International
October 1st, 2009
MORE INT’L FLIGHTS FROM ATL? Despite the fact that you can fly nonstop from ATL to 70 cities outside the U.S., airport officials are hoping to woo even more international flights. In the wake of the loss of several nonstops (such as ATL-Mumbai, ATL-Shanghai and ATL-Cape Town) Airport manager Ben DeCosta recently told the AJC that they could consider financial incentives to airlines hoping to add non-stops. QUESTION: Where would YOU like to be able to fly nonstop from Atlanta? Which international airlines should ATL woo? Leave your comments below!
KOREAN AIR STILL IN THE GAME. Despite Delta’s decision to cut out non-stops between ATL and Seoul, you can still get there, non-stop on SkyTeam partner Korean Airlines. If you are looking for a great stopover on the way to Asia, I’d recommend Seoul’s amazing Incheon over just about any other Asian hub. Good news: KAL is in the process of upgrading its premium cabins with lie-flat business class seats. Unfortunately, they are not on the ATL flights yet, but are reportedly on the way. Here’s a 30-second video of what’s coming:
OLYMPIC AIRLINES DEAD. LONG LIVE OLYMPIC AIR. Greece’s beleaguered national carrier, Olympic Airlines ceased flying on Sept 28. A new private airline, called Olympic Air will pick up most of the pieces and offer mostly short haul intra-Greece and regional flights. It will no longer offer any long hauls and instead will code share with Delta for flights between Greece and the U.S. Best bet when flying in Greece? Aegean Airlines.
QUERY: Based on a few recent flights, it seems to us at THE TICKET that international business class seems to be filling back up. So dear readers, we ask those of you who have flown internationally in the last month or so: ARE BUSINESS CLASS CABINS FILLING BACK UP? Let us know what you are seeing! Leave your comments below.
Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET!
Cool video! How comfortable was the seat? When is it comeing to SFO? Thanks, Deb
Business Class is filling up…because coach is oversold! In April between ATL and Dublin, Ireland, I was upgraded to BC because they needed my seat in coach. From asking around a few people with NO status were also upgraded – quite a treat for all of us. Not an anomaly, the same thing happened in September from JFK to Dublin. I’m certainly not complaining! Unfortunately, there were 6-8 empty seats in BC on the return trip which remained so since Coach wasn’t full.
Business Class was full on a recent trip between Atlanta and Rome both was on Delta.
Service has gone downhill….
International Business class on Delta is full because of Delta’s overly generous “Friends & Family”/Buddy Pass international upgrade policy.
Do you know that this policy will upgrade a friend of a Delta employee to BC with a Delta “Buddy Pass” over a 2 million miler, full economy fare paying customer ?
What are other business gives away their most premium service to employees ( and employees friends) over loyal, paying customers?
There are plenty of Business Class (Envoy) seats on US Air. I had four round trips to Europe in the past 30 days, and I was upgraded both ways on each trip. This is just another reminder why I deserted Delta with 1.5 million miles for US Air! I just don’t understand the loyalty to Delta, which needs to take a lesson from US Air on how to care for its top level fliers.
Personally, I want the non-stop flights between Atlanta and Moscow, and Atlanta and Mumbai to be returned. I fly these frequently and am really upset that they “just went away.” In my opinion, the two worst major airports are Kennedy and Charles de Gaulle and now I have to use them as my connectors. I hate it. I have over 2 million miles and regularly earn platinum status. I’m very seriously considering switching airlines because of this and my perception that there is a continuing decline in Delta’s service.
Biz class full on Lufthansa:
ATL/FRA – 9/17/09 – A340
FRA/ATL = 9/28/08 – A330
Very good service. Decent food. Oddly small “rations” of all liquids!
Would love Atlanta to Singapore non stop
Would love it if Virgin Atlantic could be bribed into serving Atlanta….