News and notes from around the interweb:
- United expedites returns of blankets on domestic flights after customer and employee outrage.
- New research shows why hunting for the cheapest plane ticket is a waste of your time (HT: S.)
- The day after stabbings at the Atlanta airport and a bomb threat at BWI two police officers were shot in a parking garage at the Philadelphia airport.
- United-issued tickets for travel on Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia now earn small business PerksPlus points. (HT: Nick B)
- American Airlines fakes that they’re against JSX out of concern for safety while partnering with BLADE helicopters. BLADE, by the way, could even be impacted by the FAA’s proposed rulemaking, depending on how it’s written.
- W Sydney has finally opened with outlandish pricing – it’s a 600 room convention center hotel. W hasn’t been cool since Starwood was willing to enforce brand standards without respect to cost.
- Lufthanse close to order for 80 narrowbody aircraft
My experience hasn’t shown hunting for the cheapest plane ticket is a waste of my time. In fact, I sometimes find pricing that is lower than similar flights in the surrounding weeks. On a round trip LAX to PNH flight I can sometimes save $200 or more. Once a good fare is found, it is necessary to buy right away. Waiting always means I pay more, with only one exception. One time the prices changed as I explored nearby dates but I was able to snag a ticket before all were changed to a more expensive price.
What the article seems to say is that there is no silver bullet formula for finding lower prices. It does accept that prices vary. I wonder why this inventory management scheme they describe is not subject to antitrust scrutiny.
Flew Garuda Airlines domestically last week. Thick blankets and comfortable pillows, not the thin pieces of felt like Delta used to handed out.