In article published this morning in Bloomberg, American Chief Commercial Officer Virasb Vahidi, discusses the major modification plans for the new A321 jets entering the American fleet this coming November. The jets will replace the current B767-200 equipment on the JFK-LAX route.  The plans aren’t new, though I guess I hadn’t previously focused on the fact that there would be so few economy seats.

“You can tell quickly that this aircraft was not configured for leisure travelers”, they will have 10 mini suites with flat-bed seats, 20 fully flat business-class seats and 36 coach seats with extra legroom. There will be only 36 traditional coach seats.

Why so few economy seats? “Unlike other domestic U.S. routes, there is significant demand from customers who are willing to pay full price to sit in the first-class cabin.” says Vahidi. New York-Los Angeles is both the busiest long-haul U.S. route, at about 3.2 million passengers a year, and the most lucrative, at $1.43 billion in annual sales, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. First-class fares on that trip may be 10 times as much as in coach, based on prices on airline websites.

American’s transcontinental pre-flight perks include curbside greetings, dedicated check-in rooms, private elevators with direct access to the front of the security lines, and American’s Flagship Lounge. The flight itself will have fully lie-flat seats in First and Business Class (all-aisle access from every First Class seat) as well as Main Cabin Extra seating. There will be a total of 20 fully flat business seats with HD touchscreen and 10 first class suites.

Check out the rest of the article for a discussion on future Delta, United, Virgin America, and JetBlue plans for the JFK-LAX route. PS – Who knew that Virgin was #2 in terms of revenue on the route and that DL jumped in front of UA to #3? AA 32%, VX 21 %, DL 19%, UA 16%, and B6 11%.

Other AA Posts-
American Previews Upgraded Fleet Plans & Interiors – Steps It Up A319, A321, B737-800, and B777-300ER
AA Classes It Up – More New Pics of the 777-300ER
AA Further Steps-Up First & Business Class
AA’s New Look Unveiled – 1967 Livery Replaced
AA Livery Changes Possible Post-Merger as per SEC Filing & Doug Parker Comments
New AA Livery No Longer Definite? Plus Delta’s Advice for the New AA

These past few months Delta has had outstanding award availability to Australia with no fuel surcharges using their partner Virgin Australia. Several days per week I’ve been able to find at least one seat, but usually two, on the Brisbane (BNE) or Sydney (SYD) flights. The availability is still pretty good, but not as great as it was back in February and March…even though we are heading into winter in Australia. Anyway, a client yesterday asked about using his SkyMiles to fly on China Southern’s A380 from LA to Guangzhou (CAN), on to Ho Chi Minh (SGN) for a few days, and then connecting onwards to Melbourne (MEL). On the return, he wanted Virgin Australia from Sydney (SYD) to LAX. I was able to easily book all segments for 150,000 SkyMiles. We’ve known for sometime about the excellent China Southern availability to Australia via CAN, but I was really surprised by just how good the availability was from Ho Chi Minh to both Sydney and Melbourne. There were several days when there were 4 business and 4 economy tickets available on either flight with no fuel surcharges at all. This is in addition to China Southern having 4 business seats available several times per month on their LAX-CAN flight. This means you could potentially take an Asian / Australian vacation with a family of 4 using a LOW SkyMiles award! Availability on Vietnam and China Southern is easily viewable using Seth’s Wandering Aramean Travel Tools. Of course, don’t expect to be able to find any low level availability on Delta’s own LAX-SYD flight! The obvious warning here is that you will be spending a lot of time on the phone with Delta walking them through your exact flights and making sure they know that VN and CZ are Delta partners. Additionally, the seats on the A330 are NOT lie-flat. Product details here.  See the post below for tips and experiences on using SkyMiles on the CZ A380.

Now, Vietnam Airlines is reducing their route frequencies to both SYD and MEL for the winter, but they will likely go back up for the peak travel season as they did this year.

Unbelievably, it’s been a good few days for booking low level Delta awards. Just on Saturday, I was able to book a low level business award for two to Spain during the prime summer travel season.

