Archive for the ‘International’ Category

SkyTeam Premium Check in Area, London Heathrow, Term 4. Photo: SkyTeam Alliance

DELTA DIGS AT LONDON HEATHROW. Delta and its SkyTeam partners have completed their move into the recently renovated Terminal 4 at London Heathrow. I was there late last summer during construction, which was a mess, but this Flickr photostream from SkyTeam shows a really nice, fresh new look to the place…Especially the SkyTeam lounge. (BA used to house most of its operations here, but has moved over to its spiffy, spectacular new digs at Terminal 5.) In a related note, Delta says that ALL its flights to/from London Heathrow now have lie-flat business elite seats.

WORTH REPEATING: SINGAPORE-DELTA NO MORE. We mentioned this in a previous post, but it bears repeating: Delta and Singapore Air will dissolve their frequent flyer partnership on May 15. After that program members will not be able to earn or redeem miles in each other’s programs. However, if you BOOK your trip by May 15, you can still travel on Singapore Air using your Delta miles through May 15, 2011.

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LESS BIZ CLASS INTRA-EUROPE. Have you ever flown short-haul business class in Europe? Most of the time, business class simply means you get to sit in a 3-abreast coach seat near the front of the plane with the middle seat empty and get better food. Seemed like a high price to pay for a minimal service differential. Well, it seems the recession is taking care of that. Recently, British Airways said that the market for short haul business class in Europe has declined precipitously as companies cut back on premium class travel. The carrier is looking at cutting out the service altogether at all airports except Heathrow, according to the Times of London.

TICKET READER TRIP REPORT: DELTA JFK-LHR-ATL. In the past two weeks I flew Delta from JFK to Heathrow, and then back from LHR to ATL, both of the flights in economy. Going over was mostly sleep, so it didn’t make much of an impact on me. But coming back I have to say that it was the best international flight I’ve ever experienced. It started out as usual at boarding, walking through the new lie flat seats, jealous that I didn’t get an upgrade. But it turned out there were only about 50 of us in economy, meaning I got my own three seats in the middle section, so I was able to spread everything out. Then came meal service (it was fine), and the announcement that all beer and wine was free throughout the flight. We were fed snacks three more times, and drinks throughout. I had a 120-volt electrical outlet at my seat, and an on-demand TV with about 40 first-run movies to choose from. I worked, watched three movies, slept a little, but never found myself saying, “Oh man, three more hours!” Instead, I was almost sorry when we were about to land. I’m sorry there weren’t more people on the flight (obviously a negative for Delta), but I have to commend them for making international travel more than just a bearable experience. Other than a larger TV and a lie-flat seat, I’m not sure what could have improved things “up front”. Thanks Delta–don’t backtrack! –G.M., Atlanta

Delta announced this week that it will spend $1 billion over the next three years to improve the experience for premium class flyers. First on the agenda: get more lie-flat business class seats on international flights.

That’s a noble goal, but unfortunately the international business class product is not going to be consistent across the fleet. Right now there are FOUR different types of business elite seats on Delta’s international fleet. When the overhaul is completed (Delta says 2013), it will still have three different types of lie-flat seats, and possibly four.

Here’s a rundown:

First are the old school “cradle” style recliners that have been around for the last decade and are being phased out (but beware, there are still a lot of them out there). Our take: Please get rid of them, and fast! (By 2013, the cradles should only be on Delta’s transcons between New York and California.)

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Second, are the “angled” lie-flat seats on the 747’s and A330’s that Delta inherited from Northwest. Our take: Due to slippage, the angled lie-flat seat is not as comfortable as the truly lie-flat seat found on competitors or Delta’s 767’s and 777’s. Delta’s not saying what type of lie-flat seat it will install on it’s 747’s—so there could be a new seat in the mix by 2013.

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Third are the squarish lie-flat seats that Delta has begun installing on its fleet of 767’s. Currently, all flights into and out of London Heathrow sport these seats. On the 767, the new seats are 4 across, with one along each window side, and two in the middle, so everyone gets an aisle seat. Our take: While these seats are a distinct improvement over the old cradles, several readers have complained that they are narrow, confining and uncomfortable.

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Fourth are the lie-flat seats arranged in a “herringbone” pattern on Delta’s 777-LR’s. Our take: This is one of the best lie-flat seats in the sky. TICKET readers have sent us positive reviews and we really liked what we saw at the National Business Travel Association meeting last summer. Currently, if you are flying from Atlanta, you’ll only find these seats on flights to Dubai, Johannesburg, and Sydney (via LAX). Our hope is that Delta goes with this type of seat for it’s 16 747’s, but for now Delta’s mum on that subject.

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Seems that the hotel industry is FINALLY hearing what business travelers have been screaming about for the last, oh, five years or so. They are getting around to making free Wi-Fi standard, instead of a pricey add-on, even at full-service brands that seem to be hold outs.

