There’s some news about the 727 that disappeared in Angola last month. It had been configured to haul diesel fuel tanks, potentially making it a flying bomb. It was being piloted by Benjamin Padilla, who has not been heard from since. And we still don’t know where the plane is. (Link via Instapundit.)
Boy runs away. Blame the airline!
A 13 year old boy ran away by buying a ticket to Hawaii online with his mother’s credit card. She contacted police, he was detained, and she had him flown home. She claims she shouldn’t have to pay for the ticket — that the TSA or the airline should have stopped the boy. But the TSA doesn’t require IDs for minors, and the ticket was in his own name anyway. And it hardly seems reasonable for the airline to be expected to call the boy’s mother to verify that he had permission to fly, as this woman apparently expects that they should have done. Instead, it seems to me that this is a case where the mother failed to supervise her son and failed to protect her credit card. I don’t know the specifics that…
Whither the United Visa.. and Bank One with it?
When United started talking bankruptcy, it’s mileage earning credit card partner Bank One started seeing fewer new applications. Folks decided they’d rather earn miles on a less risky carrier. The Mileage Plus Visa is such an important part of Bank One’s business that they coughed up almost half of United’s debtor-in-possession financing to help them through restructuring. Even Bank One’s unprecedented 20,000 bonus miles signup offer (not to mention offer of an upgrade certificate, companion ticket, and 2500 additional bonus miles for adding cardholders to the account) hasn’t seemed to stem the tide.
Senate Blocks Air Traffic Control Privatization
The govenrment air traffic control system is near overload because more smaller jets are replacing fewer larger jets. Bob Poole of the Reason Foundation argues convincingly that a private system would work much better. Unfortunately, the Senate voted to prohibit privatizing air traffic control functions, over the President’s objections. While slightly different language than in the House FAA appropriations bill, it suggests that the final reconciled legislation will include a ban. This seems like a good time for President Bush’s first veto.
Low Cost Carriers — Better Amenities Than Their Full Service Rivals?
Amenities on low cost airlines are improving, even as mainline “full service” carriers cut back. For the average traveler, that will make JetBlue more attractive than Delta. This change has already entered the public’s consciousness. My boss’s assistant was excited that she was able to book him on JetBlue for an upcoming trip to the West Coast because “it’s supposed to be better.” Only my boss wasn’t excited. And this is why the full service airlines, while becoming less attractive to the infrequent flyer, are still more attractive to the road warrior. Two words: elite upgrades. While JetBlue’s coach product is probably superior to Delta’s, it’s frequent flyer program isn’t as generous and won’t take you nearly as far. Most importantly, though, frequent flyers get upgrades. Among the low cost carriers Airtran is unique in…
Just joined blogshares
Congratulations!
I just discovered my friend Laurel’s blog, only to learn that she’s getting married! I think that rates a permanent link to the right…
It was the customer’s fault
I mean, she didn’t have to eat at Sizzler. (But then it could have been worse — dinner at Red Lobster!)
American Airlines Makes Coach Even Worse (And You Didn’t Think That Was Possible – Hah!)
American Airlines is ending the practice of blocking middle seats next to it’s elite frequent flyers (filling those seats last to increase the likelihood of an empty middle next to an elite sitting in coach). They say it presented problems for kiosk check-in, raising costs because more people had to visit live checkin agents. So the coach experience at American, already being devalued with the elimination of “More Room Throughout Coach” on some routes, is being made worse. I know who I won’t be flying. (Thanks to David Rowell for pointing this out.)
Another Starwood Instant Gold Status Promotion Code
New Starwood Preferred Guest members can sign up for the program by calling 1-800-625-4990 and mention promotion code CV (from British Airways). That will sign you up at the gold level. Just worked moments ago for a colleague.Update: Folks have told me that calling the above number refers them to a 900 number. My bad! It’s 1-888 (not 800)-625-4990.
