Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 29, 2006 under US Airways | 
US Airways has announced that it will publish new fare booking classes for both US Airways and America West operated flights on September 1 for all flights after September 20th. This change will affect all flights, even those booked prior to September 1st.
So do take a look at your itineraries if you have any upcoming travel on US Airways. A more detailed article on this subject can be found here.
Posted by Marshall Jackson on under Delta Air Lines, Safety and Security |
Another tragic accident that should not have happened. But as with others, the best we can hope for is to learn from the mistakes that led to it, and work tirelessly to prevent another. Having lost a very good friend and fellow aviator to another aircraft accident several years ago, I have more than a passing interest in aircraft safety and accident prevention.
I’ve been approached several times in the last few days with the same question: how does one takeoff on the wrong runway? Those of you who are pilots, including yours truly (still one at heart), know exactly how it happens.
Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and their friends.
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 28, 2006 under US Airways |
As promised, I wanted to share some details of my US Airways flights over the weekend. Not only were these my first mainline US flights since the website and frequent flyer program merger, but this was also my first trip since the implementation of new security restrictions.
Lady Astrojets and I traveled from Washington Reagan to Myrtle Beach this weekend with connections in Charlotte each way. We flew down on 8/25 and returned on 8/27. Our flights were booked via the phone with the elite desk 3 weeks prior to travel, so I can’t comment on the new website for this trip. I have booked a flight on the website, but I don’t travel on this particular reservation for a while.
I checked us in on the usairways.com website 24 hours in advance of our Friday departure. I was able to locate our reservation with the record locator, and successfully checked us both in for the trip. This is a change from previous experience where I would’ve been unable to check in online with an upgraded companion, and is a positive development in my opinion.
On travel day, we proceeded to the US Airways check in counter at DCA in order to check our bags. There was a lengthy line for coach check in, and a shorter but still far too lengthy line for Dividend Miles Preferred/First Class/Star Gold check in which appeared to be serviced by only one agent. Being a little pressed for time having arrived later than I like for our flights, I went out to curbside to check our bags where I found no waiting. The courteous skycap took our information and had our bags checked in less than a minute. Four bucks well spent if you ask me.
Security was a non-event. Five minutes max. The only odd thing was being in the line for the new “puffer” machine at DCA. It’s a walk-through device that uses forced air to detect explosive residue. After clearing the puffer, I then went through the regular walk-through metal detector. We arrived at the gate shortly before boarding.
The aircraft for our flight was a Boeing 737-400. The interior appeared clean, or at least as clean as any other U.S. based commercial airliner cabin. Nothing but my opinion, but the cabin appeared to have undergone a “refresh” as the seat covers were very clean, lacking in the standard pen marks of many leather covered first class seats, and the sidewalls and overhead bins appeared to be spotless. The carpets even looked good. We were greeted upon taking our seats by a very nice flight attendant who offered us a pre-departure beverage which was served promptly.
After takeoff, drink orders were taken and served efficiently and courteously. The standard US Airways first class snack basket was passed around several times. Refills were plentiful and always offered with a smile.
We landed in Charlotte slightly ahead of schedule so we headed for the US Airways Club. I’m not a member, but my United Red Carpet Club membership offers access to US Airways Clubs when traveling US Airways. The B Club in Charlotte is the smaller of the 2 US Airways Clubs in CLT, and was a bit crowded. No surprise on a Friday afternoon. We were able to find seats and relax prior to boarding of our flight to Myrtle Beach which was parked almost directly across from the Club, so no long walk for the flight.
We were the last first class customers to board the connecting flight to Myrtle Beach, which was operated on an Airbus A319. Once again, pre departure drinks were offered as soon as we were seated, and we departed the gate on time for the 136 mile flight to Myrtle Beach. The actual air time on this flight is barely 30 minutes, but drinks were served in first class along with the snack basket on the short flight.
