It looks like we already have our first review of the new Swiss A330-300, which started flying a few days ago. Check out the FlyerTalk report here and some amazing cabin pictures here. Best of all, Swiss is releasing award seats in all cabins on their A330-300 flights between JFK and ZRH, so book away!

This is one of the most unique concepts I’ve seen in a very long time. Check out Pet Airways, an airline just for pets. Before I go any further, also take a look at their commercial along with an interview with the co-founder:

I give this idea a month at most. C’mon now, is this serious?

In the interview the co-founder talks about how stressful traveling with a pet is. Are you telling me it’s any less stressful to drop off your dog at a different airport (since they fly out of small airports), drive to a different airport so you can fly to your destination, and then 24 hours later pick up your dog at a different airport?

While the idea is creative, this seems a bit inhumane to me (no pun intended). One can book a ticket between New York and Los Angeles for a pet, and it looks to me like Pet Airways operates Beechcraft 1900′s. That’s gonna be one hell of a long (and loud) journey coast-to-coast, overnight no less!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my dogs, but this seems worse than just putting them in a cargo hold for a couple of hours (although I would never fly with my pets to begin with).

Also, I have to laugh at the concept of a pet attendant. Can you picture the atmosphere on that flight, with two pilots and a pet attendant? It seems like the pet attendant doesn’t have all that much of an incentive to do his/her job. Some flight attendants go on enough power trips with passengers, let alone pets that don’t have the ability to give out “Going the Extra Mile” certificates or write complaint letters requesting compawsation (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

Delta has a pretty cool promotion from April 22 to June 22, whereby you can earn thousands of bonus miles for partner activity. The best reward is 25,000 bonus miles for 25 partner transactions, with the low end being 4,000 bonus miles for four partner transactions. Not surprisingly, Northwest has the same promotion.

While I like this promotion in theory, I just don’t see how I’ll benefit from this from a practical standpoint. Yes, it’s easy to deal with a few of their partners, but is it really worth the hassle? Beyond that, is it even a good deal at times? For example, one of Delta’s partners is Hilton. Yes, I’d essentially be earning 1,000 bonus miles, but Delta usually only offers 500 miles per stay, for a total of 1,500 miles. British Midland, on the other hand, has a promotion for 3,000 miles per night at Hilton properties.

Does anyone know of easier ways to bank some serious miles with this promotion?

Just us for episode 17 of the Upgrd Podcast, as we discuss, well, a whole lot of nothing.

It’s time for a reader photo. Thanks to Rick for sending in this one.

Correct Answer: Queenstown, New Zealand
Winner: EE

If you’d like your photo featured, please email it to me at onemileatatime@hotmail.com, along with the correct answer.

I’m speechless on so many levels right now. Check out this 26+ minute video the AFA created as they prepare for contract negotiations. It’s pure entertainment, for the most part.

Let me start by saying this: United’s labor groups deserve favorable contracts this year, and I’m sure they’ll get them. While United isn’t profitable, they got screwed during bankruptcy and deserve some of their benefits/pay back. I have a feeling management will give in to a certain extent in order to avoid a strike, since employee groups wouldn’t hesitate to strike, it seems.

Anyway, just a few observations from the video:

• The guy that I had the run-in with last year is in this video at 0:21, 3:18, 16:23, and 19:30. I nearly fell out of my chair!!! If you happen to fly with this guy, beware! Isn’t it nice to be able to legally expose one of United’s worst employees just by pointing to a union video? If any flight attendants are reading this that may know that guy, please send him my best regards.
• I realize this is the first stage of negotiations, but could the AFA be any less realistic when it comes to their demands? Based on the demands they’re rattling off in the video, it seems they want all employees to be compensated like Glenn Tilton. Pick and choose, AFA, pick and choose. You’re not getting everything!
• I nearly died of laughter starting at around 15 minutes. I’m not sure if they’re trying to point out how some flying experiences are on United or what, but it’s pretty damn funny.
• The lady that starts talking at around 16:35 freaks me the hell out!
• I’ve flown with several of the flight attendants in this video. There are some really good flight attendants among them, believe it or not.

Anyway, I was just so shocked to see that guy in the video. Or actually I’m not surprised he’d choose to participate in the video. Oh, and to clarify, when he says he’s willing to do “whatever it takes,” he means do anything except for treat passengers with basic respect.

As far as I know Marriott is the first program this year to roll out a double night credit promotion. I’m not sure whether it’s targeted or not, but it can be found here. This is cool, although I doubt I’ll be taking advantage of this promotion.

I took Air New Zealand to New Zealand (gasp!) two years ago, and I really enjoyed my experience with them. Their Business Premier product is quite good, and New Zealand is one of the most amazing places in the world. Ever since then, award availability in business class has been nearly impossible to come by, but it seems like they’re finally releasing quite a bit of award availability for May through August of this year on the LAX/SFO-AKL routes. While there’s not space every day, availability is quite good, and on many days there’s even room for multiple people. It’s definitely worth looking into if you’ve wanted to visit New Zealand. Yes, it’s the low season there right now, but the conversion rate is awesome at the moment and New Zealand is beautiful any time of year.

What really pains me is the number of miles it takes. A mere two years ago it cost 90,000 United miles for a business class award, but now it costs 135,000 miles. Ouch!

Tomorrow night are the Freddie Awards, the only award show I’m interested in, at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Airport. I hope to see some of you there, and may the best program win!

More interesting (to me) than Delta’s $794 million first quarter loss is the new bag fee they’re putting in place on July 1. We’re all used to bag charges by now, either because we’ve paid for them at the airport or at the very least have heard the media talking about them nonstop, but Delta’s leading the pack on this one. They’ll actually be charging $50 for a second checked bag on international flights.

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I sort of like the “unbundling” that’s happening in the industry. It makes sense to me, at least when it comes to bag fees. Passengers that consistently don’t check bags are essentially subsidizing the handling and added fuel costs of those that do check bags. On the other hand, fees like that are easy in the US when almost every carrier matches. The problem here is that Delta is competing with international airlines that don’t nickel-and-dime customers. Not only do most international airlines not charge for bags, but they don’t charge for alcohol, headsets, etc.

Only time will tell whether or not this new fee will stick. It will ultimately come down to whether or not the other US legacies match.