Andrew writes: Hi Gary, I wonder if you can give me some advice. I’m a Continental One Pass member but don’t fly very often. Perhaps 3-4 times a year, both domestic and abroad. (I also have United miles, but much fewer.) I don’t currently use a credit card to accumulate miles, but realize that I probably should, especially as I’m about to purchase a $2,000 computer. It seems that the best credit card for me would be a Chase Continental card (not sure which one) or a Starwood Amex which frequent flyers seem to speak of very highly. Do you think one of these two cards are the right ones for me? Or would I be better off with something else? Thanks so much for your help! Andrew, I think you’re already on the right…
Government use of market incentives… at it’s most fool-hardy
An airport in West Virginia is trying to stimulate travel by giving all passengers $100. The offer is good for all travel originating from the airport using tickets purchased between July 7 and Aug. 6. How well thought out is the plan? McKinley said the airport is not sure how much the promotion will cost.
Reader Mail Part One
Rita asked: In June 22, 2003 View from the Wing, there is a discussion about consolidating your mileage points into one airline, such as United. Is it saying that, for example, when you fly Alaska, you can have your miles earned in United’s plan? Or is it saying that you need to accumulate them as Continental miles, then transfer them to Amtrak and then to United? I know Alaska and American are linked, but I was unaware that United could be linked to Alaska. Alaska flights can be credited to Continental OnePass, and OnePass miles can be transferred 1:1 to United via Amtrak (up to 25k/yr). Raising Alaska does make for an interesting example. Alaska isn’t formally tied to a major carrier but has a whole sleuth of partners — Continental, Northwest, American, Qantas, Cathay…
Airport Security is No Better Than Before
The Washington Post carries a story outlining several of the problems with federal airport security and concludes that in spite of all the spending and passenger inconvenience The federal government disclosed this month that it fired 85 felons it had hired to work as security screeners and that it has yet to finish 22,000 background checks. Private airport security firms, which hired screeners before the federal takeover, had similar problems. Charles G. Slepian, a former security consultant for TWA, is dismayed by the lapses. “Nothing has really changed that much in terms of substantive security,” he said. He noted that reinforced cockpit doors and more explosive-detecting machines have helped. But Slepian said Congress and the rest of the federal government are focusing too much on preventing another Sept. 11 attack instead of concentrating on other…
More Legroom on Discount Carriers
The Atlanta Journal Constitution surveys coach legroom and finds that discount carriers tend to offer more. As I noted previously, this is important for infrequent travelers but not relevant for frequent travelers with elite status because for them the meaningful comparison is lowfare coach versus major airline first class.
More on the missing 727
The missing 727 may just have been a botched repossession rather than the acquisition of a terrorist device. (Link via Rand Simberg.)
Senator Harkin: man of the traveling people? or better than the traveling people?
Glenn Reynolds doesn’t think it’s appropriate for a Senator to jump the security queue at airports — especially a liberal populist Senator. Senator Tom Harkin’s communications director explained that the Senator was more worried about getting the job done for the people of Iowa than about getting a call from a gossip columnist. But as Glenn observes, Harkin was heading home, not heading to a Senate floor vote. Sure, Harkin had a full schedule — but so did many others in line on their way to business meetings or family engagements. Now, major airlines all have VIP programs where they help lucrative customers, celebrities, and some politicians avoid inconvenience. I don’t think there’s an airline criticism here — but rather a criticism of a politician who chooses to use this status. Each Member of Congress…
Please turn off all electronic devices until we’re safely parked at the gate
No study demonstrates that cell phone use onboard an airplane actually causes problems. And if any potential problems exist, cell phone manufacturers could probably come up with a technological solution. So it’s good news that the FAA and Air Transport Association are going to study the subject. That’s better than just blindly continuing 15 year old rules that may not be based on any science in the first place.
Airlines: Blame the Internet
David Grossman asks whether the internet is killing the airlines. Consumers shopping online are able to see all of their options — pushing down the prices they pay for travel. The real enemy of the airlines here is information and better informed consumers. Competition and technology drives that. Airlines have a love-hate relationship with technology. They embrace it for lowering their ticket distribution costs by circumventing travel agents, but they kvetch about it for creating savvier consumers. Any business that relies on the ignorance of it’s customers will only sustain profitability over a limited period of time. That ignorance is bound to end. The internet isn’t at fault for this. The airlines come off sounding way too much like Bill O’Reilly.
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