DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Flying the Hungry Skies: Which Airlines Still Serve Free Snacks?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/airlines-free-snacks-continental-united-pretzels-peanuts/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/airlines-free-snacks-continental-united-pretzels-peanuts/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/airlines-free-snacks-continental-united-pretzels-peanuts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

They were just 19 little pretzels in a bag smaller than any you would find in a convenience store, but coach passengers on Continental Airlines learned recently that they were 19 too many.

Last month, the airline became the latest to stop serving free pretzels. The change comes as part of Continental's merger with United Airlines, which will create the world's largest and supposedly best airline. Jeff Smisek, formerly the CEO of Continental and now the CEO of the combined airline, has said he wants to bring together the best of both carriers to offer the utmost in customer service.

Given that, one might think that since United (UAL) hasn't served free snacks for several years, it would make sense to adopt Continental's small generosity company-wide and put pretzels back on United flights too. That way, when the merger is complete later this year, and the new combined airline is called United, there would be pretzels for all.

Apparently, Smisek doesn't like pretzels.

The High Price of Munching

Its not about the taste, but about cutting costs. Continental says eliminating pretzels will save $2.5 million a year. That might sound like a big figure, but, it isn't, when you realize that the two airlines took in a total of $34 billion in revenue last year.

Of course, airlines now sell food -- some even sell pretzels. But now, passengers will pay a pretty penny for the privilege of eating them. United's snack pack, which includes pretzels, animal crackers, goldfish and other assorted snacks, will set you back $7.49. Pretzels are not available as an a la carte snack.

What's worse: Even the purchasable snacks are only available on longer flights. United only sells food on flights longer than two hours, while Continental only does so on flights of two and a half hours or longer.

Continental does offer pretzels a la carte on those flights, but they are of the white-chocolate-covered variety, and will set travelers back $3.95 a bag.

Where the Snacks Still Fly Free

Continental had been the last airline to offer free airline meals in coach domestically, but for the most part, they were eliminated in autumn 2010. After that, free food was only offer on domestic flights lasting six hours or longer, such as the Newark to Los Angeles route.

Unfortunately, those meals have also gone the way of the free pretzels.

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If you're a frequent flyer, you know too well that you can't protest and switch to American Airlines (AMR) or US Airways (LCC). They've eliminated free snacks too.

But there are some options.

JetBlue (JBLU) flight attendants come around with a basket offering a variety of free shacks including All Nuts roasted cashews, Doritos Munchies, Linden's Butter Crunch Cookies, Linden's Chocolate Chippers, PopCorners Popcorn Chip, Stouffers Animal Crackers and Terra Blues Chips.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) serves free pretzels and peanuts, and on longer flights, various Nabisco snacks such as Ritz cheese crackers. Air Tran, which is in the process of merging with Southwest, offers free pretzels.

Finally, I have saved the best for last.

Delta Airlines (DAL) offers peanuts, pretzels and Biscoff Cookies, my favorite airline snack.

The crispy, crunchy caramelized biscuits with a cinnamon aftertaste are truly amazing -- and reason enough all by themselves to fly Delta.

And, on flights after 10 a.m., Frontier Airlines (RJET) offers free chocolate chip cookies that I am been told are pretty amazing, though I have yet to experience them.

Your Tax Dollars: Protecting You From Peanuts?

Its unclear how new federal Department of Transportation regulations could affect free snacks.

Last June, the DOT announced it was considering "peanut bans" or "peanut-free zones" to accommodate individuals with severe peanut allergies.

However, while eating peanuts can certainly cause death or serious reactions to people who are severely allergic to them, the question is: Can the trace amounts of peanut traveling though the air due to people eating them nearby cause problems for a person with allergies? The DOT later clarified itself, saying it would not ban peanuts nor require peanut-free zones on planes unless it received a peer-reviewed study demonstrating that contact with small airborne peanut particles could do harm. No such study has been submitted.

Of course, for some travelers, peanuts are a healthy snack -- indeed, a preferred snack for those on gluten-free diets. And believe it or not, both Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines have fought to keep the nuts, telling the DOT that they already provide peanut-free zones on planes when passengers have peanut allergies.

A DOT peanut policy could be contained in final passenger rights regulations scheduled to be released later this month. Let's just hope the regulators don't give Delta and Southwest a reason to eliminate one of the few remaining free snacks.



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]]>airline foodAirline Food for salebiscoff cookiescoach classColumnsContiental cuts pretezelscustomer serviceDelta Air LinesDeltaAirlinesdepartment of transportationDoritos Munchiesfeesfree airline foodFrequent Flierin-flightJetblueLindens Chocolate Chipperspeanut allergiespeanutssnacksSouthwest AirlinesStouffers Animal CrackersTerra Blue ChipsRandy DiamondWed, 06 Apr 2011 08:00:00 ESTSleeping for Cheap: How to Book a Hotel Room for Lesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/19/booking-cheap-hotel-rooms-priceline-hotwire-secrets-travel/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/19/booking-cheap-hotel-rooms-priceline-hotwire-secrets-travel/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/19/booking-cheap-hotel-rooms-priceline-hotwire-secrets-travel/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's getting more and more difficult to score cheap hotel rooms.

The U.S. economy may still be in the midst of a sluggish recovery, but the hotel industry is no longer suffering from the doldrums that hit it so hard after the market collapse. It's a simple formula: Room occupancy rates are up and so are rates.

The alternative to paying through the nose is to use blind booking services such as priceline.com or Hotwire.com -- "blind" meaning you don't know what hotel you're staying in until after your credit card has been charged. But that lack of vision isn't always a bad thing. Recently, I stayed at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Airport, courtesy of priceline.com. I got my room for $85, a better deal than the $149 Hilton offered on its own website, or through other travel websites such as hotels.com, Expedia, and Travelocity.

I also booked a room a few weeks ago at the Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica, several blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Again, priceline.com saved me a substantial amount: I paid $100 for a room that Sheraton and other hotel websites were listing for $199 a night.

For a Good Deal, Sleep Near the Airport

The moral of these stories is that even when occupancy is going up, hotels are bound to have nights when they have empty rooms.

The hotels' problem is that they don't want their higher-paying customers to know that they'll discount deeply in order to fill some of those empty rooms. Therefore, they use services such as priceline.com or Hotwire.com to dump the rooms at bargain-basement rates. I've used both services several hundred times over the last few years, frequently staying in four-star hotels at rates as low as $50 a night.

The lowest rates I have discovered can be found at airport hotels, which can suffer from low occupancy rates more frequently than downtown hotels.

If you have your heart set on a particular hotel, these services are not the way to go: There's no guarantee that you will end up in the hotel you want. However, say you need to stay near the airport, and you don't care whether it's a Sheraton, Radisson, Marriott or Hilton. Then, priceline.com or Hotwire are viable options.

Beware the One-Star Hotel

Users of the services do have some choices. They pick the "star rating" of the hotel, usually one to four stars, as well as the general location of the hotel. In a large city like New York City, priceline.com offers 15 different zones.
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The sites are not without flaws, particularly when it comes to booking low-end establishments. Their ratings are usually accurate, particularly when it comes to four-star hotels. But from my experience, one- or two-star hotels may not even live up to low expectations.

I've booked one- or two-star hotels on the sites many times and landed in a perfectly acceptable La Quinta Inn or Days Inn. However, I've also ended up in a few "trucker motels." When I checked into one in Dover, Del., there was a bra still on the bed of my run-down, 1970s-style room.

Hotwire did refund my money after I explained that situation.

I later learned that neither priceline.com nor Hotwire do their own hotel inspections. Instead, they weed out lodging establishments or downgrade them based on customer reviews.

Simplicity vs. Frugality

The two basic differences between the two services is that on priceline.com, you bid on the hotel room, while on Hotwire the price is already displayed. Hotwire also lists the amenities of a particular hotel, such as a swimming pool, Internet service, a business center, etc.

One key disadvantage of both services is that they usually won't guarantee bedding choices. That's not a problem if you're a single traveler and you don't care if you're in a room with one or two beds. It can be an annoyance for two people who aren't a couple traveling together, because the hotel is under no obligation to provide a room with two beds.

Priceline.com is also a little more complicated to use than Hotwire. Since the rates are not set, like on Hotwire, travelers need to come up with a winning bid to snag a room. If your bid is too low, you are locked out of making the same reservation for 24-hours. However, there are ways to game the system. Priceline.com will allow you to re-bid if you change some characteristics of your original requests such as your star level, the particular area in which you want to stay in, or the day of the check-in/check-out.

I've found that you usually can get slightly better deals on priceline.com then Hotwire. The tactic I use to get rooms at the lowest rate is to first look at the Hotwire rate for a specific star-level of hotel in a location and underbid it by 10% on the priceline.com website.

Of course, if that underbidding on priceline.com fails and you don't want to wait 24 hours to try again, you can always go back to the Hotwire site and score a room then and there.

One helpful website that can guide you in your bidding choices is called BiddingForTravel.com. Priceline.com and Hotwire bidders disclose their winning bids to the website, along with the name of the hotel they landed, giving future travelers some guidance about what acceptable bids may be.

Rooms booked through both services are nonrefundable, though I have found that a customer service representative will work with you to rectify an error such as booking on the wrong night. Unfortunately, that means an extra fee, such as a $25 charge to rebook for a different night.

You Get What You Pay For

Can you get stuck with a dud hotel while using these services? Based on my experience, the answer is no -- as long as you stick to bidding for hotels with a minimum of three stars.

That doesn't mean, however, that you will absolutely love your hotel.

I was excited several years ago when my priceline.com bid was accepted for $150 a night in Midtown Manhattan, especially when I found out I would be staying at the trendy Hudson Hotel. It seemed like a good deal given that rooms on the hotel's website started at $400 a night.

What I didn't anticipate was the 100-square-foot room I ended up in. The bathroom was so small that I couldn't sit on the toilet and keep the bathroom door closed at the same time.

The room might have been claustrophobic, but at least I got a good deal -- which is what blind hotel booking sites are all about.

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]]>AirportHotelsblind hotel booking servicesColumnsDiscountedHotelsfour-starhotel rateshotwire.comlow priceluxury hotelsLuxuryHotelsLuxuryHotelsForLessmotelname your own priceoccupancy ratespricelinepriceline.comrack raterecessionthree-startravelTravelingtwo-starRandy DiamondSat, 19 Mar 2011 08:00:00 ESTTrapped Outside Paradise -- and Starving -- at Denver International Airporthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/18/airport-food-paradise-bakery-denver-international/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/18/airport-food-paradise-bakery-denver-international/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/18/airport-food-paradise-bakery-denver-international/#commentsFiled under:

Try as I might, I haven't been able to catch that famous chicken walnut sandwich on molasses bread at the Denver International Airport, but I may yet get my chance after all.

Here's my problem: On my frequent trips between the East and West Coasts, I make my airline connections at night.

Denver International has been one of my connecting points on several occasions in the last few months, and initially, I was thrilled to spend an hour or more at an airport known for its varied selection of restaurants.

Who would have thought that an 8:11 p.m. arrival would be too late for the famous chicken walnut sandwich at the Paradise Bakery & Cafe?

Trust the Flight Attendants' Recommendations

I had heard about Paradise, a Scottsdale, Ariz., chain with two locations at the Denver airport, from flight attendants last spring in a casual conversation about their favorite airport food venues. They raved about its yummy sandwiches and delectable chocolate-chip cookies.

On that specific occasion, I opted for the expensive steak dinner at another airport restaurant but vowed I would conquer Paradise during my next visit. Little did I know just how hard that would be.

The problem is that my United flights have always arrived in Denver's Terminal B between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

My craving for chicken and walnuts intensified as I ran up the stairs to the mezzanine level. Reality set in less than a minute later as I saw the man behind the counter cleaning up for the day. It was too late, even for a cookie, the man stated. Turns out, Paradise closed at 8 p.m.

At least I didn't arrive after 9 p.m. Then, I wouldn't even have been able to get the overpriced smoked turkey sandwich at Wolfgang Puck, which closes at 9 p.m., or even a warmed-over slice of Domino's pizza at the food court in Terminal B, which also closes at 9 p.m. Then, my only choice would have been the ubiquitous Quiznos, which stays open till 10 p.m. And getting to Quiznos could be a very long walk in the mile or so long terminal.

Airports Set the Rules on Hours

Airports vary in what times they allow their concessionaires to close. The better managed ones, like Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, have policies that require restaurants and shops to stay open till near the time when the last flight leaves.
A DFW spokesman told me that generally, if a shop or a restaurant is within five gates of the last departing flight of the night, they are required to stay open until 30 minutes of the last departure.

The airport, he told me, also has a policy that requires restaurants and shops to stay open 24 hours a day during specific circumstances, such as in a snowstorm.

