Archive for the ‘Airline News’ Category

THIS JUST IN: eBay, Gogo Give Passengers 30 Minutes of Free Wi-Fi on Delta thru Jan 2

Now, back to our regular programming….

About this time of year, frequent and infrequent travelers alike are faced with the hassle, uncertainty and expense of checking bags for trips home for the holidays.

Most frequent travelers reading this rarely check bags when on the road for business– and if they do, fees are likely waived due to elite status. But for holiday trips home, bag contents frequently expand to include winter coats, formal wear, gifts and plenty of other extraneous items– especially if kids are involved.

Shipping bags via FEDEX or UPS sounds like a great idea until you look at rates. Shipping luggage is not cheap– or fast. To get rates that meet or beat airline fees, you must ship via ground which can take four or five days to get across the country. And distance makes a big difference when it comes to rates. Plus there’s the time cost of schlepping bags to a FEDEX or UPS facility.

I checked with FEDEX to determine how much it would cost to ship a standard carry on-sized piece of luggage (10″x14″x22″) weighing 35 lbs. from the FEDEX store in Atlanta to New York City, Boulder, Colo. and San Francisco.

Atlanta to New York:

$198 each way – Standard overnight delivery

$106 each way – Two-day delivery

$28 each way — end of second day home delivery

Atlanta to Boulder, Colo.:

$213 each way – Standard overnight delivery

$167 each way – Two-day delivery

$35 each way – Three-day (ground) home delivery

Atlanta to San Francisco:

$228 each way – Standard overnight delivery

$182 each way – Two-day delivery

$48 each way- End of fourth day (ground) delivery

Keeping in mind most airlines charge $25 for the first checked bag (except Southwest and JetBlue) and $35 for the second, each way, would you pay to ship or just check it with the airline and hope for the best?

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AIRTRAN: Get the latest, greatest airfare deals from AIRTRAN.COM

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!

ATL's train...or a four-door Porsche Panamera? (Photo: SocialisBetter)

Delta is being uncharacteristically coy about a flashy new program underway at ATL since early November. Several TICKET readers report being pleasantly surprised by  new chauffeur service (via Porsche no less) from the jetway to their cars upon arrival at ATL.

Here’s what we are hearing:

From reader Eason Jordan:

As I disembarked from my LGA-ATL Delta flight last night, I was surprised to see in the jetway two young men holding up signs with the names of six passengers – my name included.  When I asked the fellow holding the sign with my name on it what he wanted, he escorted me down the jetway stairs to the tarmac and ushered me into the front passenger seat of a new Porsche Cayenne SUV.  He told me Delta recently embarked on a trial program in partnership with Porsche to show their love for top-tier Delta frequent fliers.  Two fellow frequent fliers hopped in the back seat, after which we were whisked not to the main terminal but directly to our cars in separate parking lots at opposite sides of the airport. What a ride!

I quizzed the gregarious driver about the program.  He said the unpublicized program was the brainchild of Delta’s CEO.  Why Porsche’s involvement?  Porsche is moving its North American headquarters to a new site adjacent to the airport, and Porsche wants to impress Delta’s most elite passengers – potential Porsche customers.  The ATL Delta-Porsche program fields eight always-working passenger-shuttling Porsche vehicles – six SUVs and two sedans.  Two vehicles work each select inbound flight.  Sometimes the Porsche team shuttles late arriving connecting elites to a far-flung terminal connecting flight, while other times the Porsche team shuttles incoming elites directly from the arriving tarmac to their cars in airport parking lots.  My driver said the program caters to medallion fliers – mostly Diamond, but others, too.  I’m a three million miler with Delta, and at times I’m among Delta’s most vocal critics.  I pleased to say this surprise reward program is a big-time winner, leaving me grateful and dreaming of owning a Porsche SUV.

Here’s another from Reader JK:

Have you heard about the DL/Porche customer appreciation program that started Nov. 1 (I’m sure you have…you know everything!).  We landed this morning at ATL, B24.  As the door opened, my name and another passengers were announced to proceed to the plane door where we were met by a member of DL’s Elite Service Representatives.  He briefly explained that as Diamonds, we were to follow him down the jetway stairs where a Porsche Panamera was waiting.  He told us that DL and Porsche were partnering to provide a special customer service for Delta’s best customers.  We loaded into the car and he drove us from the tarmac to our cars in the Daily Parking lots!  What a thrill!!!!  Way to go Delta!  Way to go Porsche!

**Porsche because, as you know, it will be building its NA HQ on the site of the old Ford plant adjacent to I-75 and end of runway.

Interestingly, Delta’s being very tight lipped about this. We asked for more details, but Delta would do nothing more than just confirm that the program is indeed in effect. Delta’s only made one public comment about the program over on the FlyerTalk boards:

I see that you’ve noticed a few of the spanking new vehicles trolling around ATL. It’s true that we have a team dedicated to transporting our highest value customers around the Atlanta hub and they’ve got a fleet of several vehicles with which to do so. As part of our partnership with Porsche (which includes shipping cars from Germany to Atlanta), they’ve provided us with a few fancy new rides to add to our VIP fleet. A couple of things to clarify:

1. Delta didn’t pay for these cars.
2. You won’t see any of our executives in these cars – they’re for HVCs ["High Value Customers"] only.
3. The Porsches are quite literally a new toy we get to play with so we’re testing out how to best use them. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, they’ll be used as a “surprise and delight” for some of our best customers.

Have you been picked up in a Porsche yet? Why do you think Delta’s being so coy about this? Perhaps they don’t want to be seen catering to the recently maligned 1%? Maybe they don’t want Medallions to start to expect the service, and complain if they don’t get a ride? Please leave your comments below! And if you get picked up in a Porsche, take a picture and send it to us… we’ll post it right here!

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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!

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A HOLIDAY GIFT FROM DELTA. TICKET readers have been waiting with baited breath for this one: Today Delta rolled out a short-term program that helps busy SkyMiles members avoid those time-consuming end-of-year mileage runs and instead buy their way into Medallion status in 2012.

Here’s how it works: Between now and [UPDATED) December 30, you go to www.delta.com/buymqms and top off your account by buying bundles of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM’s) at the following rates:

• 2,500 miles for $295
• 5,000 miles for $495
• 7,500 miles for $695
• 10,000 miles for $895.

Delta SkyMiles head Jeff Robertson told The TICKET: “We know that many of our customers are just one trip short of the next Medallion tier toward the end of the year, so hopefully this will make it easier for them to get there.”

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This program is similar to the one Delta ran last December, which offered MQM’s to SkyMiles members who donated to a variety of charities. Sources tell us that the charities (such as AID Atlanta and Grady Hospital) brought in about $800,000 each as a result of the promo. This year, the promo’s similar in terms of the quantity of MQM’s you earn per dollar spent, but the charities are left out.

