current attempt, Ted, that it represents “the end of UniTED.” Continental had Continental Lite. It’s very hard to market two distinct products under the same brand. It’s hard to offer operational independence. And with different pay scales and work rules (the real…
Wall Street Journal: Mouthpiece for Labor?
As part of Northwest’s bankruptcy, they’re trying to reduce labor costs. This creates strained relations with their unions. So far, so good. But to borrow Brad DeLong’s phrase, “why oh why can’t we have a better press corp?” This Susan Carey piece (originally in the Wall Street Journal offers a rather odd definition of outsourcing: Those intra-Asia flights are mostly staffed by nearly 700 Asian attendants from bases in Japan, China, South Korea, the Philippines and other countries. They operate under different pay and work rules but have language skills for Asian destinations as well as English. The current union contract allows this limited but longstanding outsourcing. (Emphasis mine.) According to Susan Carey (and the PR voice of the Northwest flight attendants union), staffing planes flying within Asia with flight attendants from Asia is outsourcing?…
Finally a new Amtrak 20% off link
Amtrak is offering 20% off on service to Philadelphia. In reality, the discount applies to all Northeast Corridor trains, though Metroliner and Acela Express are as usual excluded. Discount code V735 is valid on tickets purchased through April 22, 2006 for travel through April 25, 2006. Blackout dates are: November 22-29, 2005; Dec 16-Jan 2, 2006; Jan 13-16, 2006; Feb 17-20, 2006; April 13-17, 2006. On itineraries where V735 is not available, try H542. It’s a 15% discount that seems to work on most trips, including Metroliner and Acela Express. It’s only valid through December 15.