I've also had good experiences at San Francisco International Airport and Mineta San Jose International Airport where many restaurants stay open late.

Unfortunately, at other airports, whether you'll find restaurants and shops open in the evening is more hit-or-miss.

Both airports and vendors cash in from the high prices charged at various terminal restaurants and shops. In exchange, one might expect airports would ensure that essential facilities stay open until the last traveler leaves for the night. This should especially be the case for restaurants, given the lack of food on planes -- especially at key hub airports, where changing planes is the name of the game. Perhaps business wouldn't always be great at night, when there could be fewer customers, but isn't that the trade-off for the price gouging that allows for maximum profits?

Many Passengers, Few Options

In fact, at Denver International, there are plenty of potential customers even after 8 p.m. It's one of United Airlines major hubs, and there's certainly no shortage of flights in terminal B between 8 and 10 p.m.. A total of 54 United flights depart on most days during that span, the majority after 9 p.m. -- and that's not counting US Air and Continental flights.

A similar number or flights arrive during that period, bearing passengers who have time to kill before changing their planes.
To make matters even more confusing, even planning ahead won't assure you a meal at Denver International Airport: The airport's website lists the wrong hours of operation for some of its eateries.

For example, Paradise was listed as closing at 10 p.m. On the other hand, you could miss eating at Wolfgang Puck, which stays open to 9 p.m., if you relied on the website's stated 8 p.m. closing time.

My Chance to Taste Paradise

I'm not sure that Denver airport officials have seen the light, but at least one restaurant will be staying open later. The manager at Paradise told me on Thursday that they've been ordered by airport officials to extend their hours until 10 p.m.

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In an email earlier this month, airport spokeswoman Laura Coale said that all restaurants in the terminal are required to stay open to 10 p.m. unless they have a waiver from airport officials. I was guessing every restaurant in Terminal B expect Quiznos had a waiver, since they all close before 10. But apparently, Paradise did not.

"Paradise Bakery's agreement is to be open until 10 p.m," wrote Coale in a new email after I spoke with the Paradise manager. "We believe there may have been miscommunication regarding how to submit a change of hours form. Due to your inquiry and information, we've asked Paradise Bakery to adhere to their agreement. If they want to change their hours, they've been notified regarding the appropriate process."

My calls made to Skypoint, the owners of the airport franchise of the Paradise Bakery & Cafe, went unanswered, so I can't tell you if they'll be filing for the waiver. But I won't be taking any chances.

I'm already booking my next trip connecting through Denver. Hopefully, I'll get to the airport before Paradise files that waiver and closes early again.

I can already taste the chicken walnut sandwich.

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]]>Airport FoodAirport RestaurantsChicken Walnut SandwichColumnsContinental AirlinesDallas-fort Worth International AirportDenver International AirportDominos PizzaFast Casual DiningFlyingMineta San Jose International AirportPanera BreadParadise Bakery CafeQuiznosSan Francisco International AirportTerminal BTravelTravel TipsUnited AirlinesUs AirwaysWolfgang PuckRandy DiamondFri, 18 Feb 2011 11:30:00 ESTTravel Maze: Navigating With New Apps and Common Sensehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/30/navigating-the-air-travel-maze-new-apps-and-common-sense/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/30/navigating-the-air-travel-maze-new-apps-and-common-sense/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/30/navigating-the-air-travel-maze-new-apps-and-common-sense/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Worried I was running late for my flight the other night, I had a friend drive me to San Francisco International Airport at blinding speed. I arrived in the nick of time, scrambled through security and made it to my gate with a few minutes to spare.

But that's when the anger set in.

If I had only checked FlightCaster, an app I had recently loaded on my iPad, I wouldn't have needed to rush at all. My 10:30 p.m. flight to Detroit was delayed by nearly three hours. And what's more, FlightCaster had predicted that afternoon there was a better than 80% chance my flight would be delayed by 60 minutes or more. The app's prediction beat out the official Delta Airlines flight delay notice by several hours.

An Educated, High-Tech Guess

The prediction wasn't magic. FlightCaster uses a variety of data sources, such as the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It factors that information into its own algorithm, then alerts you whenever it thinks one of your flights will be delayed. It also supplies an explanation of the factors that contributed to its prediction.

It was snowing in Detroit, as it tends to do in winter -- so it wasn't surprising FlightCaster was able to predict my flight would be delayed. Passengers can also sign up for delay alerts from their airline, but as any frequent traveler knows, you usually hear about the delay only after you get to the airport and it's too late to do anything about it.

Travelers' Needs vs. the Airlines' Interests

So why don't airlines give us earlier information about delays or cancellations? After all, they obtain the same weather data as FlightCaster -- and they certainly know about FAA -imposed traffic delays. Airlines also have their own operations centers that monitor delays.

The problem, according to FlightCaster co-founder Evan Konwiser, is that the airlines' interests aren't necessarily aligned with the traveler's needs. Even if it's probable that a given flight will be delayed, he says, from the airline's perspective there's still a chance the flight can stay on schedule. "The airline wants everyone at the gate," he explains, "just in case it can manage to get the plane off the ground on time."

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Konwiser says airlines have another reason to hold off giving travelers flight delay notifications because it can cause problems. Once the plane is delayed, passengers start getting on edge, he says. Gate agents start being pestered with questions, even requests to be booked on alternative flights. Konwiser says the airline isn't going to endure that emotional turmoil unless it's absolutely necessary and they're certain the flight will be delayed.

Proposed new rules by the U.S. Department of Transportation could change that scenario. The rules, which could go into effect as soon as April, would require airlines to notify travelers of delays within 30 minutes of the carrier receiving the information. But if airline officials still think a plane can depart on time, even if it's unlikely that it will, will that be considered a reportable delay?

Ultimately, it may depend on how the regulations are written. Konwiser contends the issue is about choice; about giving the business traveler advance warning a plane might be delayed, when he or she can still do something about it.

FlightCaster is, in fact, the result of Konwiser's own frustrations from traveling up and down the East Coast and being subject to frequent air delays. For a while in 2005, when he was a regular on the Philadelphia-to-Boston route, Konwiser started following weather forecasts and became adept at predicting when his flights would be delayed. When he felt a delay was likely he opted for the train.

Can You Rely on Predictions?

Konwiser started FlightCaster with business partner Jason Freeman in the summer of 2009. The service was purchased in early January by Next Jump, an e-commerce and advertising company. Next Jump officials say they plan to continue to support the FlightCaster service, but haven't released any other details.

FlightCaster is ultimately a prediction tool -- and can a traveler really rely on predictions? After all, there's always the chance the flight won't be delayed. No prediction tool is flawless, and Konwiser is the first to admit that. He says the app, which is available for both iPhone and the BlackBerry, is generally on-point. But he declined to give its margin of error, and he says there is no way for FlightCaster to predict every delay accurately.

For example, he says, an airline flying from one of its hub cities may have an extra plane available to replace a delayed plane -- or bad weather can suddenly clear up. Personally, I don't find it very comforting that FlightCaster could be wrong. But some business passengers, especially those who rely on smooth travel connections, may like FightCaster -- and may decide the app is worth the time they would otherwise spend re-booking flights or changing planes.

Planning Ahead

Perhaps the lesson here is technology alone can't be relied on to improve the air travel experience. Travelers have to use their heads and think practically. One key tip Konwiser and other frequent fliers suggest is to take the first flight of the morning, to ensure you get to your destination. Those flights usually have fewer delays because the volume of air traffic hasn't had time to build. Also, your early-morning flight may have been the last flight on a particular route the night before, so the aircraft may already be at the gate.

You can also avoid delays by picking alternative airports when departing from major metropolitan areas. Oakland International, for example, usually has fewer runway delays than San Francisco International -- and most major carriers serve both airports. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work in cities such as New York, where all three regional airports are regularly subject to delays.

Another cardinal rule is to take a nonstop flight whenever you can. Chances of being delayed drop when only one flight is involved. In other words, in the world of airline travel, the fewer moving parts you have to experience, the better the odds of getting there on time.

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]]>air carrierair carriersair travelair travel disruptionsair travel improvementsair travel savingsair travel troublesair travel woesairportsappsaviationBlackBerrybusiness travelbusiness travel appsbusiness travel tipsColumnsflyingipadiphonetechnologytravel mazeRandy DiamondSun, 30 Jan 2011 10:00:00 ESTAt Last, New Protections for Air Travelers Will Land in 2011http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/01/new-protections-for-air-travelers-will-land-in-2011/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/01/new-protections-for-air-travelers-will-land-in-2011/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/01/new-protections-for-air-travelers-will-land-in-2011/#commentsSome positive developments are on the horizon for America's beleaguered air travelers in 2011. I wish I could say that the changes will mean less crowded planes, more legroom in coach, and an easier experience in clearing security, but that's probably too much to wish for. Still, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood seems intent on raising the bar for the treatment of airline passengers.

Among the new rules likely to be finalized next April are mandates for greater transparency in airline pricing, higher reimbursements for bumped passengers and an expansion of the rule that requires U.S. airlines to let passengers off a plane if a tarmac delay exceeds three hours to cover foreign airlines as well

Other new rules would give customers the right to cancel their ticket within 24 hours of making their reservation without a penalty, reimburse them for luggage fees when checked bags are lost or delayed and require airlines to announce flight delays within 30 minutes of receiving the information.

"Stress and Uncertainty"

Increased compensation for being bumped off a plane is another change likely to be implemented. Compensation would go up from the current $400 to a maximum of $650 for short delays in getting a passenger to their destination on another flight and from $800 to $1300 for longer delays.

"Anyone who has flown before knows the stress and uncertainty that can accompany air travel," LaHood said recently in his blog. "By giving consumers more options, information, and most importantly, basic rights to fair treatment, we are trying to make air travel easier and more convenient for everyone."

Airlines say they support many of the new rules, insisting they want to make things better for the traveling public and support transparency. But their opposition to some of proposed regulations is nothing short of ridiculous. For example, the Air Transport Association of America, the lobbying group for the major U.S. airlines, opposes mandating the reimbursement of checked bag fees if the bags are lost.

"Bag fees are a competitive issue and whether a carrier chooses to refund a fee in all instances is a matter the marketplace should determine,'' the association wrote in response to the DOT's proposed regulations.

Delayed Implementation

The statement is an example of the arrogance of the airline industry: Any business focused on satisfying customers would give a refund for failing to deliver the service being paid for. It also isn't the smartest public relations strategy. The Obama administration seems to have grasped that embracing passenger rights in an environment of increasing customer dissatisfaction with air travel is a political no-brainer.

LaHood proposed the new regulations designed to strengthen consumer protection for airline customers last June. However, given the bureaucratic federal rule-making process, the final regulations won't be announced until around April 15.

Consumer advocates also deserve credit for the new regulations -- people like Kate Hanni, who was stuck with her family for nine hours on the tarmac on an American Airlines (AMR) flight without food or water in December 2006.

Hanni funneled her frustration over the experience into a grassroots organization, FlyerRights.org, which was the group primarily responsible for the rules implemented in April 2009. The new rules fine airlines as much as $27,500 per passenger if they fail to allow passengers to disembark from a plane during tarmac delays of longer than three hours.

The Desired Effect

The airline industry bitterly complained about those regulations too, saying they'd lead to large numbers of flight cancellations as airlines acted to avoid situations in which they would be fined for keeping a plane too long on the tarmac. That hasn't happened (except in the post-Christmas blizzard that slammed the East Coast and led to mass cancellations throughout the U.S). Instead, the drop in extended delays has been dramatic. Only 12 flights were delayed by more than three hours on the tarmac from May through September of this year, compared to 535 extended delays in the same period of 2009.

The October 2010 data is even more extraordinary: No tarmac delays of more than three hours, down from 11 in 2009. Moreover, flight cancellations were reduced from 0.99% in October 2009 to 0.97% for October 2010, clearly showing the reduction in tarmac delays also did not come with the massive increase in cancellations the airline industry predicted. Transportation Department statistics show the number of plane cancellations has remained relatively stable between 2009 and 2010.

Hanni said airlines need to learn that flyers have rights. "We really aren't against the airlines," Hanni told me in a recent phone conversation. "We are just trying to restore certain basic standards to travel."

Making Advertised Ticket Prices Match Reality

One of the biggest concerns of FlyerRights.org and other consumer groups is pricing transparency. Groups representing business travelers say corporations can't even figure out their travel budgets accurately because of the extra charges airlines have put on their pricing menu for a range of services from checking luggage to extra-legroom seats.

A recent Transportation-commissioned analysis that was done in connection with the proposed new rules found that only one major airline, Delta (DAL), posted the total ticket price on the initial Web booking pages. Other airline sites made customers wait until they were about to enter their credit card numbers before they found out the total fee.

