It’s been a while since I’ve visited United’s MileagePlus auction website, but yesterday I went there for research on an article I’m writing. And to my amazement, one of the auction items is for a pre-merger United red carpet.

United Airlines Auction for a Red Carpet

I love airline collectibles and memorabilia, but when I saw that people have actually bid 20,000 miles for it, I nearly fell off my chair. Bidding started at 5,000 miles, which if United simply priced it that way in their United Shop store (or for cash), I’d actually strongly consider buying one. But burning 20k+ miles for it? Oy.

And even more intriguing is that it’s apparently a “used” carpet. From their description (bolding mine):

Here’s a unique opportunity to own an official United red carpet. It measures 58″ x 32″, features the original pre-merger United logo, and was actually used in an airport.

I can’t seem to find the thread on Flyertalk, but I do recall reports of people emailing United back when the carpets were being swapped out for Continental’s blue version and being successful in getting one shipped to them for free.

I certainly hope you wouldn’t burn 20k+ miles on one, but if you’re interested, the auction runs through June 7, 2013.

Related posts:

The New United Shop is Open for Business… Get Your Swag On!

– Follow Darren Booth on Twitter, @FrequentlyFlyin, for more airline, hotel and travel industry news, reviews and opinions.

Unlike my first-hand experience on United’s inaugural of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner this past November, I’ve been following the action of its re-debut today on Twitter.

United Airlines Flight#1 departed the gate in Houston this morning on-time at 11:00 a.m. and was airborne 13 minutes later.

Prior to departure from gate E7, a ceremony of sorts took place with the crew, CEO Jeff Smisek and Boeing’s chief James McNerney. One of the zinger comments from Smisek during the event was something to the effect of, “this (the 787) was an expensive piece of tarmac sculpture,” according to several accounts.

Well, it’s certainly sculpture no more and will be arriving on-time at O’Hare within the hour. The same aircraft turns around as United Flight# 2 headed back to Houston at 3:40 p.m.

I’ll be keen on reading the reports from my inaugural buddies @airchive and @airwaysjack who are both on the flight. And CNBC reporter Phil LeBeau will have updates as well, featuring interviews with Smisek and McNerney.

After initial domestic runs, United will shift its 787 flying to primarily international routes as previously planned.

I’d book a 787 flight… would you?

Related posts:

United Dreamliner Inaugural Flight Review: Houston to Chicago on November 4, 2012

United 787 Dreamliner Inaugural Takeoff Video

Seats Are Aplenty on Re-Debut of United 787 Dreamliner

– Follow Darren Booth on Twitter, @FrequentlyFlyin, for more airline, hotel and travel industry news, reviews and opinions.

I’m catching up with last week’s notable airline news items and American’s new boarding process, tested earlier this year, is a hot topic.

Basically, American Airlines is now allowing those passengers without carry-ons requiring overhead bin space to board ahead of Group 2. The test of this new process, rolled out systemwide last Thursday, was a resounding success according to American’s press release:

The test received overwhelmingly positive feedback from American’s customers, and agents like the new process because it allows for smoother and quicker boarding for everyone.

But based on several Twitter conversations I had today, as well as an interesting Forbes article, compliance and enforcement issues could create more drama and negative impact than the reportedly two minutes the new process saves in boarding time.

Virgin America tried a similar boarding system, but abandoned it after such compliance and enforcement issues arose. From the Forbes article:

In fact, Virgin America has already tried and abandoned American’s new process. “It is more efficient and you do get a lot of people on the aircraft more quickly,” said Virgin America CEO David Cush, in an interview. “But it’s difficult to police. You get into a debate about how big is something that fits under your seat.”

Additionally, Cush said, early boarding passengers would sometimes glance up at all the empty bin space overhead and then place their carry-on in the bin. Virgin America dropped the process in 2011, after about half a year. “It may work for American,” Cush said. “I applaud them for trying different things. It didn’t seem to be an overwhelming hit for us.”

While I can see gate agents policing the new system at the boarding door, once the passenger is onboard nearly all bets are off as to where their underseat item actually gets stowed.

Flight attendants tend to do a wonderful job with announcements and shifting items to make more space, but they can’t be at every row, nor would they know that the person walking onboard fell into this group. It’s effectively an honor system and we all know how well some travelers abide by the “rules.”

It will be interesting to see if American’s new process goes the way of Virgin America.

Read more:

American Airlines Testing New Boarding Procedure

Is American’s Preferred Seat Allocation a Bit Excessive?

– Follow Darren Booth on Twitter, @FrequentlyFlyin, for more airline, hotel and travel industry news, reviews and opinions.

United Airlines is reportedly spending $50 million this year to renovate and refresh many of its United Club locations, and I had the chance to visit the recently redone Denver West location yesterday.

Basically what they’ve done is swapped out the seating for new chairs, tables and counters identical to what’s in the newest club location at Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 2 (F-concourse).

[My apologies for the poor quality iPhone images – the lounge was rather busy and I was trying to be as discreet as possible.]

