Apr
21
2005
The author of the Denver Post piece I mentioned yesterday did extensive interview with Gary Steiger and with me about a year ago. That interview is posted on the story author’s website.
Interview with a Mileage Junkie
Seeing myself in print
Apr
20
2005
View from the Wing was mentioned in Sunday’s Denver Post. It’s nice to learn that you helped someone earn the miles for a trip of a lifetime, in this case case to Africa. Thanks for the shout out! This blog has been covered in the Washington Post and I’ve been quoted in the Financial Times, San Francisco Chronicle and many other places. But it always feels kinda good. Even if I do get just a bit mention this time.
Renting Cars Off-Airport
Apr
20
2005
Business Travel News carries a piece on corporate travel departments pushing travelers to rent cars from off-airport locations in order to save on skyrocketing fees associated with airport rentals (hat tip to Tripso Daily). While the piece documents the high taxes, some at truly bizarre heights, it mentions only a couple of companies pushing travelers to rent off-airport in a couple of circumstances — which seem to me about as much as convenience than cost savings, or at least both married together. The trend that bothers me most is airports with ‘on-airport’ car rental facilities that are really off-airport, where you have to take a shuttle bus off the airport facility to a car rental facility. As long as off-airport rental companies pick you up at baggage claim as frequently as on-airport buses, or at…
Thoughts on USAirways/America West Merger Rumors
Apr
20
2005
Rumors of an America West-USAirways linkup have been all over the news. The two carriers are certainly in talks. There’s a certain logic to it: USAirways has a strong East Coast route network, America West has a strong West Coast route network, together they’d be a true national carrier (the nation’s 6th largest). But America West is close to profitability and is winning analyst plaudits. USAirways remains in bankruptcy for the second time since 9/11, is short on cash and on life support. USAirways has a much more senior workforce than America West. Integrating union labor pools is always a difficult task and one which can lead to significant acrimony. It’s really unclear to me how America West would make USAirways’ assets profitable. Rumors of the two carriers combining go back to 1997 (or at…
bmi Status Match
Apr
19
2005
Through the end of May, British Midland is offering to match elite status that you might have with another carrier (other Star Alliance airlines excluded).
USAirways to Honor Error Rate
On Saturday, a pricing error caused several USAirways routes to go on sale for about $40 all-in. I was out of town on Saturday and couldn’t take advantage of the fares. One thing worth noting was the stand-up response from USAirways: “Obviously, if we sold any tickets at that rate, we’ll honor them,” said airline spokesman Chuck Allen. Three cheers for USAirways! In my experience, error rates where money has already changed hands are usually honored. United’s $29 Paris fares, British Airways’ $20 World Traveler Plus fares to Europe, Mexicana’s $55 business class fares to Puerta Vallarta were all honored. Thai Airways’ first class fare from London to Bangkok was not — the fare could be reserved online but had to be ticketed in person (and Thai’s London offices were closed for the weekend, by…
Amtrak 5th Year Anniversary Bonus Promotion, Including Free Points
Amtrak is offering three bonuses for its 5th anniversary. 200 points for registering for the promotion. 2400 points for earning Amtrak Guest Rewards points with three partners by June 30. 2400 points for spending $3000 on the Amtrak Guest Rewards Mastercard between April 15 and June 30. The 200 points are a free gimme. If you have the Amtrak credit card, $3000 in spending over two and a half months is easy to qualify for for most. I used to highly recommend the Amtrak credit card as indispensable because it has no annual fee, it charged only 1% on foreign currency transactions, and Amtrak points could be transferred 1:1 into United. However, Amtrak pulled the plug on United transferred and MBNA is increasing the foreign exchange transaction fee to 3%. I no longer recommend acquiring…
Earn Points Towards Wyndham Stays, Just Not Via Wyndham’s ByRequest Program
Apr
16
2005
The La Quinta Returns Program is introducing redemption at Wyndham hotel and resort properties as a new option beginning this weekend. Ironically, Wyndham doesn’t offer points towards future stays in its own ByRequest program.
20% Priority Club Award Nights
Apr
15
2005
Priority Club is offering 20% off hotel night award redemption for stays between April 15 and June 15 at select properties. Participating Crowne Plaza properties are only 16,000 points… Participating Intercontinentals are just 24,000…
Star Alliance Status Matches Available to U.K. Residents
Apr
15
2005
Residents of the U.K. are invited to receive elite status on the Star Alliance carrier of their choice (excluding Singapore) by filling out a form and faxing a copy of a frequent flyer statement that shows elite status with a competing airline. For general discussion of elite status matching and instructions for receiving matches with several airline programs, see “The Status Match Master Thread” — a Flyertalk discussion I started in October 2003.