Under the proposed regulations, not only airlines but travel booking sites such as Orbitz (OWW), Travelocity and Expedia (EXPE), would be forced to outline all charges for an airline ticket.

Another proposed change would stop airlines from advertising teaser fares for one-way tickets that don't exist because you have to fly round-trip to get the discounted price. Transportation officials say this is a deceptive practice.

Turning a $1 Special Into an $85+ Ticket

Those rules can't come soon enough and hopefully will create a little more honesty, particularly in the case of Spirit Airlines, in my opinion the airlines industry's No. 1 offender when it comes to a poor pricing transparency. I should have known better when I signed up for Spirit's $1 fare special for a trip this past weekend from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando.

The $1 fare quickly became around $60 unless you purchased a round-trip ticket, which wasn't disclosed on the website. So I booked a return trip even though I didn't want it, making sure it was on another day that the $1 fare was offered. After all, $2 wasn't bad for a round trip.

Once taxes, fuel surcharges, security charges and other unidentified Spirit Airlines fees were calculated, I owed $55.40. It was still pretty good I thought, though far north of the $1 teaser rate. Then, after I entered my credit card information, I was taken to a new page on the website and asked if I wanted to prepay my luggage fee. At least I could skip that fee, I rationalized, since I was taking a carry-on bag. But no: Spirit charges $30 for carry-ons.

Then there was a matter of the seat selection charge. You could get your seat for free, but only at the airport on the date of the flight. If you wanted to print out your boarding pass in advance, even for a middle seat, there was a $13 charge. More desirable aisle seats would cost me $20.

I opted to get my ticket at the airport counter, even if I had to wait in line. I also quickly unchecked the $12 travel insurance box that the Spirit website had automatically signed me up for before agreeing to pay for my ticket. By unchecking that box, I was able to get down my fare to $85.40.

Is There an Extra Fee for Good Customer Service?

It will be interesting to see how the new regulations might effect Spirit's creative fare marketing on its website. The proposed transparency rule would prevent airlines from automatically singing you up for travel insurance and other optional features.

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My 40-minute Spirit flight this past Christmas weekend was uneventful, but I didn't find a copy of the airline's in-flight magazine in the seat pocket. Our flight attendant said the magazine was still published, but missing from our plane. Perhaps passengers were supposed to pay a $5 magazine charge on the website in advance of our flight.

I was looking forward to reading a message in the magazine from Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza explaining why his airline has the fairest prices. Last time I had flown on Spirit a year earlier, the magazine included a lively explanation of how Spirit charged customers only for the add-ons they needed. Over the summer, Baldanza testified before Congress that having luggage was not essential for going on vacation, so the charge for carry-on luggage was actually an optional fee.

At the end of the trip, the flight attendant thanked us for flying Spirit. He said he had hoped our experience was pleasant, but if it wasn't, he made it clear that Spirit wouldn't be hearing any complaints. If we weren't satisfied, he said, we could go to "southwest.com," to book our next trip.

Sounds like good advice to me.


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]]>air transport associationAir Transport Association of AmericaairlineAirline Baggage Feesairline feesairline industryairline ticketsairlinesbaggagebaggage feesBen BaldanzaCanceling Reservations Without Penalitycarry-on bagsColumnsDelta AirlinesExpediaFare Increasesflyerrights.orghidden feesKate HanniOrbitzPlane ticket pricesPlane ticketsRay LaHoodsouthwest airlinesSpirit AirlinesTarmac Delaysticket pricestravel mazeTravelocitytruth in advertisingRandy DiamondSat, 01 Jan 2011 09:00:00 ESTYou Call This a Premium Seat? Airlines Attach Big Fees to Small Upgradeshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/11/airline-ticket-upgrade-fees-seats/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/11/airline-ticket-upgrade-fees-seats/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/11/airline-ticket-upgrade-fees-seats/#commentsFiled under: ,

You Call This a Premium Seat? Airlines Attach Big Fees to Small UpgradesWhen I booked a recent Virgin America flight from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the airline offered me the chance to sit in Main Cabin Select -- for a hefty $500 more than the coach fare.

The upgrade offer seemed enticing: six more inches of legroom and free alcohol, cheese-and-fruit platters and other unlimited snacks. However, given that I was only paying $129 for the standard coach seat on the flight, the fee seemed a bit exorbitant.

I actually ended up paying $99 for the premium seat after Virgin America discounted it on the day of my flight. At the time, I assumed I'd upgraded to the first-class section. But I quickly found out that what I had purchased wasn't the best seat in the house after all. Main Cabin Select turns out to be a fancy name for sitting in the exit row.

Turning the Ordinary Into an Upgrade

Virgin America certainly deserves the award for creative repackaging in the airline seat fee game, turning formerly humble, if more comfortable, exit row seats into something desirable and high-class -- as if they were VIP tickets to a top concert or sporting event. Just to make sure customers in the exit rows and the bulkhead row -- the other Main Cabin Select seats -- know they are special, Virgin America has installed black leather seats for them. Regular coach passengers must make do with blue leather seats.

Virgin America isn't the only airline playing the extra fee seat game, though certainly no other carrier has the audacity to charge a premium of $500 to sit in the exit row -- even if it does offer an extra six inches of legroom.

Every major airline except Delta (DAL) is now maneuvering to bring in a little more revenue by charging extra for some of its coach seats. Delta tried to implement a similar policy two years ago, but backed down after its frequent fliers complained about not getting first dibs on the premium seats in coach.

But paying for a "good" seat has very different connotations among various airlines.

United Airlines (UAUA) gives you five more inches of legroom for its preferred coach-class seats. By contrast, when American Airlines (AMR) jumped on the bandwagon in August, it didn't guarantee additional leg room would come with its premium seats. The airline now charges between $19 and $39 for the "Express Seats" in the first few rows of coach. Most of the seats, except for the bulkhead row, offer no more leg room than normal a coach seat.

So how can American charge justify the fee?

Airline officials explained back in August that what customers were paying for with their Express Seat fee was the privilege of sitting in the front of the plane, as well as first priority to board and a grab a space for their carry-on luggage in the overhead compartments.

Earning Billions More By Making the Flight A La Carte

The only thing that's certain in the seat fee game is that the fees are here to stay. It's all part of the new a la carte menu that has been put into place by airlines, which now charge extra for everything from checking a bag to talking to a reservation agent when you buy your ticket.
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It's obviously paying off for the carriers. While federal officials don't break down how much airlines made from seat fees, airlines raised $7.8 billion in ancillary fees in 2009, up from $5.5 billion in 2008.

At a recent aviation conference I attended in New Orleans, US Airways Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom touted the success of its program charging for premium coach seats, and said the airline was exploring other ways it could increase seat revenue.

US Airways (LCC) charges $5 to $35 for its Choice Seats -- aisle and coach seats in the first few rows of the coach cabin, most of which provide no extra leg room. US Airways wouldn't answer my questions about to what else they have in store for customers.

Airline consultant Michael Boyd, whose Boyd Group International sponsored the aviation conference, described the extra seat fees as outrageous.

Boyd said on a recent US Airways commuter flight he was forced to pay an extra $5 for a premium seat, because there were no "normal" coach seats available. "The airline officials don't see how confusing and offensive these policies are to passengers,'' he said. "Chain gangs don't treat their members that way."

I've been pondering what's the next move for the airlines in terms of seating? Will airlines charge customers to be seated near the bathroom? Will there be a fee for VIP access to the refreshment cart?

It may sound silly, but a few years ago, who would have thought that an exit row seat could fetch an extra $500?

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]]>Airline exit rowAirline ticket pricesairline ticketsAirline travelAmerican Airlinesbulkhead seatsChoice seatsColumnsDelta Air LinesDelta Airlinesexit row seatsExpress Seatsflyingleg roomMain Cabin Selectprefered coach classpremium airline seatingpremium seatstravelupgradeupgradesus airwaysVirgin AmericaRandy DiamondSat, 11 Dec 2010 07:00:00 ESTAirport Security Pat Downs: Too Much for Too Littlehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/22/airport-scans-pat-downs-ineffective/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/22/airport-scans-pat-downs-ineffective/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/22/airport-scans-pat-downs-ineffective/#commentsFiled under:

TSA airport security pat downThe controversy over the new enhanced security procedures at U.S. airports is clearly getting more heated each day.

FlyersRights.org, a passenger advocacy group, says it has been receiving 1,000 phone calls and emails a day from air travelers upset about the enhanced pat-down procedures that the TSA installed universally at U.S. airports at the beginning of November. The search techniques, including touching a traveler's groin areas, have obviously hit a nerve.

The pat downs are occurring because many travelers choose to opt out of new whole-body screening because of concerns about radiation or privacy. The imaging machines are now in place at 70 U.S. airports, and dozens more are scheduled to get them next year.

"Situation Is Chaotic"

Not helping the situation are TSA security screeners who seem to have taken a crash course in intimidation tactics. I have witnessed myself what many fellow travelers are reporting: TSA personnel tell passengers in no uncertain terms that if they don't agree to the body scans, they'll be subject to "very thorough" pat downs.

The security personnel are acting on orders from TSA bureaucrats in Washington, but you have to wonder just how much thought they put into these new procedures. Clearly, the TSA brass has never been to customer-relations school.

"The entire situation is chaotic,'' Kate Hanni, FlyersRights executive director, told me this past weekend. "No one knows what to expect because the pat-down procedures are varying at different airports." "In some cases," she said, "passengers are being subjected to pat downs by TSA personnel using the back of their hand, while in other cases the TSA screeners used the front of the hands, even while examining invasive body parts."

Hanni said the whole thing has become ridiculous. She said even vulnerable passengers, such as seniors and the disabled, are being subjected to the aggressive, unwarranted searches. "They're putting their hands down a 90-year-old woman's pants," she said.

Political Heat

Two other citizen groups, We Won't Fly.com and OptOutday.com. are calling for a protest by travelers this Wednesday, Nov. 24, the day before Thanksgiving, which is one of the busiest travel days every year. The groups want travelers to refuse the new body-imaging scans, which would cause traffic jams at security checkpoints as travelers are subjected to the pat-down procedures.

Confusing the matter, just what the new security procedures are supposed to entail is unclear. In fact, the TSA won't even discuss them, citing security concerns.

Perhaps politicians will be the ones to force the TSA's hand on the issue. "Overly intrusive" is how the incoming leaders of the House Transportation Committee have described the new airport pat downs in a letter to the TSA last Friday, Nov. 19. In the letter, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) and Rep. Thomas Petri (R-Wis.) wrote TSA Administrator John Pistole that only the highest-risk passengers should receive thorough pat downs.

"Treating every passenger as a suspect or criminal is an inefficient use of scarce resources," said Mica, who's expected to be named head of the House Transportation Committee, and Petri, who's the likely aviation subcommittee head.

Not a Pleasant Experience

In a statement issued Sunday, Pistole appeared to offer an olive branch to air travelers. "We welcome feedback and comments on the screening procedures from the traveling public, and we will work to make them as minimally invasive as possible while still providing the security that the American people want and deserve," he said.

As a traveler who has experienced the new procedures first-hand, I agree that change can't come soon enough. Mistakenly leaving my wallet in my pocket left me subject to a search and pat down at O'Hare Airport in Chicago -- after leaving the body-imaging scan equipment. It's not a pleasant experience having a guy grope you.

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Of course, if all this security really deterred terrorists, these intrusions of privacy would be acceptable. But in incident after incident, it seems it's always the passengers and the flight crew who end up saving the day. After all, it wasn't TSA screeners who detected a man with explosives hidden in his underwear last December aboard the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit -- it was the passengers and flight attendants.

Or how about the TSA's "behavioral detection program," which is designed to help TSA agents apprehend terrorists. An oversight report released last May found the program, with a yearly budget of more than $200 million and some 3,000 behavior detection officials, hasn't caught a single terrorist.

Obviously, America needs an effective security program in place to ensure that our air travel is safe and not threatened by those who would do us harm. Maybe some day we'll get a more reliable and competent team running the TSA show. But for now, be prepared for a rough flight before you even board the plane.

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]]>air travelairport body scansairport pat-downsairport securityairport security checksairport security nightmareColumnsfull-body scansjohn pistoleterrorismtransportation security administrationTSAUnderwearBomberRandy DiamondMon, 22 Nov 2010 10:00:00 ESTNeed an Airport Restaurant Guide? GateGuru Could Be Your Apphttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/30/gateguru-airport-restaurant-review-app/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/30/gateguru-airport-restaurant-review-app/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/30/gateguru-airport-restaurant-review-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Airport restaurantThe Irish bar-restaurant at Palm Beach International Airport looked inviting to Dan Gellert, but it was located before the security clearance checkpoint. So, to make sure he had enough time to eat before catching his flight, Gellert made a logical choice: Clear security first, then find a restaurant near the gate. Gellert figured he'd surely find at least a few tempting eateries on the other side of the checkpoint.