You’ll still get it free and easy at moderate brands like Best Western, Marriott Courtyard, Hampton or Holiday Inn. Mod new brands like Hyatt’s Andaz, InterConti’s Indigo and Starwood’s Aloft or Element offer it free.

But to get it from the posher players, there are hoops: for example, at Fairmont, Omni or Kimpton, you must first sign up for their (free) loyalty programs. Also, some larger companies with buying clout and good travel managers get free Wi-Fi as part of a negotiated rate with the hotel.

WARNING: This seems to be an almost exclusively American phenomenon as hotels, especially in big European capitals, continue their rapacious ways—charging $20-$40 per day for Wi-Fi.

What’s the most you’ve ever paid for Wi-Fi? Where did you pay it? Leave your comments below.

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The older I get, the more I’m affected by jet lag, which is not a good thing for someone who makes his living in the travel industry.

Over the years, I’ve tried every drug from Ambien to Xanax; gone the homeopathic route with melatonin and herbs; tried starving myself, avoided alcohol, and experimented with caffeine. I’ve tried sleeping with hotel room drapes open and taking long walks in the sunshine upon arriving. I even tested an oversized visor with a battery-operated light under the bill that was supposed to offer some sort of “light therapy.”

The sad news is that none of them really worked. I still get that prickly, woozy, sweaty feeling on my first few days overseas. I sleep soundly for an hour or so, then lie awake in bed for the rest of the night, and then feel sorta hollow the next day. YUCK!

So every time I hear about a new substance or practice (other than denial) that might help ease the pain of jetlag, I’m eager to learn more.

There was much talk among the international travel crowd this month when the New York Times ran a story about a new jetlag drug called Nuvigil, on the market since last June.

Nuvigil is not a sleeping pill. Instead, it is a stimulant that travelers can take to treat the daytime sleepiness associated with jetlag—it does NOT help shift the body’s clock to a new time zone. (Nuvigil and its precursor, Provigil, are frequently used by people who suffer from narcolepsy and sleep apnea.)

Nuvigil’s maker, Cephalon, has plans to sell the drug to frequent business travelers—those who might pop over to Europe for a couple of days of meetings and then return. The Times article reports that in clinical trials among adults flying to Paris from the east coast, those who took Nuvigil did not nod off during the day as quickly as those who took a placebo.

I asked Atlanta physician Jim Braude, who travels to Europe several times each year, for some insight and he said, “These drugs work by somehow stimulating the brain (although the mechanism is not clearly defined), and can cause heart palpitations and raise blood pressure. So as much as I personally want to eliminate jet lag, I’m not ready to try these given the risk/benefit formula.”

Hmmm. I’d still like to try Nuvigil, but I think I’d experiment first on a trip that did NOT include an important meeting.

How about YOU? How do you deal with jetlag?

Please leave your comments below!

Since the attempted bombing of Delta/Northwest flight 253 over Detroit on Christmas Day, airport security has been turned on its head (once again).

While we expect changes, here’s what you need to know right now:

1>Most increased security is on inbound-to-U.S flights. As far as we can tell, the only changes you may notice for domestic U.S. flying are more frequent pat-downs at airport security and the possibility of a random screening of your carry-on bags at the gate. (If you were traveling post 9/11 you may remember this procedure where a handful of passengers, usually those near the front of the boarding line, were chosen “randomly” to have the contents of their carry-ons displayed to everyone boarding the plane…)

2>Canadian authorities have  lifted the onerous complete ban on carry-on luggage (except for personal items like purses or laptops) for flights departing Canada for the U.S. Updates here. British Airways tells The TICKET that travelers inbound to the U.S. from the U.K. are currently restricted to a SINGLE carry on that must conform to normal size standards (one bag only…which means you need to put your purse or briefcase INSIDE your carry on suitcase)

3>When returning from another country to the U.S., you will go through at least TWO security checks: First, when checking in for your flight at the airline counter, you will face possible frisking, baggage inspection and questioning BY THE AIRLINE. Second, local authorities at airport security checkpoints will screen you as you make your way to the departure gate. There is also the possibility of random checks at the departure gate.

4>REMEMBER: We are entering the “dead weeks” or the SLOWEST travel period of the year, so don’t expect ongoing huge delays or long lines. Despite media reports, you should not expect chaos at the airport. As a matter of fact, you could probably roll a bowling ball through airport concourses this week and not hit anyone!

5>Expect to see more frequent use of the full-body scanners at the 19 U.S. airports where they are in operation.  More international airports are said to be fast- tracking installation of these devices. Check out the 6 month stock price chart below that shows the jump of OSI Systems, which owns Rapiscan, the manufacturer of such devices.

6>Restrictions on on-board activities (such as getting out of your seat or using electronics during the last hour of the flight) that were mandated last week are now left up to cabin crew—and from what we’ve heard, are essentially no longer in effect. In his speech yesterday, President Obama did not announce any new rules or procedures that will affect travelers.

