>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Next year... Better?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Happy New Year, all.

Looking back at 1999 (as we in the media seem so predictably bound to do), it's tempting to think that next year will have to be better, at least travel-wise, because it couldn't get much worse. Whatever happens next year, 1999 was a year of record-breaking complaints and unprecedented critical attention lavished on the airlines.

Northwest was the poster boy for this year's widespread dissatisfaction with the travel experience.

They began the year, famously, by holding a planeful of passengers within spitting distance of the gate at Detroit airport... and holding them, and holding them, and holding them. For 4 hours. Overflowing toilets, insufficient provisions, unsympathetic cabin attendants. Everyone's travel nightmare, personified.

The year was punctuated by another Northwest incident, in which a picky pilot delayed a Las Vegas flight 90 minutes because that day's inflight meal was not to his liking.

And as if their reputation weren't tarnished enough, they brought the year to a close last weekend by, again, holding customers captive for almost 4 hours on a bound-for-nowhere flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul. The flight was ultimately canceled, and Northwest managed to further exacerbate the situation by under-compensating its hapless customers, adding insult to injury.

And speaking of Customers First... We were treated to the spectacle of the airlines prevaricating, dissembling, lobbying and ultimately successfully dodging the bullet of a federally mandated Passenger Bill of Rights.

There was good news for frequent flyers this year, on 2 fronts...

First, American began a wholesale rush to extend mileage expiration in August. United followed, as did Delta and Midwest Express. And as of this week, with the announcement by US Airways that they will finally modify their policy (see story below), almost all major U.S. airlines allow miles to be kept indefinitely, provided members have qualifying account activity every 36 months. The exception: Southwest, which continues with its outlier policy of expiring credits 1 year after they're earned. We applaud Southwest's simplicity, but hope the bright light of the new millenium will rouse them from their uncompetitive slumber, miles-wise.

Also in the "good news" category, there was a resurgence of activity among the hotels, particularly in the area of frequent guest programs.

Marriott finally simplified its confusing 2-program strategy, consolidating its competing programs into a modified version of Membership Rewards.

Starwood launched its Preferred Guest program for customers of all the Starwood properties, replacing the programs of both Westin and Sheraton. It was the first major new program in years, and its policy of giving members access to all available rooms when redeeming their points for awards is a significant step forward.

And Hilton, with its acquisition of Promus, should substantially expand earning and awards options for HHonors members when the Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Doubletree, Homewood Suites and Red Lion hotels are folded into the program.

So, 1999... good news, bad news. But more the former than the latter.

Next year, let's hope for more of the latter than the former.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FrequentFlier.com Changes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We have targeted New Year's weekend for the roll-out of the "new" FrequentFlier.com website.

This will be the fourth major redesign since the site went live in 1997. And because the site keeps growing, each subsequent revamp is an exponentially greater project. (Which explains the red eyes and carpal-tunnel syndrome.)

Our goals are threefold:

1. Improve navigation
2. Make pages load faster
3. Refresh content

Check the site early next week and let us know what you think.

>> More <<
FrequentFlier.com

<< M I L E S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
US Airways Liberalizes Mileage Policy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Miles earned in the US Airways Dividend Miles program will not expire so long as the member has any type of qualifying account activity during a 36-month period, US Airways announced this week.

Qualifying account activity applies to miles earned for US Airways flights, Dividend Miles Visa card usage, or through any of US Airways' Dividend Miles partner programs, including airline, hotel, car rental, telecommunications, or any miles redeemed through the Dividend Miles program. The new policy will be effective from January 1, 2000.

Also beginning with the new year, US Airways will extend the Preferred member benefit period by two months, offering a minimum of 14 months of Preferred benefits.

Under the Dividend Miles program, travelers qualify for Preferred status based on their activity during a calendar year. Preferred benefits begin at the time the traveler qualifies during any given year, and continue through the next year and to the end of February of the following year. For example, now any member who qualifies for Preferred status before the end of this year will receive his or her benefits from the time of qualification throughout 2000 and through February 2001, for an additional two months.

Qualification continues to be based on the miles earned or segments flown each calendar year on US Airways, the US Airways Express carriers, US Airways Shuttle, and MetroJet by US Airways.

US Airways will rename its 2 lower-level elite tiers--preferred will be called Silver Preferred, and Preferred Plus will be rebranded as Gold Preferred. US Airways' highest level will continue to be called Chairman's Preferred.

>> More <<
US Airways

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Miles for Vitamins
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vitamins.com, the world's number one online vitamin retailer, now awards two airline miles for each dollar spent on purchases by members of United Airlines Mileage Plus Shopping and Delta SkyMiles Shopping.

Vitamins.com joins a growing list of merchants in the shopping network including: e-commerce merchants CertificateXpress.com and ClubComputer.com; and brick-and-mortar merchants Eddie Bauer, Spiegel, The Sharper Image, Jos. A Bank, Cushman Fruit Company, Computability and Benihana Restaurants. Consumers earn miles by registering up to three credit cards of their choice and using them to shop at participating merchants.

Vitamins.com, a Web-based marketer founded in 1997, offers vitamins, herbs, supplements and natural cosmetics traditionally found in health food stores at 20 percent to 50 percent below store prices. The company operates the Vitamins.com Web site, has 10 clicks and mortar demonstration stores and a direct retail catalog operation. Miles are awarded for purchases made online and through phone orders.