He figured wrong. All he found was a Burger King and a pizza parlor. Gellert choose the pizza parlor and had a terrible meal.

His experience is all too common for many travelers, particularly those new to a specific airport: It's not easy finding out what restaurants are available until it's too late and you're stuck at a mediocre one near your gate.

At Your Service on Your Smartphone

Airport websites list restaurants, but you won't find too many reviews nor do most travelers peruse an airport's website in advance of their trip.

Gellert figured there had to be a better way to improve the airport experience. And that's what his GateGuru app for the iPhone attempts to do.

Similar to the popular Zagat restaurant guides to cities, GateGuru offers restaurant reviews at 105 airports, mostly in the U.S. and Canada. Some 25,000 contributors have so far written reviews and rated establishments on a one- to five-star basis. The app also offers reviews of airport lounges, spas and shops, and even ATM machines at various airports.

GateGuru doesn't, however, aggregate the reviews of respondents into one concise listing like Zagat. After the overall star rating, a user has to scroll down and read some of the reviews to get a fuller sense of the establishment, some of which have only a few reviews. In another confusing feature, many of the ATM machines get differing ratings, but without any explanation for why one machine from the same bank is better than another. Still, it's pretty handy to know where the ATMs are located at an airport.

Just Like At Home

Despite some limitations, GateGuru can be a nifty assistant for an airport traveler on the run. The biggest problem is that the free app is available only for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at this point, but Gellert plans versions for BlackBerry and Android phones sometime next year.

A Manhattan resident, Gellert is so convinced about the viability of GateGuru that he went from investing in other people's companies as a venture capitalist to running his own startup. He launched GateGuru last December. He says the goal is to make the airport experience similar to what people do in their own neighborhood. "You quickly learn the good and bad restaurants and merchants," he says.

But Gellert says that culling process doesn't work so well at airports. For one thing, he says, there are always plenty of first-timers or customers who just don't know any better, which allows the worst establishments to stay in business.

Try the "Irish Car Wreck"

So, which places are among those with the highest ratings from GateGuru travelers?

Amy's Ice Creams at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, is one with a top five-star rating. "For purists, "Sweet Cream" is better than my grandmother's hand-cranked goodies," writes one reviewer. He also recommends the flavor called the "Irish Car Wreck."

For burgers, GateGuru users recommend the Five Guys location at Reagan Washington National Airport in the District of Columbia. "Must have for burger lovers and non-burger lovers," says one reviewer. "Be sure to get a few extra napkins, especially if you plan on eating it on the plane. I recommend getting Cajun fries -- many people don't know about them but they are much better than the traditional ones."

Ike's On Summit at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport gets a five-star rating from most of the 19 reviewers, and it's more than just about coffee and cocktails. "No question, this is THE best restaurant at MSP!" writes one reviewer. "Don't miss their milkshakes. And even though it may not be on the menu at times, ask for a seared tuna salad with wasabi."

"Terrible Food and Indifferent Service"

What are some of the worst restaurants? Sometimes it's hard to tell because GateGuru reviewers have differing opinions.

For example, the restaurant at Palm Beach International Airport that Gellert had the bad pizza at, Nick's Tomato Pie, actually received five favorable reviews out of six posted reviews. The one negative review was from Gellert himself, who says the pizza "tastes like cardboard."
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At John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif., it's easier to know what the reviewers say to avoid. Most of the 16 GateGuru reviews knocked the Oasis Grill & Sky Lounge. "Why ever pay for terrible food and indifferent service,'' says one. "You can get this from McDonald's and at least the food's warm."

Unfortunately, GateGuru can't solve the problem for travelers that Oasis is the only full-service, sit-down restaurant at the airport. Perhaps, if enough reviewers complain, the airport authorities in Orange County will wake up, and get this establishment to improve or find something better.

One last tip: GateGuru works best for larger, more frequently traveled airports, so users might want to stick to those if they want to get the app's full power.

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]]>airportairport restaurantsappAppleColumnsDan GellertfoodGateGuruipadiphoneiPodplanerestaruantsrestaurant recommendationsrestaurant reviewstechnologytraveltravel-techRandy DiamondSat, 30 Oct 2010 09:00:00 ESTBusiness Travelers: Meet Southwest Airlineshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/08/business-travelers-meet-southwest-airlines/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/08/business-travelers-meet-southwest-airlines/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/08/business-travelers-meet-southwest-airlines/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's about to get harder for business travelers to avoid Southwest Airlines.

The announcement late last month that Southwest was acquiring AirTran Airways means that Southwest will grow by 25%, solidifying its status as the fourth-largest airline in the U.S.

Ending the competition with AirTran unfortunately also means Southwest increasingly becomes the only choice for travelers at some airports, such as Baltimore-Washington International, Orlando International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. On the plus side for those near monopoly-locked travelers, Southwest ties with JetBlue for the best customer service in the sky, and any business traveler can't help but notice the upbeat attitude of their flight crews.

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That said, Southwest has no first class or business class sections, so upgrades are out of the question. It also lacks the network of airport clubs other carriers offer to their premium patrons, and as a frequent Southwest traveler, I can attest to just how crowded the waiting areas at their gates can be. And, of course, they are well-known for not assigning seats. Travelers have to wait in line and the best spots go to those who check-in online exactly 24 hours before their flight.

Southwest does offer travelers who want to pay a premium ticket fee the opportunity to be among the first to board. But Business Select can cost several hundred dollars more, and even then, there's no guarantee that a passenger will get the exact seat they want. (Southwest also offers an early check-in option for $10 extra, but passengers still have to wait on line and they are not among the first to board).

Bottom line: Flying Southwest is a scenario that doesn't please many business travelers. They would rather fly United, Delta or American airlines, or yes, even the soon-to-be-absorbed AirTran. Though AirTran is no-frills, travelers have the option of upgrading to business class for a fairly reasonable fee, usually around $100 each way on a cross-country trip. Travelers can also choose to reserve a specific coach seat in advance, paying between an extra fee of $6 or $20, depending on whether they want to sit in the rear of the plane ($6) or the exit row ($20).

Taking the Lion's Share of Baltimore

Passengers in some markets and on some routes will now just have to get used to Southwest whether they like it or not, if the merger is completed as expected around nine months from now.

At BWI, for example, Southwest will control around 90% of the flights to cities such as Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa and around 70% to Boston, New Orleans, West Palm Beach, and Kansas City, according to a report by aviation consultant Boyd Group International. For other key destinations from BWI, Southwest will have a more than 50% market share, the report says.

Boyd Group President Mike Boyd puts it simply: Once the merger is complete, Southwest will completely dominate BWI.

At Orlando International Airport, The Boyd Group analysis found 11 routes where Southwest will control over 70% of the flights. The worst scenario was for Milwaukee-Orlando: Southwest will run 95% of the flights on that route.

But don't worry: Your pockets won't be emptied if Southwest is your only choice. At least that is the opinion of Boyd, who says Southwest won't use its near-monopoly status on some routes to gouge passengers. "It's not in their DNA," he told me. "They charge what they think is necessary to make a profit."

The AirTran acquisition gives Southwest its first access to Atlanta, the last major metropolitan airport that hasn't been part of the airline's route network.

But Southwest's entry into Atlanta, where it will continue AirTran's efforts to compete with giant Delta, won't mean lower fares there. "Southwest is replacing an existing low-fare airline, not introducing low fares to Atlanta," Boyd says.

The are two Atlanta routes, however, that could see reduced fares when Southwest arrives, he says: Ticket prices to and from Salt Lake City and Newark could drop by 25%, assuming Southwest decides to compete with Delta to those cities. Southwest is scheduled to start serving Newark next March.

Why Fares Might Rise

Of course, the issue of fares is all relative. AirTran has among the lowest fares in the business, especially if you buy your ticket far enough in advance. And while Southwest may not raise its existing fares, its fare collected per mile is about 30% more than AirTran on shorter routes and 16% higher on longer routes, noted JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker in a research note last month.

"As is typically the case with consolidation, we expect costs and fares to be marked to Southwest levels, suggesting improved returns for everyone in markets where AirTran already has a presence," Baker said.

Southwest has made no secret of the fact that it wants to attract more business travelers and get away from its reputation as primarily an airline for leisure passengers. Business travelers are more profitable for airlines because they don't often book as far ahead as leisure customers, giving airlines the opportunity to charge higher for those last minute fares. Now that the Continental United merger and the Delta Northwest marriage before it have reduced the choices for business travelers to just a few airlines, Southwest is likely to benefit, regardless of it's lack of business class amenities.

Indeed, at this point, Southwest's friendly flight crews could start being nasty and it wouldn't deter business travelers. It doesn't take a lot to attract customers when you're one of the only players in town.

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]]>air faresairline fare inceasesairline mergerAirTranAirtranAirwaysBaltimore Washington International Airportbusiness classbusiness class flightbusiness class loungecheap air farescheap airfarecheap flightsColumnsDeltaAirlinesfirst classfirst class travelJetblueAirwayslow costlow cost carrierOrlando International AirportPlane ticket pricesPlane ticketsSouthwest AirlinesSouthwest Airtran MergerRandy DiamondFri, 08 Oct 2010 17:00:00 ESTTravelers WIll Be the Big Losers in United-Continental Airline Mergerhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/20/united-continental-merger-airline-higher-fares-fewer-flights/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/20/united-continental-merger-airline-higher-fares-fewer-flights/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/20/united-continental-merger-airline-higher-fares-fewer-flights/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The only good news about the merger between United (UAUA) and Continental Airlines (CAL) is that it will bring Southwest (LUV) into the mix at Newark Airport, giving the carrier a much larger presence in the New York market. United and Continental were granted permission to merge from the antitrust division of the Justice Department after Continental agreed to lease gates to Southwest.

The agreement will allow Southwest to operate 18 daily round-trips from Newark beginning next March. Until now, Southwest's presence in the New York market has been fairly limited, with only a few departures a day from LaGuardia Airport in Queens.
Airline ticket prices at Newark are the highest in the Northeastern U.S. because of Continental's near monopoly in northern New Jersey -- it already controls 70% of the flights at Newark Airport.

So, if Southwest decides to challenge Continental on some of its' popular routes, such as Newark to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., it could create a fare war.

Beyond that, the merger is all bad news.

Wake Up and Smell the Price Hikes

Officials of Continental and United have spun their own tales about the benefits of creating the world's largest airline. They will fly everywhere a traveler wants to go, creating a seamless network of efficiency. The two airlines say they have few competing routes, which means they will keep most of their networks intact, and travelers won't experience reduced service or higher fares.

If you believe in fairy tales, the merger will make it a happier flying world for everyone.

The reality is that another major airline merger almost guarantees higher airline ticket prices. There will only be four network carriers left if the Continental-United merger is finalized at the end of the month as expected: American (AMR), US Airways (LCC), Delta (DAL) and the combined Continental-United, which will be called United.

Two years ago, there were six network carriers, before the Delta-Northwest merger reduced the number to five. So it's not hard to imagine the effects of having fewer airlines: We've seen them. Airline prices have increased dramatically in the last year alone, surveys show. Fewer airlines have meant fewer seats. And many of the remaining airlines have also intentionally cut their seating capacity in successful efforts to raise prices for travelers.

Time to Re-regulate the Airline Industry?

One federal lawmaker who has seen through the airlines spin is House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn). He says the Justice Department's approval of the merger shows that Congress needs more authority over airlines to prevent further consolidation at the expense of consumers. At a June congressional hearing, he accused Continental and United executives of hating competition and attempting to dominate the air travel market.

In a recent statement, Oberstar said the merger of the two airlines will force him to seek re-regulation of the airline industry.
"When Congress deregulated the airlines in 1978, we were promised better service, added competition and more choices for consumers,'' he said. "With the United-Continental merger, our domestic carrier fleet will have shrunk to four network carriers. Can a US Airways-American Airlines merger be far behind?"

No, not far behind at all: If you follow media reports on the issue, it certainly seems conceivable US Airways and American could merge, leaving only three network carriers.

Discount Carriers Can't Make Up for Lost Routes, Seats

Sure, there are other airlines. Discount carriers such as Southwest and JetBlue add some competition, offering travelers another choice. But many business travelers shun the discount airlines because of their lack of first class sections and airport lounges.