Bottom line: Terrorist incidents, like airplane crashes, happen. No matter how hard we try to prevent them, they are going to happen. No airplane is 100% safe. No airport is 100% secure. We should do our best to be vigilant, but not make long term decisions based on reactive fear.

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Traveling this week or next? NOTE! PLEASE leave comments below based on your experiences at airport security over the next few weeks! By doing so, you will help The TICKET and fellow frequent travelers know EXACTLY what to expect. THANKS!

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Here’s a copy of an email sent by TICKET reader P. Sinnott regarding her experience returning from Belgium on Weds, Dec 30. Remember that most of the TSA rules here apply to INCOMING international flights only. Most domestic flying remains mostly unchanged, except for heightened security at checkpoints. Many thanks to Ms Sinnott for this!

I flew back from Brussels Belgium to Atlanta yesterday (Dec. 30) on Delta and arrived at the airport three hours ahead of time for check-in. Read the rest of this entry »

NEW MEMBERSHIP REWARDS PARTNER. Got a big bank of American Express Membership Rewards points that you are aching to redeem? You’ve got a new option: British Airways Executive Club recently became the 17th participating frequent flyer plan in Membership Rewards. BA flies to 150 destinations worldwide from ATL via its daily flight to London.

NEW ARRIVALS TAX IN ARGENTINA. Effective immediately, all U.S. citizens arriving at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport must pay a one-time “reciprocity fee” of USD $131.00 upon arrival. Why? Because that’s the amount the U.S. charges Argentines applying for entry into the U.S. (Several other South American countries such as Chile, Brazil and Bolivia already require such fees.) While the fee might make travelers wince, the Argentine government stands to pull in a cool $52 million from the 400,000 or so Americans that arrive each year.

DELTA DOWN UNDER. Now that Delta’s the largest airline in the world, it’s beefing up its presence in Australia. To do so, it’s teamed up with Virgin Blue in a code share deal on flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. SkyMiles members can also earn SkyMiles on V Australia (another Virgin carrier) transpacific flights. Delta’s BusinessElite customers, Platinum, Gold and Diamond Medallion members and Sky Club members also gain complimentary access to Virgin Blue lounges at airports throughout Australia NOTE: Your TICKET editor was recently in Australia and is happy to report that Virgin Blue is a class act…much more efficient and highly regarded than QANTAS. If you’d like to see V Australia’s business class seats, check out the last few second of this VIDEO of its seats from the National Business Travel Assoc. Convention last summer.

FLY FROM HERE TO THERE ON WHO? In one of the more interesting USA Today articles we’ve read in a while, columnist Ben Mutzabaugh presents the whole concept of “fifth freedom” routes where foreign carriers fly from U.S. cities to countries where they are NOT based. For example, you can fly on Korean Air between LA and Sao Paulo. Or from Las Vegas to Vancouver on Philippines Air. From New York to Toronto on LAN, or from Newark to Brussels on India’s super luxe Jet Airways. Definitely worth the read!

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If you are a frequent international traveler and don’t like to wait in line at customs and immigration at ATL or elsewhere, checkout the new Global Entry program from Homeland Security.

It streamlines the process by allowing members to bypass regular passport processing lines. Users will instead enter at a Global Entry Kiosk, insert their passport, provide biometric digital fingerprints, answer a few customs declaration questions, and then present a transaction receipt to a customs officer before leaving the inspection area. Sounds easy enough!

Global Entry kiosks are available for international arrivals at ATL and other major gateway airports in the U.S. There are currently about 27,000 members of Global Entry. Homeland security says that nearly all members get through customs and immigration in five minutes or less. The non-refundable fee to apply is $100. More info here: www.globalentry.gov

Here’s a helpful 1 minute video on how the whole thing works.

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I almost called this post “Business Class Exotica.” Here’s a sampling of nine different business class seats from nine different airlines from around the world. Which one do you think looks cushiest? I’m leaning toward Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways.

You’ll also see those big recliners from: American, Delta, Korean Air, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, V Australia and QANTAS.

I taped this at the recent National Business Travel Association trade show in San Diego where corporate travel buyers mix and mingle with travel suppliers showing off their wares….like these business class seats. Enjoy!

Business Class Exotica

TIME TO SKI: Have you seen the snow in Colorado? That photo was taken in Crested Butte last week! Most slopes don’t open ’til the end of November, but Delta’s reduced fares on its nonstop B737 flight between ATL and Steamboat Springs/Hayden, Colo., for this winter. If you travel off peak in January, you can fly for just $258 round trip. That’s a remarkable deal for a flight that does NOT require a stop in Denver and then a drive up to the mountains. You land, get off the plane and you are there. (Compare that to ATL-Vail nonstops currently going for $350 roundtrip. Even Salt Lake is pricey in Jan…when we checked fares were close to $400 roundtrip. Denver’s running about $284 round trip.)

