May 14
This time-lapse video landed in my inbox via FlightAware showing about an hour and 10 minutes of runway activity at Boston’s Logan Airport. Condensed to less than three minutes, it’s fun to watch the various aircraft pause for downfield arrivals, then zip quickly up into the sky. The person who shot this footage was greeted by police who claimed the activity was making “the neighbors” nervous. He stopped filming, but here’s hoping he returns for more!
December 26
I had flown on Christmas Day before, but never remembered it being as quiet as it was yesterday. Granted I was only taking one short flight from Reno to Los Angeles, and you can’t really call Reno a bustling airport to begin with, but it still seemed unusually empty. I obsess over checking my itineraries and seat assignments, as well as monitoring availability to gauge potential oversell opportunities, so with my flight oscillating from being zeroed out to only two or three seats open in the full-fare Y and B buckets, I was expecting a “normal” airport experience.
I was dropped off to a nearly empty curbside, walked right up to the check-in desk to reprint my boarding pass, and was the only person passing through security at that moment. One of the TSA agents monitoring the exit from the airside concourse mentioned to a co-worker how horribly boring his day was and how he hated just sitting in front of a clock that made a noise every so often. Only two flights were leaving from the C-concourse at that time; a US Airways flight to Phoenix and mine. Horizon Air had decorated their gate area for the holidays, so I took a quick picture of that and went for a seat in my gate area.
When it was time to board, the gate agent offered the usual early boarding to Global Services and 1Ks (no first class, as this was a CRJ-200). When I approached, he asked for my last name as I was walking up to him, and once provided, grabbed one of two cards sitting on the counter and handed it to me saying, “Happy Holidays, Mr. Booth, and here is a small token of our appreciation for your business.” I sincerely thanked him while handing him one of the Ghirardelli chocolates I had brought to give to every employee I encountered on Christmas Day. The card came with a gingerbread cookie and read; “We are delighted to have you flying with us today! We truly appreciate your business and it is a pleasure to serve you! Happy Holidays from the Reno Team.”
I truly appreciate the little things, and sent a thank you email this morning to United’s Airport Operations Supervisor there in Reno, whose business card was attached inside the card. The flight was uneventful, had at least six or seven seats open, and service was great. I landed in Los Angeles to an also quiet Terminal 8, and made it home in near record time.
As quick and quiet as it was yesterday for me, this upcoming week will likely be the opposite as I’m off to Europe for a few days. I’ve got a couple of posts queued up while I’m away, and should have a twitter update or two while I’m traveling. Look forward to a trip report and a couple of hotel reviews in January, and in the meantime, happy and safe travels this last week of 2010!
December 20
The airport security model used in the United States today is basically “you’re guilty until proven innocent”. Appropriately dubbed “security theatre” by many, it is a completely reactionary system with new technology and procedures introduced after each terrorist event or incident. Last Christmas we had the underwear bomber, and now have the incredibly controversial body scanners and/or enhanced pat downs as a result. Don’t get me wrong, I agree we need a level of safety and security, but I question the effectiveness of our current model. And so does the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
I view IATA as sort of the global overlord of the airlines, and its stated mission is to “represent, lead and serve the airline industry.” Mostly behind-the-scenes for the common traveler, IATA is integral in many areas of managing electronic ticket policies, organizing the scheduling process (including slot controls at airports), and certifying non-U.S. travel agencies among a myriad of other activites. This agency, then, should then be the active voice the airlines need to side with as fellow blogger Matthew Klint called for last month.
On Tuesday last week, IATA’s CEO and Director General Giovanni Bisignani called airport security, “an incredible mess… it’s unbelievable… the hassle factor is absolutely unacceptable at many, many airports around the world.” Even the IATA Director of Security Ken Dunlap explained that body scanners “don’t really belong as a primary screening method.” Instead, IATA is proposing the system below:
I would absolutely love the electronic pre-screening model, but I suspect that would be an additional level of privacy invasion for many and open to enormous debate. We basically already have a similar system in place for frequent travelers with the CLEAR program, but it operates on an opt-in basis, costs just under $200 annually, and is only offered at extremely few airports. How deep of an electronic data screening that would take place isn’t explained, so I wonder if it would go so far as viewing credit reports and tax return data. I certainly wouldn’t mind volunteering that much detail, but know a lot of people who would. I can already hear the criticism of this method, though, being that terrorist organizations will then actively recruit people with known traveler status to bypass the enhanced levels.
At the minimum, I was happy to hear an authoritative voice come out and agree the current method is an issue on so many levels. And while I don’t like the fact that I can be viewed nude in a body scanner or have my crotch groaped, I am not an opt-outer and will comply for now with a minimum of fuss. As being reported elsewhere, the TSA can and does make it inconvenient for you if you opt-out, so I just take the path of least resistance for now and comply until a more realistic screening and security process unfolds.