Related -

• Easy Delta Awards to Australia? It is Possible, Confirmed for Dec-Jan in under 15 Mins!
• Using Delta SkyMiles on the China Southern A380 to BKK, SIN, and even the Maldives and Sydney…very good availability
• A Reader Award Report – China Southern to the Maldives using SkyMiles & Korean SkyPass
• 10K Women Compete to Become China Southern Flight Attendants…see it to believe it, a reality competition

My parents are excellent and diligent mileage students (hi guys ) and they fully support my “hobby”, so it’s nice when I’m able to find them the exact flights they are looking for. They aren’t very picky either, a Caribbean trip over winter break (fulfilled with Avios or AAdvantage miles) and a trip to Europe over the summer. In all honesty, they’d probably be fine with economy, but I like to treat them to a premium cabin when flying to Europe.

Prior to the Delta/Northwest merger, I had them both get two Northwest WorldPerks Visas and two Delta AMEX cards. They each had over 200K SkyMiles in their accounts post merger. They knew nothing of the SkyPesos title, but for them the miles haven’t lived up to the “peso” name. Granted, European trips originating from JFK without the need for a DL domestic connection make booking a bit easier. In any case, their luck has been incredible. Three years ago they flew on DL metal from JFK-FCO and VCE-JFK on low level business awards in August. The following year it was JFK-CDG, also on a low level business award on DL metal. This year, I didn’t have as high hopes for their planned trip to Spain. Their dates weren’t all that flexible (August 12-16th for departure for 9 or so days) and things have become a whole lot tighter with the essential loss of AF/KLM award space.

So it began, I searched one segment at a time, hoping for JFK-MAD (Madrid) on the way there and BCN (Barcelona) -JFK on the return. You can imagine my shock when the first date I checked, August 12th, showed two low level business seats on the direct flight. Had to be a mistake right? Nope, the space was actually there when I proceeded to the confirmation page! Next, could I find a return from BCN? Not even close. There were no business class flights available until the very end of August. I also tried AGP (Malaga), no low level space at all in business or coach. Unfortunately, a one-way award was out of the question as Delta still charges the full 100K. My next thought was to connect them in Dublin via a paid Aer Lingus or Ryanair flight. Dublin is sort of on the way and Delta has two flights per day from Dublin (plus US customs clearance). The DUB flights also usually have slightly better availability than most other European DL cities. Well, lucky enough, the first date I checked had two business seats available on the 2:15pm flight, allowing for sufficient time to connect from Spain. I then opened up another tab and tried to request both flights in a multi-city itinerary, success! Total booking time 35 minutes…shocking…WOW!

Is it perfect? No, but it’s close enough…especially for SkyMiles to Europe in the summer time.  My parents are very happy and excited and that’s all the counts. It’s also a great value considering the low value placed on SkyMiles. For me, the 50K each way is not the same as parting with 50K UA or AA miles which I value much higher. Next, on to the hotels…

*I should note that AirEuropa had availability (as they normally do) in both business and economy on the exact dates* You can read more about their flight service and allowable SkyMiles redemptions here.

For all the complaining we do about the SkyMiles program (all justified of course), I’ve found that Delta truly does shine in terms of customer service. About a month ago, I had to actually check a bag when flying Delta on the way home from a long trip away. Upon picking up my bag at LGA, I noticed that the non-retractable handle was completely missing. Now, this wasn’t a new bag, but it was in very good condition and there was no reason that the handle should have broken off. The baggage desk at LGA had me file a claim and then instructed me of my two options. I could ship it to a Delta authorized luggage repair center or I could receive an estimated repair bill from a local shop and submit that estimate to Delta for approval. Either option was going to take at least two weeks, yet I had another flight only five days later. Upon returning home, I called Delta’s baggage service number and asked if I could instead just buy another bag and submit the receipt for reimbursement. After explaining the situation and why the two other options wouldn’t work, I was told that I could proceed with my purchase. I purchased a new bag online (mileage mall) and submitted the receipt to Delta last Monday. Today, I already received confirmation that they processed payment for the total cost of the new bag, $239.45. Wow, way to go Delta!