DELTA-AMEX CREDIT CARD NEWS: American Express is removing the 60,000-mile earnings cap on its regular Delta SkyMiles card, and the 100,000 Gold Skymiles card cap effective in February. (Platinums never had a limit.) That’s good news for those who are frequent flyers AND frequent spenders with accounts that could easily exceed 60,000 or 100,000 miles in a year. Speaking of Amex, have you heard about its new Premier Rewards Gold card? This is a great card for folks who spread their biz among several airlines (probably best stick with Delta SkyMiles card if you are Delta heavy). Anyway, the Premier Rewards card offers triple Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on airlines, double points for gas and groceries, one point for everything else. Plus, you get a 15,000 point bonus for the first $1000 spend, and then another 15,000 bonus if you spend $30,000 in a calendar year. You can then turn around and convert those points into miles with Delta or 16 other airlines. Or, you can “pay with points” for a ticket on ANY airline, any time with no blackouts. Fee is $175, but waived for first year. Not bad! (Disclosure: We are engaged in a consulting project with American Express.)

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BEFUDDLED BY THE BLACKBERRY? While your TICKET editor has moved along from a long string of Blackberries to the new T-Mobile MyTouch (the “Google phone”), I recall how good it felt to learn a new Blackberry trick, like clicking the N button to go to the next email, or preventing pocket-dialing with standby mode…Anyway, USA Today put together a really helpful article offering up some smart shortcuts. Be sure to see the tips offered up by readers in the article’s comments box. (Thanks to my travel blogger buddy JohnnyJet for sending this my way!)

SO LONG FSB. We’ve long enjoyed reading FSB-Fortune Small Business magazine (and actually did some freelance writing for it for many years) and were saddened to learn that Time Inc decided to shut it down last week. FSB was distributed for free to American Express Small Business cardholders and not sold in newsstands or by subscription.

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CALL ME! This week Expedia eliminated the $25 fee it charged to speak to a human travel agent. All major airlines charge a $25 fee when you call, speak to a human, and this human actually books your trip. This means that if you’d like to call in your travel reservations instead of doing it online, it makes more sense to call Expedia (1-800-EXPEDIA) than to call the airlines. Go figure.

THEFT OF CHECKED BAGS. Now that airlines are charging us up to $100 round trip for the honor of checking out bags with them….this happens: Last week authorities in Phoenix busted a husband and wife team who would drive to the airport with a horse trailer, spend the day stealing bags off the luggage carousels and storing them on the trailer, then taking the hocked bags back to their house and selling the contents at weekend garage sales! Remember when airlines used to have guards stationed at baggage claim who matched bags with tags? That service was eliminated in airline cost cutting measures nearly a decade ago. Now that airlines are making tidy profits from their bag fees, they need to bring back the tag matchers…do you agree?

TINY NEW AIRLINE. Did you know that there’s a new airline flying between ATL, Macon and Athens? Each leg is just $39. Check out the Georgia Skies website here: .

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STOCKHOLM. Delta will eliminate nonstops between ATL and Stockholm in March, but will still offer one-stop flights via JFK

MORE FREE WI-FI. This is getting crazy! Here’s yet another way to get free in-flight internet this winter: Now through Dec 31, all AirTran passengers that buy one in-flight Wi-Fi session will get their second Wi-Fi session free.

GO GREYHOUND. The bus is learning from the plane….did you know that Greyhound now offers bus passengers the option of paying a $5 fee to board the bus first and not have to wait in line with others? And on some routes in the Northeast, it’s offering free onboard wi-fi.

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AIRTRAN’S DARK ‘N STORMY LOOK. AirTran is flexing its sports marketing muscle with special new paint jobs sporting the logos of the Atlanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens. (AirTran picked up the Falcons sponsorship this year when Delta bowed out.) We are so used to seeing AirTran’s bright white and teal that these mostly black planes really stand out—looking classy and sorta dangerous…but in a good way. What do you think? Leave your comments in the space provided below.

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OCT 29 BULLETIN: TRAVELING TO SAN FRANCISCO? Take note. The Bay Bridge that connects San Francisco to Oakland has been shut down due to unexpected structural issues. This is causing huge traffic headaches in the region, so expect traffic on nearly all freeways and a longer than expected commute from airport to city. No word yet from California’s transportation department about when it might open up again. Check in with SFGate for updates.

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HOW DOES DELTA SAY SORRY? Delta’s issued an apology to all the passengers aboard the flight from San Diego that overshot the airport in Minneapolis. (In a nutshell, each passenger got a $500 credit for future Delta flights.)  The apology letter is published in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The latest in this saga: the FAA says that pilots flew “carelessly and recklessly” during a “frolic” (full story from Bloomberg). Delta also provided $500 credits to those on the flight from Rio that landed on a taxiway instead of a runway at ATL.

See post below for tips on getting FREE wi-fi on AirTran, Delta and other carriers this winter.

