Archive for the ‘Airline News’ Category

UPDATE: ROUND TWO: A second promotional freebie is scheduled to run for just six days:  Tuesday, August 16-Sunday August 21. What’s different about this one is that it’s only good for a 30-minute trial (not unlimited use). Once the 30 minutes are up, users will be logged off and asked to pay for the connection at standard rates. The 30-minute trial promo is also sponsored by Diet Coke, but no promo code is needed this time.

There’s been some confusing, conflicting and erroneous information circulating about the free Gogo wi-fi promotion on Delta sponsored by Diet Coke this week, but the TICKET has the scoop:

First, a report from our intrepid airline correspondent Ramsey Qubein who took advantage of the promo on Delta flights this week. His report confirms what we’ve heard from several other TICKET readers:

“Wi-fi is available for free, but log on early as the speed can really slow to a crawl when the whole plane is using it. Typically, it seems to handle about 50 people well, but beyond that, the service slows down. Many flight attendants know about the code [DIETCOKEGOGO], but admit to not announcing it on the PA because it could lead to slower service for everyone.”

We contacted Gogo spokesman Steven Nolan to find out what was going on. First, he told us that the current promotion using the DIETCOKEGOGO code was only intended to run for the first few days of August— NOT the entire month as has been widely reported. He said that the promo was designed to be available only until they reached certain goals in terms of users and impressions (which he would not reveal). When we spoke on Friday morning, he said that those goals had been reached and the promo code would no longer work.

ROUND TWO: Nolan said that a second promotional freebie is scheduled to run for just six days: [UPDATE:] Tuesday, August 16-Sunday August 21. What’s different about this one is that it’s only good for a 30-minute trial (not unlimited use). Once the 30 minutes are up, users will be logged off and asked to pay for the connection at standard rates. The 30-minute trial promo is also sponsored by Diet Coke.

Nolan said that Gogo is confident that its system can handle the increased traffic around such promotions, but if pre-paid monthly users report that their experience is sub-par, Gogo will handle the complaint on a case-by-case basis. He also said that Gogo has not experienced a spike in complaints about slow service this week.

Interested in reading more about in-flight internet availability around the world? Then be sure to check out TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s BBC.com column from this week: In-flight wi-fi slow to expand outside the US. A great read!

Have you used in-flight wi-fi this week? How did it go for you? Please leave your comments below!

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Then, book your trips with our advertising partners.

DELTA: Click here for the latest fare sales and deals at Delta Air Lines

HOTWIRE: Great hotel deals and $13.95 per day rental cars with low Hotwire Hot-Rates!

ENTERPRISE: Free upgrades when renting a car for airport pickup at Enterprise.com

UPDATE Sunday 7:45am: AP reports all airlines except Alaska, Frontier and Virgin America have raised fares. Only those travelers who acted fast were able to take advantage of the short term discount mentioned below. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Airlines-are-taking-savings-apf-1533581816.html?x=0&.v=8

Original story posted Saturday morning: Due to the budget stalemate in Washington, airlines stopped collecting some federal taxes on airline tickets at 12:01 Saturday morning.

This means that most airline tickets bought from now until there’s a budget agreement in Washington will not be subject to the 7.5% federal excise tax, the $3.50 segment fee, or the $16.30 international departure tax.

For example, travelers booking now will get a savings of $37 on a typical $400 domestic fare.

The higher the fare, the more you save on the federal excise tax. So, let’s say you need to take a quick trip to New York next week and the last minute fare is $1000 round trip– you’ll save $82 on that fare.

While airlines may be price matching soon or already — just raising fares to make up the difference and pocket the windfall–  a Delta spokesperson told The TICKET that the carrier is not collecting the federal taxes and has not increased fares as a result, and ticket prices have declined. Similarly,  a United spokesman said this morning that the carrier has stopped collecting the taxes and while its base fares remain unchanged, the final ticket price to the consumer would be less. Also, Alaska Airlines told the Seattle Times that it is not collecting the tax and its customers would save about 14% on ticket prices as a result.

However, a spokesman for AirTran (and Southwest) said that the carriers have raised roundtrip fares $8 “to offset industry cost pressures.” That means that AirTran’s ticket prices today will be more or less the same as they were yesterday. Also, the Washington Post reports that American and US Airways have raised fares to offset any tax savings.

So if you’ve been sitting on a fence about a fare, now might be a good time to go ahead and bite the bullet– at least on Delta, United, Alaska and Virgin America. But keep an eye on this…as always fares are subject to change!

WELCOME NEW TICKET READERS! You’ve joined a very influential and informed group of frequent travelers. We are glad to have you on board! –Chris McGinnis, editor and publisher

Gogo's new logo

GOGO INFLIGHT EVOLVES. Inflight Wi-Fi provider Gogo announced some big changes this week that will go into effect in the fourth quarter of this year on Delta. While Gogo knows that it has frequent business travelers wrapped around its finger, it has a tougher time with the broader leisure travel audience. Therefore, the “new “ Gogo will offer more free content (such as online magazines, games, shopping and access to sites like OpenTable) as well as streaming movies (for a fee). Gogo tells The TICKET that movies will be streamed from a server on the plane– not from the ground– which is good news given the current difficulty of viewing a 2-3 minute YouTube video from the sky. Prices for Internet access (its core product) won’t change much. Gogo also says that it will eventually (2015 or so) move to a satellite-based system (from its current network of land-base antennae), which will enable Wi-Fi access on over-water international flights.

BREAKING: Two Delta jets, a Boeing 767 and a smaller regional jet collided on the runway at Boston’s Logan Airport on Thursday night. The Amsterdam-bound 767 took the tail off the Raleigh-bound ComAir RJ with its giant winglet. Only one passenger was injured.

Delta's boxy flat bed seat on its 767 fleet

LIE FLAT GOOD AND BAD. Based on the comments we receieved on our recent post about finding Delta’s lie-flat seats, the consensus seems to be this: Love ‘em on the 777, but not so much on the 767. The 777 has a superior “herringbone” pattern, but the 767 sports a tighter, boxier style with less space, forcing limbs into the narrow aisle and legs into “the hole.” What do you think…would you rather have the cradle back on the 767, or is the new lie-flat at least a modicum of improvement? Have you flown other airlines that you feel do lie-flat better than Delta? PLEASE leave your comments below.

