USA Today interviews Joel Widzer, author of The Penny Pincher’s Passport to Luxury Travel. As is so often the case, the advice is almost on target but a bit incomplete. Being a regular customer, or just being nice, can get you an airline passenger upgrade. Elite status with an airline (regular customer) matters most, as long as you follow the rules for receiving upgrades. Most upgrades are processed automatically, so it’s more about rules than interaction. Make sure you know what the airline offers — free domestic upgrades versus paid for with cash or certificates, a certain minimum fare required, etc. And make sure to request the upgrade explicitly. Each airline has their own procedures.“Being nice” certainly helps, especially combined with status, at the airport on the day of departure. Sometimes an airline has to…
Update on the Free Flatscreen and iPod
A quick update on the Free Flat Screen and Free iPod offers. (Details of the offers below.) I’ve completed all the tasks for the iPod and I’ve placed my order. I’m told the order is in progress. Not bad for a few minutes work. I have all my needed referrals for the Flat Screen offer. I haven’t completed my own part, though, because I get a recurring error “Not Logged In.” So I’m very close to the finish line and I’ve had a problem that no one else seems to have encountered. I’ll try from another computer tomorrow. Still, these are turning out to be quite lucrative.
United Gets $1 Billion in Loans
United is set to receive $1 billion in loans and may stay in bankruptcy through June 2005.That pretty much proves the point that United has access to private capital markets, contrary to claims made in furtherance of their failed application for government-backed loans. The key difference is that had they gotten the government-backed loans, they would have quickly emerged from Chapter 11 without finishing the job of cost cutting.By going to the private market for funding, they’re being forced to make painful cuts in order to become profitable.
New eBay Anything Points Earning Schedule for Priceline Hotel Reservations
eBay started offering an exceptionally generous 1500 Anything Points per Priceline hotel reservation a few months ago. Some time in the middle of the month they changed their offer to “up to 1500 points.” They don’t publish the specific details on their website, but I’m told the new rates are as follows: 1 – 2 star hotels earn 500 points 2.5 – 3.5 star hotels earn 1000 points 4 – 5 star hotels and resorts earn 1500 points
Aviation Security Newsletter
Bob Poole’s Aviation Security Newsletter always makes for a fascinating read. Yesterday’s issue led with the TSA’s failure to provide reasonable security procedures for airport vendors with ramp access to aircraft. While the TSA focuses tremendous resources — 45,000 screeners — on passenger access to secure areas, there are only 358 people inspecting airport procedures covering the million airport and vendor employees with aircraft and secure terminal access.Poole recommends: If TSA were refocused as a security research, policy-making, and regulatory agency, the vast majority of its screeners could be transferred to the airports or certified contractors. But some would remain at TSA to greatly beef up its inspection staff. Think about it: unified security at each airport (the buck stops there!) and greatly strengthened arms-length oversight. That should produce much better security than we have…
Free iPod Advice
Reader Samir emails some useful advice for the free iPod offer: I got the blue iPod mini – I’m VERY happy with it. I’ve only got about 3.6GB on my computer at home, so it works for me – but I can see running out of space soon – they didn’t have the 15GB one available when I ordered mine! It takes about 4 weeks to get it – you can e-mail free iPods & they’ll send you your Apple order number – then just go to Apple.com & set up an account there & check your order status. I actually called them up & had them change the order from freeipods to my name (that way, I’d get the e-mail confirmation receipt which is required for warranty work in case it break – if…
Buddy can ya spare $250k?
The federal government has taken in more than a quarter million dollars since October from loose change left behind at security checkpoints.
TravelZoo deals
TravelZoo is paid to advertise travel offers. Nevertheless, their weekly “Top 20” sometimes has some pretty good deals. Occasionally (though rarely) they’re truly exceptional. This week there were two that stood out to me: $799 per person from Los Angeles to Tahiti, transfers to the island of Moorea, and 5 nights hotel. Also $680 per person from Washington-Reagan National (less from New York) to Honolulu plus 7 nights of hotel.As is the case with any package, the eye-popping appeal comes from the low price. And it isn’t going to be the most luxurious trip — airfares usually not upgradable, hotel that is decent but far from world-class. Nevertheless, these represent decent values. On the other hand, discounters like GoToday.com and last minute package sites like Site59 give you nice deals with the ability to upgrade…
Aeroflot: Drunk Flight Attendants Assaults Passenger
Via Tyler Cowen, CNN reports on an air rage incident that reverses the usual narrative: Drunken passengers often give air crews trouble, but Russia’s leading airline on Tuesday reported an “unprecedented” reversal: A passenger was assaulted by intoxicated flight attendants…on a domestic Aeroflot flight…Seeing that the crew were intoxicated and were not fulfilling their duties, Chernopup [a passenger] asked to be served by a sober and competent flight attendant, Dannenberg said. He was then beaten up by crew members.
British Airways ‘Winter in July’ Sale
From now through July 22nd, British Airways is offering flights to London from $178 plus tax roundtrip for travel beginning October 28th. Other European destinations are slightly higher, though the fares allow for a London stopover. Saturday night stays are required. Hotel nights can be added from $39.
