Archive for the ‘Airport News’ Category

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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.)

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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.

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/

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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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Sounds like our spring break madness prediction (see previous post) is coming true. Check out the following comment from TICKET reader DM re: a recent “cluster” at the ATL luggage carousel:

I’m a Diamond Medallion and understand completely that Spring Break means more passengers and luggage, but last night (Saturday, March 12^th) at Delta baggage was absurd and causes me to write about a long-simmering concern of mine:  the ATL baggage system needs a major review and upgrade. Waited 53 minutes for luggage on a flight from Denver (even with my yellow Sky Priority tags); some carousels were over-capacity and shut down automatically (adding to delays), while the carousels on either side were virtually empty.  No one from Delta was in the vicinity.  After 5 minutes of waiting and a potential riot of angry passengers, I ran to the DL baggage room and got a few shrug of the shoulders until I pulled out my Diamond card and asked, pointedly, that someone get out to the carousel now, to help the hundreds of passengers waiting for bags. This scene, however, is played out regularly on a lesser scale every day.  It simply takes an unreasonably long time for bags to arrive in ATL (only DEN is worse), and the system for handling “oversized” items is a joke.  DL’s “award-winning” management needs to give this serious attention.  It’s an embarrassment to the City.

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DELTA’S TOKYO-NARITA SKY CLUB DURING EARTHQUAKE

JAPAN EARTHQUAKE. Having just visited Japan last year, our hearts go out to its gentle people this morning. News is happening faster that we can cover here in The TICKET. But anyone with plans to travel to Japan over the next month should re-consider. The US State Department has sent out an alert advising travelers to stay away until at least April 1. All flights to Tokyo have been canceled or diverted to cities in southern Japan. Delta is waiving change fees. All public transport in and around Tokyo is shut down. While the US west coast is under a tsunami warning, public transport (such as BART in SF) is operational. Low tides there could cancel out any significant impact of the wave.

DELTA’S #1. FORTUNE magazine puts Delta in its own elite status category, recently naming it “Most Admired Airline” worldwide in its annual survey that takes into account feedback from industry professionals and airline analysts. This is the first time Delta ranked at the top of FORTUNE’s heap, besting legendary greats like Singapore Airlines and Southwest Airlines. The honor ranked Delta highly in areas such as social responsibility, competitiveness and quality of management. However, when it comes to “quality of product” Delta ranked far below competitors.  I’m certain that there is divergent opinion among TICKET readers about this, so please, fire way! Click on the link below to leave your comments.

ELITE PARKING FOR ELITE FLYERS. Driving to an Atlanta Braves game at Turner Field later this spring?  Delta is offering a new benefit to hometown loyalists that extends beyond the airport. SkyMiles Medallion level members will enjoy private parking in the Green Lot close to the stadium featuring 500 spaces reserved just for them. Flash your current membership card and pay the standard parking rates ($12) and save yourself a few steps. The Delta lot is directly across from the Turner Field main entrance at the corner of Hank Aaron Drive and Ralph D. Abernathy Drive. (NOTE: Keep an eye out for more Atlanta-specific bennies like this as Delta prepares to wage war with Southwest later this year.)

A NOTE ABOUT AIRTRAN. More AirTran news and updates forthcoming. While the Southwest and AirTran deal is scrutinized by regulators, no one is saying much. The deal should close in May….and there will be a LOT to say after that. One thing we have noticed is that Southwest’s once high-flying on-time performance record has tanked over the last year. It will be interesting to watch Southwest try to pull out of that hole once it’s largest hub is delay-proned ATL. Stay tuned!

BUSINESS CLASS TO LONDON: Delta’s new flights to London from Miami and Boston must be kinda light…the carrier is discounting Business Elite to just $599 each way from certain cities (not ATL)  March 26-May 17.

SPRING BREAK WARNING. We are in the midst of Spring Break. That means business travelers should be prepared for crowded airports and airplanes full of rowdy students, especially on flights to/from beachy climes. Beware, especially on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when most students are traveling. AirTran lines at ATL always seem to swell surprisingly at this time of year. To avoid noise,  consider asking for hotel rooms away from hotel pool areas at this time of year. Book away from the beach. (Unless, of course, you’d like to join the fun!)

DELTA FACE-FIRST INTO FACEBOOK. Social media mavens will be glad to know the popular @DeltaAssist Twitter contact is now making a presence on Facebook. Followers of @DeltaAssist have been pleasantly surprised with the nearly instant responses to questions and concerns regarding their travel plans. The positive feedback has led to the expansion of DeltaAssist to Facebook. Kudos to Delta for jumping face-first into the social media landscape. Customers now have another way to connect for anything from an unanswered complaint to a flight irregularity. (Speaking of Facebook, are you following The TICKET? Please do!)

Delta passenger wait to board at Tokyo-Narita (Photo: Elmada)

AWARD LEVELS TAKE A LEAP IN ASIA. Delta has made some changes to the SkyMiles award chart. There was no warning this was going to happen so those planning to redeem miles on certain routes are now slapped with higher rates. For example, awards within Asia used to cost one flat fee of 20,000 miles in economy. Now, it varies based on distance—so for example, it’s 15 ,000 miles for a Tokyo to Seoul roundtrip, but Tokyo to Bangkok roundtrip clocks in at 45,000 miles. To be fair, the old redemption rates were fairly generous for longer trips, and this change puts the mileage cost more in line with the actual cost.