What do you think? Will you plunk down the cash to earn or maintain status, or take a mileage run? Please leave your comments below.

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DELTA CUTS DEEP AT ATL. As we near the ribbon cutting in spring of 2012 of Atlanta’s new international terminal F, several flights will be missing from the departure boards. They include Athens, Copenhagen, Guayaquil, Moscow, Prague, Shanghai, and Tel Aviv. The routes, most of which were already seasonal, will not be restarted in 2012 due to the economic slowdown. Delta is not cutting ties with any of these cities. In fact, all of these cities (minus Guayaquil) see nonstop service from JFK with the exception of Shanghai, which keeps its nonstop service from Detroit. JFK-Copenhagen will get an upgrade from a skinny B757 to a wider B767 in the summer.  It is sad to see fewer destinations at ATL with the new terminal opening, but markets are cyclical and many could return in the future.

DELTA BIGGER IN BIG APPLE. Additional frequencies will beef up Delta’s schedules at JFK to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Juan, and Santo Domingo and Santiago, Dominican Republic. The network also expands with new flights from JFK to Austin, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Fla., and Milwaukee. LaGuardia will also see new, nonstop service to Nassau, Bahamas.

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SKYTEAM FOCUSES INWARD. SkyTeam CEO Michael Wisbrun (yes, airline alliances have their own CEOs who manage the grouping) spoke at London’s World Travel Market and outlined that the Delta-led alliance is nearing completion of its network. While this does not rule out the addition of carriers to the alliance (especially in places like India and Brazil), it does indicate that the alliance is finished with its major growth phase. Wisbrun stated that the next phase is focusing more on customer benefits with improved IT infrastructure (sorely needed since many airlines’ reservation systems still cannot “talk” to each other) and opening additional SkyTeam-branded lounges in places like Beijing and Tokyo. Already on the books to join the alliance in the coming couple of years are Aerolineas Argentinas, Middle East Airlines (MEA), Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Garuda Indonesia.

SKY CLUB UPDATES IN MOTOWN. Delta’s got big plans for Sky Clubs around the system refurbishing and overhauling them to a stylish, new concept. However, the Detroit clubs have a cozy, residential feel left over from their Northwest days that many travelers have come to love. In a previous version of The TICKET, we incorrectly reported that these clubs will be overhauled to the new club decor. However, travelers will be happy to know the Detroit clubs will keep their same homey aesthetic with fireplaces and cozy sitting nooks. The central Sky Club in Detroit’s terminal A will be reconfigured to provide more space for customers by removing conference rooms and adding more seating. Swiveling tables over the chair’s armrest and convenient electrical outlets will continue to be one of the club’s most popular features. It is not clear when these clubs will have the full makeover like the swanky new style in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Miami, or the A-17 and D clubs in Atlanta. But, for now, these clubs are holding up well and are perfect on those chilly and snowy Detroit travel days.

BIG BONUS FOR LONDON FLIGHTS. Fly round-trip between London Heathrow and the US in paid BusinessElite (Fare Classes: J, C, D, I, or S), now through December 31, 2011, and earn 25K to 150K bonus miles.  To get the miles, you must register by December 15, then book and fly now through December 31, 2011.

WELCOME XIAMEN AIRLINES. SkyTeam is already the largest airline alliance in China, and it just got bigger now that Xiamen Airlines has announced plans to join by the end of 2012. Critics are quick to point out that SkyTeam is bringing in airlines of lesser quality than other alliances, but there is no doubt the network in China is the strongest available. Xiamen operates a mostly domestic route network with a fleet of 737 aircraft. It has placed an order for six Boeing 787 Dreamliners with plans to fly long haul to Australia, Europe, and North American in the future.

ATL’s TERMINAL F nears completion…By May 2012, international travelers will have a whole new world to discover at Atlanta airport when terminal F goes into full operation. Together with Terminal E, there will be a total of 40 gates for international flights. This new terminal will also eliminate the need for ATL-bound travelers to recheck their bags and clear TSA security again to leave the airport making it easier for arrivals. Keep an eye on http://www.atlanta-airport.com/InternationalTerminal/index.html for photos and more information on Terminal F.In case you have not been watching, here’s a very cool time lapse video of terminal construction from groundbreaking until now:

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Book your trips here:

AIRTRAN: Get the latest, greatest airfare deals from AIRTRAN.COM

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

CHEAPO AIR: Air, hotel car rental and package deals galore from CheapOair.com

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

Why wait in a long holiday taxi queue? Reserve a car instead! (Photo: Enrico Salad / Flickr)

As the peak holiday travel season approaches, everyone’s looking for a deal or a steal. But the truth of the matter is that bargains are difficult to come by during the Thanksgiving and Christmas peak travel season.

And if you snag what you think is a bargain, you might end of  “getting what you pay for.”

As a matter of fact, paying a little more at this time of year usually translates into more peace of mind, more quality time with friends or family, and the increased likelihood of a low-hassle trip home for the holidays…. which is what we all want.

Here are six examples to illustrate what I mean:

1> Take a nonstop flight. While you might be tempted by the price of a one-stop flight, by choosing one, you are increasing your chances of a delay or cancellation by 100%! Why take that chance, especially if you are headed home for just a few days, and a delayed or canceled flight could spoil the entire trip?

Cost: $50 to $200 depending on flight length

Example: Flying during peak Christmas week between Atlanta and San Francisco, you’ll pay $660 (ouch!) for a six-hour one-stop journey on Frontier connecting in Denver. On the other hand, fly four hours nonstop on Delta or AirTran and the fare is $730 (ouch again!)– $70 more. Worth it to fly nonstop? I think so. (Fares checked Nov 13 for flights departing Dec 23, returning Dec 27 and are subject to change.)

2> Book your trip via a real, live travel agent. Most budget-conscious travelers shy away from travel agents who charge fees. But as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) likes to say, “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own.” Most travel agents can use their experience, connections and clout to help get you out of sticky situations, plus they’ve got knowledge and experience to offer you the best alternatives when or if you get stuck.

Cost: $20-$50 or negotiable

Example: ASTA’s motto surely rang true last year when a monster storm blew up the East Coast on Christmas day, stranding travelers across the country. Most of those who booked trips via travel agents were able to get through to them by phone and adjust travel plans faster than those who only had airline 800-numbers. (Note: Be sure the travel agent you choose has an after hours emergency number.)

Rooms dip as low as $80 over Xmas at a brand new Best Western near Dallas, TX

3> Stay at a hotel. Why burden the in-laws with the stress of houseguests during the already stressful holidays? Instead of bunking on that lumpy sofa bed or stuffy guest room, book a nearby hotel. Tip: Due to lack of demand from business travelers, most hotels are dirt-cheap during the holidays, especially those located in suburban office parks. Travel expert John DiScala, who edits the popular johnnyjet.com website suggests that the holidays are a great time to consider redeeming loyalty points for nicer hotel digs, saying, “For example, Hilton HHonors points can also now be used to upgrade an existing reservation to a premium room or suite at hotels worldwide, with no blackout dates.”