SO LONG CONTINENTAL. What do Delta/SkyTeam flyers have to lose with Continental’s recent departure into the loving arms of United and the Star Alliance? Not a whole lot. Continental offered flights to a lot of smaller cities in Central and South America via its Houston hub—along with opportunities to earn and burn SkyMiles. There were a handful of Presidents Clubs in cities where Delta has no Sky Clubs. On the upside, there will be 40 million fewer OnePass members crowding airport clubs and vying for those award seats and upgrades. So overall, not much impact. Are we wrong? Will you miss the alliance with Continental? LET US KNOW! Leave your comments below.

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Super Cool! Delta 747 in Tokyo

DELTA JIGGERS INTERNATIONAL ROUTES. Delta’s made a few changes to its international schedules, which will go into effect next summer. Most of these won’t have a huge impact on those flying to/from Atlanta because of the plethora of non-stops from here. But there are some new opportunities for one stop routings. For example, Delta will offer nonstops from Seattle to Beijing and Osaka. It will bring back nonstops between Salt Lake and Tokyo. From Detroit, it will add nonstops to both Hong Kong and Seoul, and increase frequencies to Shanghai. It will add new nonstops from New York to Copenhagen and Stockholm (using 757’s). Delta will add one new nonstop between Atlanta and Accra, Ghana, and will resume summer season nonstops between Atlanta, Athens and Venice.

STILL HURTS. BUT NOT AS MUCH. Revenue from passengers on U.S. airlines was down a painful 19 percent in September year- over-year—the tenth consecutive month of declines. On the positive side, the number of passengers carried in the month declined only 2 percent compared to last September…that’s an improvement over August’s 5 percent decline. Business Travel News reports that, “American Express reported $3.5 billion in corporate travel sales in the third quarter, a figure 31 percent lower than the $5.1 billion logged in the third quarter of 2008 but on par with the $3.4 billion and $3.6 billion figures reported in the first and second quarters of 2009, respectively. Though American Express’ 2009 business travel sales have remained largely flat through the first three quarters, chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault said there are ‘indications that spending by corporate cardmembers is beginning to pick up.’”

BUSINESS ELITE SEATS ON DOMESTIC TRANSCONS. You won’t get this flying out of ATL, but if you ever find yourself flying Delta between New York JFK and SFO or LAX, Delta’s got some nice internationally configured business class seats on its 757’s for ya. Check out Delta’s video on this here.

DELTA AND MINNEAPOLIS. Having lost their hometown carrier to the slick widget from The South, the sturdy midwestern folk of Minnesota seem to be taking the loss in stride, and even focusing in the bright side. Here’s a quote that sums up that spirit in an insightful article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “The quality of the first-class cabin has increased a lot under Delta. The seats have been leatherized, the food is a notch better. … I know things are going to be good…” (We agree. Delta’s got to be a big breath of fresh air for long suffering frequent NWA flyers from MSP.)

AIRTRAN AND ORLANDO. Most folks may not realize that AirTran’s home base is actually Orlando (not Atlanta), but the carrier is starting to make some overtures to the locals there—who may not be feeling the love.  In her Orlando Sentinel column about AirTran’s recent signing of an exclusive advertising deal with the Orlando Magic, Beth Kassab writes, “It’s about time. For years AirTran has dipped a toe in Orlando — where it maintains its technical corporate headquarters — while most of its operations, employees and community outreach have been firmly planted in Atlanta.” The deal means that the JetBlue Crew at Magic games will be shown the door. It just so happens that JetBlue is currently considering making Orlando its hometown, too, in an effort to escape the sky-high costs of basing its business in New York.

BIGGEST PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. Despite the fact that Delta and Northwest will continue to operate as two separate entities through next year, SkyMiles and WorldPerks have completed their merger, making the new SkyMiles program the largest in the world, by far, with 70 million members!

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! We are loving all the prattle and snippets about the upcoming movie, “Up in the Air” about a mileage obsessed frequent flyer played by George Clooney. Here’a a classic scene that should hit home with many TICKET readers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCCx9CfwARc

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As we’ve always said about TICKET readers: you all are some of our BEST sources of news, commentary and information. You are our eyes and ears out there. Over the last few months we have been collecting some of your best tips and are pleased to provide them below. Please keep ‘em coming! You can leave your tips and observations on each post by clicking the COMMENTS button, or send them to us here: ticketatl@travelskills.com.

And please! Help us help you by booking your next trip via links from THE TICKET! (See links at bottom of this page.)