JAPAN-BOUND TRAVELERS RACK UP Traveling to the land of the rising sun soon? (SEE ABOVE WARNING) Score triple miles for purchased Business Elite tickets and double miles for economy class tickets of all fares between now and May 31. Simply register and fly on Delta’s new nonstop flights between Detroit or Los Angeles and Tokyo Haneda Airport. Register here.  (Tip: Be sure to check arrival and departure times at Haneda. Flights are restricted to wee hours of the morning, and getting to/from the city by train might prove difficult.) Also, Delta’s swapped out 747′s for 777′s on Haneda routes…I guess the business they’d hoped for has not materialized. Have YOU flown to Haneda? LET US KNOW! Leave a comment below…

REDEMPTION DEALS? Delta SkyMiles may be tough to redeem for some, but for the savvy, it’s not so bad. The trick is knowing which routes are more likely to have award seats. Clearly, busier or higher revenue routes like ATL-London Heathrow are going to be slim pickings. But consider some less-traveled routes and you might luck out.  For example, some better-than-normal redemption opportunities can include routing yourself via new Raleigh-Durham/San Antonio flights to get to Cancun; JFK-Cairo (once the route resumes May 1– despite predictions, tourism is already picking back up); and JFK-London Heathrow might be opening up a little now that a third flight has been added to the schedule.

NEWER, LARGER REGIONAL JETS ON THE WAY! We’re all glad to see more of those those 50-seater CRJ-200s get axed from the Delta schedule, but that doesn’t mean that bigger jets are going to replace them. For now, the older Northwest DC-9 aircraft are helping to fill a gap in some markets, but these old planes will be retired within a year. Eventually, Delta will add newer, larger regional jets to the mix, many of which offer first class cabins and in-flight Wi-Fi. In addition, Delta is getting some new Embraer-170 aircraft from Virgin Blue of Australia. These jets will soon appear on the Delta Connection network under the Compass Airlines brand and they’ll offer coach seats only at first but will eventually be updated with first class seats.

BONUS MILES FOR FREE (ALMOST). Purchasing miles to top off your SkyMiles account? Score an extra 50 percent bonus between now and March 31. Simply purchase new miles or gift/share miles with a friend or family member’s account to earn the bonus miles. Register here first. This is the ideal way to reach that next award redemption level quickly.

(Photo: Andrew Currie)

MORE SKY CLUB ACCESS OVERSEAS. Delta’s Sky Club membership comes with access to a few partner lounges overseas in addition to Delta’s own branded clubs. Visit Delta’s list of lounge locations and select the Delta Sky Club member drop down to see the complete list (read the rules carefully as only certain lounges participate).  The list includes one of Air France’s lounges in Paris or Johannesburg, one of KLM’s lounges in Amsterdam, and the Air France lounge in Zurich. Note that certain SkyTeam lounge locations like London Heathrow do not participate in the Sky Club member access program. Important: Many lounge agents overseas are unfamiliar with this unique Sky Club agreement so be sure to have a printout of the list and rules handy. This list should not be confused with the more substantial list of lounges accessible to Business Class and SkyTeam Elite Plus members, however.

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(Photo: TGIGreeny - Flickr)

By now you may have heard the news that Atlanta and eight other U.S. gateway cities recently obtained clearance to operate charter flights to Cuba. (Before this, flights were permitted from Miami, New York and LAX only.) As soon as I heard about this, my mind was full of questions and hope the day was coming when I’d finally get to jump on an ATL-Havana nonstop.

To get my questions answered, I turned to none other than long-time TICKET reader Eason Jordan, the CEO of the U.S.-Cuba Business Bureau, which helps U.S. companies better understand the Cuban marketplace and seek opportunities there.

For full coverage of this big news, check out TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s article on BBC.com.

A special thanks to Jordan who interrupted his vacation to provide The TICKET with the following.

THE TICKET: What’s up with these new flights from ATL to Cuba? Is the dam about to break? Let us know if you know anything more than what the airport press release is saying. Thanks!

JORDAN: Is the dam about to break? No. But this is a big step forward.

Cuba-bound travelers must have a U.S. government license. Licenses are issued in two forms: general and specific. A general license permits broad groups of people — Cuban-Americans, for example — to go to Cuba without needing specific U.S. government permission.

Specific licenses require U.S. government approval in advance each and every time. All of this is governed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Tourist travel is specifically prohibited.

As far as U.S. government permission for Cuba charter flights is concerned, keep in mind Cuban government permission is required, too, and that hasn’t yet been granted for Atlanta to my knowledge, although Cuban officials have told me they’re eager to see Atlanta-Havana flights and closer relations and more business between Cuba and Georgia.

(Jordan spearheaded the opening of the CNN Havana bureau in 1997 and has made many trips to Cuba over the past two decades. During his 23 years at CNN, he served as chief news executive and president of newsgathering and international networks before departing and taking the entrepreneurial path in 2005. )

Have you ever thought about traveling to Cuba? Have you been there? Is your company or industry ready to jump into this market when the current barriers start to crumble? Are you looking forward to the day that you could redeem your Delta or AirTran miles for a trip to Havana? Let us know what you think! Use the space or click on the link below to leave your comments.