EXPEDITED TSA SCREENING FOR SOME. The AJC reports that the TSA is going to select a handful of ATL-based Delta frequent flyers as part of a pilot “trusted traveler” program. Those selected MIGHT (important word) be able to forgo taking off shoes and removing laptops from bags. Participants will get special bar codes on boarding passes that TSA agents will scan as they enter security, and then they’ll be sent to a special lane for expedited screening. Full story here. We at The TICKET think its smart when the TSA looks for dangerous people and not just dangerous items. What about you? Leave your opinion below.

iPHONE APP FOR MEDALLION UPGRADE LIST. The upgraded Delta iPhone app now includes a feature that allows Medallion members to see their position on the upgrade list without logging onto delta.com or standing at the gate waiting for the upgrade list to appear (for a short five seconds!) on the gate information screen. The ability to change seat assignments has also been added. This feature is only available for iPhone users, but is coming to the Android and Blackberry versions soon. Users must download an updated version of the app to enjoy this new feature.

SPEAKING OF THE APP: Delta’s giving everyone who checks in via their mobile device 1000 SkyMiles. Registration is required.

DELTA TO BOMBAY. Delta is moving its Bombay flight a bit closer to its ATL hub. While not nonstop (as incorrectly reported in last month’s newsletter—sorry!), it will be a one-stop, same-plane flight via Amsterdam starting in late October. Previously this flight has operated from Newark on a one-stop flight (also via AMS) to Bombay. With the move of this flight back to Atlanta, the long slog to the subcontinent should be a bit easier.

NEW CHINESE PARTNERS. China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have officially joined the SkyTeam alliance and add another feather in Delta’s cap for increased market presence in Asia. SkyTeam already has China Southern in the airline group, and China Airlines of Taiwan is expected to join soon. This gives Delta flyers more SkyMiles earning/buring opportunities when crossing the Pacific. China Eastern operates nonstop flights to Shanghai from several North American cities including NYC, SF and Los Angeles. Have you flown a Chinese airline yet? If so, what did you think? Long ago, we heard only horror stories, but lately, we’re hearing that the service is greatly improved. What do you think? PLEASE leave your comments below.

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DISCOUNTED AWARD TRAVEL. Delta is offering discounted award redemptions for flights within the continental U.S. on Tuesdays or Wednesdays to select SkyMiles members. First, register here to see if you are eligible for the promotion (yep, this is another one of Delta’s “targeted” offers). Then book reward travel on a Tuesday or Wednesday. If the entire itinerary for domestic travel is only on a Tuesday or Wednesday (traditionally the lightest days of the week to travel), you can receive a 5,000-mile refund. If travel takes place partly on one of those days, flyers can receive a 2,500-mile refund. Reservations must be booked by July 31, 2011, and travel must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011.

HUGE PLUG IN FORBES. Welcome to all the new TICKET readers that have come onboard as a result of this very flattering article about The TICKET on FORBES.com. Here’s a snippet: “Way back in 1993, before anyone but Al Gore knew what the internet was, Chris McGinnis launched a newsletter called The TICKET devoted to flyers out of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport, the world’s busiest… At the time, he lived in Atlanta and covered aviation and especially Delta for both the Journal Constitution and later CNN, which was based there, and ever since, he has been THE authority on all things Delta and ATL. This now includes AirTran, also using the airport as its hub, as well as other carriers into Atlanta and all of Delta’s international SkyTeam partners, from Air France to Korean Air.” Gee willikers, that’s nice! Thanks to Forbes’ Larry Olmsted for the kudos. Return the favor by checking out for Larry’s hedonistic “Great Life” blog on Forbes.com.

FLYING TO/FR LAX ON JULY 15, 16 or 17? Beware of the planned 53-hour closure of Interstate 405, LA’s main north/south freeway—and the primary route for getting to/from LAX. As Angelenos are fond of saying, “Take surface streets.” (The old freeway is getting much needed widening and repairs.) There’s even a special Carmageddon section on LATimes.com.

THE TICKET PRINT-FRIENDLY VERSION IS BACK! YAY! For all of you who’ve been asking us to bring back a print version of The TICKET, we’ve now got you covered. Scroll down to the bottom of this post, look for the row of icons across the bottom and choose “PRINT WITH PRINT FRIENDLY.” Easy!

HALF OFF BUSINESS ELITE UPGRADES. For overseas flyers, there’s some good news this summer for people using miles for upgrades. Until Aug. 31, 2011, Delta is allowing upgrades to Business Elite for 50% fewer miles. For example, transatlantic mileage upgrades are typically 15,000 miles each way. This summer, they can be had for 7,500 miles each way. Upgrades are permitted only on Y, B or M Economy Class fares, which are usually quite expensive, and are subject to availability. Before redeeming miles, it is best to call Delta to see if “Z” availability is open since that is the class that must be open to upgrade with miles (or with systemwide upgrade certificates). No registration is required. Click here for more information. While using miles can be a good deal, keep in mind that Delta often sells Business Elite seats at a discount, which can be even cheaper than a full Economy Class fare, but come with many restrictions. Be sure to research all the options before redeeming your hard-earned miles!

PUSH MY BUTTONS. According to Reuters, Boeing has moved the flight attendant call button far away from the overhead light button on the new design for its popular 737 model. “Usually located next to the reading light button and often indistinguishable from it, the dreaded button causes flight attendants to make countless pointless trips down the aisles every day, only to hear embarrassed passengers say they were just trying to switch on the light,” says Reuters. Great idea!