First up, Delta sent me an email last week with an invitation to visit their JFK T4X pop-up space:

Join us for a preview of our $1.4 billion renovation of John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4 (T4, opening May 24, 2013) at T4X, a unique experiential pop-up space highlighting the new terminal. Here, you can preview JFK T4’s new state-of-the-art features, book a reservation with Delta representatives, and enjoy $4 lunch items inspired by international destinations serviced out of JFK T4! Plus, take advantage of impromptu travel surprises and rewards. 376 West Broadway at Broome Street  T4X will be open Tuesdays – Sundays, May 1-22, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., in SoHo, at 376 West Broadway at Broome Street.   Check out this exclusive experience to preview JFK T4’s distinct enhancements, including: The Delta Sky Priority® check-in process, Our new flagship Delta Sky Club®, The Sky Deck™ at Delta Sky Club, a stylish outdoor terrace  You also can enjoy: Lunch fare representing Delta’s international destinations for just $4. A space to work, relax or re-charge

We invite you, a loyal Medallion® member, to visit during these hours and enjoy one (1) complimentary meal. To take advantage of this offer before it expires on May 4th, just show your Medallion membership card at the café.

I’ll be in that area later in the week and I plan to visit and take some pictures for the blog. I’ll also be at the official opening of T4 @ JFK on May 24th with a full blog report.

Related – Peak Behind Delta’s JFK T4 Curtain

Next, I received this email yesterday from Delta with a reminder to register for up to 20K bonus SkyMiles when traveling between JFK-NRT or LAX-SYD. It’s targeted but give it a shot with your SkyMiles number. You’ll receive 5K bonus miles for each segment in BusinessElite.

After a great weekend at FTU, I headed off to DCA for my flight back to JFK. Last week I scored a very cheap round-trip flight by opting to fly in/out of JFK instead of LGA. My return flight was on Delta (operated by Pinnacle) on a CRJ900. I was number 9 on the upgrade list with 2 seats remaining in first. It’s an extremely short flight and I didn’t care much about the upgrade, which in the case of this flight would offer a slightly more comfortable seat and some drinks and snacks (no drink service in coach on Delta’s DCA/JFK flights). Anyway, as I was trying to maximize my time at FTU, I didn’t leave much time for getting to the airport and clearing security. The lines were huge, as they always are at DCA late in the afternoon on a Sunday, and I cleared security with only about 20 minutes left prior to the departure time. I quickly ran over to the Delta Shuttle gate for the LGA flight which was leaving 15 minutes earlier than my JFK flight. I pleaded with the gate agent to let me on (LGA is much easier for me to get back to my apartment in the city). I knew that I was not technically allowed to switch to a LGA flight (no co-terminal switches for some time now), but I decided to put forth my best negotiation tactics, and of course I led with a smile. Everyone had already boarded and it was clear there were still empty seats on the flight. The gate agent instructed me on the policy and reiterated that JFK/LGA switches were only allowed in special circumstances. I mentioned that the JFK flight was oversold and that they were looking for volunteers (a true statement). If I could get on the LGA flight, they would have an extra seat. She smiled at me and got typing. Yes, I felt confident that I was getting a boarding pass! Unfortunately, just a few seconds later the gate phone started ringing and she eventually picked up and was forced to run to another gate for an emergency. Before she left, she informed me that the JFK flight actually had two empty seats and that I would be fine. Damn! OK, so it was back over to the JFK flight gate where the final passenger had just finished boarding. I handed my boarding pass to the agent and he looked at it, typed away, and then handed me back a new first class boarding pass! What? The fellow agent scanned it, smiled, and said “lucky for you, we were just processing the upgrades and this saves us some time”.  Wow, had I just stolen an upgrade? I looked up at the upgrade board and I had only moved up to number 5 with one seat remaining.