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What do you think about The TICKET? What’s great or not so great about this issue? What else should we be doing to make it better? Email your comments to us or leave them below. WE LIVE FOR FEEDBACK! So come on! Let us know.

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As airport delays and angst piled up at Buenos Aires Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport last Friday, singer Cyndi Lauper commandeered the microphone at her crowded gate and sang her hit, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.”

London’s Daily Mail reports, “Her quick-thinking was just what was needed to diffuse the situation as the angry crowd settled down and began to join in.”

Lauper, 57, was in Buenos Aires as part of her current “Memphis Blues” world tour. Her Twitter feed from that day reads: “Ok, so chow Argentina. At airport.. So many delays. Wound up being announced, wound up sing two songs for airport. A first for me. Crazy day”

Maybe ATL should hire her to calm crowds on those rainy, windy days that shut down runways and raise blood pressure! She could croon away in the main terminal atrium, or out on the spine on busy Concourse A.

TICKET editor Chris McGinnis

CHRIS PREDICTS: BIG RISE IN AIRFARES. You can kiss all those rock bottom, dirt cheap fares that we’ve seen over the last few years goodbye as the economy warms up and demand rises faster than anyone expected. Add in higher fuel prices due to instability in the Middle East and airlines’ new-found discipline around capacity increases, and you’ve got the recipe for BIG fare increases, especially this summer when demand peaks. So far this year, airlines have been successful in pushing through several fare increases targeting mostly business travelers. So get ready for a pricey ride this year, especially if you are flying on routes where there’s no low-fare competition. If you’ve got summer plans to fly during July or August, it’s probably time to go ahead and buy tickets now…you’ll find prices already extraordinarily high, but they won’t be coming down. For example, we priced summer round-trip coach fares to Europe from ATL this week, and they are already averaging around $1200.

SKYMILES EXPIRATIONS EXPLAINED. This week Delta ditched the frustrating, consumer un-friendly (yet widespread) practice of putting an expiration date on miles earned. Until now, SkyMiles members had to show some sort of activity in the program at least once every 24 months, or face losing their earnings.  While this is not much of a problem for the frequent traveling TICKET reader, it does come into play for less frequent-flying retirees sitting on big banks of miles or those who may have moved away from a Delta hub. When Delta starts scrapping with Southwest later this year, you can bet it’ll pull this arrow out of its PR quiver since Southwest Rapid Reward miles expire after 24 months of inactivity. And don’t think that this is permanent– Delta once promised its Frequent Flyer miles would never expire (remember?), and it they changed the rules. It could always happen again!

AIRTRAN+SOUTHWEST. We’ve hammered our contacts at both AirTran and Southwest to get the scoop on when the proposed deal will close and the Southwest Red Bellies will soar over Atlanta skies. But no one is saying a peep as long as antitrust regulators are snooping around. Stay tuned! All we’ve heard is that the deal could close in “late spring.”

Delta borrowed the Economy Comfort idea from SkyTeam partner KLM

DELTA’S NEW ECONOMY COMFORT. As hinted late last year in The TICKET, Delta has unveiled its newest class of service on international routes and dubbed it Economy Comfort. This small subset of rows at the front of the economy cabin will be available on more than 160 Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777 and Airbus A330 international aircraft. Similar to United’s Economy Plus, passengers in these rows (designated by a special headrest cover) will pay a small premium to sit here and will benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent greater recline than standard Economy seats. (We’re a little concerned about what it may be like to sit behind someone with 50 percent more recline…but we’ll see…) The buy-up fee will average between $80-160 each way, but Diamond and Platinum Medallions (and up to eight people traveling in the same record) will have complimentary access to these seats. Customers who purchase full-fare economy tickets will also have access to these seats but Gold and Silver Medallion members on discounted fares will have to pay a fee. Delta’s Economy Comfort section has one additional benefit that United’s Economy Plus does not: free booze. All Delta international passengers enjoy free beer and wine, but Economy Comfort and Business Elite passengers have a complete open bar. On a similar note, the “New United” announced that it’s popular Economy Plus seats found on both its domestic and international planes will be a permanent part of the combined operations of United and Continental going forward.

BIG SPRING BREAK. With Spring Break just around the corner, Americans are opening up their pocketbooks and investing in travel. According to an AOL survey, 72% of respondents said they have more (31%) or the same amount (41%) of money to spend on spring break this year compared to last. So get ready to share your airport and airplane space with the shorts and flip-flops crowd if you are traveling anytime between early March and Easter (late, on April 24 this year).

PFC’s COULD RISE. Part of President Obama’s new budget plan could bump up ticket prices later this year. Currently, airport Passenger Facilities Charges (PFC’s) that airports use to fund improvements, are capped at $4.50 per segment. The budget proposal would move the cap to $7 per segment, potentially adding $14 to the cost of a nonstop round trip, $28 for one-stop roundtrips.

FREE FLYING FACEBOOK. From February 1 – 28, Delta, AirTran and five other airlines’ customers can access Gogo Inflight Internet to connect to Facebook without purchasing a flight pass, courtesy of Ford Motor Company. Just fire up your laptop or smartphone inflight and click on the ad from the Gogo landing page. And if you’ve not done so already, be sure to LIKE The TICKET’s Facebook page.