5 FEES BUSINESS TRAVELERS LOVE. Lately, travel headlines practically shout: It’s a fee frenzy! A fee-for-all! Travelers are fighting mad about fees! But are all fees bad? Not necessarily. Many of these so-called “new fees” can be viewed as charges for new products, like in-flight Wi-Fi, that travelers could never “buy” before. And for many business travelers, it’s worth the cost to pay for something that improves comfort or productivity while in the air. Do you want to buy your way to a better trip? Here are five ways to do that. (from my BBC.com column archive)

DO U H8 DELTA? The Atlantic magazine says that Delta is the #2 most hated company in America (after #1 Pepco, a public utility in the DC area). US Airways, United and American were also included in the top 10. Here’s what The Atlantic said about Delta: “Complaints include additional costs for food, beverages and baggage fees. The airline collected more than $952 million in baggage fees from flyers in 2010, almost twice as much as any other airline carrier. Since acquiring Northwest airlines in 2008, Delta’s consumer satisfaction score has plunged.” We know that most TICKET readers have a love/hate relationship with Delta, but… hate is a pretty strong word…what do you think? Deserved or just headline grabbing? Leave your comments below.

BARBIE JETS GET WI-FI. Installation of Gogo Wi-Fi on Delta Connection regional jets with First Class cabins is getting underway. The entire mainline Delta fleet of narrowbody (one aisle) planes and 767-300 domestic aircraft now have Wi-Fi access. The first Wi-Fi equipped Delta Connection plane rolled out in June, an ASA CRJ-700 with fleet wide installation complete by the end of this year.

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OLE AND CHEERS. Delta is adding a tequila cocktail to its lineup of beverages in Sky Clubs across the country. The new drinks will be prepared using Avion Tequila, which recently won a World Spirits Competition honor. To celebrate the new drinks, several Sky Clubs will be hosting mixologists to shake and stir drinks and offer tastings to customers in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York (LaGuardia and JFK).

WHACKY CROSS DRESSER IS BIZ TRAVELER. Remember the recent story about the guy who likes to dress up in skimpy women’s wear when flying? It ends up he’s a regular old business traveler just trying to have some fun. “Howard,” the 65-year-old consultant flies several times a month as an elite member of US Airways Dividend Rewards program. In this San Francisco Chronicle article, he says’ that he’s flown in scanty female clothing for several years. “I’m a business consultant and would be extremely vulnerable to being discredited. … This is just something I do for fun. I don’t mean any harm.” Do you buy it? Leave your comments below.

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HELP US HELP YOU! Book your trips with our advertising partners.

DELTA: Click here for the latest fare sales and deals at Delta Air Lines

HOTWIRE: Great hotel deals and $13.95 per day rental cars with low Hotwire Hot-Rates!

ENTERPRISE: Free upgrades when renting a car for airport pickup at Enterprise.com

If steep fares are keeping you grounded this summer, there’s relief in sight.

AirTran has kicked off a big sale for fall travel with fares significantly lower than what we are paying this summer. If you have firm plans to travel this fall, The TICKET recommends that you take advantage of this sale.

Systemwide fares are based on mileage and priced at $40, $80 or $120 each way.

Sample fares for travel between August 23 through November 16 from ATL. (Fridays and Sundays and Labor Day–Sept 1-5–  are blacked out.)

>Indianapolis, Memphis, Jacksonville: $40 each way; $80 round trip

>New York, Houston, Philly: $80 each way; $160 round trip

>Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle: $120 each way; $240 round trip (wow! that is SUPER dirt cheap for west coast flights)

If these fares sound good to you (and they should!) you must act fast: The sale is only good between now and 11:59 pm Thursday.

Although they have not formally announced a sale matching AirTran yet, when searching for fares on Delta.com or other carriers, you will find those that match AirTran’s (in markets where they compete nonstop.)

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR TICKET READERS! ACTION REQUIRED!
We are shifting to a new email distribution method powered by Google’s Feedburner. To continue getting The TICKET via email, you MUST sign up again– and it’s easy. Just enter your email in the form in the upper right corner. IMPORTANT: You’ll be asked to verify your subscription by clicking on a link in an email Feedburner sends to you. Be sure to click on the link! SIMPLE! QUICK! EASY! Please just do it today. We’ll continue sending emails alerting you to The TICKET via Constant Contact for a few more months, but we need you to go ahead and take action now. THANK YOU!

Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET! It helps us help you!

Just click here:

airtran.com | delta.com | Hotwire

DISCOVER HIDDEN SKYMILES AWARDS. Delta.com has its fair share of kinks that you must work through when booking SkyMiles award tickets. But, there is a way to reveal those hard-to-find seats at the lowest redemption level. Here’s how: Simply sign up for Air France-KLM’s FlyingBlue frequent flyer program. That’s right…use another airline’s web site to find Delta and partner airline flights. Just look for “Classic” awards, which are the same as Delta’s lowest level redemptions. The FlyingBlue web site also searches Air France, KLM, Alitalia, CSA Czech, and Kenya Airways award availability. To enroll, sign up free here. You can then call Delta directly to book the flights that show Classic availability for Delta’s lowest mileage level. Delta.com does show Air France, KLM, and Alaska partner availability and allows you to search a month at a time. However, it is temperamental and not always accurate. Try using the FlyingBlue site to do your research and find more opportunities to use your SkyMiles—and let us know it this works better for you! We’d love to hear your feedback.

Korean Air's new A380

SUPER-DUPER JUMBOS AT ATL? Atlanta is preparing to welcome the world’s biggest airliner, the Airbus A380 by spending $30 million to widen taxiways and runway shoulders and make terminal improvements that will enable it to handle the double-decker jumbo jet. Air France could bring theirs in during peak summer travel season next year. While it won’t yet commit to it, Korean Air says that Atlanta is one of the US gateways under consideration for its biggest blue bird. KAL starts A380 flights this summer between Seoul and New York-JFK, and then to Los Angeles-LAX in October. (SIDELINE: Have you seen Air France’s lovely new bird? Here’s a gorgeous video made by your TICKET editor Chris McGinnis of its first A380 touching down on cool cloudy San Francisco earlier this month.)

GOOD MAY AT ATL. AirTran and Delta ranked second and third, after first place Alaska Air, in on-time performance for the month of May according to FlightStats.com.