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The merger of Continental and United is certainly going to have a big effect on many travelers. A report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that combining the two airlines will affect 35 million domestic travelers. Perhaps the worst off may be travelers to and from Cleveland, the site of Continental's smallest hub. Airline simulations have shown that Cleveland could lose up to 52% of its current Continental-United departures and 92% of flights from its regional carriers.

Continental and United officials have guaranteed to keep 90% of existing flights for two years, but after that, all bets are off.

Delta airlines has been shrinking its Cincinnati hub since the merger with Northwest Airlines in 2008. Its Detroit hub is only several hundred miles from Cincinnati. Likewise, United's Chicago hub isn't that far from Continental's Cleveland hub.

And there will be other losers.

The GAO report found that Continental and United are the only carriers on at least seven major nonstop routes in the US.
For example, Cleveland to Denver, Cleveland to Washington (Dulles), Houston to San Francisco and Newark to San Francisco routes will all be left with just one airline, and most likely reduced capacity after completion of the merger.

However the GAO maintains that travelers will still have choices in six out of seven cases, because of nearby alternative airports.

The argument is preposterous. Sure, a traveler at Newark Airport, for example, could access JFK or LaGuardia airports to fly an alternative airline to San Francisco, but it could take more than two hours of additional traveling time to reach either of those airports, located in the New York borough of Queens. Time is money, particularly for business travelers.

The Final Hurdle: Judge Richard Seeborg

The only hope now that the merger could be stopped rests in the hands of a federal judge sitting in San Francisco. California District Judge Richard Seeborg is considering whether to delay the merger of Continental and United as he decides on the merits of an antitrust lawsuit filed by current and former travel agents. The agents maintain that the merger will bring higher airline prices. The judge promised he will rule by Oct. 1. Coincidentally, that's the same day that Continental and United plan to merge by. If the judge finds the travel agents case has merit, he could order a jury trial, delaying the merger.

The stars have aligned for Continental and United officials so far. We will know in the next few days whether they should break out the champagne. More than likely, this is a done deal.

As for me, I just hope the new combined airline doesn't start charging for Coca-Cola.

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]]>air faresAirline MergersAmerican AirlinesColumnscontinentalContinental airlinesContinental United mergerdeltaDelta Air LinesDelta AirlinesDeltaAirlinesJames OberstarJetbluejfk airportJudge Richard Seeborglaguardiamergers and acquisitionsNewarkAirportnonstop flightNorthwestAirlinesPlane ticket pricesSouthwestSouthwest Airlinesticket pricesUAUAUnited AirlinesUS AirUS AirwaysRandy DiamondMon, 20 Sep 2010 09:53:00 ESTTravel Maze: Beware Hotels Offering 'Convenient' Shuttle to Airporthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/04/beware-hotels-offering-convenient-shuttle-to-airport/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/04/beware-hotels-offering-convenient-shuttle-to-airport/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/04/beware-hotels-offering-convenient-shuttle-to-airport/#commentsFiled under:

There's usually only one reason to stay at an airport hotel -- convenience. Neighborhoods surrounding hotels are never top notch, unless you happen to be a fan of noise, pollution and traffic. Staying at the airport is all about a promise to get to and from your plane quickly and without undue stress.

Hop in the hotel shuttle bus and in a few minutes, you'll arrive at airport terminal, the theory goes. That's until your three minute ride turns into 13 minutes of nail-biting shuttle bus hell.

Unfortunately, when it comes to airport shuttle bus services, convenience is increasingly being trumped by cost-cutting.
I've found in my own recent travels that hotels near airports are "carpooling," so to speak. They are sharing their shuttles to save time and money for themselves, but not necessarily for you.

For example, I recently stayed at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, which is literally steps away from the terminal used by Southwest and US Airways, at Los Angeles International Airport. The Sheraton's ad trumpets its complimentary shuttle service that will take you to and from LAX, "which is minutes away." The commute is so close travelers often ditch the shuttle and walk, says the Sheraton's manager, Michael Washington.
So, if you get on the shuttle, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two, right?

You can imagine my annoyance when on a recent Sheraton shuttle ride, I watched the airport come into view, then quickly vanish in the rear-view mirror. It turns out we had to make several stops at other hotels to pick up waiting passengers before we arrived at the Southwest terminal. The total time of the entire trip was 13 minutes. Washington says I'm not the only hotel guest that has gotten "frustrated" at the lack of direct service.

A Familiar Tale of Cost-Cutting

Joseph A. McInerney, president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, says the culprit is the economic downturn, which has reduced hotel profits and forced chains to look for places to cut. He says hotel shuttle service has been one area that has been hit hard. He agrees that many business travelers find these carpooling arrangements frustrating and stressful -- especially as a hotels increasingly include hotels that are further apart on their shuttle bus routes.

My recent visit to the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel in Oregon certainly illustrates this trend. The hotel boasts on its website that it is located on the airport grounds and offers 24-hour complimentary shuttle service. What it doesn't mention is that this service is sometimes shared with the Aloft Hotel, which is off of the airport grounds. The shuttle driver on my trip informed me that the shuttle service would soon include a third off-airport hotel as part of a cost-saving measure by management.

He said business travelers complain all the time about this inconvenience. The manager at the Sheraton Portland Airport didn't return my phone call for his views on the matter.
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Take note: Don't expect any hotel to tell you in advance that their shuttle isn't non-stop. Hotels proudly advertise their free shuttle on their web site, but don't mention the less-than-express service.

Airport Traffic Also A Concern

Washington, the manager of the Sheraton at LAX, said his hotel shouldn't bear the full blame for cutting direct service. He maintains hotels are under pressure from airport officials to cut their number of van trips or face thousands of dollars of increased fees if they refused to abide.

"We realize the customer is upset, but we are trying to do our best to create a greener environment in partnership with the airport,'' he said.

Washington says his hotel is exploring restoring direct service. He concedes, however, that the cost of buying new vans and hiring more drivers may be too much. He says the hotel sold its vans around five years ago and hired an outside transportation company for the shared shuttle service.

Bill Wright, the manager of the Courtyard by Marriott at LAX said even offering a shared shuttle service can be very expensive. He says the hotel pays $21,000 per month for its shared van with the Sheraton and the Embassy Suites hotel at LAX.

What's A Traveler to Do?

Unfortunately, there is no way to opt out of the shared shuttle service when staying at a hotel at LAX. All the major hotels share shuttles.

But travelers can skip the shuttle. Take a cab to the airport -- surely you can expense it. Or, better yet, if there is a safe pedestrian route, walk to the airport. There are some hotels, the Marriott at the Tampa and Philadelphia airports and the Hyatt at the Orlando airport come to mind, that are connected directly to the airport terminal.

Wright said the challenge for hotels is to keep the customer happy despite the shared shuttle service. "We are in the hospitality business and if a customer has a bad experience on the shuttle, then it is viewed as an extension of the hotel,'' he said.

McInerney of the hotel and lodging association says things look brighter on the horizon, with forecasters predicting increased business travel. He predicts that as the economic recovery takes hold, many hotels will be back to offering direct shuttle service.

It certainly would be good news to hear the hospitality industry is actually focusing on hospitality.

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]]>Airport HotelsAirport ShuttlesAirportsColumnsLos Angeles Inernational AirportMarriott InternationalSheratonGateway HotelSheratonPortland Airport HotelShuttle Bus ServiceSouthwest AirlinesUS AirwaysRandy DiamondSat, 04 Sep 2010 08:00:00 ESTTravel: How TripIt Helps to Smooth Your Pathhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/15/travel-tripit-smooth-path/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/15/travel-tripit-smooth-path/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/15/travel-tripit-smooth-path/#commentsFiled under: ,

TripItRushing to catch a ride to the airport the other morning, I realized there was no rush at all. My flight to from San Francisco International Airport to Las Vegas was delayed from 10:30 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.

Since signing up several months ago for TripIt, I have realized how travel technology sites and services can help make air travel a smoother experience.

TripIt's enhanced service, known as TripIt Pro, costs $49 a year, but for frequent travelers it's money well spent, based on my experience. TripIt Pro sent a text alert to my Blackberry about my late departure, allowing me to slow down in the rush to the airport.

More Accurate Info Than the Gate Agent

Just several weeks earlier at Los Angeles International Airport, Tripit Pro again notified me of a delay -- the departure time of my Southwest flight to San Francisco had been moved from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Unfortunately, this time I was already at the airport, since I did not get the alert until 7:51 a.m.

Still, it was better than Southwest's own notification service. I signed up on the airline's Web site for a cell-phone voice message that I would receive if there were any changes to my itinerary but didn't receive the alert until 9 a.m.

Ironically, TripIt Pro had more accurate information on my departure time than the Southwest departure gate agent at Los Angeles International Airport. Let's face it, anyone who has ever asked an airline gate agent what time their delayed plane is taking off knows the agent is usually the last person to have the information. And at least my Blackberry doesn't snap back at me!

Nice Features

Another nice feature of the TripIt Pro alert service is that you're given the scheduled new arrival time for your delayed plane. The information can also be shared with friends, relatives and business associates by designating them as part of your inner circle.

In the case of long delays, TripIt will also offer alternative flights that can be taken to your destination, including those on other airlines.

Scott Hintz, one of three-year-old San Francisco-based TripIt's founders, maintains that knowledge is power. He says telling the gate agent what flight you want to be switched to will get better results than just playing helpless. Still, unless you're flying on a high-priced, fully refundable ticket, convincing the gate agent to switch you to a competitor is no easy task, assuming there's even an open seat at the last minute.

Another feature for passengers who are connecting to a different flight: TripIT alerts you to the new gate information as soon as you turn your mobile phone back on.

I was pretty impressed to have that information on a recent journey to Baltimore International Airport via Atlanta on AirTran. The flight attendants on the Atlanta-bound first leg of my journey said they didn't have connecting gate information. Armed with the TripIt gate-change information, I whizzed by the line for the waiting attendant reading off a long list of gates for connecting flights.

Alternative Option

TripIt is not the only option for getting real-time flight updates.

A competing service, WorldMate, also offers real-time flight information, but travelers must download an application that's only compatible with iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. TripIt makes it much easier: You can sign up for the service on its Web site, and no special application is needed to receive updates on your phone.

Travelers can also opt to sign up for free for alerts from their own airline concerning flight delays and cancellations, but if you fly with multiple airlines, you have to sign up for each one. And whether they will tell you about a flight delay or cancellation before TripIt does is another question. Hintz says TripIt often gets the information before the airlines update their system.

I pressed Hintz on how his service can be first on information like flight delays and cancellations. He wouldn't tell me everything, but he says his service monitors data from not just airlines, but a variety of sources. Hintz says this includes the Federal Aviation Administration, individual airports, and various proprietary databases that track flight information.

Itinerator "Magic"

For those flyers who don't want to pay a fee, the basic TripIt service is free but doesn't come with the flight-notification feature.

The free service does have some value, however, because it will store not just your airline itinerary, but your hotel and car rental reservations, where you can easily access it though e-mail in one organized itinerary. TripIt will also track frequent flyer and travel reward points if you provide the service with your passwords.

The coolest part of the TripIt experience is probably the ease of entering your reservation details into the TripIt system. TripIt works with over 1,000 travel Web sites, so you just copy your hotel or airline reservation into an e-mail that you send to TripIt, and it's there.

The process is called the "Itinerator," and Hintz says the system was developed by TripIt engineers. "People think its magic,'' he said.

Actually, the magic developed by engineers was a reason TripIt was able to get $13 million in seed money from investors when it started three years ago. The technology now provides a valuable service to the traveling public.

Now if only the airlines could learn a lesson or two from TripIt on customer service, all of our lives would be a lot easier.

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]]>air travelAirTranBlackBerryColumnsflight cancellationsflight delaysiphoneiPoditineraryLAXScott Hintzsouthwest airlinesTripitWorldMateRandy DiamondSun, 15 Aug 2010 07:00:00 ESTTravel Maze: Just Say No to Flying Coachhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/26/travel-maze-just-say-no-to-flying-coach/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/26/travel-maze-just-say-no-to-flying-coach/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/26/travel-maze-just-say-no-to-flying-coach/#commentsFiled under:

Fly First Class at Coach Ticket PricesIt's every business traveler's dream never to fly coach again.

For around $150, Nicholas Kralev promises to make that dream a reality. He is offering two short seminars -- a basic and an advanced course -- on how to maximize the impact of your frequent flyer miles to fly in luxury on a coach class budget.

His On the Fly seminar series kicked off last month in Washington, D.C., and more classes will be held there on a semi-regular basis. He's also taking his show on the road over the next few months, stopping in Birmingham, Alabama, Wichita, Omaha, New York City, Phoenix, Boise and Boston. In just four hours -- the total time of both seminars -- he promises to change your flying experience, teaching attendees the tricks of the trade, among them, how to upgraded to first class on a regular basis.