December 7
As a former student pilot, I appreciate listening to “From the Flight Deck” (Channel 9) onboard United Airlines flights. While it is the captain’s prerogative as to whether or not to offer it on each flight, I have found it available more often than not. It brings the flights to life and enables you to track the flights’ progress, listen to other pilots in the area, and even be clued into delays before they are announced cabin-wide. Some of United’s pilots even use the channel to give mini-lectures about the aircraft you’re flying on and other information during the less active radio periods at cruise altitude.
Something I noticed recently was a change to the ground lingo used by the tower when communicating to aircraft nearing the departure runway. They used to advise pilots to “position and hold” when given clearance to taxi onto the takeoff runway. Now the statement is “line up and wait.” Before turning to the Google to find out why the change happened, I thought it must be to reduce the amount of airtime required to blurt it out. The new saying saves one syllable, and actually just seems faster to call out. Well, the real reason it was changed, as I found online, was to “conform with international phraseology standards.” Makes total sense, and upon further reading on other sites, it makes even more sense to avoid mistaking it with another current command, “hold position.” In fact, being reported today, a JetBlue Airways pilot was repeatedly told to “hold, hold, hold!” to avoid taxiing onto an active runway.
United is presently the only domestic airline that offers this unique eavesdrop into the communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. If you’d like to geek out more on the ground, check out live air traffic control action here.
December 5
One of the perks of being a 100,000-mile flyer on United Airlines each year is the level of service and accommodation they provide during irregular operations. In addition to getting me re-booked quickly and effortlessly, they have consistently provided hotel accommodations to me as a 1K even in the case of weather. While this is an unpublished benefit and never guaranteed, it is their small way of showing me they appreciate my business and are willing to go above-and-beyond even when the circumstance is out of their control. I hope this perk survives once Continental and United fully merge.
For the general public, though, a flight cancellation can often mean camping it out at the airport or getting a hotel at their own expense. Chicago had some weather bringing delays and cancellations yesterday, so I thought this would be a good time to talk about distressed passenger rates at hotels. I’ve noticed United keeps “pink slips” out on display at O’Hare, and they are likely available at other airports by asking a customer service representative. You can either call the toll-free number, or look up rates and availability on the website provided.
About 4:00pm CST yesterday, I pulled up the following distressed passenger rates on the web, and compared them to the going rates on Expedia and Priceline (identical pricing) for the same hotel. You’ll see these rates can be up to 40% off what you’d get online or direct, so it turns out to be a great deal indeed.
Airport Accommodations has been around since 1988, and serves about 65 cities in North America. The current list of cities can be found on their website here. I believe they validate your “distress” and would require an original pink slip and airline information, so getting these rates without qualifying seems unlikely.
November 29
The publisher of the popular Zagat restaurant guides surveyed its readers for their opinions on airlines and airports around the world, and the results are out today. The 8,007 respondents flew an average of 17.4 flights per year, and were likely seasoned travelers as the age demographic skewed older with 57% over the age of 50. Only 20% were 39 or younger.
Southwest came out a big winner in my opinion, while some news outlets lauded JetBlue and Continental. Southwest took top spot in the following categories:
They came in second to JetBlue in the Top Rated Large Airline – Economy class category, and second to Virgin Atlantic in Top Frequent Flier Program. I have to admit that Southwest does an excellent job in managing customer expectations through their advertising and the general no-frills public awareness. I don’t fly Southwest that often, but when I have, I knew what to expect and it has always been consistent.
Nothing stands out to me as “Wow, how’d THAT airline land THERE?” A couple of ranking categories did make me pause, though. For example, not a single Asian carrier landed in the top 5 for Best Value – International. Fare structure had to be a consideration in that category, and I feel Asiana Airlines beats out most carriers on transpacific fares. Also, I was surprised United Airlines didn’t even rank in the Best Frequent Flier Program category. Mileage Plus has repeatedly been a top-rated program, and yes, I am a United loyalist and often sing their praises, but that one is a bit surprising.
Finally, if you’re a numbers geek like me, be sure to check out the full breakdown of percentages, and revel in some of the additional question results. Interesting to note for me was that 8% of respondents selected that they don’t use their frequent flyer miles (what?!), and the percentage of people who use a travel agent went up from last year. With the exception of elaborate tours, I’d expect the frequent travelers who took this survey to be the more do-it-themselves types than to use the services of a travel agent.
November 28
On December 7, 2010, United Airlines is raising the price to join or renew membership in the Red Carpet Club. Pricing depends on your Mileage Plus status, and the cash prices are going up $50 per year across the board. The rate for general members is increasing from $425 to $475 annually, with prices for 1Ks (like myself) changing from $325 to $375. One nice option they offer is to redeem mileage instead of cash to join or renew. Last year I spent the money, but this year I’m “mileage rich” and redeemed 40,000 miles to renew. A full breakdown of the pricing can be found here.
