Southwest Guts the Rapid Rewards Program

by Gary Leff

southwest
Aug 10 2005

As reported by NotiFlyer, Southwest is imposing capacity controls on its awards. Currently an award ticket is good on any seat. There are a few blackout dates, but otherwise award tickets aren’t restricted. As a bone to members, Rapid Rewards credits will expire after 24 months instead of 12. They’re also removing blackout dates, but blackout dates are meaningless once you introduce capacity controls. Now they’ll be able to allocate as many as zero or one seat on a flight. Who needs blackout dates? Southwest is headlining the change to 24 month expiration of credits, and buries the news in the middle paragraphs. Clearly an attempt to divert attention from the real bad news and soften the blow. Rapid Rewards members, you have my sympathy.

Continue Reading »

The problem with generic luxury

by Gary Leff

Jet Set Lara, the blog of an international escort, offers some observations on the generic sameness of many Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hotels. I have a recurring nightmare. In it, I wake up in a hotel room. The bed is perfect with four down pillows, 400 thread count linens, and a 2000 coil pillow top mattress. The clock radio is blaring classical music having been left on as some sort of primitive turf marking by the housekeeping staff. Oh – there is the green/gold bedspread rolled up behind the pale yellow armchair, along with the two overstuffed decorative pillows that will be placed back on the bed when it is made up. Ah yes, there are the faux-tique writing desk and armoire. Rubbing my eyes, I trudge to the bathroom – as I thought –…

Continue Reading »

Juniper Bank to issue Visa for Merged USAirways-America West

by Gary Leff

usairways
Aug 09 2005

When the USAirways-America West merger was first announced in May I noted that a key detail was a planned cash infusion from a credit card partner in the neighborhood of $300 million. It was curious that the partner wasn’t named, while Bank of America was already partner to both airlines. So, despite the Charlotte Observer calling the news “somewhat unexpected”, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that Juniper Bank (which issues Frontier and Airtran cards) will become the issuer of the USAirways card.Taking the place of Charlotte-based Bank of America will be Juniper Bank, a subsidiary of British-based Barclays PLC, which agreed Monday to pour $455 million into the merger between US Airways and America West Airlines. In exchange, Juniper will have the exclusive right to market the US Airways credit card beginning in 2008,…

Continue Reading »

Undersea Accomodations

by Gary Leff

The Vancouver Sun runs a story on the emergence of underwater hotels. The Maldives Hilton already has an underwater restaurant. This property has been on my list of places to check out, but has been bumped down a notch since I’ve recently been to Bora Bora Nui. How many overwater bungalows do I need to stay in in a year? When the fully underwater properties are completed, perhaps even by the end of next year, they’ll no doubt make the list at UnusualHotelsoftheWorld.com. (Hat tip for the news article to Tripso.com and for the Unusual Hotels directory to Marginal Revolution.)

Continue Reading »

Free iTunes Download

by Gary Leff

Free iTunes for Financial Literacy
Aug 08 2005

Sign up to receive information about a checking account with Wells Fargo Bank and you’ll be sent a code for a free iTunes download. You can get one download per email address you use to sign up. (Hat tip to the Flyertalk S.P.A.M. forum.)

Continue Reading »

Google SMS

by Gary Leff

Google SMS is pretty amazing. I saw it recently and made a note to myself that I had to check it out, finally had a chance this afternoon. You can send a text message to GOOGL (46645) with a request for information, and you’ll get a text back in a matter of moments. My first test was for driving directions from Reagan National airport to my home. I entered “From DCA to [Street Address City State]” and I had turn by turn directions in seconds. Then I asked it for a definition, sending “define blog” Final test, how what is the population of Virginia? “virginia population” Verdict: very cool.

Continue Reading »

Where do I even start?

by Gary Leff

Boston’s Logan Airport offers wireless internet for $7.95. Continental offers wireless internet free in its Presidents Club. The airport is trying to force Continental to stop competing with its pay service, claiming offering internet for free to club members is “an unacceptable potential risk” to airport security. (Somehow when passenger pay $7.95 it’s no longer a risk.) Security as a catch-all for prohibiting behavior is a clear risk to liberty. Fortuntaely Continental is fighting it. (Hat tip to David Rowell.)

Continue Reading »