U P F R O N T

Viewers Like You...
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On the new PBS series, "Commanding Heights," airing on Wednesday last week, there was a brief segment on the U.S. aviation industry, focusing on the cutover from a regulated to a deregulated system. For anyone interested in commercial aviation, its past, present or future, that segment (having only seen the first episode, I can't comment on the rest of the multi-part series), gets a "recommended viewing" rating.

Two memorable (and entertaining) images...

First, there was rare footage of Alfred Kahn -- economist and "architect of Deregulation" -- looking positively goofy, performing on stage in a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta. (Think Alan Greenspan in a bunny costume.) And then, on a more solemn note, there was the official decommissioning of the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board, the federal agency responsible for oversight of the airline industry until the end of airline regulation): a marine in dress uniform played taps as the official CAB crest was ceremoniously taken off the wall.

Also memorable: old Laker Airways TV ads, featuring Sir Freddie himself, sales-pitching from the stairway of a Laker DC-10. According to the program, in an appearance before Congress, Laker dismissed as nationalistic "Panamania" (as in Pan Am) any attempt to restrict Laker's low-cost trans-Atlantic services. In the end, of course, neither Laker nor Pan Am survived Deregulation.

Consult your TV guide for local listings.

> More...

Travel Agents: Dead Men (and Women) Walkin'
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We continue to receive feedback in response to the report on the airlines' elimination of travel-agency commissions, and the resulting uncertain future faced by travel agents. We've included 2 more of those notes below (see "Reader Rants & Raves"), and will reprint more as space permits.

Meanwhile, the commission story continues to unfold. Predictably, the rental car companies have followed the airlines in cutting back on travel-agent commissions, albeit more selectively. Hertz, Avis, Budget, Alamo and National have eliminated base commissions paid on negotiated rates offered to corporations and the government. The good news: for now, leisure-travel rentals and non-negotiated corporate rentals (typically smaller companies) are unaffected.

And less predictably, Midwest Express is bucking the industry trend by continuing to pay 5% base commission, or a maximum commission of $20 for a roundtrip and $10 for a one-way ticket. Other small carriers which have elected to continue paying agent commissions are Air Tran, Frontier and National.

O N S I T E

New on the FrequentFlier Forum
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Ronald has posted several Northwest mileage offers. Reindeerflame is choking on the $60 fee AND 2% foreign currency fee charged by the United credit card, and is considering the Amtrak-affiliated card as an alternative. And from Carla: "Is anyone getting those automatic upgrades Continental touts? I'm platinum elite and have gotten upgraded on the auto deal only 2 legs out of 21 trips..." Plus much more...

Do you have mileage-related questions, answers, anecdotes? Post them (and read others') on the FrequentFlier Forum.

M I L E S & P O I N T S

Earn Double Miles-for-Dining from United
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Between Apr. 1 and May 31, 2002, Mileage Plus members who participate in Mileage Plus Dining will earn double miles (20 miles for every $1 charged to a registered credit card) when dining at more than 1,000 participating restaurants.

Mileage Plus Visa cardholders are automatically enrolled in Mileage Plus Dining and earn an additional one mile per $1 when charging meals with a Mileage Plus Visa card, for a total of 21 miles per $1 spent.

Register using promotion Code MPG 212.

Delta Adds VIP Lines
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Delta has added VIP security lines -- available for use by Platinum Medallion, Gold Medallion, and Crown Room Club members (most cities), and by first or business class passengers -- in 9 new locations.

The new security lines are in Chicago (O'Hare); Denver; Detroit; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Houston (Intercontinental); Jacksonville, Fla.; Minneapolis; Phoenix; and San Francisco. Including the new locations, Delta now offers frequent traveler security lines in a total of 17 cities.

As long as security clearance remains an insufferable bottleneck, there will be an extra-compelling incentive for airlines to provide expedited processing to their best customers, and an extra reason as well for travelers to earn elite status and purchase lounge memberships. That shouldn't distract attention from the real challenge, which is to reengineer the process altogether, so ALL passengers receive quick, efficient airport screening.

United Sells Miles for Less
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Between Apr. 1 and June 30, 2002, receive an extra 1,000 Mileage Plus miles when you purchase 10,000 or more Personal Miles or GiveMiles. (Through United's Purchase Miles program, you may purchase up to 15,000 miles per account, per calendar year.)

Offer is valid only for U.S. residents and not valid for Reward Miles or overseas Purchase Miles programs.

To qualify for this offer, you must register first at united.com. Then, visit united.com/purchasemiles to buy your miles.

American Offers Bonus for New York-Oakland Flights
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Through May 31, 2002, AAdvantage members can earn up to 7,500 bonus miles for American nonstop flights between New York and Oakland, California.