OVERSEAS BAGGAGE CHARGES. Flying across the pond this summer?  On Delta, the first checked bag when flying overseas is free, and the second bag is a whopping $75 (or $60 if purchased online). Delta has reduced the weight allowance from 70 lbs to just 50 lbs per bag for international coach passengers (including  Medallions). If you travel heavy, be sure to weigh your bag ahead of time to avoid the additional $75 overweight bag fee. (Note: The 70 lb bag weight limit with no fee remains in effect for first/biz class passengers.)

NO WI-FI ON THIS DELTA JET? Delta now offers Gogo Wi-Fi access on all of its mainline aircraft that regularly fly domestic routes. But remember that international aircraft flying domestic legs DO NOT have Wi-Fi. If you are unsure if your plane is an internationally configured aircraft, check the layout of the Business Elite/First Class cabin. Boeing 767 aircraft have four rows up front on domestic aircraft. If your plane has more than four rows in First/Business Elite, then you are on an international aircraft that will not have Wi-Fi. Boeing 757s can be trickier as some international planes are used on domestic routes between New York and LAX/SFO. The international 757s have four rows up front whereas domestic planes have six or seven rows up front. The latter are guaranteed to have Wi-Fi while not all of the international 757s do. No Airbus A330s, Boeing 747s, or Boeing 777s have Wi-Fi access. Domestic routes that may use international aircraft include ATL-LAX, DTW-LAX, ATL-DTW, ATL-LAS, and ATL-JFK.

QUAD MILES AT MARRIOTT. Marriott Rewards is offering quadruple Delta SkyMiles to those who stay at any Marriott brand at least twice between June 1 and August 31. Registration is required.

ECONOMY COMFORT IS HERE. Delta is now rolling out its new Economy Plus seating in the first few rows of all of  aircraft flying international routes. Seats are designated with a special headrest cover sporting the Economy Comfort logo. Other benefits include priority boarding and complimentary mixed drinks. The best benefit, though, are the four extra inches of legroom and improved recline. The seats are now available for sale on delta.com. Until now, it was pure luck if customers assigned to those rows flew an equipped plane. Now, delta.com sells the Economy Plus for a nominal fee on the flights that have it making it easier to get a modicum of comfort out of your long-haul coach experience. Of course, Platinum and Diamond Medallion passengers get access to the seats for free.

NEW BLACK  BOX. Under development: Aircraft black boxes that transmit data to satellites instead of going down with the plane (as was the case with Air France 447 which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009.)

THE TICKET ON FACEBOOK: Are you signed up for our FACEBOOK page? If so, you would have learned first about nifty nuggets like a Delta/Zappos promo, a report on Delta’s average fleet age, or when AirTran will dump its ATL-Dallas/Ft Worth nonstops. Come on! LIKE The TICKET on Facebook today!

DID YOU KNOW… that airlines are now raking more fee income from checked baggage than they are from those onerous $150 change fees?

THE NEVER ENDING BONUS. It’s baaack! Delta and American Express are again offering mega bonuses for first time transfers from Amex Membership Rewards points to Sky Miles. The promotion requires registration. Transfer as few as 1,000 Amex points to Delta and receive a 50% bonus. So 1,000 Amex points becomes 1,500 SkyMiles. Plus if you transfer 100,000 Amex points, you will receive 25,000 MQMs (good for Silver Medallion) and 150,000 miles. This is only valid for first time transfers so if you have taken advantage of this promotion in the past then you are not eligible this time around. The offer is good until Sept. 30. NOTE: If you’ve transferred miles before and you don’t qualify for the above bonus, Delta’s got you covered… those who have transferred before can earn a 25%-40% bonus with a different promo that requires registration.

AMEX PLATINUM BONUS. Speaking of American Express Membership Rewards points, don’t forget to stop into any SkyClub if you have the AMEX Platinum card. Currently, all guests who enter a Delta lounge using the AMEX Platinum card (not the Delta-affiliated SkyMiles card) will receive a certificate good for 300 Membership Rewards points.

TO FLY…OR DRIVE? That is the question for a lot of TICKET readers. To help answer it, check out the cool Fly or Drive Calculator from BeFrugal.com. This site helps answer the age-old question among frequent travelers…. Whether it makes more financial sense to drive or fly to your destination. What’s clever about this calculator is that it allows users to enter specific data about their trip, which helps it come up with a specific answer.

THE TICKET PRINT-FRIENDLY VERSION IS BACK! YAY! For all of you who’ve been asking us to bring back a print version of The TICKET, we’ve now got you covered. Scroll down to the bottom of this post, look for the row of icons across the bottom and choose “PRINT WITH PRINT FRIENDLY.” Easy!

BETTER DINING AT DELTA GATES. Remember Delta’s major overhaul of restaurants at its terminal in LaGuardia last year? Well, they’re doing it again, but this time in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Plans include an upgrade to the dining options in the terminal with several new restaurants including Minnesota Beer Hall, a Japanese noodle and dumplings bar, a raw bar and brasserie, a grab-and-go gourmet food outlet, and an eatery under the direction of Andrew Zimmern of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods fame. Another unique feature Delta is testing at the airport is the rental of pre-loaded iPads featuring movies and games. Travelers can take them on board their flights and then mail them back upon landing. Like!

WI-FI AT ATL. While Atlanta remains one of the declining number of airports that charge full freight for Wi-Fi, some airports are rolling out a tiered system: Free for basic access such as email access, but a premium for heavy duty access for streaming or loading photos, programs, etc. Some hotels are already doing this. Thoughts?

COCKTAILS ANYONE? Delta is bringing back some of its signature cocktails for summer with the new “Margaritaville” mixed with tequila. The “Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey” combines Jack Daniels bourbon, honey liqueur, and ginger ale. Both are available for $7 in economy. Don’t forget that Medallion members can use free drink coupons that come in their annual renewal package for these drinks. (We’ve also seen Delta offers free drink coupons to Medallions who don’t get an upgrade and check in online…have you?) If you’re worried about alcohol breath, don’t worry, Wrigley’s Gum is also being added to Delta’s EATS food for sale menu.