Cost: $50 to $100 per night, depending on location.

Example: Thinking you might want your inlaws to stay at a hotel? A nice, newish Hilton Garden Inn in the northern Atlanta suburbs costs only $67 per night during Christmas week—but book it two weeks later when business travelers are back on the road and you’ll pay nearly twice that much– $127.

4> Review your charge card benefits. Most banks have added a slew of new benefits to charge cards in recent years to woo free-spending, credit-worthy frequent travelers, so you might be packing more power in your pocket than you know. While annual fees are higher for such cards, many now offer benefits that come in handy for holiday travel such as waived baggage fees, access to airport lounges, early boarding privileges, early check in/late check out or upgrades at hotels, concierge services and more.

Cost: $100-$500/year

Example: While the American Express Platinum card sounds expensive at $450/year, the benefits can pay off big time when it comes to peak travel season. For example, the card gets you out of the airport holiday mayhem and into 600 airport lounges (gratis) around the world, covers up to $200 airline fees from checked bags to in-flight food or cocktails, and Global Entry membership, which gets you to the front of the line US Customs and Immigration. The $95/year Delta SkyMiles Gold card now offers a free checked bag and early boarding privileges, regardless of your Medallion level.  Many high-end cards also offer concierge services that can help get you out of travel jams—worth a call if you get stuck!

5> Book roomier airline seats. While you can always pay a lot more to sit in first class, you can now pay a little bit more, and get a more comfortable coach seat. During the busy, crowded holidays, that’s money well spent. While getting a few extra inches of room always helps, the real benefit of paying for a better economy seat is that you usually get to board early—with elite level flyers—which means you get first dibs on scarce overhead bin space.

Cost: Varies based on carrier and flight duration– $10-$100 per segment

Example: Delta is expanding its popular, roomier “Economy Comfort” seating from just international flights to domestic ones, too. For example, it’s now available on transcons between New York and San Francisco or Los Angeles.

6> Hire a car service to/from the airport. There are lots of reasons why you should use a car service for a ride to or from the airport during the holidays. First, don’t burden friends or family with the chore of driving to the airport during rush hour traffic to pick you up or drop you off. Second, when arriving, you walk straight to your waiting car instead of waiting in those long, cold taxi queues at airports that form during peak holiday season.

Cost: 10%-20% more than cab fare

Example: Last month I was greeted by a taxicab queue at SFO at least 100 people deep after a loooong transcon flight. Wish I had booked a car service! In New York, I always use the economical Dial 7 car service (212-777-7777) which costs $5 or $10 more than a cab, but offers a comfortable sedan ride to/from Manhattan versus the tight squeeze, bumpy ride, and possible wait for a NYC Taxi.

Where are YOU headed for the holidays? Please leave your comments below.

A few inches makes a difference! (Photo: Dipdewdog / Flickr)

ECONOMY COMFORT EXPANDS. Good news for sore knees! Following in the footsteps of rival United Airlines (and its Economy Plus seating), Delta is expanding its popular Economy Comfort seating from just international flights to nearly all aircraft fleet wide—including domestic flights. The first three to five rows of the main cabin on all Delta mainline and regional jets (except CRJ-200′s) will soon feature three more inches between rows. Passengers seated in this section will enjoy priority boarding—but there will be no free booze in domestic Economy Comfort. The first domestic 757 with Economy Comfort will enter service this month, and Delta says all aircraft will be equipped with the seating by late 2012. Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallions can select these seats at time of reservation free of charge. Silver Medallions may request them 24 hours prior to departure free of charge or reserve them at a 50% discount at time of reservation. All other passengers may purchase these extra legroom seats for a fee of $19-$99 depending on the length of the flight. Note: With Southwest doing away with AirTran’s popular business class seating, Economy Comfort will be a welcome option on those long transcons out to the west coast. What do you think about Economy Comfort?

HOLIDAY FARE SHOPPING? AirTran and Southwest launched another winter fare sale today (must book by Nov 14), but as usual the fine print reveals multiple blackout dates around Thanksgiving or Christmas. That’s not great news for holiday travelers, but if you’ve avoided business trips due to high fares, you’ll find some great deals for flights during the first three weeks of December, and much of January. So get out there and see some clients you’ve been avoiding! Here’s more advice on holiday travel peaks and valleys.

FREE BLURBS ON DELTA/GOGO PORTAL. Gogo wi-fi users will notice a new landing page when they launch their web browser on Delta flights. It includes details for your flight including the remaining flight time. Additional free content will include select news stories, PEOPLE magazine content, destination information and events, and shopping opportunities.

MORE SOUTHWEST CHANGES COMING. Bloomberg reports that Southwest plans to cut back on AirTran flights from ATL to smaller cities and focus on adding more nonstops to larger cities that are more profitable. Southwest’s first flights to/from Atlanta (with no biz class…and no bag fees) begin in February. Stay tuned! Have you decided whether you’ll give Southwest a go when it comes to town? Leave your comments below.

FLAT BEDS AT 30%. Delta updated its progress page last month showing that 30% of its international fleet now has true (vs fake) lie-flat seats, up from 25% in August.

SNACK BASKET CHANGES. First class loyalists have learned to love the famous Delta snack basket on flights without a meal (increasingly common). First class customers now get Walker’s shortbread cookies, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, fun size Snickers, Chewy granola bars, and the traditional peanuts, pretzels, Twix and M&Ms. What is noticeably missing, however, are Delta’s famous Biscoff cookies (oddly still available in coach) and those puffy bags of SunChips. Delta confirmed the case of the disappearing Biscoff from the first class basket during afternoon and evening flights, but said that they are still offered on morning non-meal flights.  Thoughts on the new snack additions (and deletions)? Is Walker’s shortbread a suitable substitute for the beloved Biscoff? Please leave your comments below.

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LAST MINUTE MQMs? Remember when Delta teamed up with certain SkyWish charities last December offering valuable MQM’s to those who gave generously? AID Atlanta hauled in a tidy $745,000 as a result of the promo. Generous SkyMilers were able to avoid those pesky end-of-year mileage runs. Delta built a lot of goodwill. Everybody won! We are now trying to determine if Delta will offer something similar this year for those hoping to snag or maintain Medallion status by the end of the year. So far our Delta sources say there’s nothing in the works, but that could change. Another reason to stay tuned to The TICKET!

DELTA IN THE BLACK. Delta reported its financial figures for the third quarter of 2011 and continues to stay in the black partly due to wise fuel hedging, growth in ancillary fee revenue (ya know, those change fees, baggage fees, etc), and a slight decrease in capacity to adjust to travel demand (that’s why flights are fuller these days). In the end, when Delta succeeds, it can spend more to invest in a better product…right?