Kralev doesn't have a monopoly on the finer points of taking the greatest advantage of frequent flyer programs: A wealth of information is available through websites like FlyerTalk as well, but business travelers could spend days trying to put it together. Indeed, FlyerTalk participants are also holding a conference in October in the Chicago area to teach their own upgrade tricks, but it's already sold out.

Around the World on the Diplomatic Beat

Kralev has distilled the travel knowledge he gained over the last decade as diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Times, when he racked up more than 2 million miles covering Secretaries of State Hilary Clinton, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice.

Unlike other diplomatic correspondents working for larger media organizations, Kralev didn't always get to fly on the secretary of state's plane. It wasn't in the budget. So Kralev says he was forced to fly commercial jets, and he learned to fend for himself.

While it would have been more convenient to fly on the secretary's plane, Kralev said he would never have learned the tricks of luxury flying for less. "I wouldn't have figured out how to spend much less on airfare, but still sleep in flat beds, eat gourmet meals and earn hundreds of thousands of miles," he says.

100,000 Miles: It's Not as Hard as You'd Think

The key to a life of lavish comfort in the air, Kralev says, requires an elite status on an airlines' frequent flyer program.
Kralev has 1K status on United (UAUA), one of the airline's top elite levels for frequent flyers.

There's a catch, of course: A traveler has to accumulate 100,000 miles in a calendar year to obtain the coveted status and the free first-class upgrades that come with it.

Kralev says it's worth it. He's so convinced, he has been creative in his routing on domestic trips to gain the mileage to keep his status.

"Gathering 100,000 miles is also not as hard as travelers think," he says. "The trick is to accumulate miles on one airline. I'm sure many travelers would find if they looked at their flight history in the past year that they would have qualified had they kept their miles in the same place."

Kralev says he hasn't flown coach since 2002 because he's been able to take advantage of 1K perks such as advanced confirmation of first class upgrades and coupons for upgrades on both domestic and international flights.

Allies in the Air War

Another part of Kralev's program deals with booking frequent flyer reward travel.

Kralev thinks too few travelers use frequent flyer points to its highest advantage. To do that, Kralev says the traveler has to think of airlines alliances.

For example, he says, the Star Alliance is comprised of 28 airlines, including United, Continental (CAL), US Airways (LCC), and Lufthansa (DLAKY).
A traveler with enough United miles for a first-class round-trip to Europe could also use that ticket on its alliance partner, Lufthansa, Kralev says.

Why Lufthansa?

Because the airline has a terminal just for its first-class passengers at the Frankfurt Airport featuring gourmet dining, private sleeping rooms, and a chauffeured ride in a Porsche or Mercedes to your plane. All first-class Lufthansa passengers departing or transferring between flights in Frankfurt are eligible to use the terminal, Kralev says.

Tips for the Not-So-Frequent Traveler

Of course, the less-than-frequent flyer may have difficulty accumulating the necessary miles to gain access to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal and other perks of elite travelers. But Kralev maintains that there are some things these travelers can learn to at least save money.

For example, he notes that the first elite level in most frequent flyer programs will get baggage fees waived: The can be achieved for just 25,000 miles on United.

Better yet, he says travelers should enroll in the frequent flyer program of Greece's Aegean Airlines, which offers free checked baggage at just 4,000 miles. It doesn't matter if a traveler has no plans to go to Greece: Since Aegean is a Star Alliance member, a traveler can fly United and still earn Aegean miles. Once the 4,000 Aegean miles are earned travelers get free checked baggage on any Star Alliance member including United, Kralev explains.
Kralev, who left his job at The Washington Times last month to devote himself fully to the seminars, says he's convinced there are many travelers who need to be educated.

If the seminars are successful, he won't have to return to writing as a full-time gig and there will be more enlightened travelers able to work the system. Increasing the number of enlightened travelers is a good thing, but then again, these seminars could make the competition for first-class upgrades a lot rougher.

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]]>1k statusColumnscontinentalContinental airlinesfirst class cabinfirst class servicefirst class travelfree first class upgradeFrequent FlierFrequent Flier Milesfrequent flyerfrequent flyer mileskralevlufthansalufthansa first class terminalNicholas Kralevon the flyon the fly seminarsstar allianceunited 1kUnited Airlinesus airwaysRandy DiamondMon, 26 Jul 2010 11:10:00 ESTTravel Maze: Hungry Nights in Luxury Hotelshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/03/travel-maze-hungry-nights-in-luxury-hotels/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/03/travel-maze-hungry-nights-in-luxury-hotels/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/03/travel-maze-hungry-nights-in-luxury-hotels/#commentsFiled under:

Hungry business travelers headed for Tampa, Fla., on AirTran Airways flight 131 might want to grab a bite before boarding the 11:20 p.m. flight in Atlanta. It might be their last meal until the next morning, especially if they pick the wrong hotel.

While most airlines now sell food, AirTran (AAI) remains an exception. A few pretzels are all you'll get on board. And while the flight is short, you can't assume that a late-night dinner or even a snack at your Tampa hotel will be an option.

The city may have hosted the Super Bowl, and it will be the site of the next Republican National Convention, but late-night food is still a new concept there. Most hotel restaurants in Tampa close at 10 p.m. and room service after midnight is hard to find.

Most hotels don't offer late-night food. The few restaurants that do -- chain establishments like Denny's (DENN) or The Village Inn -- don't have franchises near most lodgings. So if you don't have a rental car, you could easily be talking about a $40 round-trip cab fare to grab a hamburger at Denny's.

Sadly, It's Not Just Tampa

You can use Tampa as a proxy for most major U.S. cities. Outside of New York and Chicago, late-night dinning options are not a given, even if you're staying at the top hotel in town.

The ironic twist to this is that often, the more luxurious hotels offer fewer late night dinning choices than the more modest establishments.

Take the restaurants in Tampa's largest hotel, The Marriott Waterside. They're usually closed by 10 p.m. and room service stops at midnight. In addition, the hotel is located in Tampa's downtown district, which shut down after 5 p.m. "If you're lucky, maybe you can call out for pizza, if they're still open," explained a hotel operator about the late night dinning options.

At least the Marriott (MAR) has one vending machine for snacks, assuming it works.

The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay (H), considered Tampa's top resort hotel, offers room service until 2 a.m. But without even a soda machine in the entire hotel, you'll pay $7 for a soft drink. After 2 a.m., however, you would be out of luck. There are neither mini-bars in the rooms, nor snack machines in the corridors.

The hotel sits on an isolated causeway, nice for viewing the waters of Tampa Bay, but miles away from even a Denny's.

Less Luxury, More Menu

Several notches down, the mid-priced Hyatt Place brand (two locations in Tampa) offers hamburgers, pizza, turkey wraps and grab-and-go items like salads, 24 hours a day. The desk clerks do the kitchen duty, but the food isn't half bad.

The Courtyard by Marriott brand is a step below Hyatt Place in the late-night food department. Its pantry features sandwiches, frozen entrees and candy bars. But there are microwaves in the rooms, and it's quick and easy.

However, you're not entirely out of luck when it comes to food at luxury hotels, even in medium sized cities like Tampa. A little spade work in making your reservation can amount to the difference between going hungry and being satisfied.

For example, across the multilane causeway from the Hyatt, the Westin Tampa Bay (HOT) offers sandwiches and salads in its 24-hour gift shop. It may not be gourmet, but it's something. Hyatt guests without a car, may find it difficult to just hop the street to get a Westin sandwich. Sidewalks in most parts of Tampa are as rare as its late-night restaurants.

Follow the Money ... to the Kitchen

The best choice in Tampa for late night snack in your hotel is Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza. At the Renaissance, you could be feasting on steak at 3 a.m. with its 24-hour room service menu.

The InterContinental Tampa (IHG) also has a 24-hour room service menu, but steak from Shula's, the hotel's steak restaurant isn't served. Still, shrimp cocktails, turkey club sandwiches, Caesar salads and hamburgers are all available.

Hotels base their choice about offering late night food service on whether they can turn a profit, explained Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. "They track their demand, and decide whether they can afford to do it or not," he said.

McInerney said it's feasible for the smaller limited-service hotels to offer food service that their bigger brothers cannot because their staff is trained to wear many hats. "The front desk clerk can man the convenience store,'' he said.

Too bad more front desk clerks in luxurious hotels can't learn how to multitask. We might have more satisfied bellies. Until then, late-night business travelers should do their research and follow their noses.

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]]>American Hotel Lodging Associationbusiness travelColumnsDennysdiningdinnerfoodhotelHyattlate nightluxurymarriottMarriott Internationalrestaurantsroom servicestarwoodTampatravelRandy DiamondSat, 03 Jul 2010 08:00:00 ESTTravel Maze: In Vegas, the Taxi Game is Rigged Against Credit Card Usershttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/15/travel-maze-vegas-taxi-credit-cards/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/15/travel-maze-vegas-taxi-credit-cards/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/15/travel-maze-vegas-taxi-credit-cards/#commentsFiled under: ,

Credit cards will take a traveler a long way in our cashless society -- as long as that traveler isn't trying to take a cab in Las Vegas.

Like laundromats and vending machines, taxis are among the last holdouts in U.S. society's transition to plastic, a lesson I learned the hard way in one of the tourism capitals of the world.

Several months ago, I waited for more than half an hour in windy, evening weather at the Las Vegas airport for a taxi that took credit cards. Dozens of cash-only taxis were available, but I was low on folding money, and didn't want to pay an ATM surcharge. As a business traveler, I also wanted an official credit card receipt for my records, not one of those blank, fill-in-the-amount cards given by drivers.

Ultimately, the credit card taxi, as they call it in Las Vegas, did come. Ironically, when we got to the Trump International Hotel, the cab's credit card machine, didn't work -- or so the cabby told me. So, I had to go into the hotel to use an ATM, and pay the multidollar surcharge.

To add insult to injury, I later found out from Kelly Kuzik, management analyst at the Nevada Taxicab Authority, that my $25 taxi fare had been about $10 too high. Kuzik explained to me that a too-often used trick among Las Vegas cabbies is to take the long way from the airport to the Las Vegas strip, through a tunnel and on the interstate.

He also said my difficulty in finding a cab that would take credit cards wasn't surprising: Only about 10% of taxicabs in Las Vegas accept plastic.

In New York, Plastic Means Bigger Tips

More and more U.S cities are mandating that taxicabs take credit cards. In 2004, New York City became one of the first municipalities to require that taxis take credit cards, but the order by the Taxi & Limousine Commission still took four years to fully implement.

New York City cabbies were given a rate increase as part of the approval deal to help them pay for the equipment to process credit cards, which cost around $1,000 a cab. Taxis also pay a processing fee, around 5% of their fares. Nonetheless, New York cabbies were so upset over the credit card edict that they declared a two-day strike in 2007.

Gradually, however, their resistance to credit cards disappeared, a process helped by statistics that show those paying with plastic in New York City tip around 22%, compared to 10% for those paying cash. New York City's program has also become a model for other cities like Boston that have successfully made the transition from all-cash taxicabs.

The technology mandated by New York City allows passengers to swipe their credit cards in a card reader in the back of the cab. The drivers never touch the cards, removing questions about credit card security.

Things have not gone as smoothly in other cities mandating that taxis accept credit cards. In cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia, it has apparently become routine for cabbies to claim their credit machines are broken. A 2008 news reports detail a Philadelphia cab driver assaulting his passenger in a dispute over the taking of credit cards.

Getting Taken for a Ride With $3 Credit Card Surcharge

Will Las Vegas join the ranks of cities mandating that cabs accept credit cards anytime soon?

The Nevada Taxicab Authority's Kuzik predicts that Las Vegas taxis will be required to take credit cards by the end of the year. He said the authority has scheduled a workshop on the issue for late June.

But using a credit card in a Las Vegas cab may also mean a $3 surcharge. Last weekend, I was back in Las Vegas, and my $15 fare became $18 when I took a taxi from the airport to the Paris Hotel.

It turns out that those taxi cab companies in Las Vegas that do accept credit cards all have opted to go with a New York vendor, TaxiPass. The company installs its credit card machines in taxis for free and processes the credit card purchase. In exchange, TaxiPass charges a $3 convenience fee, which is added to the fare the customer pays.

In April, the Nevada Taxicab Authority approved by a 4-1 vote letting cab companies bypass TaxiPass, accept credit cards if they choose, and impose the same $3 fee that TaxiPass does.

But Kuzik says the April decision is only a temporary regulation until the authority decides whether the 14 taxicab companies in Las Vegas, run by nine ownership groups, should all be required to take credit cards.

The question of whether taxicab companies should eat the cost of accepting credit cards as a cost of doing business, should also be decided, says Kuzik.