AIRTRAN OVERSEAS. AirTran cranked up its new flights to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic this week—and will add new daily flights to Bermuda from Baltimore/Washington beginning April 7 and from Atlanta on May 26. AirTran now flies to sandy destinations such as: Aruba, Cancun, Mexico, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Nassau, Bahamas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

SkyTeam lounge at London Heathrow

LOUNGE ACCESS FOR GOLDS. Remember that as of March 1, all SkyMiles Gold Medallion members are welcomed into the fold of SkyTeam Elite Plus meaning they gain access to all SkyTeam lounges overseas (even when flying coach). Since this is a new alliance-wide policy, confrontations between uninformed lounge staffers can be expected so always carry your Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion card.

FEEDBACK? COMMENTS? Email us or leave your comments in the space below!

DELTA FLEET ENHANCEMENTS. Delta has announced the expedited retirement of more than 100 regional and aging mainline aircraft from its fleet as capacity growth is trimmed. Rising fuel prices have played a role in the move. First to go will be the remainder of the DC-9 fleet over the next 12-18 months. By late 2012, those gas-guzzlers will be long gone (good riddance).  Also on the chopping block are the 26 Saab 340s (buh-bye!) inherited with the Northwest merger. The remainder of cuts comes from the removal of about 60 50-seat CRJ-100s, which is certain to bring applause from frequent travelers tired of the cramped Barbie Jets. This news comes on the heels of Delta’s recent request to review a narrow body replacement for its fleet to begin later in the decade. Keep watching The TICKET for any major aircraft orders that may be on the way.

CANADA’S SOUTHWEST AIRLINES. A new interline agreement is now in effect between Delta and Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet. The partnership is similar to that launched recently between Delta and Brazilian carrier Gol permitting passengers to connect between the two carriers’ flights, but SkyMiles earning/burning potential is not part of the deal yet. Calgary-based WestJet handles a third of Canadian domestic flying.

LEAK SCANNER IMAGE, GO TO JAIL. Even though the TSA insists that new body scanners cannot capture and store images, two U.S. senators propose criminalizing the dissemination of airport full body scanner images. Chuck Schumer (NY) and Ben Nelson (NE) are hoping to add an amendment to the aviation spending bill that would prohibit anyone with access to the images from copying and distributing them. If they do, they’ll face fines of up to $100,000 and a prison term.

ANDROID APP. If you’ve been feeling left out of the Delta smartphone app craze because you’ve got an Android device, your wait is over. Now, in addition to Blackberry and iPhone app, Delta’s Android app is ready for downloading from the Android Market. With the app, you can get your flight status and gate info, search schedules, get eBoarding passes, check SkyMiles balances and even set a reminder about where you are parked at the airport. Eventually, these apps could help customers stuck in winter weather situations, allowing them to view and choose flight alternatives.

HEY JAVA JUNKIES. Delta has announced a partnership with Seattle’s Best Coffee (a subsidiary company of Starbucks) to serve their coffee on board. This premium coffee brand will be served in all three classes worldwide. Quietly, Delta conducted actual taste tests aboard select flights with passengers to determine which blend would have the best taste at altitude. The winner? Level 4 (based on a scale of 1 to 5 of roast intensity). Level 4 will begin appearing on Delta mainline and Delta Connection flights in March. (We’ve just learned to travel with a handy pack of Starbuck’s VIA, a TICKET sponsor, to avoid the possibility of bad travel coffee!)

SEPTUAGENARIAN. Delta recently reached its 70^th birthday serving Atlanta and celebrated with a big bash. As “Georgia’s hometown airline,” Delta deployed a new Boeing B777-200LR and christened it the “Spirit of Atlanta.” It will fly mainly on routes between ATL and Tokyo, Johannesburg, or Dubai.

NEW LOOK, BUT… The SkyMiles booking tool at  delta.com may have a new look, but feels as clunky as ever. Delta made a big splash about new options to filter, modify, and sort flight search results. However some available flights are now hidden unless searching by schedule (rather than price). Also, the site still displays crazy itineraries priced at 375,000 for a Business Class ticket. To be fair, Delta does offer some “low-category” mileage tickets around the globe, especially when traveling with partner airlines, but they can never be found on delta.com due to the consistently poor search engine. As always, to score the very best award deals you have to call a Delta agent. (And remember, you don’t pay the fee for the call unless you book a ticket.)

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What do you think about The TICKET? What’s great or not so great about this issue? What else should we be doing to make it better? Email your comments to us or leave them below. WE LIVE FOR FEEDBACK! So come on! Let us know.

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De-icing a United jet (Photo: Austin.Happel / Flickr)

The new “three-hour rule” that forbids holding passengers on board grounded aircraft for more than three hours is forcing airlines to change the way they deal with winter storms.

In the past, airlines hesitated to cancel flights hoping that weather might quickly change for the better and allow them to resume operations.

But with the threat of heavy fines for holding passengers on planes over three hours (now $27,500 per passenger) or having them stuck at the airport, airlines are now much more likely to cancel flights hours or even days ahead of time. Affected passengers are instructed to stay away from the airport until operations are up and running.

I think this is a good thing, because with ample warning, fewer passengers are likely to be marooned at airports for hours waiting for flights to take off. When airlines pre-cancel thousands of flights, as they’ve done during recent winter storms, they’ve done a relatively good job of letting affected passengers know to just stay home and stay warm.