WHO PAYS FOR FIRST CLASS? Passengers from the following cities purchased the most first class airline tickets in the first five months of this year: Beverly Hills, Greenwich CT, Atherton CA, Palm Beach FL, Haverford PA. Source: Airlines Reporting Corporation.

HELP A SICK KID, EARN SKYMILES. Delta has teamed up with the Children’s Miracle Network, which is hoping to reach $100 million in donations this year to help fund 170 childrens’ hospitals throughout North America. SkyMiles members who donate $50 or more by June 30 earn 1000 miles. Donate here.

PLAY BALL WITH DELTA. In New York for a Mets or Yankees game? Well, Delta has you covered, sponsoring free water taxis from either South Street Seaport or East 53rd Street Ferry Landing to all home games. Tickets are free on the two Delta-branded water taxis operated by New York Water Taxi. Taxis depart 90 minutes before opening pitch. On board, enjoy Delta-signature Fly Ball cocktails or other drinks and snacks while basking in the sun on the boat’s open deck. Reservations are not allowed, and each taxi can only take 147 people so be sure to get there early.

AIRFRANCE-KLM ELITES GET MORE THAN ME? Reciprocity ain’t always fair…Did you know that Air France-KLM elites get complimentary upgrades when traveling on Delta flights? It’s true. Their domestic upgrades are back in full force (a remnant of the agreement that Northwest originally had with KLM). To be fair, foreign elites only clear after every single Delta Elite has had the chance for the upgrade. Still, it’s a shame that Delta elites cannot be upgraded to Air France-KLM’s premium product within Europe. But, again in the spirit of fairness, not even Air France-KLM elites have the chance for free upgrades within Europe. Delta elites still come out on top, but don’t be surprised if you see partner elites inquiring with gate agents about upgrades.

DELTA DOWN UNDER. Delta and V Australia have announced a further codeshare on additional routes to Perth, Canberra and Adelaide in Australia plus Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand. This means more redemption opportunities for Delta Sky Miles members and opportunities to earn miles when booking flights on codeshare tickets.  Initially, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne were the only cities included in that agreement. Sky Club members also benefit from access to V Australia lounges across Australia as well.

JUNE BABIES. If you were born in June, be sure to try and register for this promotion offering 1,500 bonus SkyMiles for a roundtrip flight flown before July 31. It is a targeted offer so not everyone may be eligible. You also receive a $100 discount on a future Delta Vacations package. While Delta has offered more lucrative birthday bonuses in the past, this one is better than nothing. Remember to insure that your birthday is listed in your Delta.com profile so that you can be included in similar future offers. Register at dmn.delta.com/ace_offers/june_bday/

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR TICKET READERS! ACTION REQUIRED!
We are shifting to a new email distribution method powered by Google’s Feedburner. To continue getting The TICKET via email, you MUST sign up again– and it’s easy. Just enter your email in the form in the upper right corner. IMPORTANT: You’ll be asked to verify your subscription by clicking on a link in an email Feedburner sends to you. Be sure to click on the link! SIMPLE! QUICK! EASY! Please just do it today. We’ll continue sending emails alerting you to The TICKET via Constant Contact for a few more months, but we need you to go ahead and take action now. THANK YOU!

Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET! It helps us help you!

Just click here:

airtran.com | delta.com | Hotwire

If you used a credit card in another country over the last year, you may have noticed something new on your monthly bill: a new fee for “foreign transactions”.

On most cards, these fees range from 2% to 3% of the total of all purchases made in other countries. This means cardholders could end up paying an extra $30 on a $1,000 hotel bill or an extra $3 on a $100 meal.

For someone who travels internationally once or twice a year, that amount may seem like little more than a nuisance. But for frequent international business travelers who entertain, stay at hotels, rent cars and shop in other countries, those fees can add up over the course of a year. A frequent traveler who spends $50,000 a year in other countries can end up paying a $1,500 in bank fees.

When the Credit Card Act went into effect last year, it forced banks to show foreign transaction (“forex”) fees as a separate line item on credit card bills. In the past, the fees were bundled into the exchange rate on each transaction and not explicitly shown on statements. So they often went unnoticed.

But now that travelers are noticing the fees (and not liking what they see), credit card companies that market heavily to business travelers are responding by waiving them. Capital One was the first bank to issue credit cards without foreign transaction fees. American Express recently announced that it now waives forex fees for its big-spending platinum and centurion cardholders. (However, Amex/Delta Skymiles credit cards are still subject to the fees.) Many Chase, Citi and Visa cards affiliated with airline or hotel loyalty programs have done the same. While annual fees for these cards are typically higher than average, the amount saved by avoiding foreign transaction fees may cover the annual one; plus, these cards offer travel perks such as airline club access or credits for airline baggage fees.

So if you are a frequent international traveler, and you want to avoid forex fees, it might be time to take a look at the cards in your wallet and compare offers. Here are a few places to start comparison shopping:

• Card Hub is a website set up to help consumers choose credit cards based on a variety of factors, including the foreign transaction fee.
• Google’s new advisor tool can also help travellers make the best decision.
• The New York Times recently ran a helpful article about credit cards that addresses forex fees.

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Take a look at this 2-min trailer for ABC’s new series about slinging trays in the 60′s, Pan Am.

The series, starring Christina Ricci and directed by West Wing’s Tommy Schlamme, will air Sundays at 10 PM starting this fall.

I, for one, can’t wait! I’m hoping for a sort of “Mad Men” at 30,000 feet. What about you?

Here’s how ABC is promoting it:

Passion, jealousy and espionage… They do it all — and they do it at 30,000 feet. The style of the 1960s, the energy and excitement of the Jet Age and a drama full of sexy entanglements deliciously mesh in this thrilling and highly-original new series.