In his personal opinion, he says he views the $3 surcharge as a little steep, considering that the average taxi fare in Las Vegas is $13.50.

Cab Companies Carry Political Clout

Last year, the nine taxicab ownership groups in Las Vegas took in $334 million in revenue. Kuzik says individual company financial records are confidential, but that all nine companies were profitable in 2009.

But at the April hearing, the taxicab companies argued that customers should bear the cost entirely of the credit card transactions, noting that most passengers are tourists anyhow. The Authority agreed in its vote enacting the interim regulation that allowed the $3 surcharge.

What gives?

It's hard to know exactly, but its interesting to note that the largest of the taxicab ownership groups, Frias Management, is controlled by former Nevada State Sen. Mark James.

Frias owns 1,000 of the almost 3,000 cabs in Las Vegas, and as it turns out, James is also a key supporter of Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, who just happens to appoint the members of the Nevada Taxicab Authority.

James and other officials of Frias Management did not return phone calls. Kuzik said Nevada Taxicab Authority members would not be at liberty to talk about the credit card issue since they will soon be making a decision on the matter.

It remains to be seen whether Las Vegas will be joining the 21st century. For now, the only sure bet in Las Vegas is to carry cash when hailing a cab.

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]]>bostoncabschicagoColumnscredit cardsjim gibbonsLas Vegasnew york cityphiladplasticsurchargetaxiRandy DiamondTue, 15 Jun 2010 10:55:00 ESTFat People Barred from Airplane Exit Rowshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/24/fat-people-airplane-exit-rows/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/24/fat-people-airplane-exit-rows/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/24/fat-people-airplane-exit-rows/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fat People Barred from Airplane Exit RowsCan overweight people sit in an airplane's exit row? Not if they're flying on Southwest, (LUV) Alaska Airlines (ALK) or AirTran (AAI) and also need a seat belt extender.

But on American (AA), United (UAUA), Delta (DAL) and Continental Airlines (CAL), you can have as many seat belt extenders as you want and still sit in the exit row.

I found out about the seat belt extender policy on a recent Southwest flight when the attendant told me that I was disqualified from sitting in the exit row if I couldn't close the standard seat belt.

As someone who is tall and overweight, I like sitting in the exit row because it offers the most room in coach. I'm sure plenty of skinny and short people feel the same way. After all, in terms of comfort, the exit row is as good as it gets flying in coach.

The Federal Aviation Administration set minimal standards for sitting in an exit row back in 1990: One has to be at least 15 years old, be able to follow the airline crew's directions, and be capable of opening the exit door, which equates to pushing around 50 pounds of weight. But the agency left it up to the airlines to develop their own exact exit row seating rules. In my case, I fell victim to Southwest's enhanced rules, which equate wearing a seat belt extender with not being able to open an emergency door.

Extenders Described as a Tripping Hazard
Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Brandy King e-mailed me this statement without going into any detail: "The reason behind the policy is safety,'' she said. "It supports our ability to assist passengers in exiting the aircraft in an expeditious manner in the event of an emergency."

But Alaska Airlines, which has the same rule, gave me more detailed explanation. Spokeswoman Bobbi Egan says that the seat belt extender creates a "potential safety hazard." "With an extender, a seat belt can stretch across the floor and could become a tripping hazard for people exiting through the emergency exits."

I guess that makes sense, but then shouldn't laptop cords be banned in the exit row as well?

I'm also wondering if seat belt extenders are such a potential exit row hazard, then how come American, United, Delta and US Airways (LCC) don't have the same policy?

Of course, any relatively frequent flyer has seen passengers sitting in an exit row who just might not meet the minimum FAA regulations to open an exit door. Then there is the issue of hidden disabilities: How do we know that the passengers sitting in the exit rows are mentally and physically capable of performing their duties in the case of an emergency?

Airline consultant Scott Nason, a former top operations official with American Airlines, said he doesn't understand the seat belt extender rule. "That seems a bit capricious. It is easy to imagine a wide variety of circumstances in which the flight attendant might be at least mildly suspicious of the passenger's capabilities, but we don't (generally) put them in the position of confronting most passengers who claim to be able.''

Fat People Aside, Exit Row Standards Are Too Lax

Of course, if airlines were really serious about having only qualified passengers sitting in the exit row, they would take the steps to make sure that those passengers could open the exit door. For example, exit row passengers could go through a strength screening after their security screening. Each potential exit row passenger could be asked to push a 50-pound boulder or open a mock emergency exit door. The test could even add some amusement to the airport experience. After clearing security, passengers could watch the exit row volunteers complete the strength test.

You might think I'm joking, but in a 2009 research paper, the Society of Aerospace Engineers concluded that airline exit row standards are too lax. The paper, written by aviation safety experts, and based in part on National Transportation Safety Board airline accident reports, found that exit row seating standards need to be tightened. Citing prior aviation accidents, it noted that a delay of only a few seconds in opening an exit door may have fatal effects.

"Airlines need to improve their standards for evaluating who sits in an exit row as well as ensuring that passengers understand the responsibilities," the report said. It noted that many passengers are like me: They request exit row seating because it offers more legroom, not because they want to bear the safety burden of their fellow travelers.
The Society of Aerospace Engineers also criticized exit row briefing presentations as "cursory" and "minimal in nature," saying they consisted only of asking passengers if they are aware of being seated in an exit row and are comfortable with their potential safety duties." The SAE recommends that the presentation for exit row passengers be more extensive to ensure that exit row passengers understand what is required of them in the event of an emergency.
While the SAE does not embrace my idea for a strength test in the airport, it does actually offer some sensible ideas that could be implemented. It says an airline's frequent flyer members who want an exit row seat could be prescreened on the airline web site by requiring them to complete a survey about visual and aural capacity, dexterity, strength, mobility, primary and secondary languages. Another suggestion: Passengers physically demonstrating the ability to meet the selection criteria to a designated air carrier representative, for example, by providing a doctor's statement that the passenger can lift 50 pounds.

For the last several weeks, I have been trying to get the Federal Aviation Administration's view on the matter. Finally, last week FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette emailed me this brief explanation. "The FAA believes that the current rules adequately protect the public," she said.

It's good to know we have someone looking out for our safety in the skies.

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]]>AirtranAirwaysAlaska AirlinesColumnsFat PeopleFederal Aviation AdministrationNational Transportation Safety BoardobesitySouthwest AirlinesRandy DiamondMon, 24 May 2010 10:15:00 ESTThe New Flight Delay: Planes Can't Take Off Without ... Granola Bars?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/03/flight-delay-planes-cant-take-off-without-granola/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/03/flight-delay-planes-cant-take-off-without-granola/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/03/flight-delay-planes-cant-take-off-without-granola/#commentsFiled under:

New federal regulations for airlines have resulted in a new type of flight delay: Call it the granola bar wait.

It may be hard to believe, but my flight was delayed the other night because of a lack of rolled oats.

Blame it on Department of Transportation rules designed to avoid a repeat of weather-related incidents that have left passengers stranded on planes on the tarmac without food and water.

The new regulations, which went into effect on April 29, fine airlines once passengers are stranded on an airport tarmac for three hours. They also require emergency food (defined as a granola bar) along with water to be served within two hours of a landing delay.

Of course, the whole mess could have been averted if American Airlines' (AMR) caterer at San Francisco International Airport, LSG Sky Chefs (DLAKY), hadn't messed up the order for Flight 618 from San Francisco to Chicago on Friday night.

The 150 or so passengers on the Boeing 737, including me, were a little upset when flight attendants announced that the reason we couldn't leave the gate for an on-time 5:30 p.m. departure was that the caterer had messed up the food order. Until the caterer came back with the right provisions, we couldn't take off.

This announcement followed one in which we were told that Boston Market turkey carver sandwiches would be available for $10 on the four-hour flight. My fellow passengers said they didn't care about the overpriced sandwiches, they just wanted to get to Chicago. I was in total agreement. I informed the flight attendant that we rather get to Chicago hungry than get there later than planned.

"We have plenty of Boston Carver sandwiches,'' she explained. "We were shorted on granola bars and ice for the water."

The caterer took a while to come back: The delay would stretch to more than an hour before the plane finally took off.

The American Airlines pilot apologized for the delay before we landed, an hour late, explaining that he was just trying to comply with the new federal regulations.

But American Airlines Flight 618 wasn't being delayed by bad weather in San Francisco. It was a clear night.

In Chicago, however, it was raining. A flight attendant told me that there had been the possibility that flight would be diverted from its scheduled landing site at O'Hare Airport and end up at some other airport. Where we could end up stuck on the tarmac, she explained -- without the granola bars and the ice to make sure the water was cold!

No, I am not making this up.

American Airlines spokeswoman Missy Latham, whom I reached on the phone on Saturday, said the pilot was just being cautious by delaying the flight until the granola bars and ice arrived. She said he wanted to be able to comply with the new federal regulations, just in case the plane was stuck on the tarmac when it landed.

LSG Sky Chefs spokeswoman Beth Van Duyne said she was unable to determine immediately why Friday's Flight 618 didn't get sufficient granola bars and ice in the first place. However, she maintained it wasn't standard operating practice for the company to mess up a provisions order.

She did say that the new granola bar orders for airlines were requiring new procedures to put in place.

"We will continue to work with our partners to provide a seamless and comfortable experience for all involved while we work through the complexities of the new legislation,'' Van Duyne said in a statement that she emailed me.

Airlines had opposed these new federal regulations. They maintained that the 2007 JetBlue (JBLU) incident and others in which weather delays had caused passengers to be stuck on planes without food or water for as long as 11 hours, were rare. They also warned that as a consequence of the new law, weather issues might cause them to cancel flights outright instead of delaying them.

But no one talked about the granola bar delays. Let's hope LSG Sky Chefs gets the complexities of delivering granola bars to airplanes straightened out soon.

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]]>american airlinesColumnsflightregulationtravelRandy DiamondMon, 03 May 2010 10:51:00 ESTVirgin America Ascends Higher Than Its 'Fly Girls' TV Showhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/16/virgin-america-ascends-higher-than-its-fly-girls-tv-show/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/16/virgin-america-ascends-higher-than-its-fly-girls-tv-show/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/16/virgin-america-ascends-higher-than-its-fly-girls-tv-show/#commentsFiled under:

One thing you won't see much of on the new reality TV show Fly Girls is the inside of an airplane. It may seem a bit ironic, since the show on the CW network details the lives of five stunning flight attendants from Virgin America airlines. But it's by design.

During an interview, Virgin America CEO David Cush told DailyFinance that the airline would have been more reluctant to have given approval to the show if it had focused on the daily operations of the carrier.

Cush, a former top American Airlines (AMR) executive, is no dummy. His San Francisco area-based airline took top honors as Best Domestic Airline among U.S. carriers in the Condé Nast Traveler's magazine 2009 Readers' Choice Awards.

Focus on Flight Attendant's Lives

However, Cush, like me, remembers the 2004 cable TV reality show, Airline, which followed employees of Southwest Airlines (LUV) as they dealt with weather delays, blackouts and passengers who missed their plane because they arrived too late or too drunk. Not exactly the type of publicity that Cush feels would be helpful to his fledgling airline.

There was no need to worry. Cush says producers wanted to focus on the flight attendants' lives, on the conflicts and struggles that make up reality TV. This may explain why Virgin America is only a bit player in its own show.

In fact, viewers of the first three episodes saw more of the flight attendants in their Los Angeles crash pad that they share together than on Virgin America flights.

Critics have slammed Fly Girls, saying it seems scripted, and poorly scripted at that. They attack its image of flight attendants as sex objects, a reminder of days past. Not unlike decades ago when startup airline Southwest put hot pants on its pretty new hires. The women were selected as flight attendants by a committee that included the same person who selected hostesses for Hugh Hefner's Playboy Jet.

Lucky for viewers, only eight Fly Girls episodes have been ordered up by the CW network.

Despite the TV show, the almost three-year-old airline has developed a loyal following of travelers. I can see why. With distinctive mood lighting, 3,000 MP3s on board every flight and satellite TV in seatbacks, Virgin America has quickly developed a reputation as the hippest airline flying. You could call it a traveling nightclub.

Seeking to Lure Business Travelers

But Cush says he wants to focus on expanding the airline by attracting more business travelers. He says the carrier, which was founded by Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson, gets one-third of its customers from the business-class segment. He says features like a power slot under every seat for laptop plug-in and wireless access on every plane have been helpful in attracting business travelers.

Cush is aiming to lure more business fliers by increasing flights, particularly to city pairs that lack nonstop service. The carrier announced last month that it intends to add nonstop service this summer between San Francisco and Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla., and between Toronto and Los Angeles.