Get ready for a great read!

courtesy: US Army

THANKS, SOLDIER! NO FEE FOR YOU. While standing at the self-serve kiosk trying to figure out a ticketing issue, a young man came up to the station next to us with a very big bag to check.  The attendant told him that it was 3 pounds overweight and would cost an extra $90 to check. She asked him if he wanted to see if he could lighten it up, which he did.  When he opened the bag, my wife noticed his combat boots, uniform, etc. She mentioned it to the attendant, who immediately told him to put his stuff back in the bag and checked it at no extra fee. The attendant also told the solider to be sure and mention, when checking bags, if you are flying on military business or orders. That was one happy solider!! Another interesting note from this trip:  On the way up from ATL, Delta CEO Richard Anderson was on our flight—in coach—which I hear is the way he flies most all the time.  He was very gracious to the flight crew and passengers that recognized him, and was the last person off the plane. –T Olson

DO YOU KNOW A GOOD TRAVEL AGENT? (At THE TICKET we frequently are asked to refer readers to good travel agents. We recently suggested a new web site www.tripology.com that specializes in hooking up travelers with specialized agents. Here’s some feedback.) “I just wanted to let you know that I used Tripology with great success. I ended up receiving three quotes from travel representatives and decided on Sandi  MacKenzie of Vacations & Cruises Honeymoon & Hawaii Destination Specialist www.getaways-travel.com. She was a pleasure working with and very patient with all of my questions and changes, she also ended up saving us $500-$600 off of the best rates at Little Dix Bay reservations and a few more internet sites. I handled all the flights with points on AMEX. Thanks again for this recommendation and look forward to talking with you soon. – E French

A GOOD TRAVEL AGENT RESPONDS. (See above) I just wanted to thank you as Mr. French shared that you recommended he use Tripology for his Caribbean quotes.  I am pleased that I was able to get him a better rate than he could find online.  People still think that using a travel agent costs more, when in reality, they can usually save them money and the traveler has a real person to talk to and receives one on one service. I have been affiliated with Tripology for almost 2 years now and it works for me.  I am very highly rated on the site due to testimonials written by people I have helped.  –S MacKenzie

DELTA BACKS OUT OF PRIORITY PASS. Advisory sent to Priority Pass card holders: “Delta/Northwest have unfortunately chosen to no longer participate in the Priority Pass lounge access program effective 1 September 2009. If traveling beyond that date, be sure to select another lounge as you’ll find other lounge partners who will continue to welcome Priority Pass members at most of the affected airports. We remain committed to finding alternative lounge partners in the US and around the world to provide the most comprehensive lounge access program.” –C Roberts

IN-FLIGHT TELEPHONE. I am writing this onboard an AirTran flight somewhere over Texas. I’m just wondering if the access to Wi-Fi inflight may end up an unintentional way around the cell phone ban on flights. I have Skype on both my laptop and iPhone and could easily dies up a call right now using the Gogo wi-fi. That’s not my style, but it’s only a matter of time before one of us ends up with a chatty seatmate exclaiming to everyone how he’s calling from his computer on the plane. Goodbye peace and quiet! – SW

JOB WELL DONE. Delta has brought back the cards you can hand to Delta employees that do a good job.  This time it’s called “A Job Well Done” and they get points, which they can redeem, for merchandise.  I’ve always liked this program the few times they have done it.  It gives you a chance to recognize those Delta employees that go the extra mile (no pun intended). --Tom

CHEAPER WIRELESS BROADBAND. I wanted to let you know about RovAir On-Demand. (www.rovair.com) We found that many people that have Wireless Mobile Broadband service find their data cards sitting in their brief case or desk drawer 60 percent of the month even though they are paying anywhere from $40 to $60 per month. With RovAir On-Demand, a customer with their own data card, can call us with the serial number on the back of their card and we can turn the card on and off. The customer is only paying for the days that they need the service. A huge money saver! It also eliminates the shipping costs associated with out regular RovAir service. – M Walsh

DL-NW INTEGRATION: I’m an Atlanta psychiatrist, but I need one myself. Money problems-no; Sexual problems-no; Marital issues-nope. Dealing with the new arrogance at Delta–you bet. In my line of work, I can often detect subtle trends before they become evident to the public. My road warrior patients are serving to confirm my early impressions: i.e. Delta is using this merger to deliver their worse customer service in history and palm off all snafus on Northwest. For example, I have an M class upgraded trip to Asia, which includes all but one segment on NWA. Needless to say, both refuse to deal with a segment, which did not “have U class seats available.” They ping-pong me back and forth incessantly. —E.T.

NEW BIZ CLASS SEATS. I can attest to Delta’s new 767-400ER lie-flats. Good and bad. The Good: the seats on the 767 are comfortable and do lie completely flat. Aisle access from all seats is terrific and even in the middle row where the seats are side by side; there is a good bit of space between the two (unlike the old Business Elite recliners… ugh.) The Bad:  if you are a large person, measure your waist and compare seat width before booking!! The seats are quite narrow and Delta gate agents at JFK told me they have had passengers re-book because they didn’t fit in them. –JK