In this modern world, air travel represents the height of luxury and Pan Am is the biggest name in the business. The planes are glamorous, the pilots are rock stars and the stewardesses are the most desirable women in the world. Not only are these flyboys and girls young and good looking, but to represent Pan Am they also have to be educated, cultured and refined. They’re trained to handle everything from in-air emergencies to unwanted advances — all without rumpling their pristine uniforms or mussing their hair. There’s Dean (Jonah Lotan) — a cocky, charismatic and ambitious new pilot — the first of a new breed not trained in the war. On the sly against company policy, he’s dating Bridget, a stunning beauty with a mysterious past. A rebellious bohemian, Maggie (Christina Ricci) turns into a buttoned up professional for work so she can see the world. Rounding out the crew are flirtatious Collette (Karine Vanasse), the adventurous Kate (Kelli Garner) and, finally, Laura (Margot Robbie) — Kate’s beauty queen younger sister, a runaway bride, who recently fled a life of domestic boredom to take to the skies.

The Steven Penley (a noted Atlanta artist) painting presented by AirTran CEO Bob Fornaro to Southwest CEO Gary Kelly to celebrate their historic deal. The work depicts an AirTran 737 and a Southwest 737 with the Atlanta FAA tower, the Atlanta skyline, Falcons 1 tail, and several AirTran Atlanta sponsorships such as Georgia Aquarium, Woodruff Arts Center, Centennial Olympic Park, UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Atlantic Station, etc. What do you think?

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The following is a statement provided by AirTran regarding the closing of its purchase by Southwest Airlines today. In a nutshell, not much will change for AirTran customers until next year. We’ve emphasized the most important parts of this statement:

Southwest and AirTran will immediately begin the work to integrate AirTran into Southwest Airlines.  However, AirTran will continue to operate under the AirTran brand with its same policies, procedures, and product features for a period of time. Southwest plans to integrate AirTran into Southwest Airlines over time by transitioning the AirTran fleet to the Southwest Airlines livery, developing a consistent Customer Experience, and transitioning the operations of the two carriers onto a Single Operating Certificate.  Southwest currently expects it will obtain a SOC in the first quarter of 2012 and estimates it will take several years to fully transition AirTran into Southwest Airlines to become one airline.

In the near term, Customers can expect to interact with each carrier as they always have. Customers flying on AirTran will continue to make reservations or check in at airtran.com or by calling 800-247-8726, and visit AirTran kiosks and ticket counters.  AirTran Crew Members (employees) will assist on scheduled AirTran flights. Customers flying on Southwest will continue to make reservations or check in at southwest.com or by calling 800-435-9792, or at Southwest kiosks and ticket counters.  Southwest Employees will assist on scheduled Southwest flights. Customers will continue to earn and redeem through the respective frequent flier loyalty programs, as they do today, until those programs are combined over time.

Southwest plans to provide the ability for Customers to connect across the networks and integrate key Customer Service policies for a more consistent Customer Experience, in the fall or early next year, depending on both companies’ readiness. Any changes to the Customer Experience on either carrier will be communicated in advance via southwest.com, airtran.com, and in direct Customer communications.

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IT’S BACK. AMEX OFFERING FAT SKYMILES BONUS. Through May 31, members of American Express Membership Rewards who transfer points to Delta SkyMiles earn a 50 percent bonus. Register online. It gets better: If you move at least 50,000 Membership Rewards points to SkyMiles, you also get a one-time bonus of 25,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs). That’s instant Silver Medallion status, meaning waived bag fees, the occasional upgrade, and early (ish) boarding. That’s a total of 75K SkyMiles if you transfer a minimum of 50K MR points. (Note: This offer is only eligible to first-time users of this transfer option.) This is the biggest and best offer that AMEX has run lately, so if you’ve been thinking about transferring to Delta from AMEX, now is the time to do it!

75K SKYMILES PLUS NEW BENNIES FOR AMEX PLATINUM. Have you read about the new bonuses and benefits on the new American Express Platinum card? While the card is pricey at $450 per year, you can easily make up for that cost. Here’s how: Sign up for the Platinum card by May 31, spend $1000 and you get a 50,000 Membership Rewards points bonus. Once those points are in your MR account, transfer them to your Delta SkyMiles account (see above) and get a 50 percent bonus, so 75,000 miles–  which helps defray the $450 annual fee for the Platinum card, which now comes with a raft of new and existing bennies such as membership in Delta, American and US Airways lounge programs, Priority Pass, no foreign transaction fees, a Global Entry pass rebate and more. Here’s the link to sign up for the Platinum Card. What do you think? Is it worth jumping through these hoops? (Note: This MR transfer offer is only eligible for first-time users of the MR to SkyMiles transfer option.)

FOLLOW YOUR BAGS ONLINE (AND MORE). Delta has instituted unique new service that allows you to track your checked bags from start to finish just like you can do with FEDEX or UPS packages. Simply enter your surname and bag tag number and follow the status of your bag during your travels. If your bag is lost, you can check its progress on the way back to you with the file reference number you receive at the baggage claim office. The system can also send text messages to your phone if there are bag irregularities often alerting you before you reach baggage claim. While it may not reduce the number of lost bags, it can certainly ease the stress of knowing the status of your missing underwear. And there’s more: In addition to being the only airline offering this bag tracking service, Delta says that it will refund baggage fees if checked bags are delayed by more than 12 hours. This goes above and beyond recent DOT rules that require fee refunds only if bags are lost or destroyed. (Now if they could just do something about those late night carousel clusters at ATL!)

FAST TRACK TO MEDALLION. Delta has sent out targeted offers to many Medallion members who have had slower than normal travel patterns this year. The offers are meant only for the recipient of the email and encourage a specified number of flights within a certain time period to earn double miles. Flights beyond that specified amount earn a mileage bonus for every flight ranging from 50 to 100 percent. It varies for each member (and remember, not everyone receives the offer), so be sure to check your spam or junk folders for any emails from Delta. You could be missing out on lots of miles!

GET NEWS LIKE THIS FASTER! Are you signed up for our Facebook and Twitter feeds yet? If not, WHY NOT? It’s a great way to keep up with news like this. Come on! Follow us and Like us!