DELTA #1 FOR FEES. Delta collected more baggage fees and reservation change fees than any other airline in the second quarter of 2011, according to the DOT. In the second quarter, it brought in $226 in baggage fees and $201 million in reservation change fees. American Airlines ranked #2. Overall, airlines brought in an extra $1.5 billion in fee revenue in the second quarter.

DELTA EXPANDS AT LGA. In case you were wondering what happened to the slot exchange at New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Washington Reagan National (DCA) between Delta and US Airways, well, it’s back on. The Department of Transportation has approved the exchange, allowing Delta the right to the majority of US Airways’ landing and takeoff slots at LGA in exchange for a major chunk of Delta’s slots at DCA. The move will allow both airlines to strengthen their position in the marketplace. Delta plans to use the neighboring US Airways’ terminal at LGA, build a connecting bridge between the two terminals, and add an additional Sky Club in the new terminal. A specific timeline has yet to be announced, but this swap will certainly mean more nonstop destinations for Delta passengers at LaGuardia.

HOW TO TRAVEL LIKE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. Delta’s new Sky Store (www.deltaskystore.com) offers a selection of travel items including luggage, bag tags, apparel, and electronics. Many of the products come recommended by Delta employees themselves who provided the suggestions and inspiration to include certain items in the store. This new venture is designed to showcase the expertise of Delta’s own employees to help travelers find the best, most durable gear for their own travels. A special introductory offer includes a free Gogo wi-fi pass with your first purchase. NOTE: This is different than the Delta Shop (www.deltashop.com), which sells Delta-branded gear, apparel, and merchandise.

TICKET READERS RAVE: Did you see all the positive comments regarding the TSA’s new Pre-Check trusted traveler lanes at ATL? Who knew the much maligned TSA could provoke that kind of praise from jaded biz travel vets like TICKET readers? The program’s still in beta-testing, but let’s see what happens.

MCGINNIS ON BBC.COM. Have you read TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s recent business travel columns on BBC.com? Here’s a sampling of his most popular recent posts:

>Business Trip: Atlanta (Lemme know if I got it right!)

>What to check out before you check into a hotel

>Avoid paying for overweight bags

>International travelers: 9 must-learn local phrases

>Good idea: Hire a tour guide on your next business trip

ATL’S TERMINAL F. Have you been watching the construction and wondering what ATL’s newest terminal will look like on the inside? Then see this very cool virtual “fly through” of the new International terminal. Well done. Can’t wait to give it a try when it opens this spring…

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Book your trips here:

AIRTRAN: Get the latest, greatest airfare deals from AIRTRAN.COM

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

CHEAPO AIR: Air, hotel car rental and package deals galore from CheapOair.com

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

If you’ve been putting off business trips, blown off your family back home, or missed that romantic weekend away because airfares are too high, you should check out the new “dead week” deals offered by AirTran and  Southwest.

Dead weeks are the annual low points in travel demand, which ironically come in the midst of the peak holiday travel season. And when demand plummets, so do prices. However, the catch is that you’ve got to travel when everyone else is staying at home.

Dead weeks typically fall during the first few weeks of December right after the big Thanksgiving rush, and again right after the Christmas/New Years rush in early January.

In a 72-hour sale that starts today,  AirTran and  Southwest are now offering some pretty remarkable fares for travel during this period. Keep in mind also that hotel rates plummet during this time (except in NYC during December). There are also tons of last minute deals as desperate suppliers try to dump unsold seats, rooms and cars. Transcons between ATL and West Coast cities for less than $300? Those are very good deals.

Here are some examples of the deals from Atlanta on AirTran…I imagine by the time you read this other airlines will have matched them. For 72-hours only, you can purchase one-way tickets for $35, $65, $95 or $125 based on length of travel (Add $25-$35 to each of these round trips to cover taxes/fees. Fares are not valid on SUNDAYS.)

• For travel up to 450 miles, fares are $35 one-way, $70 round trip. (Charlotte, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Tampa)
• For travel 451 to 1,000 miles, fares are $65 one-way, $130 round trip. (Baltimore, Boston, New York City, Washington DC, Key West)
• For travel 1,001 to 1,500 miles, fares are $95 one-way, $190 round trip. (Denver, Portland ME)
• For travel 1,501 or more miles, fares are $125 one-way, $250 round trip. (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Jauan, Seattle)

These low fares are available for purchase through 11:59 p.m. PST October 20, 2011, for travel beginning Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, 2011 and Jan. 4 through Feb. 15, 2012. See  www.airtran.com.

As we predicted in The TICKET last week,  Delta today unveiled more details including menus (and prices) for its new Sky Club Luxury Bar concept.

Delta says:

>Customer feedback has been very positive during test phases.

>The current selection of complimentary beverages will remain complimentary (Canadian Club, Bailey’s, Jack Daniels, Dewar’s, Skyy, Bacardi, Tanqueray and Martini and Rossi). The Luxury Bar is a separate program.

>Delta teamed up with beverage giant Diageo to offer its portfolio of premium wine and spirits (See below for full menu).

>Sky Club members will periodically see cocktail master classes, educational sessions and tastings.

>Luxury Bars will be managed by professional bartending staff selected for industry knowledge and skills.

>The Luxury Bar will be rolled out by the end of this year at all domestic Sky Clubs except Portland, OR (due to local licensing issues). Current locations in operation include: Newark, NY – (EWR), New York, NY – (JFK & LGA), Palm Beach, FL – (PBI), Seattle, WA – (SEA), Washington, DC – (DCA).

(Photo: DavidKenny / Flickr

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NEW CHARGES FOR PREMIUM BOOZE AT SKY CLUB. Delta is quietly unveiling new charges for premium brand liquor, wine and specialty cocktails at its Sky Club lounges, while well brands and non-premium beer and wine remain complimentary.  Other airlines charge for premium brands in their airport lounges, but Delta’s offering appears significantly more expensive with drinks such as mojitos and premium, top-shelf or call-brand cocktails fetching between $10 and $35. Prepare for the up-sell from your bartender mixologist! Not all clubs have instituted this program yet, but watch for it coming to a lounge near you soon– expect a formal announcement from Delta within days about this. (UPDATE: A TICKET reader just sent us what he says is a new Sky Club premium liquor menu, which includes $35 for Jose Cuervo 1942 tequila, $24 for Talisker 18 scotch, $18 for Johnny Walker Green, $12 for Bulleit bourbon or Ketel 1 Vodka, $199 for a bottle of Dom Perignon among others.) Have you paid for a cocktail yet at a Sky Club? What do you think about this new policy? Do you mind paying more for a premium brand that may not have been available before?