>> More <<
Earning airline miles year-round for each dollar spent within the Momentum merchant network is available to members of United Airlines Mileage Plus and Delta SkyMiles. To enroll in United Airlines Mileage Plus Shopping call 888/581-9575 or visit www.ual.com; for Delta's SkyMiles Shopping call 800/405-4223 or visit www.SkyMilesShopping.com.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
China Southern Adds Credit Card Miles
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
China Southern Airlines, the largest airline in The People's Republic of China, announced that the Bank of China will invite its 600,000 credit card members to join China Southern Airlines' Sky Pearl Club.

Bank of China card members who join China Southern Airlines' Sky Pearl Club, the fastest-growing frequent flier airline program in China, may exchange their credit card points into kilometers. Every eight credit card points will equal 1 kilometer of Sky Pearl Club mileage.

According to the airline, the new cooperation with The Bank of China will greatly increase the awareness and attraction of the Sky Pearl Club's benefits and China Southern Airlines' service advantages to a vast business and leisure community in Hong Kong and throughout Asia.

Created in November 1998, China Southern Airlines' Sky Pearl Club will end 1999 with more than 100,000 members, making it the fastest-growing frequent flier airline loyalty program in Asia.

>> More <<
China Southern

<< S T E A L S & D E A L S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
TWA Discounts
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
TWA is ringing in the New Millennium with a sale on seven day advance purchase fares in more than 500 markets. Most fares are now down to $198 round-trip.

Fares are non-refundable and are for travel beginning on December 31st, 1999. Ending travel effective dates vary by market. Other restrictions, blackout dates, and taxes may apply.

Fares quoted are off-peak levels, meaning (for the purposes of this sale) that travel must take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. Peak levels are slightly higher.

>> More <<
TWA

<< T R A V E L O N L I N E >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BA's Internet Unit Will Fly Solo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In yet another indicator of the Internet's future place in travel distribution, British Air this week announced that it will restructure with an eye toward generating half its sales online by 2003.

BA will create a new Internet-focused unit to drive growth in the digital distribution arena, with substantial independence from the company's current non-Internet organization. Word is the new unit will operate more like a typical dot-com start-up than its bricks-and-mortar counterpart--moving quickly to capitalize on marketplace opportunities, and rewarding employees with stock options, for example.

<< B U S I N E S S T R A V E L T I P S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Things to Know Before You Go
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The following is part of a continuing series of business travel tips from Chris McGinnis's "The Unofficial Business Traveler's Pocket Guide--165 Tips Even the Best Business Travelers May Not Know."

>> Make Proper Airline Reservations

Airfares are confusing to even the most seasoned traveler. some clarification is in order
The lowest fare available (discounted coach) is usually not used by business travelers because it requires an advance purchase of 14 to 21 days, a Saturday night stayover, charges $75 penalties for changes, and is nonrefundable.

Most of the upstart, low-fare, or niche carriers offer low unrestricted fares between a growing number of cities. Most do not require a Saturday night stayover; however, most require an advance purchase of 14 to 21 days for the cheapest seats.

More expensive full-coach fares are a more popular option for midweek flying travelers. No Saturday night stay is required. There are no penalties for changes or refunds. Some airlines allow automatic upgrades to first class if flying on certain routes on full-coach fares.

Minimally restricted business-class fares are only available on transcontinental or international flights.

First-class fares carry the same minimal restrictions as full-coach fares. Members of airline frequent travel programs can sometimes ask for special discounts on first class fares.

Chris McGinnis
Travel Skills Group
PO Box 52927
Atlanta, GA 30355
http://www.travelskills.com

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

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Best Frequent Flyer Publication
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Happy new year to you too......and by the way.....a very big THANK YOU for what I believe is the very best Frequent Flyer publication on the web. You win on: A) Content. There's always something interesting to read; b) Objectivity--I don't feel that you favor one airline over another, and you are quick to cast a balance between airline and passenger rights and wrongs; C) Consistency. Your publication is always balanced and full of pertinent information. It can't be easy to always keep a publication fresh; and D) Journalistic style. It's well written and is a great read.

I am in NO way a journalism critic - just a frequent flyer, miles addict, and travel junkie--both business and personal. I look forward to opening my email on Fridays because I know the "Crier" will be there.

 - Steve

[Steve - Thanks so much for the kind words. It's letters like yours that keep us striving to make The Crier the best of its kind. Since we're coming up on the New Year, a time for resolutions, I'll take this opportunity to renew our commitment to keeping you--and all our readers--informed, involved and amused in the year 2000.]

<< S I T E 2 S E E >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Plane Truth
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Are you wondering whether it's safe to fly?

MSNBC's "The Plane Truth" claims to help you answer that question with their series on aviation safety. How do pilots prepare for emergencies? What are some of the lessons learned from some of recent history's major accidents? What are some of the world's most dangerous destinations? And should you be afraid to fly?

Did you know the world's worst mid-air collision took place on Nov. 12, 1996? Apparently it did: A Saudi 747 collided shortly after takeoff with a Kazakh Ilyushin-76 making its landing approach near New Delhi, India, killing 349 passengers and crew.

(If you're flying-phobic, visit eBay instead.)

>> More <<
The Plane Truth

Until next week...