DELTA ON TWITTER. You’ve heard us proclaim the benefits of Delta’s Twitter team @DeltaAssist, and we’ve been following the comments from frequent users on Facebook and Twitter. Recently, TICKET contributor Ramsey Qubein experienced the service first hand and is hooked. While traveling in India, he was trying to confirm a ticket he had on hold, but delta.com was not cooperating. With no access to an affordable phone line, he turned to Twitter. Within minutes of sending a Tweet to @DeltaAssist at 6am ET, he had a response. Within ten minutes, his problem was solved. The social media team at Delta has almost a dozen staff members monitoring the various online channels to help travelers. If you find yourself stuck, without a phone, or at the end of your rope, give it a try!

DELTA DIAMOND UPGRADES. At a recent travel industry conference in Atlanta, SkyMiles chief Jeff Robertson said that Delta Diamond Medallions get upgraded 94 percent of the time.

BONJOUR PARIS! This summer, Delta and Air France will each offer two daily roundtrips between ATL and Paris CDG (for a total of four). Air France will add its second rotation on March 27, while Delta will introduce its additional flight June 1. Atlanta and Paris are two of SkyTeam’s biggest and busiest hubs– last year saw 126,000 passengers who traveled exclusively between the two cities, 65 per cent of whom traveled on Delta. That’s a lot of baguette and cheese-loving traffic. With that much lift between the two cities, travelers should have a better chance for more award seats this summer (especially on Air France, which seems to offer more award availability than Delta on this route). Keep checking delta.com since Air France awards are made available on the site.

(Photo: Salim Virji / Flickr)

DELTA AT LAX. Delta is spreading its wings further at Los Angeles International in an effort to gain a stronger foothold on the West Coast. Beefed up schedules mean flights will operate almost hourly between LA and San Francisco and LA and Las Vegas. These highly competitive routes have lots of strong competition so expect fares to be lower than usual this summer. By July 1, Delta Connection will fly 11 times daily between LAX and SFO. The CRJ700 and CRJ900 Barbie jets plying the route are equipped with First Class. Delta and Delta Connection will operate nine flights between LAX and Sin City. Nearly a million people travel between these two cities every year so there should be enough business for all of the airlines to share. Significant connecting traffic from Delta’s Tokyo-Los Angeles flight keeps this route busy; Asian travelers love Las Vegas (Baby)!

TRANSATLANTIC SUMMER: If you are considering a summer trip across the pond, now’s the time to make a decision. Ticket prices are getting painfully high, but there are some ways to skirt them if you are flexible. Plus there are plenty of business class deals to be had. To learn more, be sure to read TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’ latest BBC.com column Transatlantic Summer Travel.

DELTA CUTBACKS. While Delta is full steam ahead in certain markets, world events are slowing its growth in others. This month, Delta has announced the discontinuation of nonstop flights from JFK to Cairo and Amman, Jordan due to political unrest. Previously, Delta had discontinued the Cairo flight for a few months, but now both routes are gone indefinitely. Check your reservations if you had plans to travel there. Delta is rebooking passengers on Air France/KLM flights or offering refunds. Also on the decline are load factors to Tokyo Haneda due to the recent earthquake, tsunami and lingering concerns about radiation. For now, Delta has suspended flights to Haneda until June due to low bookings.

SKYMILES MAKES IT RIGHT. A recent post on The TICKET included mention of a SkyMiles bonus program that we said applied to both mileage transfers and mileage gifts. It ends up that it only applied to mileage gifts. However, one longtime TICKET reader transferred miles based on our advice, but never got his bonus due to this technicality. Since it was our mistake that got him in the mess to begin with, we took our issue to our Delta SkyMiles contacts, who graciously made an exception in this case, and offered up the bonus miles to this TICKET reader. Thank you for going above and beyond, Delta!

DELTA CRJ GETS CLIPPED AND SPUN AROUND BY AIR FRANCE A380. In case you missed the 30-second video of this mishap at New York JFK last month, here it is. A Delta CRJ waiting on the taxiway gets pushed around by an Air France behemoth. Scary!

HEARTH TO HEARTH. Delta’s recent merger with Northwest has resulted in a melding of styles among Sky Clubs. Both airlines had lounges that had been renovated recently while others were sorely lagging in pizzazz. Northwest, especially, had some 1980s relics (Clubs at LaGuardia and SFO were certainly retro throwbacks). But Northwest clubs had something Delta’s did not: fireplaces, which Sky Club members can now find in Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Memphis and San Francisco.

SHOWERLESS IN SEATTLE? From TICKET reader SG: “Delta has had a nonstop flight between to SEA and Osaka/Kansai for over a year. I have repeatedly asked the Delta lounge staff when the facility plans to install showers for passengers coming through after a 10-hour flight across the Pacific. There has been no response. Narita has showers. Atlanta has showers. Showers at these end points are not as useful because there is no time to take advantage of the service. Many SEA connections have a three-hour layover, presumably because of the need to pass through U.S. immigration. It would be nice to have a chance to take a shower. Might you be able to give the DL corporate managers this clue on how to vastly improve passenger satisfaction? Other lounges are receiving a makeover; why not SEA?” ANSWER: Delta is building a brand new Sky Club in Seattle’s South Terminal to replace the aged ex-Northwest World Club. The new club will be over 8,100 square feet with seating for more than 150 members and guests. It should be open by the summer of 2011. The new club will also include two shower suites and a contemporary interior design similar to the new Delta Sky Club elements as recently introduced in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Atlanta (B-10).

HOW ARE WE DOING? We live for reader feedback at The TICKET. So please, let us know what you think! How are we doing? What’s good about The TICKET? What’s not so good? What could we do to improve it? What did you learn in this issue? How has The TICKET improved your life as a frequent traveler?  LET US KNOW!!

FREE BAGS ON ALASKA AIR. Delta Medallion members (including Silvers) no longer pay fees on the first two checked bags on Alaska Airlines flights. Currently you have to show your SkyMiles credentials to a counter agent to get the fee waived, but Delta says it’s working on providing the waiver automatically at online check-in, or at Alaska Air kiosks. Another reason to keep that Medallion credential in your wallet!