Early notification of flight cancellations is also allowing more travelers to take advantage of an option airlines rarely trumpet: that passengers on canceled flights can opt out of any alternatives the airlines offer and get a FULL REFUND. That’s right. For example, let’s say you were booked on a flight from ATL to New York this past Monday for a Tuesday meeting, returning on Wednesday. If your flight was canceled on Monday and it no longer made sense to go to New York at all, you could refuse alternate flights and get a full refund.

The downside of this is that airline websites are still rather weak when it comes to handling the re-booking process, forcing many travelers to phone overburdened call centers and wait endlessly on hold. As a result of this weakness, I expect airlines to double up on current efforts to develop and roll out mobile applications that will allow passengers to re-book themselves on canceled flights from their smart phones.

Overall, despite all the recent bad weather and delays, there’s good new for air travelers here. I’d rather wait out a storm at home or in a hotel rather than at the airport. Plus, I’d be willing to accept a slightly longer delay to do so.

What about you?

Speaking of being weather weary, home bound or sick with cabin fever, we thought we’d share this short trailer from The Shining. It makes you realize that you don’t have it THAT bad. Right??

(Hat tip to ice-bound TICKET reader Jeff M for sending this our way!)

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TICKET Editor Chris McGinnis doles out holiday travel tips on FOX News (BEFORE all bad weather hit!)

Happy Holidays! It’s that time of year again…when travel pundits and prognosticators do their best to gaze into the future and predict what may or may not happen in the big wide world of travel in the coming year.

Here are The TICKET’s top ten predictions for frequent travelers in 2011:

1-RISING PRICES. Business travel prices will continue to rise, but not enough to dampen renewed demand.

2-AIRFARE. Fares will continue to rise sharply, especially for flights between cities where only one or two legacy carriers operate. From Atlanta, all you have to do is follow the route map of AirTran (and soon, Southwest) to know where the deals are (or aren’t). We do not expect much change in AirTran operations in 2011– 2012 will be the big year for full integration with Southwest. Also, prepare for more fuel surcharges as oil nears $100 per barrel– it’s currently about $89 and rising.

3-TRAVEL DEALS. In terms of travel deals, there will be a wider gap between peak season and off-season prices. Those with flexibility to travel outside the peak travel dates will continue to find good deals and more short-term “flash” type sales. (Think Jetsetter or Sniqueaway) Those who must travel during peak periods will face sticker shock. (Peak periods generally run when school is out: Holidays, long weekends, July and August.)

Rates in NYC will rise, but remain in check due to an abundance of new rooms coming online. Pictured: The swank penthouse suite at the brand new 6-7-room InterContinental Times Square.

4-HOTEL RATES. Due to continued overcapacity, hotel rates should remain about the same or slightly up, on average, over the next year. Hotel rates in New York City will rise, but a steady supply of new hotels opening there should keep rate inflation to acceptable levels, especially among mid-tier properties.

5-FREE WI-FI. More upscale hotel chains will join their midscale counterparts to offer free in-room Wi-Fi. We’ll also see hoteliers pay more attention to bandwidth issues on their existing systems. What good is free Wi-Fi if it doesn’t work? In-flight Wi-Fi prices could moderate as Southwest’s $5 flat fee for inflight Wi-Fi expands to more flights.

(Like what you are reading? Then or TWITTER)

6-LONGER STAYS. Hotel chains will offer more loyalty program promotions designed to get travelers to increase the duration of their stays. (Such as “buy two nights, get the third free.”)

7-DRIVING VS. FLYING. Due to recent changes in security screening, the airport hassle factor could return, and more frequent travelers will consider driving instead of flying. The “five hour rule” might change to the “six hour rule.”

8-MOBILE DEVICES. We’ll see more focus on business travelers’ smart phones, which will soon be used to open hotel room doors and will be accepted as payment instead of credit cards. There will be more promotions designed to encourage the use of mobile devices to book and manage travel reservations

9-IN-FLIGHT PHONING. In-flight phone calling, now available on several non-U.S. airlines will become more prevalent and might even be considered by a domestic carrier. High per-call rates and peer pressure should keep abuse in check– remember those pricey GTE Airfones that no one ever used because they were too expensive? I expect the same with in-flight cell phone use.

10-MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS. More of us will attend large annual trade shows and conventions this year as pent up demand is released. Many companies banned non-essential travel over the last two years and business travelers are eager to get out of the office and re-establish face-to-face contact with customers and colleagues. However, I think small and medium-sized meetings will face more competition from virtual alternatives.

(ONE EXTRA PREDICTION: 11- Better airline coverage in The TICKET! We’ve brought on a new airline correspondent, Ramsey Qubein! Ramsey,  a Diamond Medallion on Delta, has been enhancing our airline coverage with great insider news and tips over the last month. Stay tuned for more from him and The TICKET in 2011.)

DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU ARE READING? PLEASE HELP THE TICKET INCREASE READERSHIP! Think of it as your holiday gift to us! Just copy and paste the following message into an email to your frequent traveling family and friends: >> Hey there: You should check out The TICKET, a blog I always take the time to read and one that always provides a tip or two I have not read anywhere else. It’s free. There’s no spam. You’ll get 2-3 emails a month from them. Check it out and subscribe here: http://www.theticket-atlanta.com <<

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How’s that free holiday in-flight Wi-Fi working out for ya?