AIRTRAN LEAVES NEWARK. I for one will truly miss the AirTran flights (and competitive fares) into Newark.  Flying into Newark is MUCH more convenient for business travel to Manhattan than LaGuardia or, God forbid, Kennedy.  Most business is conducted in Lower Manhattan, which is easier to reach than LaGuardia. It is easier to catch a cab at Newark and you are more likely to have an English-speaking driver who can find his/her way to your destination.  I also seem to receive my bags more frequently and in better condition at Newark than at LGA, but perhaps I am damning with faint praise on that one. – F Crosby

KUDOS. Your THE TICKET material is some of the best I’ve ever seen online. Thank you. You present evenhanded and well thought out topic choice. Good work. –K White

MORE KUDOS. I moved to ATL in December and love reading your monthly note about what is going on. It gives such great insight of the Atlanta happenings, Thank you! --D Oesterreich

SKYCLUB AT RALEIGH-DURHAM? Delta closed their lounge in Raleigh last year due to the opening of a new terminal; lounge employees told us that we’d get some kind of extension or credit, later denied by Delta because “lounges are still available at other airports”.  The Delta lounge at the new terminal has not yet opened (it’s been nearly a year, and American opened their lounge upon opening of the terminal), but Delta claims it will open in September. I just got an email from Delta to reinstate my lounge membership at a 20% discount (not applicable with medallion discounts so it does no good). What is the status of the new lounge?  What about us Raleigh-based customers? –TK [NOTE: Delta tells THE TICKET that the RDU SkyClub will open “before Thanksgiving” but cannot provide a firm opening date.]

Virgin America Interior (photo: Marc Smith)

VIRGIN AMERICA. I have been very impressed with Virgin America’s product and service offering.  Have flown in both economy with comfy leather seats, AVOD (free for basic satellite TV and minimal charges for programs and movies) and in their luxurious First Class cabin.  Food service in front was fresh and well presented.  Little appetizer presented followed by the main course and then a dessert.  Crews were smartly dressed, friendly and helpful and the seats are exactly what you should have for first class for a transcon sector.  Coach seats are comfortable and the buy on board is well priced and nicely presented.  The new approach with the lighting, the video options and fresh meals are a breath of fresh air. –K Pahkim

SILVER MEDALLION SADNESS. This is somewhat related to the plethora of higher-level medallion members oppressing us Silver Medallion holders. I was flying CVG-DCA recently on a full-fare Y ticket and asked at the gate whether I could get a boost into first, since the coach section was overbooked.  The gate agent said, “Sir, there are a dozen full-fare Gold and Platinum members ahead of you who are asking for the same thing!” Either there are too many gold and platinum cardholders out there, or there are just too few available seats in the air!!! – R Wong

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. I love the rollover of Delta SkyMiles to the next year.  I am a lowly silver medallion but appreciate boarding early and having an opportunity to select exit row seats online.  As far as special lines through security, I use the newly completed security section at the end of ATL’s north terminal where they distinguish between experienced and occasional travelers.  Interestingly I rarely get upgraded on domestic flights but have been moved up to business class on my last two flights to Europe when coach was full.  I really appreciate that upgrade more than on domestic flights.  I guess all the business travelers are mostly traveling within the borders of the US.  Thanks for alerting us to these changes. –T Sinnott

SILVER MEDALLION USAGE OF FAST LANES. I always use the elite line as a lifetime silver member, never been challenged! –J Griffin

RED COATS. Red coats are back at ATL.  I had one try to fix in international flight issue and she did a pretty good job.  Clearly, they are trying to return a certain level of service to the mix here. –P Bush

DELTA CHANGES TEL AVIV SKEDS. Although Delta has not made any announcement, beginning in October 2009, flights 152 and 153 between Atlanta and Tel Aviv will no longer be daily. Here is the new schedule and explanation from Delta: “Due to the global economic recession and rising oil prices Delta has been forced to reduce capacity in various markets. Our information on
non-stop flights between ATL and TLV are as follows: at to TLV on Delta flight 152 operates Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays beginning October 23.

TLV to ATL on Delta flight 153 operates on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday beginning October 24.” 

 The JFK flights are still daily, but, of course, that means a change of plans in New York. –C Lowenstein.

SHOES IN TSA BINS, OH MY! At Minneapolis St Paul airport, TSA zombies are already obsessive about this. If they find shoes in a bin in the x-ray machine, they call out, “bag check” and make you wait while they separate the shoes from the bin and rescreen them and whatever else was in the bin. When asked, they refuse to provide any explanation. If you ask twice, they threaten to detain you.—A Selden

TRIPADVISOR. I love TripAdvisor and use them religiously to check on hotels I’m considering. I have cancelled and changed bookings on the basis of bad reviews and chosen hotels on the basis of good ones.  And I haven’t been let down once.  It’s usually easy to find the postings where someone has an ax to grind – I stayed at Hotel Indigo in London and there was one negative review and a slew of good ones, so I ignored the single negative comment and loved my stay.   – D Woodruff

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MORE INT’L FLIGHTS FROM ATL? Despite the fact that you can fly nonstop from ATL to 70 cities outside the U.S., airport officials are hoping to woo even more international flights. In the wake of the loss of several nonstops (such as ATL-Mumbai, ATL-Shanghai and ATL-Cape Town) Airport manager Ben DeCosta recently told the AJC that they could consider financial incentives to airlines hoping to add non-stops. QUESTION: Where would YOU like to be able to fly nonstop from Atlanta? Which international airlines should ATL woo? Leave your comments below!