Now, this was the second such situation in only two weeks. Two weeks ago in ATL, I met up with two Point Me to the Plane readers for cocktails in the Sky Club. I was flying from ATL to SAN on a 757 and there were two seats remaining in first. I was number 13 on the upgrade list and knew I had no shot. The Sky Club staff had already informed me that of the 12 people in front of me, 9 were Delta Diamond members. Long story short, I lost track of time and ended up running to the gate. Boarding had all but completed and there was only 1 seat remaining in first. I looked around and found it surprising that nobody stayed back at the gate to see if their upgrade cleared. Again, I handed my boarding pass to the agent and they looked at their list. After a little typing, she handed me back a new pass and said enjoy! WOW, a completely unexpected upgrade!

Yes, both of these examples are outside of Delta’s upgrade policies, but they prove that this sort of thing happens quite often (though, in my experience most gate agents follow the normal upgrade procedures). Moral of both of these stories, if you are on the list and think you have a decent shot at an upgrade, WAIT IN THE GATE AREA as long as possible until they close that door! Don’t let your earned upgrade be given away!

Busy week in aircraft updates…

First, Delta’s new flat-bed refurbished A330:

JAL’s touchscreen Anytime You Wish on-demand meal service – Boeing 777-300ER Sky Suite:

Alaska’s planned cabin upgrades with power outlets and new enhanced seats:

More on those DL A330 upgrades from Delta’s blog:

Say Hello to the Reinvented A330!

 If you have experienced our recently upgraded 747 BusinessElite cabin, you may be in for some déjà-vu. We are proud to show off a few of the enhancements of the first flat-bed A330-300 to enter service, ship 3301.  This development means that we now have flat-beds flying on every wide-body fleet type. Our 777s, 747s, and 767-400ERs have been completed and our 767-300ERs are well underway. Our entire A330 fleet will be completed by summer 2014. While flat-beds often get the spotlight, there are a whole host of improvements and upgrades to look forward to throughout the aircraft:

BusinessElite

• 34 seats in a 1 x 2 x 1configuration
• Seats are angled toward the windows at outboard locations and toward each other in the center
• New seats are wider than those they replace
• 180º fully flat bed (bed length is 78-80”)
• Direct aisle access with no rear-facing or middle seats
• Electronic seat controls with adjustable lumbar support
• 110v AC in-seat power + USB power
• Adjustable personal LED reading light

Economy Comfort

• 32 seats at 35” pitch & 6” recline in a 2 x 4 x 2 layout
• “Slim-line” seat provides more personal space
• 6-way adjustable headrests
• 110v AC in-seat power + USB power

Economy

• 227 seats at 31-32” pitch and 4” recline in 2 x 4 x 2 layout
• “Slim-line” seat provides more personal space
• 6-way adjustable headrests
• USB power

Personal On Demand Entertainment

• 15.4” screens in BusinessElite; 9” screens in Economy Comfort & Economy
• 350 films
• 130 hours of TV
• 95 hours of premium programming from HBO & Showtime
• 5,000 digital songs
• 27 games
• Moving map

Cabin Enhancements

• New BusinessElite lavatories
• Updated carpet color – a darker, richer shade of blue
• New bulkhead “Sky Diamond” laminates reminiscent of the Sky Club backwall
• Redesigned Economy Comfort & Economy seat covers with additional comfort padding
• New placards and signage.

As part of their new Z10 product promotion, Blackberry is providing free Gogo inflight internet access to Blackberry users on all equipped Delta flights through June 30th. Given up your Blackberry long ago and don’t plan on purchasing a new one? Well, if you are comfortable with a some shadiness and trickery, this post on slickdeals provides details on how to make Gogo’s servers think you’re using a Blackberry while actually on your laptop, Android, iPad, iPhone, etc. Of course, this promotion is intended for actual Blackberry users!

We have a tendency to focus on the negative customer service stories when it comes to the airlines (especially the US carriers), but ABC News today carries an article with four very positive stories. In each story, in addition to ensuring our safety, these crew members went above and beyond for a passenger:

American

The first incident involves a pilot who blogs as JetHead, a self-described veteran American Airlines captain. Last month, he saw a little girl crying at the boarding gate in Dulles. Long story short, the child left her backpack at security (with teddy bear inside) and the pilot risked a late departure to go back and get it. “We don’t just fly jets,” he wrote, “we fly people. And the occasional teddy bear.” The plane departed on time.