United Club Denver West - Seating Area

United Club Denver West - 'Short' Tables

United’s clubs in Denver are known for their lack of power outlets and you’ll still have a hard time finding them if you’re seated in the new leather chairs. But they have at least added counters along the windows with outlets, as well as included plugs underneath some of the tabletops.

United Club Denver West - Window-side Counters

United Club Denver West - Seating

United Club Denver West - 'Hidden' Plugs Under Some Tabletops

The Denver East location has yet to receive the refresh and sports the same old worn furniture with highly limited access to power outlets. The view, however, remains one of the best features of either club.

United Club Denver West - View

Related posts:

United Club Membership Using Miles to Return, Plus More

First Look: United Club Redesign, New O’Hare Location

United Club Rate Increase

Last month I published a seat map of American’s “Standard” DC-10 from 1985 sporting a spacious coach cabin. I noted in that post that a mere two years later in 1987, this same aircraft was reconfigured with 22 additional seats in the rear cabin and promised to share the higher-density layout.

Here, then, is American’s DC-10 Luxury Liner seen flying the skies in 1987 for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

The additional seats came by way of adding a pair of two-seaters on each side of the aircraft in between doors 2L/R and 3L/R, a pair of two-seaters in the rear-most section and three rows of middle five-seaters. If you’re doing the math, that’s one too many seats – note the very last row in the middle section formerly had four seats, but now only three.

Surviving this configuration, though, was a coffee bar in the very back along with two coat compartments (for coach!).

In first class you’d find me in a window seat mid-cabin, such as 3A or 3J. And in coach I always loved sitting near the engines as they had such a distinctly fantastic howl.

Where would you sit?

American Airlines DC-10 Standard Seat Map (1987)

Related posts:

American Airlines DC-10 ‘Standard’ Seat Map from 1985

American Airlines DC-10 ‘Dining in the Sky’ Seat Map

American Airlines DC-10 ‘International’ Seat Map

Here’s a United mileage run with oodles of availability I found this morning that I haven’t seen posted elsewhere.

This $99 one-way base airfare between San Francisco and Charlotte was filed back on April 26, and given it hasn’t been pulled yet, this post might stay useful longer than my last mileage run tip. It works in both directions, but I focused on zero- and one-nighters available originating in San Francisco.

Here’s the nitty-gritty and an example itinerary.

Routing: San Francisco to Los Angeles to Washington Dulles to Charlotte r/t

Routing rules: SFO-LAX/DEN-WAS/HOU/DEN/CLE/CHI-CLT

Travel period: Now through January 5, 2014

Dates I found available: Dozens, particularly in Sept/Oct/Nov

Number of nights stay: Many 0-night or 1-nighters available

Day of week restrictions: None

Fare basis: NA14KN, 14-day advance purchase

Fare: $249.40 roundtrip all-in

Premier Qualifying Miles earned: 6,576 (assumes 500-mile minimums)

Cents-per-mile (CPM): 3.79

Example itinerary: (click the image for a larger view)

The above itinerary was found using ITA Matrix, but can be booked on United directly with ease using Hipmunk.

Related posts:

Save Time Using Hipmunk for Multi-Segment Mileage Run Bookings

How to Find Mileage Runs – 2013 Edition

Here’s a television ad you likely won’t see aired in the U.S. Anti-energy drink maker Zenonade from the Czech Republic launched a new ad campaign having a little fun with the flight attendant safety demonstration. I’ll let it speak for itself:

I got quite a chuckle out of it given my closeness to the industry, but would the average traveler or TV watcher think it’s funny? Discuss.

(Hat tip: @theflyingpinto)

Related posts:

Cruel, Yet Hilarious, Airport Prank

American Airlines and Klout, a web service that scores your overall social media influence, teamed up for a new contest. They’re giving away free Admirals Club day passes to anyone whose Klout score is 55 or above, plus an entry to win an annual membership.

Just go to http://aa.com/klout and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account to see if you have “klout.” For scores under 55, there’s a drawing for a day pass (or an offer for $50 off a membership, based on some reports).

I hadn’t signed into Klout in ages (there are just so many social media things I can do each day), but I did indeed score a free pass.

Klout was already an approved application on my Twitter account, but if you don’t like that type of thing, you can de-authorize them after checking your score for this contest.

The printable day pass I won is valid until July 31, 2013. Here are the T&Cs:

1. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. 2. OPEN TO/ENTRY DETAILS: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia who are 18 years (19 in Alabama andNebraska, 21 in Mississippi or older and no computer, mechanical device, or electronic device at a place of business in the State of Georgia. 3. Sweepstakes begins at 11:59 a.m. [Central daylight time (³CT²)] on May 6, 2013 and all entries must be received by 11:59 a.m. [CT] time on May 31, 2013. 4. PRIZE DETAILS: One Prize consisting of one (1) year membership to Admirals Club ARV $450. 5. ODDS: Odds of winning depend on number of entries. 6. ELIGIBILITY: Employees and agents of Sponsor, Administrator andaffiliates, agencies, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, and members of such employees¹ and agents¹ immediate families and individuals living in the same household with such employees or agents, are not eligible to win. 7. Void where prohibited. 8. Participation is subject to complete Official Rules by which all entrants are bound. Available at www.aa.com/klout. 9. Entrants release all parties from all claims/liability arising from this Sweepstakes or acceptance/use of any Prize. 10. Sponsor: American Airlines, Inc. 4333 Amon Carter Blvd., Ft. Worth, Texas 76155.