KOREAN AIR STILL IN THE GAME. Despite Delta’s decision to cut out non-stops between ATL and Seoul, you can still get there, non-stop on SkyTeam partner Korean Airlines. If you are looking for a great stopover on the way to Asia, I’d recommend Seoul’s amazing Incheon over just about any other Asian hub. Good news: KAL is in the process of upgrading its premium cabins with lie-flat business class seats. Unfortunately, they are not on the ATL flights yet, but are reportedly on the way. Here’s a 30-second video of what’s coming:

OLYMPIC AIRLINES DEAD. LONG LIVE OLYMPIC AIR. Greece’s beleaguered national carrier, Olympic Airlines ceased flying on Sept 28. A new private airline, called Olympic Air will pick up most of the pieces and offer mostly short haul intra-Greece and regional flights. It will no longer offer any long hauls and instead will code share with Delta for flights between Greece and the U.S. Best bet when flying in Greece? Aegean Airlines.

QUERY: Based on a few recent flights, it seems to us at THE TICKET that international business class seems to be filling back up. So dear readers, we ask those of you who have flown internationally in the last month or so: ARE BUSINESS CLASS CABINS FILLING BACK UP? Let us know what you are seeing! Leave your comments below.

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British Airways is definitely on to something here. I don’t know if it’s good marketing, good PR, good business or what. But it’s definitely good karma. And I got a taste of it last week in New York and London.

You may have heard by now about British Airways new Face-to-Face program. The carrier is hoping to prime the pump of international business travel by giving entrepreneurs free tickets anywhere the world it flies. The hope is that these business owners will come back to BA and buy more tickets if this opportunity to show up in person for a crucial meeting helps them realize a big gains for their companies.

Read the rest of this entry »

AIRTRAN BEEFING UP; HEADED TO THE SUN. Despite all the news about airline cutbacks and reductions this fall, AirTran is beefing up service to several popular warm weather destinations. Starting Dec 17, AirTran will fly from Atlanta to Key West (with one stop in Orlando) four times weekly using a full-size Boeing 737. (Currently, Atlanta-based travelers can fly non-stop on a Delta/ASA Regional Jet.) AirTran will also commence daily nonstops between Atlanta and Nassau, Bahamas on Dec 17. Daily flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica start on Feb 11. AirTran has also filed an application with the DOT to serve Aruba starting later this winter. All great news for Atlanta-based frequent travelers hoping for some low-fare fun in the sun this winter!

BRITISH AIRWAYS CREATES GOOD KARMA: GIVING BIZ CLASS SEATS AWAY. What do you do if you’ve invested millions of dollars in thousands of cozy new lie-flat business class seats, but nobody’s buying them? You give them away! While it may sound crazy, we think British Airways is on to something good with its new Business Opportunity Grant program. Designed to spur resurgence in international travel and draw attention to the importance of face-to-face meetings, BA will give 100 companies TEN round trip business class tickets anywhere it flies. If you own a small business and need some help getting your product or service out into the world, all you have to do is apply— you’ll have to write an essay about why your company is worthy of the grant and how it would help grow your business. If you are one of the lucky 100, you’ll have all of 2010 to use up your 10 round trips. Apply here by Sept 30. See one minute video below where your TICKET editor interviews British Airways EVP, Americas about the Business Opportunity Grant Program and about how the airline competes with Delta in Atlanta. (Takes place on the floor of the National Business Travel Association Convention in San Diego earlier this summer.)

Simon Talling-Smith, British Airways\’ EVP Americas

DELTA SHRINKS ATL SKEDS. The AJC reports that Delta will eliminate nonstops between Atlanta and several smaller towns: Peoria, IL; Lincoln, NE; Burlington, VT; Sioux Falls, SD; Cedar Rapids, IA, and Madison, WI. However, you’ll still be able to get there from here on Delta, but you’ll have to make an intermediate stop along the way.

GOOD NEWS FOR AIRLINES. According to MarketWatch, jet fuel prices fell to their lowest point in five years ($1.90 per gallon) in July—that’s down 50% from an all-time high of $3.82 last year. Of course, airlines used skyrocketing fuel costs as the reason for a whole host of new fees introduced over the last year. And now that fuel prices are way down, do you think those fees will evaporate? Doubtful. Airlines are raking in billions with all the new fees. But there is SOME good news on the fee front. This week Frontier Airlines announced that it would lower its change fee from $150 (freakishly high) to $100 (high, but not freakish.) United recently eliminated the $75 to $100 fees for last minute award travel reservations.

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