Lacking access to a computer, I was unable to check in online for the return, so we checked in at the airport ticket counter in Myrtle Beach. The elite line at Myrtle Beach was blocked off and all passengers were directed to the group of kiosks at the counter. I don’t mind kiosk check-in at all, but I do believe that the elite line should be opened as it is a benefit offered to elite frequent flyers of US Airways as well as Star Alliance frequent flyers. There was no line, and kiosk check-in went quickly. Our bags were tagged and we were on our way to the gate with plenty of time to spare. There was no waiting at security either, and they did manage to locate the spare vial of insulin I had. No problems in having it with me for obvious reasons, but hey…at least they were looking.
We boarded our flight, operated by a Boeing 737-300, right on time. Just like the trip down, pre departure beverages were offered to the first class cabin and swiftly provided. We pushed back 6 minutes early and launched for the brief flight to Charlotte. Once again, beverages were quickly offered to the first class cabin after takeoff and the snack basket was passed around for those who needed a quick snack. Service was efficient and courteous.
Our 6 minute early departure resulted in a 14 minute early arrival in Charlotte, but our gate was waiting and we were off the aircraft promptly. We had a little over an hour to kill so we proceed to the C Concourse US Airways Club. This is the much larger of the 2 clubs in Charlotte. It is a nicely appointed club in my opinion, and I’ve always found the front desk staff at both Charlotte clubs to be very courteous and helpful when I’ve needed them. We enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and some cheese and crackers during our layover.
Our final flight of the trip was aboard one of US Airways’ Airbus A321 aircraft. US Airways version of this aircraft is equipped with 26 first class seats and the cabin was full. I understand that US Airways provides bottles of water at each seat in lieu of a pre departure beverage service and this was what we found upon arriving at our seats. We pushed back right on time and the flight attendant came through the cabin to take post departure drink orders even before we took off. She was a very nice lady, and I grew more impressed throughout the flight.
Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendant began the in-flight service. She was working a full 26 seat cabin alone. Not insurmountable, but still a lot on a one hour flight. Our flight attendant worked hard, got everyone served, the snack basket out, and provided two rounds of refills before we had to prepare for landing in Washington. I was impressed enough to write a brief note of thanks on one of US Airways’ “Above and Beyond” certificates and hand it to the attendant. These certificates are provided to elite members to provide compliments about US Airways employees. She seemed very appreciative of the gesture, and speaking from some experience on the subject, hearing someone say thank you from time to time really does matter to most people.
We landed right on time, but our gate was occupied. After a brief wait we were at the gate and headed for baggage claim and the only minor blip of the entire trip. About 5 minutes after we arrived at baggage claim, an announcement was made that the baggage load on our flight was very heavy, and it would be about 20 minutes before the bags were delivered. Never good news, but 20 minutes later, the belt started moving, and we had our bags 25 minutes after arriving in the claim area.
In summary, our flights were about as good as they get nowadays. All were on time, and every employee I had any contact with was pleasant, friendly and seemed to be reasonably happy to have us as customers. I experienced no difficulties with ticketing or check-in and I tried both online and with a kiosk. The understaffed elite check-in at DCA and the lack of any real elite line at all in Myrtle Beach would be my only negative comments about check-in. The flight attendants on all of our flights could not have been better. Frankly, they were as good as I’ve seen on a domestic airline lately. They reminded me of Piedmont people….and those of you who know what I’m talking about will know that there is a difference. All were unfailingly polite, and I’m highly impressed that US Airways managed to provide a pre departure beverage service on all 4 flights, something that American just can’t seem to do anymore. Granted, my trip did not include a flight booked on the new website, and it was a pure US “East” trip ticketed on 037 stock (the original US Airways ticket identifier for the uninitiated). 
But overall, US Airways did a good job on this trip, and I’m happy to share my experience with you.
**As an aside, I did note that boarding sure does seem a lot more pleasant without the kitchen sink sized carry-ons.**
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 24, 2006 under Travel Tips |
In my opinion, the # 1 airline myth is….. that airlines cancel flights due to low load factors.
First of all, when was the last time you were on an empty flight? Second, canceling flights “willy-nilly” just because loads are low simply does not work at a modern network airline where airplanes and crews need to be in place.