NEW TRUSTED TRAVELER LANES AT ATL. The AJC reports that the TSA’s beta test of a trusted traveler program called “TSA PreCheck” has begun at ATL. About 2,000 Delta frequent flyers and those with “Global Entry” status on their passports chosen for the program can use a special lane for expedited screening at the South security checkpoint. The lane has a metal detector instead of a full body scanner, and does not require travelers to remove shoes, belts or jackets.  TICKET reader Rupert Barkoff of Atlanta was startled to find the new expedited line open at ATL on Tuesday, and wrote, “If I hadn’t prepared for going through security (i.e., shoes, coat, pockets, etc.) I would have made it through South Security at Hartsfield from entry into the security area through the machine in less than a minute.” What do you think? Is a “trusted traveler” lane the answer to our woes, or is the current special lane for elite members enough for you? Please leave your comments below!

NICE ‘N EASY AIRTRAN A+ DOUBLE POINTS PROMO. Fly to any AirTran destination from September 15 through November 7 and earn double A+ Rewards credit for every flight. With this offer, you’ll earn two A+ credits for each one-way flight, which means you can earn a round reward flight after just 4 legs. Plus, if you book in business class, you will receive three A+ Rewards credits for each leg. You must register to get the bonus. And don’t forget, those A+ Rewards will eventually convert to Southwest Rapid Rewards points.

GOGO EXPERIMENTING WITH PRICING. Gogo has launched a new $1.95 15-minute in-flight wi-fi pass perfect for those who need to make a quick scan of email or check a website on a short flight. Right now, these bite-size passes are available on select flights only and appear on the Gogo home page when logging on during the flight. It’s also offering a $4.95 flight pass available on flights up to 650 miles, which is quite reasonable. On the higher end, Gogo is experimenting with raising rates. On a recent transcontinental flight, your TICKET editor paid $14.95 for wi-fi– $2 more than the standard $12.95 rate he was used to. A Gogo spokesperson told The TICKET:  “We are currently testing some new pricing structures on various routes to better gauge the value of the service on a per route basis.” Question: What’s the most you’d pay for wi-fi on a transcontinental flight? How much is too much? (I’ve always thought that charges for inflight wi-fi were quite reasonable given how much more productive I am on long haul flights. However, price seems to be an object for the general public—only about 7% of all passengers opt for wi-fi.)

SPEAKING OF GOGO. In a recent issue of The TICKET, you read that Delta Connection’s fleet of regional jets would soon begin getting Gogo wi-fi access. The first CRJ-700 of Atlantic Southeast Airlines is now ready to surf the web with 250 more to follow rapidly, and all regional jets with first class (CRJ-700s, CRJ-900s, EMB-170s, EMB-175s) will have wi-fi by early 2012. Have you flown one of these Barbie jets yet with wi-fi? Did it work just as well as mainline or was it faster due to fewer passengers on board? Good luck fitting your laptop on those tiny RJ tray tables, though!

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IS DELTA GETTING INTO BED WITH VIRGIN? Delta and Virgin Australia will launch a transpacific codeshare beginning in November as part of their existing joint venture. V Australia’s flights will move to Delta’s terminal at LAX to boost the number of passenger connection opportunities. This codeshare easily opens up nonstop flights to Brisbane and Melbourne from LAX in addition to Delta’s existing B777 service to Sydney. Earning and redeeming miles on each other’s flights and reciprocal lounge access are other benefits for consumers. And with Richard Branson’s near constant mentions of Virgin Atlantic’s interest in joining a global alliance, will this help SkyTeam bag one of the industry’s hottest names? Only time will tell! (Remember back in the day when you could redeem SkyMiles for Virgin flights to London from JFK?)

MCGINNIS ON BBC.COM. Have you read TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s recent business travel columns on BBC.com? Here’s a sampling of his most popular recent posts:

>How to book a better hotel room

>Using the train to catch your plane

>Five easy ways to brush up quickly on a new country

>Getting your money’s worth in business class

EASIER ROUND-THE-WORLD SKYMILES TIX. If you’ve racked up enough SkyMiles to take a trip around the Earth (and that would be 180,000 miles in economy and 280,000 miles in business class), it just got a lot easier to plan. In the past, travelers were forced to endure long phone calls with agents crafting together these complex itineraries with rules (like no geographical backtracking). Now, SkyTeam has launched a user-friendly tool on its website that allows travelers to piece together their own round-the-world itineraries themselves before calling Delta to book them. The awards cannot be booked online and must be booked through a special service desk, but this new online tool eases the experience considerably. Here’s the link. Bon voyage!

LATIN/CARIBBEAN SKYMILES BONUS. If you have flight plans between Atlanta, JFK, or Boston and several destinations in Latin America or the Caribbean this fall, there are some bonus miles in your future. Register for this Sept. 15-Nov. 15 promotion at  and fly one of the promotional routes to qualify for double SkyMiles. Destinations include Santo Domingo, Bermuda, San Juan, Buenos Aires and Rio.

DELTA HUBS TOPS IN ON TIME PERFORMANCE. FlightStats ranked airports based on on-time departures during September, and Delta’s hubs performed quite well. Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma, Portland, OR, and Minneapolis/St. Paul airports all exceeded 90% on-time departures. The average on-time departure performance for the group in September was 78% up over 6 percentage points from August’s 72%. On the downside, New York La Guardia and JFK ranked near the bottom.

1. SLC Salt Lake City – 92.01%
2. SEA Seattle – 90.84%
3. PDX Portland – 90.79%
4. MSP Minneapolis – 90.17%
5. MEM Memphis - 86.66%
6. OAK Oakland – 86.01%
7. TPA Tampa – 85.58%
8. YVR Vancouver – 85.28%
9. ATL Atlanta – 85.21%
10. PHX Phoenix – 85.14%

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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!

(Image source: Flatseats.com)

Last week I wrote a column about getting your money’s worth in business class for BBC.com– it ended up being one of the most popular posts on site, so I thought I’d share it with TICKET readers.

The peice focused on the three different types of business class seat flying around out there: true lie-flat, slanted lie-flat and “cradle” or recliner. (The goal is to find the true lie-flat seat, now the industry standard.)

Flying true-lie-flat from Atlanta is a mixed bag.

If you are flying to London, you are in luck: All British Airways flights around the world, including those on ATL-London Heathrow nonstops offer true lie-flat business class. All nonstop Delta flights between the US and London Heathrow offer true lie-flat seats, too (primarily on Boeing 767′s).

From ATL, Delta also offers true lie-flat seats on Boeing 777 flights to Sydney, Dubai, Tokyo and Johannesburg.

Regrettably, all those shiny, newly painted Delta 747′s still sport Northwest’s slanted lie-flat sleeper seat.

Delta has said that its goal is 100% true lie-flat, and it’s posted a page on its web site charting progress. Right now it stands at about 25%, with 42 of its 144 long-haul aircraft outfitted with true lie-flat seats.

To Europe from ATL, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa all offer slanted lie-flat seats on their nonstops for the time being.

