U P F R O N T
This Week's Travel Newsbites
============================
In the Pipeline: Modest Aid for Airlines
Last weekend, Congress passed a $79 billion package to fund the Iraq war and support the airline industry.
The $3.5 billion allocated to air travel includes $2.4 billion in reimbursements to airlines for security costs, a suspension of passenger security fees worth $520 million, and an extra year of war-risk insurance, worth about $600 million. Also approved: an extra $275 million in employment insurance for laid-off airline workers.
Reflecting public outrage at sometimes sky-high airline CEO compensation, the bill caps salaries of the highest-paid CEOs of most participating airlines at 2002 levels.
Estimates are that Delta will receive the largest piece of the pie, followed by American, Southwest, United, Northwest, Continental and America West.
Song Takes Off
Delta's low-priced airline, Song, began scheduled service on Tuesday between New York and West Palm Beach.
I'm not sure the low-cost airline-within-an-airline model makes sense for the full-service carriers (and it certainly doesn't for United, which can't manage its existing business, never mind a new one). Nor has Delta ever proven its mettle as an innovator.
But against all odds, Song looks like it has the makings of a winner. New aircraft, extra legroom (33 inches), robust seat-back entertainment offerings... if the prices can be kept truly low, as advertised, Song shapes up as a compelling value proposition.
Interesting that while Song is fully integrated into SkyMiles, Delta's news release mentions SkyMiles only in passing, as the final item on a long list of customer benefits.
In fact, many travelers may find themselves preferring to fly Song over Delta's mainline service. In which case, Delta will have succeeded all too well.
M I L E S & P O I N T S
Aeroplan Will Charge for Award Bookings
========================================
Beginning on July 1, Aeroplan will begin charging its members a CDN $25 "service fee" for reward tickets booked by phone through the Aeroplan call center. The fee for award tickets booked online will be "waived" until Jan. 1, 2004.
According to Aeroplan: "This fee will enable Aeroplan to increase redemption opportunities, introduce an even more efficient redemption process, make it easier to book reward travel, and much more."
Aeroplan members may have thought -- apparently mistakenly -- that their repeated purchase of Air Canada revenue tickets was sufficient to underwrite Aeroplan's operations, as is the case at other major airlines' programs.
This is a bad precedent, which should be fought long and hard by Aeroplan members.
> More...
AirTran's New A-Plus Rates a B-Minus
==================================
AirTran, David to Delta's Goliath, has relaunched A-Plus Rewards, replacing its underdeveloped paper-based predecessor with a fully featured program, including auto-tracking, online account access, elite-level benefits, and a credit-generating affinity credit card.
Members earn 1 credit for each 1-way coach flight, 1.5 credits for business-class flights.
On the award side, a 1-way upgrade to business class = 4 credits, a 1-way coach ticket = 8 credits, a roundtrip coach ticket = 16 credits, a 1-way business-class ticket = 16 credits, and a free roundtrip coach ticket on other airlines = 32 credits.
(Keying credits and awards to 1-way flights rather than roundtrips allows for a nice extra bit of flexibility.)
Reduced to its essence, members receive 1 free AirTran flight after every 8 paid flights.
Because AirTran's program counts credits instead of miles, it's hard to compare A-Plus head-to-head with SkyMiles, or other mileage-based programs. But more often than not, it will require more than 8 roundtrips to earn the 25,000 miles required for a free ticket in SkyMiles and similar programs. So A-Plus has a slight edge over the mainline programs.
A-Plus doesn't fare as well when compared to Southwest Rapid Rewards. The 8:1 revenue:award ratio is exactly the same as Southwest's normal award proposition. And through Dec. 31, 2003, Southwest is offering double credits, which leaves AirTran looking positively miserly.
AirTran's claim -- that A-plus offers "The Fastest Free Ticket on Earth" -- is simply not true.
False advertising aside, the worst thing about A-Plus is the worst thing about Southwest and JetBlue's programs: credits expire after just 12 months. For anyone who doesn't expect to fly 8 or more times within a 12-month period, that makes A-Plus all but irrelevant.
> More...
Best Western to Quit Dividend Miles
==================================
Effective June 1, Best Western will no longer participate in the Dividend Miles program.
Mileage credit may be earned for Best Western stays that commence on or before May 31. Requests for missing mileage credit must be submitted to Best Western by Nov. 30.
Flower Club Purchases Earn OnePass Bonus
========================================
OnePass members will earn 600 miles for each $34.99 Flower Club minimum order, plus an additional 100 miles for every $10 purchased over the minimum.
Offer is only valid for purchases made through continental.com and is not valid toward purchases on the regular Flower Club site unless customer clicks through from continental.com (link below).
> More...
Delta Doubles Shuttle Miles
============================
Between Apr. 10 and June 30, Delta is offering SkyMiles members double miles for Shuttle flights between New York La Guardia and Boston Logan airports and between La Guardia and Washington Reagan airports, and for Delta Connection flights between Boston Logan and Reagan National airports.
SkyMiles members must register prior to travel at http://delta.com/skymilesoffers, or by calling 1-800-558-3358 and entering code 4027.
Earn HHonors Points for Mortgages
==================================
Hilton HHonors members can now earn 3,250 bonus points for each $10,000 financed or refinanced through Awards for Mortgage & Real Estate (Washington Mutual, Wachovia, CitiMortgage, and Chase).
Miles are also offered for home equity loans, home sales and moving services. And there's an additional bonus of up to 10,000 miles for Gold and Diamond members.
> More...
Earn Bonus US Air Miles at FTD.COM
==================================
Dividend Miles members can earn 10 Dividend Miles per $1 spent plus a 200-mile bonus at FTD.COM.
To earn miles, order online or dial 1-800-SEND-FTD and mention promo code 7968.
> More...
S T E A L S & D E A L S
Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
=================================
This week's hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...
Sale fares to Florida and Mexico from $198
-------------------------------------------------
When you're flying on a large airline, you can often find the lowest prices if you depart from a high-traffic hub city. For example, Continental is offering fares from $198 to $218 roundtrip from its hubs in Cleveland, Houston, and New York to destinations in Florida and Mexico. No specific travel dates or booking deadline have been announced, but you must purchase tickets online only, and at least 14 days in advance.
> More...
Fares to Cancun or the Bahamas from $195
--------------------------------------------------
Spring and summer are the low seasons in warm places like the Caribbean and Mexico, and you can often find low fares if you're willing to wait out the winter. Right now, Delta is offering sale fares for travel to Cancun, Mexico, and Nassau, Bahamas, for as low as $195 roundtrip. Departure is valid from Apr. 28 through Aug. 28, and all travel must be completed by Aug. 31. Book tickets online only and by Wednesday, Apr. 23.
> More...
S I T E 2 S E E
JohnnyJet.com's SARS Page
============================
The faltering economy... Sept. 11th... the war in Iraq...
Now, add SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) to the list of the airlines' woes. And to the list of travelers' concerns.
If you're following the SARS story -- and you should be, if you plan to travel anywhere in Asia -- John DiScala at JohnnyJet.com has rounded up updates from international health organizations, state department warnings and related news articles and posted the links onto a single webpage.
Handy!
> More...
F R E Q U E N T F L I E R F U N N I E S
True (Funny) Travel Stories
=============================
Caller to an airline reservations agent: "My husband's coming into LAX from Seattle. Will that arrive at the international gate?"
[FrequentFlier Funnies are true stories told by pilots, reservations agents and other travel industry professionals, reprinted with permission from William Joric's "Air Sick Humor."]
Until next week...
|