There are number of factors an airline considers when it must make a cancellation decision. Among those factors are the reacommodation options available to Customers, equipment routing issues, crew routing issues and many more. Load factor is a consideration from the perspective of the reacommodation options available for the displaced passengers. In other words, it’s easier to reacommodate 30 passengers than 300. If there are two flights, one booked to 30, the other to 130, and the flight with 130 passengers experiences a maintenance problem, it would not be unusual for the airplanes operating these flights to be swapped so that the lowest number of passengers is inconvenienced. Not fun if it happens to you, but from a big picture view, I think it makes perfect sense.
I certainly do understand why your average airline passenger would be suspicious. I think the airlines’ other odd business practices (such as the goofy way they price their product) tend to make one naturally suspicious of anything they say.
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 21, 2006 under Safety and Security |
…until my first flight under the new security rules. It will also be my first non-RJ flight on the “new” US Airways since the America West and US Airways frequent flyer programs and website have merged. So I’ll be sure and post a trip report after the weekend about my airline experience as well as what happens, if anything, with the new security rules.
So far so good. Our upgrades cleared at the Chairman’s Preferred 7 day window, and I even received the promised upgrade notification email that is a new offering from US Airways for its elite flyers. I know that I’d said in an earlier post that I’m no longer crediting my US flights to Dividend Miles, and that is generally true, but I had my reasons for going with Dividend Miles this time. All mainline flights, and I get the chance to try out the new upgrade program. Who knows, maybe this trip will be so great that I decide to forgo Mileage Plus and switch to Dividend Miles?!?!
But best of all, we get to spend the weekend with good friends and have good fun. And in the end, isn’t that the best thing about the freedom to travel?
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 17, 2006 under Northwest Airlines |
Having sat on both the labor and management side of the table at an airline, I always take a special interest in the antagonistic machinations of airlines and their unionized employees. Within the airline industry, Northwest used to be known as “The Cobra Airline, Strike at Will.” Honestly, I’ve never quite understood why Northwest and it’s unions have never quite gotten along. Hopefully, if an NWA person reads this blog, they’ll enlighten us.
In any event, today, the judge overseeing NWA’s bankruptcy ruled that he could not enjoin Northwest’s flight attendants from striking. And the flight attendants indicate that they will begin their trademarked “Chaos” campaign on August 25th at 9:01PM.
There has been a lot of chest-beating and stone throwing from both sides. That’s not unusual in the airline business. All the bankrupt and not quite bankrupt airlines have undergone a lot of this as they’ve restructured both in and out of court. Each time, they’ve stepped up to the edge only to negotiate an agreement at the last minute. This situation may be no different, and if history is any indication, Northwest and the flight attendants will work something out to avert a strike.
But something about this one makes me just nervous enough to recommend to my traveling friends that they avoid Northwest if at all possible until this thing is settled. If any union walks on any airline, it could be now. There is an awful lot of bad blood on both sides, or it certainly seems that there is. The flight attendants have undergone quite a bit of upheaval in the last few years, changing unions twice. Call it another one of those hunches, but I would avoid booking Northwest from August 25th forward until this thing settles down one way or the other. If you have the option, avoid them now. As we saw with the mechanics strike, side effects of all the labor tension can impact the airline’s operation even before the actual strike begins.
Just my opinion and nothing more.
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 14, 2006 under Safety and Security |
“The New Normal” was a phrase that first appeared in the aftermath of 9/11. Or at least that’s the first time I remember hearing it.
As we approach the one week mark of the latest version of Threat Level Orange, I think “the new normal” is creeping ever closer to the semi-permanent normal. We can hope that the situation with carry-on liquids improves rapidly, but I’m growing more doubtful that there will be a quick resolution to this. I have no real evidence to support my change of heart, let’s just call it a hunch for now.
Until we either develop the technology to detect the difference between an explosive and a bottle of water or find some other whiz-bang method to ensure that terrorists don’t board airplanes, I’m afraid there won’t be any change. While I can almost understand the restriction on bringing a bottle of what appears to be water from home on board the aircraft, am I wrong to wonder why anything purchased behind the security checkpoint can’t be trusted? I suspect the answer to that question is that officials in charge of security lack total confidence in the screening process of the individuals working behind the checkpoints and the goods that they sell.