Korean Air's true lie-flat Prestige Sleeper

For those flying to Asia from ATL, Korean Air has offered both true  lie-flat and slanted lie-flat. But for now thru March 2012, all 10x flights per week from Atlanta use the the older, slanted lie-flat “Prestige Plus” seats. You can log onto Korean Air’s website and find out which flights have which seats. There’s a green banner in the middle right of the home page that says “My Reservation, Route Map, Boarding Pass” etc.  If you continue to click on the right arrow, you’ll find ”New Aircraft” that will tell you which flights have what equipment. If getting true lie-flat and your SkyMiles (KAL is SkyTeam partner) are important, you can fly from ATL up to Washington Dulles or out to Los Angeles or Seattle and catch a KAL flight with true lie-flat “Prestige Sleeper” seats.

Here’s a post from last year showing the four different types of Business Elite seats you’ll find on Delta. Which ones have you tried?

What’s been your experience finding and flying on lie-flat business class seats from Atlanta and other US cities? On Delta, which lie-flat seat do you prefer, the one on the 767 or the one on the 777? Why? Please leave your comments below!

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Book your trips here:

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By the time you get back to the office on Tuesday, business travel season will have kicked in and road warriors can begin to reclaim their space at airports, on planes and at hotels. But given recent fluctuations in financial markets and economic uncertainty….what’s it going to be like out there over the next 4-6 months? Are travelers cutting back? Are fares and rates rising or falling?

At the recent Global Business Travel Association convention in Denver, I wrangled interviews with some of the most important executives in attendance— from the likes of American Express, British Airways, Southwest Airlines, Best Western and Singapore Air. I asked them about their outlook for the fall business travel season…. click on the PLAY button above to hear their answers.

What’s your outlook? Do you plan on traveling more, less or about the same amount this fall compared to last fall? Has the recent roller coaster ride in financial markets clipped your wings at all? Please take a peek at the 3-minute video, and leave your comments below!

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

As part of Delta’s multi-billion dollar overhaul designed to appeal to business travelers, its Sky Clubs have undergone a big transformation. In the last year, Delta has unveiled nine renovated or new clubs across the Delta system, all featuring the new Delta Sky Club design.

In just the last month, Delta’s unveiled a re-do and expansion of the club at Atlanta’s A-17.

It’s opened the first Sky Club ever out on Atlanta’s Concourse D.

And it’s built a brand new 8300 square foot perch on top of Seattle’s South Satellite Terminal near gate S-9 with big western sky views of Mt Rainier. Delta now has 38 daily departures out of Sea-Tac to 12 destinations, including Amsterdam, Beijing, Osaka and Tokyo-Narita.

Here are a few snaps of the new digs: What do you think of the new design? Please take a gander at the photos and leave your comments below! Thanks. And Happy Labor Day!

New ATL Sky Club at D27 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

New ATL Sky Club at D27 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Re-do and expansion at Delta's big Sky Club at ATL's A-17 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Re-do and expansion at Delta's big Sky Club at ATL's A-17 (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Entry at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

The bar at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

The seated bar at the brand new Sky Club near gate S-9 at Sea-Tac (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

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Book your trips here:

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This week Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly took a few minutes to chat with The TICKET about the arrival of those red bellies at ATL in February.

In this interview, Kelly talks about fares and fees, pointing out that Atlantans will soon have access to Southwest’s vast low-fare network.

He also shows no shame in discussing Southwest’s boarding process (which some refer to as the “cattle call”), no assigned seating, or the fact that Southwest plans to eliminate AirTran’s popular business class. He stresses that Southwest offers a different product than what we might be used to, but he’s clearly confident that Atlanta travelers are going to appreciate those differences.

It’s a great interview and we are very flattered that Mr Kelly took the time to talk to The TICKET! Take a look!

Please post your comments and questions about Southwest below.

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Book your trips here:

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The red bellies are coming! The red bellies are coming! At long last, Southwest Airlines has announced that it will begin flying between Atlanta and five cities starting in February.

Below you’ll find its press release announcing the new flights.

Stay tuned for more news and analysis in a future issue of The TICKET. For now, we just wanted to get the news out.

Please take a moment and leave your comments and thoughts about Southwest.…have you flown it before? Are you happy or sad that it will be replacing AirTran? What are you most looking forward to with Southwest? What will you miss the most about AirTran? Please leave your comments in the space below.

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Southwest Airlines Announces Fares and Flights to/from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

- Initial Schedule of Fifteen Daily Departures Begins Feb. 12, 2012
– Fares starting as low as $79 one-way
– Southwest, AirTran Take First Steps to Blend Frequent Flyer Programs

Southwest Airlines is launching new service to Atlanta (ATL) on Feb. 12, 2012, bringing greatly reduced fares and new flexibility for both business and leisure Customers. With initial fares for nonstop travel as low as $79 one-way, the first Southwest flights to and from Georgia will also mark a significant and eagerly anticipated milestone in the carrier’s acquisition of AirTran Airways.

Southwest President, Chairman, and CEO Gary Kelly revealed details of Southwest’s first Atlanta schedule during a luncheon with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re bringing especially great value to those of you who travel last-minute,” Kelly told the audience of business leaders. “Here in Atlanta, our fully refundable, walk-up fares will be, on average, more than 30 percent lower than anything currently in these markets. And we are bringing the flexibility Southwest Customers already enjoy in other cities because we don’t charge a $150 fee simply to change your plans.”

From Atlanta, Southwest initially will offer 15 nonstop departures each day to five destinations: Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Chicago Midway (MDW), Denver (DEN), Houston Hobby (HOU), and Austin, Texas (AUS)–a route not previously served by AirTran Airways.

NEW ATLANTA SERVICE BEGINNING FEB. 12, 2012 (open today for purchase on southwest.com):

$99 each way between Atlanta and Austin - two daily roundtrips

$79 each way between Atlanta and Baltimore/Washington- four daily roundtrips

$99 each way between Atlanta and Denver - two daily roundtrips

$99 each way between Atlanta and Houston Hobby - three daily roundtrips

$79 each way between Atlanta and Chicago Midway – four daily roundtrips

The nonstop flights make possible additional direct or connecting service between Atlanta and 48 destinations on Southwest Airlines.

The inaugural schedule also brings, for the first time, one-stop/no change-of-plane service between Atlanta and Dallas’ Love Field on Southwest Airlines.

In a first step toward blending frequent flyer programs, Kelly announced top-tier members of both carriers’ frequent flyer loyalty programs– A-List Members of Southwest’s All New Rapid Rewards and elite A+ Members of AirTran’s A+ Rewards–will enjoy some, limited reciprocal benefits when flying on either carrier beginning today.

A-List benefits include extra Rapid Reward points, Priority Boarding, access to priority security lanes, and more. On the flip side, Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Members booking on AirTran will get Free Business Class upgrades, no baggage fees, and all other benefits that AirTran’s elite Members enjoy.