JetBlue

The second incident involves a non-recovered bear despite the heroic efforts of JetBlue employees, so they did the next best thing: they sent the lost bear’s owner a new one which at four-and-a-half-feet tall, was bigger than the child. The delighted youngster promptly dubbed him “Fatty.”

Virgin America

A couple aboard a Virgin America flight were planning to renew their vows in Vegas, but once the cabin crew heard about this, they figured, why wait? The human touch played out in a spontaneous mid-air ceremony complete with free drinks for all. Something similar happened during a long wait at the gate in San Francisco (blame the famous fog). The Virgin in-flight crew swung into action, hauling out the drink cart to serve pre-flight cocktails. I suspect that was one delay few complained about.

Delta

As reported by a North Dakota TV station, Brian Holzer died in a freak accident a couple of years ago while putting up Christmas lights. Ever since, his 7-year-old son Cole has clung to the shirt his dad was wearing, a now well-worn but much loved reminder of the man he misses so much. Cole takes it everywhere, including a recent family trip to San Diego on Delta. Somehow, the shirt got lost. The boy was inconsolable. A family friend called Delta asking, could they help? They could. Delta spokesman Michael Thomas told me they had pilots looking, they put out word on Facebook, gate agents dug through trash, ground crews went diving in dumpsters – and that’s where the shirt was found. The priceless artifact was returned to its owner. “A touching, heartwarming story that really speaks volumes about our employees,” said Thomas.

I also had no idea that JetBlue waived baggage fees at Logan and is providing free coffee and donuts throughout the terminal all week long in the wake of the horrible Boston Marathon bombings…quite the stand-up move!

The Street has an interesting opinion piece by Ted Reed that discusses the recent lawsuit filed by Delta, Hawaiian, and the APA against the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im) and whether their arguments have any merit:

Of course, Ex-IM underwriting loans to airlines from poor countries, if those airlines are unable to obtain reasonable financing on their own, makes sense because efficient air service is a key component in assuring a country’s financial viability. As the world’s leading power, the U.S. has long assumed a responsibility to assist poorer countries in building their economies. But the Ex-Im Bank’s airline clients over the past 10 months are hardly poor. Rather, the list includes Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways, which are owned by the wealthy governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai; LATAM Airlines Group, operator of the largest airlines in Chile and several other South American countries; LOT Polish Airlines and Korean Air Lines. None of them are from economically disadvantaged third-world countries. In fact, all of them get more backing from their country’s governments than U.S. airlines do.

It’s important to note that Airbus provides identical funding, but US airlines cannot take advantage of those government-backed loans:

Here the point is often made that European banks do the same thing for Airbus customers. In other words, the other guy does it, so we have to do it too! It is probably worth noting that U.S. airlines are not eligible for government-backed financing when it comes to buying Airbus jets. Thus, the entire world can hold hands and join together in discriminating against U.S. airlines.

You can check out the full opinion piece here.

Have you become disillusioned with SkyMiles redemptions? Do you refuse to spend triple points to get to your destination and you’re not flexible enough to find any low priced awards? Why not use some miles for a good cause. The Make-A-Wish foundation announced earlier this week that they are extremely low on frequent flier points and need help from the travel community.

Wishes in Flight – You Hold the Ticket to a Child’s Wish.! The Make-A-Wish Foundation needs more than 2.5 billion miles, or 50,000 round-trip tickets, to grant wishes each year. Every mile donated helps wish kids and their families travel to destinations around the world. Once donated, your miles will never expire and are used to support wishes across the country. This is just one simple way you can help grant a life-changing wish experience.

You can donate as few as 1,000 Delta Skymiles via this link. United (500 mile min) and US Airways (1000 mile min) are also partners, United is even matching all donations through April 30th.

Delta has partnered with several other charities as well which you can access here:

Check out this previous post, Doing Good & Earning Miles, for a rundown of ways to both earn and redeem miles/points in a variety of programs by doing good. Thanks to reader Nicole from NY for the tip on the Make-A-Wish need!