While Orlando may be home to Walt Disney World, it also attracts large groups of business travelers because it houses one of the world's largest convention centers, says Cush.

Adding Cities

Cush says business travelers are more inclined to try an airline if it can cut its flights' duration. Cush said a third yet-to-be-named city will be added to Virgin America's route map later this year. He said the airline plans to take delivery of six more planes this year, and three more in the first three months of 2011. Virgin America currently has 28 Airbus A320s in its fleet.

Virgin America also announced over the last few months' expansion of "Elevate," its frequent-flyer program, including tie-ins with Hilton Hotels, Avis/Budget and Virgin Blue, Branson's Australian airline. Branson is actually a minority owner in Virgin America. Federal aviation officials made it clear back in 2006 that the airline wasn't going to get an operating certificate without a reorganization that gave American investors majority ownership.

Still, if you haven't heard about Virgin America, it's not surprising. Fly Girls isn't a runaway hit, and Virgin America currently flies only to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale and Orange County, Calif.

And Virgin America is already pulling service out of Orange County in late May, where it had problems developing a loyal following. As the airline attempts to make 2010 its first profitable year, it has been experiencing the same issues that have sent other startups into the graveyard.

Trying to Crack O'Hare

Cush said Virgin America has been having difficulty securing additional gates and slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, where it only has a handful of flights. At Chicago's O'Hare Airport it has struck out completely. "We need more flights at JFK to get critical mass,'' he says. "We've been told at JFK we can't expand and O'Hare we can't have flights.''

The problem is that his airline must negotiate the right to use airport gates and landing and departure slots. But airport authorities in New York and Chicago have given priority to existing tenants such as American and United (UAL), which aren't interested in having new competitors.

He said Virgin America has been trying to establish service at O'Hare since 2008 without luck. At present, negotiations are continuing. Cush says expanding the route network to O'Hare and more flights at Kennedy is important to the airline's success.

Wish him luck, because the more competition, the more choices for business travelers. If he succeeds, his airline will be around a lot longer than Fly Girls.


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]]>CW NetworkDavid CushFly GirlsUnitedAirlinesRandy DiamondFri, 16 Apr 2010 09:00:00 ESTTravel Maze: The Airline Extra-Fee Gamehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/29/travel-maze-airlines-extra-fee-game/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/29/travel-maze-airlines-extra-fee-game/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/29/travel-maze-airlines-extra-fee-game/#commentsFiled under: ,

Travel MazeIt was the last free turkey sandwich. Granted, it wasn't much, just a small bun with a slice of turkey. The whole sandwich could fit easily in your palm.

It shouldn't have been too surprising to travelers when Continental Airlines (CAL) announced in March that it was eliminating its free turkey sandwich and other complimentary food in coach -- except on longer coast-to-coast flights. After all, most major carriers stopped offering courtesy food following the passenger slump that started after the Sept.11 terrorist attacks.

Airlines began selling in-flight food and discovered they had a whole new way to make money. Over the last couple of years, airlines have expanded their for-charge food services.

They guarantee you a seat with your ticket, but anything else is a la carte. The official name for this practice is "unbundling." Carriers now charge coach passengers for everything -- from checking your luggage to using the elite security line reserved for first-class passengers. Some airlines even charge for a pillow and blanket.

Wrangling Extra Cash

So, the only surprise from Continental was that it was a little late to the game. Continental's announcement earlier this month that it was going to charge an extra fee for exit-row seating was a dead giveaway that free food would be the next to go. When reporters at the time asked if the courtesy food would continue, an airline spokeswoman danced around the question.

Even the airline that has promised "bags fly free" has gotten into the act. Southwest Airlines (LUV) may not charge for checked bags, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't figured out a way to wrangle some extra cash by charging you to board earlier than your fellow passengers.

As airlines push for profitability, their strategy is to keep adding to the fare. The problem for the business traveler is that they're left holding the bag.

No More Free Exit-Row Seats

If your work for a company that will pay for your ticket, it probably won't pay the extra $59 Continental charges to sell you a few extra inches of legroom in the exit row on a flight from Newark to Houston. Continental used to give away those seats, and not just to elite flyers who were in the top tier of their frequent flyer program. On countless occasions, I was able to reserve exit-row seats on Continental just by checking in online at the beginning of the check-in cycle, 24 hours before the flight.

Continental spokeswoman Julie King told me that exit-row seats were still available online for free, if they're not already snatched up by paying customers. But don't get your hopes up. "Demand for the extra legroom seats has surpassed our early expectations,'' she says.

The number of add-on options can certainly get confusing for business travelers. Southwest's new Early Bird priority boarding program, which guarantees that passengers will be given better boarding positions, is different from its Business Select program.

"A 'Nice to Have' Upgrade"

Business Select customers are the first to board a plane, and they may pay hundreds above Southwest's best discounted fares for that privilege. Since Early Bird customers pay only $10 more each way, they're seated only after Business Select and top Southwest frequent flyers have boarded. Southwest spokeswoman Olga Romero says the two programs are successes for the airline's bottom line. Business Select revenue was $72 million in 2009. "Early Bird began in September and contributed $15 million in 2009 in only three months," she says.

Romero says Southwest has no plans to add luggage fees and continues to differentiate itself from other airlines engaged in add-ons. As far as Business Select and the Early Bird check-in she says: "There's always room for a 'nice to have' upgrade in your travel experience."

United Airlines (UAUA) seems to have the most confusing add-on options because it has so many of them. You could buy Premier Line access for $19 and be fast-tracked through the security line normally reserved for United first-class or elite-access passengers. Or Economy Plus will give you five extra inches of legroom starting at $9. Or you can sign up for a whole year of Economy Plus access for $425. Or if you want Economy with Premier Fast-Track, which enables you to earn frequent-flyer miles, it will cost you $795 a year.

But maybe you just want Economy Plus and Premier Line, and early boarding with seating group one, access to Red Carpet Clubs at airports in the U.S. and bonus miles equal to 100% of your flight miles earned? Well, United will sell you a combined bundle of these options starting at $47 for shorter flights.

Unnecessary Enhancements?

The options are so numerous that you could spend hours trying to figure them out. The problem with these programs, and those of other airlines, is that you may not even need the enhancements.

There's no point in paying to go through the first-class, elite-flyer security line if there's no crowd in the coach line. And a United traveler might feel pretty bad about shelling out $425 for a year's worth of extra legroom seat upgrades if those seats aren't available. In this new world of add-ons, there are no refunds, only a guaranteed revenue stream for the airline.

Continental says nixing the meals will save $35 million a year. What it hasn't said is how much new revenue it will obtain from selling meals. Continental spokesman Jim Compton said in early March that the paid food will actually be an improvement over the free food. "Our traditional free-food model has served us well for many years, but we need to change to reflect today's market and customer preferences," he said.

I can't wait to pay $8 for my formerly free turkey sandwich, which I expect will have its own fancy add-ons, like avocado and brie.

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]]>airline feesColumnsContinental airlinesSouthwest AirlinesUnited AirlinesRandy DiamondMon, 29 Mar 2010 11:00:00 ESTTravel Maze: Playing Airline Russian Roulettehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/05/playing-airline-russian-roulette/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/05/playing-airline-russian-roulette/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/03/05/playing-airline-russian-roulette/#comments Taking an airline flight will usually get you from point A to point B-- except when your flight is cancelled.

For example, for if you are a business travelor attempting to get from New York to Boston on Delta Airlines Flight 1392, you may want to consider this:

According to the Federal Bureau of Transportation, in 2009 the daily 5:30 p.m. flight from New York's LaGuardia airport to Boston's Logan Airport was cancelled 16.6% of the time.

Cancelled flights unfortunately are part of the hassle of flying, and any frequent traveler is bound to encounter the situation. Much to the chagrin of the traveler, a cancelled flight can mar travel plans.

Wondering if you can be proactive about it? Travelers can study the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to attempt to put the odds in their favor. You can even study individual cancellation records by airline at specific airports and drill down to a specific flight you might be taking. The numbers do not vary significantly overall among airlines, but in 2009 you had the best chance of avoiding a cancelled flight if you flew with Continental.

The airline cancelled 0.53 percent of its flights in 2009, according to the Federal Statistics, lower than any other carrier. That was followed by Southwest with 0.76 percent, Delta with 1.12 percent, US Airways with 1.24 percent, Jet Blue with 1.35 percent, America with 1.68 percent and United with 1.69 percent. From these statistics, you can see a more clear picture of your odds of taking off, but the overall statistics don't reveal the troubles of the individual flights.

Airlines have their own personalities, says consultant Scott Nason, a former American Airlines vice-president who ran the airlines operation center. Nason says some carriers are more intent than others in making sure their flights get off the ground.

According to Nason, JetBlue had made that goal a top priority in the first few years of operation. "They had taken the philosophy to the extreme that they weren't going to cancel a flight," he said.

Nason said things abruptly changed after severe winter weather on Valentine's Day, 2007 causing a service meltdown at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

You may remember that this particular meltdown resulted in JetBlue passengers being left stuck on planes for as long as 10 hours. Nason said that as a result JetBlue became a little less aggressive in its intent to get every plane in the sky.

The federal statistics tell the story. JetBlue's cancellation record of 1.35 percent in 2009 was almost three times its record in 2006 when 0.46 percent of flights didn't take off.

But cancellations can vary greatly depending on the airport, and there are always those problem flights, like 1392 from New York's LaGuardia to Boston.

LaGuardia, the closest airport to Manhattan, has problems with cancellations in general because of limited runways and airport traffic control backups in the crowded New York area skies, says Nason.

Delta cancelled 4.91 percent of its flights from LaGuardia in 2009 compared to the 3.98 average of all airlines operating out of the airport, according to Federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Those statistics show that JetBlue cancelled flights only 2.33 percent, but it only operates a limited number of flights from LaGuardia.

At New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, however, JetBlue had more cancellations percentage wise than Delta in 2009, 1.70 percent for JetBlue compared to 1.26 percent for Delta.

Contrary to popular belief, airlines do not intentionally cancel flights when they have too few passengers on a particular flight, says Nason.

"It's somewhat of a misnomer," he said. "Generally the advantage of canceling a flight is far too little."

What's more, he says that logistical issues that arise with crews being displaced and not arriving in another city for their next flight can create havoc for an airline.

Still, Nason believes that cancellations are a fact of life, particularly when weather causes problems with the air traffic control system. Sometimes, Nason says, airlines start canceling flights to get ahead of themselves and prevent delays from invading their entire fight schedule. This is particularly the case, he says, in airline hub cities where passengers connect to other planes.

Some airlines even choose to cancel flights ahead of potentially bad weather, and do not even wait to see if the weather event occurs.

Delta's director of flight operations control told the TheStreet.com in early February that it was canceling flights in advance of a potential winter snowstorm, as part of a new strategy to give travelers more choice.

"One thing we have learned regarding storms and their impact is that it makes a huge difference to passengers if we can keep them out of the travel stream, out of the long airport lines we had in the '80s and '90's," said Dave Holtz, a 31-year Delta veteran who oversees flights as director of operations control.

Nason said American Airlines had adopted the approach just implemented by Delta 20 years ago.

But passengers who suspect their flight is being cancelled because there are a few passengers on them aren't entirely far from the truth.

Nason said when airlines do cancel flights they try and pick flights that have as few passengers as possible to lessen the impact of the cancellation. He said they also attempt to reroute passengers to another flight departing close to the cancelled flight, so passengers aren't stuck in the airport for hours.

But rerouting passengers is getting harder, says Nason, because as airlines have cut capacity within the last few years, the number of available seats has been reduced.

He said airlines are now flying on average at 85 percent capacity compared to the 70 percent just a few years ago.

Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to avoid being a casualty of a canceled flight.

If a traveler were to look at flight 1392's dismal track record between New York and Boston, he or she might figure they would be better off taking another airline.

For example, JetBlue's flight 1804 departs from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport to Boston's Logan Airport at 5:20 p.m. That flight was cancelled 4.09 % of the time compared to Delta flight 1392's 16.6 percent record.

But here's the rub: Delta has hourly shuttle flights to Boston. So chances are if flight 1392 doesn't take off, the traveler will get another flight within a couple of hours, assuming of course that there are seats.

However, if JetBlue's 5:20 p.m. flight is cancelled, which happened on 14 days in 2009, the next JetBlue flight to Boston is at 10:40 p.m. And if there are no seats on that flight, the traveler might not get to Boston until the next day.

So you can play the statistics game when it comes to airline cancellations, but the odds won't always be in your favor.

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]]>Bureau of Transportation StatisticsDelta Airlinesjet blue airlinesJohn F. Kennedy International airportLa Guardia AirportRandy DiamondFri, 05 Mar 2010 00:48:00 EST