Visit southwest.com/travelexperience to learn more about Southwest’s legendary Customer Service with No Hidden Fees. Southwest doesn’t charge a fee to check a first or second bag; there’s no charge for onboard sodas or snacks; there’s never a fee to speak with one of our Agents on the phone; and Southwest does not charge a fee to change a reservation.

In its 40th year of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers–offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and has acquired AirTran Airways, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. With the addition of Atlanta, Southwest will serve 73 cities in 38 states and remains one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report(TM). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees.

Introductory Fare Rules

Southwest Airlines sale fares are available for purchase Aug. 22, 2011, through Sep. 5, 2011, 11:59 p.m. PDT, and travel must take place between Feb. 12, 2012, and March 9, 2012. Fares are available only on southwest.com or swabiz.com. Fares do not include a federal excise tax of $3.70 per takeoff and landing. Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 one-way. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week, and won’t be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares may be combined with other combinable fares. Fares are not combinable with Senior Fares. When combining fares, all rules and restrictions apply. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines. Fares are not available through the Group Desk. Any change in the itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Fares are valid on published, scheduled service only.

Happy end of summer! Hope you all are having a good one…or had a good one.

NO PLANS TO CHANGE DELTA’S NEW 72-HOUR RULE. Our post last week about Delta’s new rule that disallows changes to SkyMiles award tickets within 72 hours of departure was the most read and forwarded post on The TICKET to date in 2011. Folks are ticked off! If you missed it, here’s the post--be sure and read the comments. Despite the outcry, Delta seems intransigent on this one. The TICKET sent Delta the following message: “Can you tell us if Michelle and the gang have decided to soften the 72 hour rule at all? Are they even discussing it, or is it case closed? We think most TICKET readers, once they get over their frustration, sort of see Delta’s point, but feel that the rule is too harsh, and perhaps it could be softened a bit. Seems like the few bad apples have spoiled something for the rest of Delta’s best, and mostly fair-minded customers. Let us know if you know if anything’s in the works.” Delta’s reply to The TICKET: “Thanks for checking in.  We have no plans to make further changes to the 72 hour rule.” There you have it.

SKYMILES TRANSFER BONUS NICE BUT NOT CHEAP. From TICKET reader Tom in Atlanta: “I decided to be nice and transfer a few miles to a friend of mine since Delta was offering to double the miles I transferred (good thru 30 September).  Boy, was I surprised to find out Delta charges .01 per mile to transfer AND $30 per transfer.  So, according to my math,  I was going to give a friend 50,000 miles that would be doubled to 100,000 (what a nice guy I am). . .and it would cost me $530!!!  Not much of a deal if you ask me!  I’m nice, but not THAT nice.”

NEW AMEX SKYMILES BENNIE. If you’ve lost Medallion status, here’s a bit of good news: If you have the Gold or Platinum Delta Sky Miles American Express card, get ready to head back to the front of the line. Beginning Sept. 1, cardholders will receive priority boarding on all Delta and Delta Connection flights. This means boarding along with SkyPriority passengers including Medallion and SkyTeam Elite-level members. No need to show the card– if it is linked to your SkyMiles account, you and up to eight travel companions booked in the same reservation will automatically be placed in one of the first boarding zones. Once on board, you also get a 20% discount for inflight purchases including food, drinks, and movies. These extra benefits are in addition to the already substantial checked bag fee waiver.

TRIMMING THE FAT. Delta is discontinuing its seasonal routes from Atlanta to Barbados and from Atlanta to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. Delta has also said that it’s discontinuing flights to several tiny cities that had been subsidized by the federal goverment’s “Essential Air Service” program. Delta is also right-sizing its hub at Salt Lake City– cutting daily departures from 260 to 224. No route cuts planned, but flight frequencies will be reduced.  AirTran is discontinuing its flights from Atlanta to Atlantic City, N.J. (in January) and Newport News (in March).

We’ve got a BIG QUESTION for you this month, and we hope you can take a moment and share your comments at the bottom of this post: How has the recent stock market roller coaster affected your plans for fall business travel– if at all? Have you decided or have you been asked to cut back on travel spending at all over the last month as a result of the uncertainty? Please leave your answers/comments below.

TOO COZY WITH DELTA? The AJC reports that former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is joining the board of Delta, nearly two years after pushing for a lease deal between the city and Delta that some criticized as too favorable to the airline. Thoughts?

EASY 1000 SKYMILES. Don’t forget: Using Delta’s new mobile app to check-in earns you bonus miles. First register, then check in using the Delta app to earn 1,000 miles between June 30 and September 7, 2011.

FREE INFLIGHT INTERNET IN AUGUST. Were you able to log on for a little bit of free inflight wi-fi this month? Diet Coke sponsored two promos that seemed to be a hit with TICKET readers….except that so many folks signed on that service slowed to a crawl. Our post about this was very popular this month…check it out and see the comments if you missed it. By the way, you should still be able to get a free 30-minute trial between now and Sunday, August 31.

Video of the week: Bat on a Delta plane.

NEW AMIGO: AEROLINEAS ARGENTINAS. The TICKET recently reported that Aerolineas Argentinas had been invited to join the SkyTeam alliance. While it is not a full member yet, Delta has begun codesharing with the Argentinean flag carrier between both Miami and Atlanta and Buenos Aires. Beginning next year, passengers traveling on Aerolineas Argentinas can earn and redeem SkyMiles for their flights. Currently, a reciprocal club access program is already in place for SkyTeam Elite Plus members at the airline’s lounge in B.A. Speaking of amigos, Delta recently bought a 4% interest in Aeromexico…which is already a SkyTeam and codesharing partner.

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SHIP LUGGAGE. EARN SKYMILES. FedEx has a partnership with Delta allowing those who ship packages to earn SkyMiles. Between now and Oct. 15, earn triple miles for each dollar spent. For every fifth shipment, SkyMiles members get a 1,000 mile bonus. Not only does this benefit those who ship packages for work, but travelers tired of paying overweight or oversize bag fees. The price (depending on the weight of your bags) may not be that much more expensive, and you get the added bonus of scoring Sky Miles too. Who wants to schlep bags to the airport when the FedEx delivery truck can escort them from your front door to your destination?

LIVINGSOCIAL WITH DELTA. Delta has partnered with LivingSocial, a web site focused on aggregating destination deals and bargains in tandem with trips booked at Delta.com. The initiative will make it easier to save money once you land by highlighting specific restaurant, hotel, attraction, and business promotions that can save you money and time. The offers appear in the My Trips section of delta.com and align with the dates and times of your trip to zero in on the promotions that would only be of benefit during your travel. Some of the deals hack as much as 50% off a variety of services. Worth a look!

NEW DIGS AT JFK. You may be surprised to learn that Delta is the largest airline in the state of New York serving 11 cities with 439 daily departures. The bulk of its operation now takes place at its creaky JFK hub. However, work is well underway to demolish, reconstruct, and renovate Delta’s facilities at Terminal 4, next door to the old Worldport. Want a sneak peek at what you have to look forward to in 2013 following the completion of this $1.2 billion construction project? Take a look!