Some believe spending that much money or mileage on an airport club is a total waste, but it pays dividends for people like me. First, I fly more than 100,000 miles per year, so I definitely make good use of the clubs. Since I’m obsessed with airports, I frequently arrive a couple of hours early for my flights and many of the clubs offer fantastic vantage points to “airplane spot.” Second, the clubs are staffed with Customer Service Representatives, and this can be a major timesaver during irregular operations when the terminal is packed with travelers needing to be reaccommodated. Finally, they offer a comfortable place to sit down, refresh and plug-in. The clubs offer the following:
More information can be found on United’s website, including information on reciprocal lounge privileges with Continental & US Airways.
To join or not to join is a decision largely dependent on how much you fly. It may be cost-prohibitive for the casual flier, but they do offer one-time-use passes for $50 (often available online for $39). Personally, I view the membership price as if it were a one-night stay, or day room, at a nice hotel. Granted there aren’t showers or beds, but the expense is justified in my mind for the overall value I receive.
November 24
As reported by CNN mid-morning, the much hyped “National Opt-Out Day” appears to be a total non-event so far today. Basically, the premise was to refuse to go through one of the advanced imaging technology machines in an effort to “stick it to the man.” I’m sure there will be isolated incidents, but in the end, everyone wants to get to where they’re going with minimal fuss.
And with that, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving & I’ll be back to blogging next week.
November 22
The news media is on overdrive this week reporting on the busy air travel period upon us for the holidays. The Air Transport Association (ATA) is forecasting 24 million people will take to the skies during the 12-day Thanksgiving holiday travel period, with the busiest day in the upcoming week being Sunday, November 28, 2010. This Wednesday, November 24th, comes in as the fourth busiest for the period. More information can be found here.
Statistically, the busiest travel days of the year are found in the summer months, as CBS News reported last year. If you’d like to geek out on more data from 2009, take a look at the summaries from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found here. Notwithstanding the facts, the upcoming week will still be a headache for many travelers, and I might be flamed by saying this, but I actually feel sorry for the TSA agents. Hear me out.
Whether or not you agree with the changes being made to security screening, the TSA agents you experience at the airports are not the policy makers. They have to enforce the procedures they are hired to carry out, and unfortunately the frontline of any organization gets the brunt of the backlash from the public. John Pistole, the head of the TSA, did make a general appeal to the flying public at Matt Lauer’s prompting this morning on the Today Show. While the main focus of the story was on whether or not the TSA is considering making the screening less invasive, they did remind us to keep it all in perspective. I just have visions of a lot of infrequent travelers this week going to the airport and yelling at the agents, “I am NOT going to be groped like I’ve seen on TV!” I’ll save my opinion about TSA screenings for another post, so for now please remember that TSA agents are people, too.
November 17
Last month on one of my mileage runs through Chicago O’Hare, I noticed something very saddening. The majority of the tulips were missing from the various United Airlines backdrops throughout the F-concourse of terminal two. Granted, the E & F concourses are the non-mainline ‘United Express’ operated gates, but still… I felt like something very personal to me was being vandalized. I grew up with United at O’Hare and seeing just the word United naked without its flower felt violating to me. I secretly wonder if employees are starting to grab them while they can before the new United (er… Continental) globe takes over. If you’re so inclined, join forces to “save the tulip” over on Facebook.
I had to check with the Google and find out more about who dreamed-up the now wilting tulips of United. Saul Bass designed it in 1973, and I’m sure you’ll recognize some of the other iconic logos he created including, ironically, the Continental Airlines “jetstream” logo. One source from wikipedia claims Continental’s logo became “the most recognized airline industry logo of the 1970s.” I don’t know… I’d have to vote for Pan Am, myself.
November 16
The December 2010 issue of Travel + Leisure arrived yesterday and has a few interesting topics covering airports. First is an article by Michael Gross, entitled “Ode To Airports.” He writes about how his unfortunate late check-in for a flight at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport led he and his wife to discover some of the treasures located near the airport. He then highlights some of the gems found at other airports, and even points out there is a locally famous Pink’s Hot Dog stand in Los Angeles airport. (Note to self: Find it! LAX is my home airport and I didn’t know that.)
Next up is a mostly pictorial tour of the “World’s Most Beautiful Airports.” These aren’t ranked, but rather present the uniqueness and artistry of architecture. A well done piece, but I am a bit surprised Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport didn’t make the list. In addition to the stunning design, abundance of bright, well-lit gate areas, it has gorgeous floral arrangements and orchids throughout the concourses. Making the cut are airports in South Korea (Inchon), Beijing, Madrid, Morocco and Montevideo, Uruguay.
Finally, there is the opportunity to log on and vote for Travel + Leisure’s first annual airport survey. It allows you to cast your vote for as many as 90 airports across the world, in categories such as design, amenities, check-in & security experience, and more. I honestly wouldn’t put too much weight on the results, though, since there can be a huge disparity between terminals within the same airport. For example, at Washington Dulles airport, I would rank both seating areas and aesthetic/design in Terminal B as ‘5’ (excellent), but those in Terminal C as ‘2’ (poor). The results will therefore be largely skewed based on which terminal the responder is considering when taking the survey.