As many frequent travelers know by now, Google is sponsoring free in-flight Wi-Fi on AirTran, Delta and Virgin America through January 2. That’s a great thing!

However, as often happens when something is free, you end up getting what you pay for.

Over the last several days I’ve heard from several readers experiencing frequent outages or poor connections when using in-flight Wi-Fi. This sounded unusual to me because, as a frequent user of the Gogo system, I’ve been very impressed with its ease of use, great connections and lack of any technical difficulties at all.

But it sounds like that’s not the case this month. Here’s a sampling of emails I’ve received:

>“Just flew Denver-Atlanta. Bumped off three times.” -R.S.

>“I had lots of outages on a flight to Las Vegas two weeks ago. I would have rather paid and had it work.” -J.B.

>“Last week I flew up to Charlotte from Atlanta and to Miami this week. Gogo fails constantly and is unreliable now. I would rather be given an option to pay for the connection, versus what I experience now.” –D.O.

The TICKET contacted a spokesperson for Aircell/Gogo to inquire about the outages. Here’s her response:

Anytime we give away Gogo access for free, we see the usage soar through the roof.  This holiday promotion has been no different and almost every day is a new usage record for us.  Pushing the boundaries certainly makes the system run a bit slower, and there are some situations in which we’re limiting the number of users who can get on the web on a given flight.  Though a passenger might perceive that we’re having a technical issue, the reality is that we’re managing the network such that we permit the maximum number of passengers to use Gogo without degrading the experience too much.  As you can imagine, that’s a tricky balance to strike – and while it has the potential to leave a few travelers unhappy, we think most are pretty pleased.

I’ve also heard from other airline insiders that the problem is especially acute when flying around the Atlanta area. This of course is due to the fact that both AirTran and Delta are the two carriers operating the most flights in the world with in-flight Wi-Fi—and the pipe is just not fat enough. Apparently, recent usage levels are close to 50 percent of passengers, up from the normal 5-10 percent.

So enjoy it while it’s free—if you can get on.  Connections should improve when the freebie is over on January 3.

Have YOU experienced any recent connectivity issues lately when using Wi-Fi on AirTran, Delta or Virgin America? LET US KNOW what happened! Leave your comments below.

DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU ARE READING? PLEASE HELP THE TICKET INCREASE READERSHIP! Think of it as your holiday gift to us! Just copy and paste the following message into an email to your frequent traveling family and friends: >> Hey there: You should check out The TICKET, a blog I always take the time to read and one that always provides a tip or two I have not read anywhere else. It’s free. There’s no spam. You’ll get 2-3 emails a month from them. Check it out and subscribe here: http://www.theticket-atlanta.com <<

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(VIDEO: Television interview with Chris McGinnis on best/worst days for Christmas/New Years trips.)

Despite the abundance of dark and scary warnings about a Thanksgiving travel meltdown, most of those hitting the skies last week found smooth sailing. There were no major meltdowns at airport security, the weather cooperated for the most part, airlines and airports were hyper-prepared. To the surprise of many, it all went off without a hitch. That’s a good thing.

Now it’s time to focus on round two of the holiday travel season: Christmas and New Year’s. Here’s hoping that we’ll be just as surprised by a smooth peak travel season! But in any case, here are a few points to keep in mind:

1> With Christmas and New Year’s Day both falling on Saturdays this year, the holiday season is going to be very compact. A shorter season means peak travel days are going to be more crowded and more expensive than what we saw over Thanksgiving.

2> Travelocity says that the average Christmas/New Year’s fare this year is $457. That’s 21 percent higher than the $380 or so we paid, on average, for Thanksgiving week travel. If you are planning to travel during this week, you’ve probably already missed out on the best deals and the most convenient flights. Sorry!

3> The best days for holiday travel in terms of crowds and pricing will be the Tuesday before Christmas (Dec 21), Christmas Day (Dec 25) and New Year’s day (Saturday, Jan 1). Keep in mind that even though these days will be slower than others, we are still talking about PEAK season travel, so it’s going to be more expensive and more crowded than almost any other time of year.

4> The worst (most crowded, most expensive) days to be flying will be the Wednesday and Thursday before Christmas (Dec 22 and 23), the Sunday and Monday after Christmas (Dec 26 and 27) and then the Sunday and Monday after New Year’s (Jan 2 and 3). Christmas Eve (Friday, Dec 24) is always relatively a relatively light day– but since it’s on a Friday this year, I’m thinking it might be busier than in previous years.

5> Don’t forget about the so-called “dead weeks.” These are the first two weeks of December and the first two weeks of January. Travel demand plummets during these weeks, so if you are a tough bargaineer and have a lot of flexibility, check out last minute deals on sites like Hotwire.com or Priceline.com during the dead weeks. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll find. (Exception: New York City is at its most crowded and expensive during the first two or three weeks of December due to holiday shopping.)