Related posts:

Yet Another Gift from American Airlines

A Surprise from American Airlines Arrived in the Mail

Review: American’s Flagship Check-In and Lounge at LAX

In this installment of Amenity Kit Reviews, I take a critical look at the business class offering of Star Alliance member Air China. A very special thanks goes out to Very Good Points for sending it my way. For a better description of each category and the 7-point scale for scoring, please review my introductory post.

Air China Amenity Kit

Bag/Container: The off-white, rectangular nylon zipper bag has a touch of pleather to it, particularly along the height of the case. It sports the L’Occitane logo on top, with the only identifiable Air China logo on the zippers themselves. Opening the case reveals a single compartment with four differently sized plastic pouches on the flap. Reusability is medium-to-high in my opinion, and while not overly luxurious, it is slightly higher quality than some other business class kits. Score: 5 out of 7

Interior of Air China's Amenity Kit

Skin Care: Air China partnered with L’Occitane to supply skin care items for this kit, which consist of Citrus Verbena Body Lotion and a Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick. The lip balm is your standard fare and sufficient, but the lotion in this kit is a step up from the L’Occitane ones found in the Asiana and Virgin Australia kits, for example. A nearly scentless disinfectant wet tissue rounds out the skin care items. Score: 5 out of 7

Oral Care: A tube of standard flavored Colgate toothpaste and a soft bristled toothbrush are the sole oral care items in the kit. I always appreciate it when airlines decide on a toothbrush that snaps back onto its casing to form a nearly full size apparatus. Plus, the casing helps keep the brush head clean for reuse. Score: 4 out of 7

Comfort Items: Here’s where Air China scores big. Inside the case are found your typical comfort items, including a folding brush, earplugs in their own plastic container (nice!) and one-size-fits-all eyeshades. But Air China also provides pajamas (plus slippers) to its business class passengers, a rarity for the middle cabin on most all other airlines. They’re cotton and come in a red fabric bag. Well done! Score: 7 out of 7

Air China PJs - Image Courtesy 'Very Good Points'

Intangibles: I believe Air China missed the mark in not incorporating more of its own branding to the kit, but it still comes off as an exclusive amenity filled with useful items.  Score: 5 out of 7

Total score & comments:

This kit was on track to be an average business class offering with a slightly above adequate final score. But the addition of PJs really sets Air China apart from many of its competitors, and the score of 5.25 is well deserved.

Related posts:

Amenity Kit Reviews

Amenity Kit Review Introduction

My Top-Ranked Amenity Kits

World’s Top Amenity Kits of 2012 – TravelPlus Awards

United Airlines will soon bring back the ability to buy or renew membership in the United Club by using MileagePlus miles, according to UA Insider’s post on Flyertalk this morning.

Also returning will be the ability to purchase annual subscriptions for Economy Plus, as well as an annual option for checked bags. Here’s the synopsis from UA Insider:

• United Club: We’re re-introducing the option to purchase a full-year United Club membership with award miles. Pricing starts at 40,000 miles (or $400), depending on Premier status.
• Economy Plus: We’re also re-introducing the option to purchase Economy Plus for a full year, with the notable difference that we’ll have different pricing and eligibility by region (domestic 48, North America, intra-Asia, etc.).
• Checked baggage: Customers will have the new option to purchase 1 or 2 checked bags for an entire year. Pricing will vary based on number of bags and region.

These offers are currently available on United’s Preview site (a beta-test site) with the official rollout to come in the next couple of weeks.

I generally don’t think people should burn miles for a lounge membership (they have a greater value for flight redemptions), but I have in the past when I was mileage rich and cash poor. It makes sense for some people (and for more reasons than my own), and several MileagePlus members were upset when this ability went away a year or so ago. At that time, here were the rates:

• General Member: 62,500 miles
• Premier: 60,000 miles
• Premier Executive: 50,000 miles
• 1K: 47,500 miles

Those with access to United’s Preview site are reporting that the 40k level isn’t showing up at any status level, so there are apparently still bugs to be worked out.

The region-based fees for Economy Plus are reportedly $499 for the Continental U.S., $599 for North and Central America, $499 for Intra-Asia only and $699 for Global access for one person.

I haven’t seen reports yet on what the checked baggage rates will be.

Stay tuned to this thread for updates if you’re interested.

Related posts:

United Club Survey About Using Miles for Membership

United Club Rate Increase, 3-Year Membership Discontinuation