FDA TO DELTA: CLEAN UP! Read this only if you have a strong stomach and can bear to see words like “rodent excreta.”

(Photo: Asplosh /Flickr)

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(Photo: Andertho / Flickr)

SOUTHWEST + AIRTRAN DEAL. Southwest Airlines has announced that its deal to purchase AirTran will close on May 2. However, the announcement indicated that full integration of the two airlines will not be complete until 2013—that’s two years away. They won’t even operate under a single certificate until 2012. This means that for the time being, Southwest will likely operate AirTran as a subsidiary.

So, folks, it’s going to be a while until those Southwest redbellies roar over ATL. AirTran’s business class, reserved seating and A+ Elite program benefits will remain intact for the time being. But the eventual integration of the two carriers, and Delta’s reaction, is going to be very interesting to watch.

Stay tuned to The TICKET for details as it all unfolds!

Expect a lot more details and a clearer timeline once the deal closes on May 2.

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New rules mean it's less likely you'll be stuck on the tarmac (Photo: Matt.Hintza / Flickr)

The US Department of Transportation announced a broad range of new or enhanced consumer protections that go into effect in September.

As is frequently the case with governmental regulations, the new US rules are lengthy (213 pages!) and full of loopholes, but for the purposes of this post, here’s are seven things that matter most to TICKET readers:

1) TARMAC DELAYS. Current rules that impose heavy fines on US airlines for tarmac delays will be extended to cover international flights and non-US carriers operating in the United States. For domestic US flights, the tarmac delay limit is three hours. For international flights, the limit will be four hours. Carriers will be required to provide trapped passengers with status updates at least every 30 minutes, plus food and water every two hours.

2) NOTIFICATION OF IRREGULARITIES. All airlines must offer passengers a flight status update service (i.e., email or text) to which they can subscribe. They must also notify passengers within 30 minutes of becoming aware of a situation that will delay, divert or cancel a flight.

3) 24-HOUR GRACE PERIOD. Airlines will have to hold all reservations for at least 24 hours at the quoted fare, without payment. If a payment is made at the time of reservation, it must be refunded if a passenger cancels the purchase within 24 hours. (Many airlines already do this; the new rules force all of them to do so, uniformly.)

4) FEE REFUNDS FOR LOST (NOT DELAYED) BAGS. Airlines are now required to refund checked baggage fees (which generally run from $20 to $35 each way) in addition to compensating passengers when bags are lost or destroyed. However, new rules do not force airlines to refund fees if bags are simply delayed and eventually delivered to owners.

5) FEE DISCLOSURE. Airlines must clearly disclose all potential fees via prominent links on their homepages. The DOT says these fees and charges include checked, carry-on, oversized or overweight bags, meals, on-board entertainment, Internet access, pillows, blankets, premium coach seating, phone reservations, early boarding, ticket changes or cancellations, unaccompanied minors and pets.

6) FULL-PRICE DISPLAYS. When airlines quote, display or advertise fares, they must always include all government taxes and fees, which in some cases can make up as much as half of the total price of a ticket. (This should make comparing apples to apples much easier when fare shopping.)

7) BUMPING. Compensation for involuntarily bumped passengers will double to a maximum of $650 if the replacement flight results in a delay of less than two hours or $1,300 if the delay is more than two hours. This applies to both purchased and frequent flyer award tickets. (Note: US passengers are not entitled to any compensation for flight delays – these rules only apply if a passenger is involuntarily bumped.)

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Whether you like it or not, in-flight mobile calls may soon be coming to an airline near you.

Air New Zealand recently signed up with Geneva-based OnAir, an onboard system that allows airline passengers to use mobile phones, laptops and other portable devices to communicate with the ground using voice and/or data connections.

While some carriers, such as British Airways and Qatar Airways, use OnAir to allow only data communications (text, e-mail), Air New Zealand joins several other airlines, such as Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian and TAP Air Portugal, that use the technology to allow mobile voice calls on certain flights. It’s a highly controversial notion in the US, where lawmakers have proposed laws that would ban in-flight voice calls.

OnAir and other companies such as Aeromobile employ picocell technology, deemed safe by aviation authorities. With the flip of a switch, any airline using OnAir can set the system to offer both data and voice calls on any flight. (Voice calling is available to anyone with a GSM phone and an international roaming agreement– calls typically run $2-$3 per minute)

To read the rest of this post and learn which other airlines could be offering cell phone service, click here and read it on my BBC.com Travel Blog

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The roof of this Aloha Airlines B-737 peeled off during a flight between Hilo and Honolulu in 1988. Only one person, a flight attendant, died.

In light of Southwest’s recent fuselage failures, it’s interesting to take a look at which U.S. airlines have the oldest fleets.

Here’s a rundown, from oldest to youngest.

1. Allegiant Air: 21.5 years
2. Delta Air Lines: 16 years
3. American Airlines: 15.1 years
4. United Airlines: 15 years
5. US Airways: 12.8 years
6. Hawaiian Airlines: 12.1 years
7. Southwest Airlines: 11.7 years
8. Continental Airlines: 10 years
9. Alaska Airlines: 7.7 years
10. Frontier Airlines: 6.3 years
11. JetBlue Airways: 5.8 years
12. Spirit Airlines: 4.2 years
13. Virgin America: 3.4 years

——
Source: Ascend Worldwide Ltd.

Posted by AP on Saturday, April 9

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(Photo: Chris McGinnis)

As part of the festivities surrounding the grand re-opening of SFO’s Terminal 2 this week, Virgin America invited media (including your TICKET editor) and VIP’s on a special flight out over the Pacific where we met up with the new Virgin Galactic spacecraft.

This shot was taken from a Virgin A320 looking down on the Marin County coast, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. (See below for a fun one-minute video; more photos here.)

After flying over the Gate and then over the Bay, both aircraft landed in tandem at SFO. Spectacular! We then taxied to Terminal 2 where a big reception and tour awaited.

Onboard notables: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Virgin Chairman Sir Richard Branson.

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