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(Photo: USWGO / Flickr)

The peak holiday travel season is upon us. At the same time, the media frenzy surrounding new airport security measures has hit a peak. At The TICKET, we’ve cut through the hype and come up with five tips (and pics!) travelers need to know about airport screening. If you are looking for anger, venting or hyperbole, there are other places for that. We are providing advice on dealing with the situation as it stands right now:

1) RELAX! Despite the media hullabaloo, chances are that you won’t face a full body scan or pat down at all in coming weeks. Full body scanners are currently deployed at only 68 of 450 airports across the country. (See a list) At those 68 airports, most security lanes are using more good old-fashioned magnetometers (metal detectors) than the newer (and more controversial) full body scanners. Also, know that every single passenger does NOT get the new enhanced pat down. Only those who set off the metal detector, appear to have an anomaly on their body during a full body scan, or those who refuse a full body scan are subject to a pat down.

2) IN ATLANTA. At Atlanta airport, there are 14 millimeter wave scanners scattered across 43 security lanes at the four checkpoint entries (three in main terminal, one in International terminal). Full body scanners are similarly dispersed at other big airports. For example, San Francisco International has nine full body scanners across a total of 44 lanes. This means you are much more likely to walk through a magnetometer than a full body scanner.

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(Photo: testpatern / flickr)

WORD OF WARNING: If you think you’re beating crowds by taking off for Thanksgiving this weekend, beware. Airlines and online travel agents report that some of the holiday’s busiest days will be this Friday and Saturday. In another new twist, the TUESDAY before Thanksgiving is expected to be busier than Wednesday, a traditional peak day. And as always, be prepared for tough days at the airport on the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving— be particularly wary of Monday morning back ups at airport security checkpoints. Add to that a high level of angst about new security screening procedures and we are ripe for disruptions this week. Plan accordingly.

BODY SCANNERS. In case you’ve not been to ATL lately, there are now 14 of the controversial new full-body scanners scattered across all four security checkpoints. Some good news: The scanners in use at ATL are “millimeter wave” machines instead of the newer “backscatter” ones now being rolled out across the country. I’m no expert on radiation, but from what I’ve read, the millimeter wave scanners use radio waves which sounds less threatening than the low-dose X-rays used by the newer backscatter machines. There’s a lot of hyperbole surrounding the machines this week, so if you are interested in reading a well researched and informative article, check out this one from Bloomberg (written by a fellow TICKET reader Mary Jane Credeur!) One good nugget from the article: A radiology professor at the Mayo Clinic says, “You would need 1000 or 2000 airport scans to equal just one dental X-ray.”

AIRTRAN+SOUTHWEST CLOSING DATE? Closing date for the sale is expected to be this coming spring and then full integration of the two carriers will take about two years. Currently, the deal is under government anti-trust scrutiny which most observers don’t expect to significantly slow down the integration time line. So far, no date has been set for the first Southwest “redbelly”  (see photo below) to touch down at ATL.

SOUTHWEST’S BIGGEST CITY? Right now, it’s Las Vegas, but guess what? Once Southwest gobbles up AirTran, Atlanta is going to be its largest city in terms of daily flights. So in ATL, we’re Delta’s biggest city AND soon, Southwest’s biggest. Go figure…

COKE…NO PEPSI. Just in case Atlantans are wondering or worried…Southwest Airlines is a COCA-COLA airline. However, its selection of in-flight beverages is not as robust as AirTran’s.

SEARCHING FOR SOUTHWEST. One thing Atlanta-based travelers are going to have to get used to when Southwest moves into town:  more time devoted to searching for low fares. Unlike AirTran, Southwest Airlines does not participate in systems that allow its flights to appear on online travel agency sites like Expedia or Travelocity. They don’t show up on meta-search sites like Kayak, either. To compare, you are going to have to check southwest.com, the only site that lists all of Southwest’s flight and fare info.

HOW DO TICKET READERS FEEL ABOUT SOUTHWEST? Be sure to read the COMMENTS section of our post, 10 Things you need to know about Southwest + AirTran. Very revealing!

MORE AWARD SEATS. Delta announced a fatter international summer travel schedule this week, which could help out if you’re having trouble redeeming your SkyMiles. From Atlanta, Delta is re-launching B777 nonstops to Shanghai. From NYC there are new flights to Iceland. Boston and Miami get nonstops to London Heathrow. Paris gets new or more nonstops from Boston and Pittsburg (via a skinny B757…not so sure about that!)

DELTA SKY CLUB RE-DO. Delta’s opened a new SkyClub at Indianapolis’s flashy new airport terminal. The new look for this Sky Club is expected to carry over to new Sky Clubs in Philadelphia and Seattle and in others where renovations are in the works such as ATL and LAX. Here’s a short video tour of the club at Indy.

premium economy on British Airways

PREMIUM ECONOMY ON DELTA? Our contacts at Delta won’t confirm it, but several sources point to a leaked internal Delta memo that shows plans underway for a new class of international service between coach and business class. This is good news for travelers at companies that forbid business class travel, but might turn a blind eye to a product called “premium economy.” If Delta’s product is anything like competitors such as British Airways, the premium economy cabin will be separated from standard economy and offer a slightly larger seat with slightly more legroom and better food and beverage service.  It’s a poor substitute for a nice flat business class bed, but a welcome step up from the horrors of eight-plus hours in coach. For transatlantic flights from the East Coast, I would expect Delta’s premium economy fares to run in the $2500 round trip range.