BETTER FIRST/BIZ CLASS. Those enjoying the occasional complimentary Medallion upgrades (and those who pay for first class) will soon see a refreshed product in domestic and Latin American first class. Those pesky placemats are being crumpled up and replaced with classier tray linens along with new china, silverware, and service items. Business Elite service between JFK and Los Angeles and San Francisco is also getting classier and tastier with the introduction of menus from Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello.  Amenity kits on international flights will have a new look and feel plus larger toothpaste, a softer eye mask, and high-quality Greek Korres brand toiletry products.

SKY CLUB PAYMENT PLAN. Considering a Sky Club membership, but don’t want to fork over for an entire year at once? Delta has taken a hint from financial services companies and now allows you to spread out the annual cost into monthly installments of $25.99-$39.99 each (depending on Medallion level). Like many lounge programs, there is a small annual fee (ranges from $25.99-$39.99 also depending on one’s status) in addition to the cost of the monthly payment. It is important to note this is not a true monthly membership since you must commit to one year, but it certainly does lessen the financial burden for cash-strapped travelers.

SPEAKING OF SKY CLUB. We need some comments about the new A-17 Sky Club on Concourse A at ATL! Did you know that this is the busiest Sky Club out there with 55,000 monthly visits? Delta removed the rarely used conference rooms to free up much needed space. Has anyone been yet? Please start a discussion below. What do you like or not like? The new club on Concourse D, down at “wheel level” is supposed to open this month…let us know as soon as you get in there! A new rooftop Sky Club is due to open in the South Satellite at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport—let us know when you check it out!

Repeat from above….We’ve got a BIG QUESTION for you this month, and we hope you can take a moment and share your comments at the bottom of this post: How has the recent stock market roller coaster affected your plans for fall business travel– if at all? Have you decided or have you been asked to cut back on travel spending at all over the last month as a result of the uncertainty? Please leave your answers/comments below.

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HELP US HELP YOU!  Fwd our URL to friends or share The TICKET via social networking! Tell all your friends to sign up for The TICKET.

Book your trips here:

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!

Is loyalty really a two-way street, as Delta points out here in a recent ad campaign?

Delta really raised the ire of its frequent flyers this month with a last-minute, poorly announced rule change. Starting August 15, if you want to change or cancel a SkyMiles award flight within 72 hours of departure, your miles will be forfeited.  You read that right: If you must change or cancel your award flight within 72 hours of your trip, you now forfeit the miles. Poof! Gone! Buh-bye…

SkyMiles can still be redeemed for flights within the 72-hour window (without a close-in booking fee), but all awards now become non-refundable and non-changeable within 72 hours of the departure flight. There are no exceptions to this rule for Platinum or Diamond members. Delta “announced” the rule change just this week (see below)–only six days prior to its effective date of August 15.

This means, for example,  that if you redeemed a ticket for a flight at the high level and it drops to the lower level two days before departure– too bad, you are stuck paying the higher amount of miles.

Delta claims this is to prevent misuse by members who have been booking award seats and then not actually traveling on them (later requesting a change or refund) and causing as many as “a million seats”  to fly empty.

Limiting cancellations with this policy might hold some weight…but we feel Delta’s very best customers– those who have shown enough loyalty to earn award flights–   should still be allowed to at least change their ticket within 72 hours.

We at The TICKET were as stunned as everyone else when we received word of this most recent, radical change, and contacted Delta for confirmation. The news was indeed confirmed, and we were told to find Delta’s explanation for the change on social media channels…interestingly, the change was not officially announced anywhere on Delta’s web site. [Update: We found it on Delta's site today.]

On Milepoint.com, we found the following (surprisingly smug and somewhat condescending) post from Delta’s social media maven:

Late last month, I posted information about recent changes to our Award redeposit policy. The changes were made after we reviewed the number of award seats that were going out empty and the number was large – massive, in fact. So we made some adjustments to help address the situation and increase award availability.

In response to that post, members asked if we were looking at making changes to the policy for any time prior to departure. In fact, we were. During that review we determined that there are more than 1,000,000 award seats that were going unused at the 72 hour mark prior to departure. That is 3 days in which those seats could otherwise be sold or used for other SkyMiles members who truly intend to sit in the seat and travel.

As a result, we’re updating this policy once more. So, effective August 15, 2011, SkyMiles members who wish to cancel or make changes to their award ticket now need to do so at least 72 hours before their flight departure (for changes, this applies to each flight segment – outbound and return). This change will make those seats available to other members and ultimately increase award availability. Miles for tickets cancelled within 72 hours will be nonrefundable. Taxes and fees for award travel cancelled within 72 hours will be refundable upon request. Same-day standby options will remain.

For changes or cancellations made at least 72 hours prior to departure, Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will continue to receive reissue and redeposit fee waivers. Reissue and redeposit fees will continue to apply for other members.

We will be sending out an email to customers with advance award travel booked later today – delta.com is being updated with this information as well.

Because it was a trending theme in last month’s thread, let’s address another issue head-on. We understand that extenuating circumstances do happen and our agents are equipped to review those situations on a case-by-case basis to determine if an exception is warranted. (Just do us a favor and try to make sure it’s not the 8th time your great uncle has passed away.)

Candidly, we expect that this change may be unpopular with some – and we will hear all of your concerns related to it – so we are communicating this early and will be sending a variety of communications to customers later today. When program changes occur, we want our members to be aware of them so that they can adapt accordingly.

Now let’s start the conversation. I’m gathering your comments and bringing them all back to the team…

Michelle, SkyMiles | Delta Social Ambassador

A Delta 2-Million Miler wrote to The TICKET in disbelief, but thankful that he made a last-minute change last week, before the policy went into effect, “I was one of those last minute changes just last week when an unexpected business meeting caused me to cancel plans for AMS and CDG. But these things do happen, and to lose your miles is just harsh, very harsh.”

[Update:] On the other hand, another TICKET reader from Dallas writes: “Diamonds were booking business/first class seats using miles but not putting in their Skymiles number (since you can book a seat using miles for anyone). Then, the same Diamond would book a coach seat in hopes of getting an upgrade to business/first -naturally this reservation contained the sky miles number. The net result is a double booking of this person. Once they get the upgrade on the coach booking, they would call and cancel the second reservation booked in business/first with miles – sometimes while at the gate – which caused seats to go empty. I find it hard to believe that it resulted in one million going empty – but I see Delta’s point. A few people found a loop hole, exploited it, and we are all paying for it.”

So, TICKET readers, what do you think? Is this fair? Will it affect you? Is Delta making a smart business decision that will improve SkyMiles for everyone? Or is this just one more of the proverbial 1000 cuts? Does it make you feel more like checking out what Southwest will bring to the table next year?  PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

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