Earn 5,000 bonus miles for roundtrip travel in discounted economy class or 7,500 bonus miles for first, business or full-fare economy class. Registration prior to travel is required.

U.S./Canada members only. Register at http://www.aa.com/offers.

Hyatt Stays Earn Triple OnePass Miles
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Earn triple Continental OnePass miles and a free room upgrade, subject to availability, for stays at any of 22 Hyatt Hotels in the U.S. between May 1 and Aug. 15, 2002.

Registration is required.

> More...

Double Miles for Vancouver-Orange County Flights
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Alaska Airlines is offering double Mileage Plan miles for flights on its new Vancouver, B.C. - Orange County, CA flights between Apr. 28 and June 15, 2002.

> More...

NWA Offers Bonus Miles for Taiwan, Korea Flights
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WorldPerks members who fly Northwest to Taiwan or Korea between Apr. 18 and June 30, 2002, can earn up to 10,000 bonus miles.

Receive 5,000 bonus miles for one-way travel in J/C/Z class, 2,500 bonus miles for one-way travel in Y/B/M class, and 1,500 bonus miles for one-way travel in H/Q/V class.

Register at http://www.nwa.com/features/nrt10k.html.

S T E A L S & D E A L S

Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
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This week's hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...

Spring and Summer Sale Fares to Europe from $374 R/T
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Spring travel to Europe is on sale from American, with savings from selected U.S. cities to Birmingham and Manchester, England; Glasgow, Scotland; Brussels, Belgium; and Zurich, Switzerland.

> More...

Spring Savings to/from the Western U.S., Canada, and Mexico
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Alaska Airlines has announced sale fares between cities in the Western U.S. and destinations in the continental U.S., Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. Travel is valid through June 13.

> More...

S W E E P S T A K E S & F R E E B I E S

Win a Million United Miles (or $25 Thousand)
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Register online to enter United's 1,000,000-mile sweepstakes. Grand prize: either 1,000,000 Mileage Plus miles or $25,000.

Limit: 1 entry per person or e-mail address per day, through June 30, 2002. You can also receive bonus entries by referring up to 4 friends.

> More...

[Other travel-related sweepstakes and giveaways are online here.]

R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S

Thumbs Up/Down on Travel Agents (cont)
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Too bad for all your negative comments on travel agents. I am and have been one for 15 years and take tremendous pride in what I do. I and many of my agent friends are well educated in our field and our clients value and appreciate all we do for them.

In response to Doug and Jean, there are many areas that the internet cannot compare to the expertise an agent offers. It is unfortunate he had to wait for a call back, I imagine he doesn't wait for his food to be served in a restaurant, or in line to pay for an item or for that matter he probably doesn't have to wait for anything worthwhile. A sign of a good agent is that they are busy. Anyone worth their salt in this business realized years ago that the major airlines only goal is to monopolize and regulate the fares to their advantage, the competitive fare market for the consumer means nothing to them and the fastest way for them to regulate the fares is to cut out anyone who protects the consumer from their greed. The internet does not offer ALL the options, only the ones the airlines want you to see on the websites they support. A travel agent gets ALL the unbiased fares from EVERY airline via a distribution system that is NOT promoted by them and that they can! not regulate. This is why they want us out.

Contrary to what Jean thinks I have found many two hour specials and ALWAYS offer them to my clients which they greatly appreciate. My clients are too busy with THEIR careers to waste valuable work time doing MY JOB instead of theirs. My clients feel the fee they pay for my services is well worth it, just as the fee I pay my accountant to do his job is well worth it.

Instead of bashing a group of individuals who provide valuable services to consumers Doug and Jean should realize that they falling into the trap the airlines are setting for them. Just reading your weekly newsletters should have enlightened them to the fact that the airlines are NO ones friend, except maybe the CEO's and CFO's with the multi million dollar stock options. (Remember the Eastern Airlines fiasco) There will always be a need for good travel agents for the consumer who doesn't wish to spend their valuable spare time doing something a travel agent can do better, faster, more efficiently and cheaper than they can do on their own.

- A travel agent who loves what she does

There is a point to which the airlines need them [travel agents] and a point that they don't. I always hear from people how their travel agent messed up their flight in some way or they didn't tell them about fees or that they'll be on a smaller plane, etc. I have also heard how travel agents have helped them getting flights, hotel, etc.

At this point I believe the airlines want their money because of Sept 11th. It hit them hard. Understandably the cutting of the commission has made it hard for the travel agents but they knew this would come some day. A lot of travel agents don't know what they are doing. They need to be retrained in their job so they aren't always calling the airline for reissue questions or seats or why they can't get a fare, etc. Also to address a comment in from the last newsletter that the online websites will have problems, I am sure they will but all airlines have a online help desk.

- Karen

Until next week...