DELTA READY TO RUMBLE WITH SOUTHWEST. In an interview with Business Travel News, Delta CEO Richard Anderson sounds confident that Delta’s product will beat Southwest’s when it comes to business travelers. Here’s what he said: “AirTran had first class, they had assigned seats, and Southwest has no first class, no assigned seats, doesn’t sell through global distribution systems—a very different product than what AirTran offered in the market. It’s very distinguishable. If you want international service, if you want high frequency all around the world, a club, business class, first class, don’t have to stand in a line to get on airplanes when you’re a business traveler—that’s the product Delta offers.” What do you think? Will you be giving Southwest a try? LET US KNOW!

REGIONAL JETS BECOMING…REGIONAL! Delta and its subsidiaries are dumping Barbie jets like crazy these days. Seems they’ve finally figured out that RJ’s don’t make much economic sense, they tend to clog up airspace and runways, and travelers don’t like them. All this means that on Delta you will no longer find regional jets used on flights longer than 750 miles (or about 2.5 hours).

At the CLEAR sign up kiosk at MCO

CLEAR IS BACK. But only in Orlando for now. The airport security line by-pass lanes reopened on November 9 at MCO’s Main terminal East and West.  Plans to open up lanes in Denver this month have been stymied, but stay tuned. If you had a CLEAR card before, new owners are honoring membership terms. Have a minute? Check out the new company’s clever new video describing how CLEAR works. Cost: $179 per year.

DELTA + MARRIOTT = 5000 MILES. From now through January 31, SkyMiles members will earn a 5000-mile bonus when Delta flights coincide with Marriott stays. Not bad! Details.

DELTA NOT SO DREAMY. Delta has pretty much thrown in the towel on the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner,” delaying delivery for TEN YEARS (to 2020). It had inherited an order of 18 of the new fuel-efficient but delay-plagued wide bodies from Northwest. This means that at least the next decade, Delta’s wide body fleet will remain 777, 767, 747 and A330. United hopes to be flying the 787 sometime next year…

DILUTING MQM’s? As you know, it’s getting harder and harder to travel on award tickets. I’m writing to tell you that I’m really disappointed to see the newest oncoming freight train – the awarding of MQMs by someone other than Delta.  I’m sure that the new Hilton promotion is going to be great for Delta, otherwise you wouldn’t have  written about it in The TICKET.  BUT it makes the Medallion Qualifying Miles worth far less to us Delta fans and that’s at a time when Delta need all the friends it can get. I’m a friend!  And I’m a Hilton Honors Gold level but I’m still annoyed by what I see happening: the demise of the value of the MQM.  I know there’s a segment qualifier, but the MQM devaluation is really a disaster.  I wonder if you’ve heard about this from others or am I the only crab in town? –JL from Atlanta. Is he? LET US KNOW! Leave your comments below.

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That’s me getting scanned by a new backscatter machine at San Jose Airport last May

Over the last week, a storm has erupted around new airport security procedures and devices. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just google “airport body scanners” and you’ll get half a million results. (Here’s a good round up article from Bloomberg.)

On one hand, we’ve got new “enhanced pat downs” from TSA officers that include touching breasts and genitalia, full-naked-body scans, and no clear answer about radiation risks from new backscatter machines.

On the other hand, we’ve got a very recent incident in which terrorists were able to pack explosives in a printer cartridge and get it on a plane. We are less than a year past the infamous “underwear bomber” incident in which a terrorist nearly brought down a Delta jet over Detroit.

I don’t like the frisky frisking. I worry about radiation. I’m concerned about our right to privacy.

But what’s the solution?

Do we get rid of the scanners (that cost $75,000 each) and go back to magnetometers only?

What will we all be saying if an “underwear bomber” gets through a magnetometer and succeeds in blowing up a plane?

I know the readers of this blog are smart, frequent travelers who know the system well. Can you all suggest any solutions? I look forward to hearing from you. I will forward your suggestions along to my TSA contacts.

And please, let’s just talk SOLUTIONS here and avoid hyperbole and venting. There’s enough of that out there already.

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TICKET reader Ramsey Qubein (far left) spent a day working behind Delta's gates at ATL

(Ramsey Qubein is a young buck frequent traveler and blogger and says he has long read and admired The TICKET. He reminds me of me when I was 31– eager to jump on any plane at any time no matter what, and a sponge for every tidbit of travel information I could get my hands on. Ramsey and I met at a media event in London recently and he told me about his turn behind Delta’s gate counters at ATL. I asked him to share a little bit of his experience with The TICKET.  –Chris)

Spending an entire Sunday at the airport is not ideal for most people, but I jumped at the chance to learn what takes place on the other side of the mysterious counter as a Delta gate agent in Atlanta. Delta invited a group of about 40 frequent flyers and Internet bloggers to undergo this unique exchange with its frontline employees. With 300,000 annual miles and over 4 million lifetime miles at Delta, I know the airline well. This experience, however, was an eye opener.

Gate agents have multiple tasks including driving the jetway, opening the door, arranging wheelchairs, directing passengers to connecting gates, clearing standbys, boarding new passengers, gate checking bags, and getting the flight out on time. If the flight delays by even one minute, they are held accountable and must face their supervisors.

I was shocked when people approached my clearly marked gate to ask if this was the gate for some other city. Or ask me to look up their gate despite information screens 50 feet away. Finding a bathroom, getting directions to the escalator, locating an electrical outlet, and asking what time boarding begins pummeled us all day even though signs are plastered all over the airport.

You can be as efficient as possible, but one mistake causes the house of cards to crumble…>>

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