Going forward, I think the best we can hope for is a phased approach to improved screening of goods sold in the secure areas of airports and the employees that sell those goods that will thus lead to the ability to carry on goods purchased beyond the security checkpoint. Given my experience in airports, I can appreciate what a labor-intensive challenge that process is going to be. We’ll see what happens with this. But if things don’t change, it is going to have an impact on demand for air service, especially in short-haul markets.
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 13, 2006 under Travel Tips |
This may be a lengthy post. Let me begin by apologizing in advance if I sound lecturous, or as if I don’t understand the frustration of modern air travel. Trust me, I get it. Remember, I don’t work for an airline anymore!
But I have to ask you again. Did you really have to yell? I’m talking about a disturbing trend I’ve witnessed at the airport. It’s the tendency of passengers (and one or two airline employees) to basically lose their natural minds in public when things don’t go their way.
Travel is no doubt frustrating when things go south. Weather, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, etc., etc., can interfere with your life. Missing little Johnny’s birthday because the plane is late or not operating at all is simply not a good scene. But these things do happen, always have, and always will. All too often of late, the result of the receipt of bad news is a expletive laced verbal tirade directed at the nearest airline employee about how much they suck, their employer sucks and how the traveler will have the employee’s job, etc.
Now…stop and imagine with me for a second. You are driving down the road, your car stalls, and you are parked beside the road with your dead car. Roadside assistance shows up equipped with the tools need to get you moving down the road again. Do you yell at roadside assistance? I don’t think so! Then why do so many travelers yell at the one airline employee who has the tools they need to get them moving down the “skyways” again?
Stop the yelling! When things go wrong, the one person you want to be nice to is the agent who holds the keys to the kingdom of getting you rebooked on another flight. Keep that in mind, have a backup plan to suggest to the agent if you can, and most of all…be nice. Trust me, speaking from some experience on the subject, two things your average frontline airline employee dreads the most are a delayed flight or a cancelled flight.
Believe me, I know there are some really bad apples out their in the barrel of airline employees. And I know that they can sometimes take a normally meek traveler to the madman zone just by opening their mouth. But they are fortunately the exception, and not the rule. If you happen to run into one of those bad apples, do yourselves and the folks who travel after you (and probably this person’s fellow employees) a favor and let the airline know. While one complaint won’t generate any real action, a chain of complaints that demonstrates a real trend in bad customer service will certainly get the attention of airline managers.
I know it’s hard to do, but keep your cool out there. Getting mad won’t get you home any quicker. So, I’ll ask you again…. did you really have to yell?
Posted by Marshall Jackson on under Safety and Security |
As we close in on the 5th anniversary of 9/11, and travelers part ways with their water bottles, I thought a quick post on security was due.
I could fill a small book with my opinions on this subject, so this is merely a quick blurb on my state of mind right now when it comes to this subject.
Has security improved since 9/11? YES! Is that improvement the result of the Transportation Security Administration’s ability to confiscate your nail files? NO! Call me crazy, but one of the best things we’ve done for security is develop an awareness that there are very bad people in this world who want to kill us. Blunt, I know, but true. I think many travelers have become complacent in the years since 9/11. I hope the events of the past week will serve as a wake up call. Those bad people are still out there, and we need to remain vigilant.
I’ll save my rants about the bureaucratic morass that is the Transportation Security Administration for another post….or perhaps that small book I was talking about!
Posted by Marshall Jackson on August 12, 2006 under Travel Agents, Travel Tips |
Do I use them? Probably half the time. Which is best? That depends. Helpful, I know!
I like direct booking. I mean, why pay the middle man when you don’t have to? But online agencies do have their good points, and one of them has proven to be so much better than the others in my opinion that I use them almost exclusively.
I like Orbitz. They have the best user interface, the best fare matrix, and from what I’ve seen, the best ability to mix up fares from various carriers to get you the lowest overall price. If you’re a “wired” kind of guy like me with a bag full of cell phones, laptops, Palm Treos and whatever kind of gadget they make, Orbitz has from what I can tell, the best mobile connectivity of the online agencies as well. And all that goofy Orbitz TLC stuff that Wink Martindale advertises…. it’s worked for me. So… unless an airline is offering a whopping mileage bonus for using its website, I book with Orbitz. I like having all of my travel details (air, car and hotel) on one screen. Call me picky.
