Posted by Seth on May 17, 2012 under Flying, Mileage Run, Review, Trip Reports | 
Redeyes suck. When they’re less than six hours flying time they suck even more. And when they involve sitting in coach they suck even more. So maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but as part of this mileage run I was booked on a US Airways 757-200 from Honolulu to Phoenix, in coach. Ouch.
I was somewhat fortunate in that I got a window seat; that’s my preference anyways, especially on a redeye. When we boarded the plane I walked back to check out the other seating options and I was incredibly happy that I didn’t end up in the rear exit row. While the middle and aisle seats back there have tons of legroom the window seat has the slide housing which really gets in the way of a comfortable ride.
I headed back up to my row and settled in to 13A; triskaidekaphobia is apparently not an issue with US Air. That row has a misaligned window which is both good and bad. I found it nice for leaning against when I was sleeping but were I to want a view I’d probably be pretty disappointed with it.
As for the seats themselves, they are pretty tight. And pretty old. They actually still have ash trays in the arm rests.
I’m actually surprised they haven’t removed them to save on weight and cut the fuel costs a bit more than anything.
As for the in-flight experience, I slept the entire time. There might have been a drink service but I didn’t notice. I also have no idea if there was buy-on-board for food. I put in my ear plugs, donned my eye mask and was asleep before they made the announcement that personal electronic devices were permitted. I woke up when we landed in Phoenix.
I survived and it wasn’t incredibly awful. It also wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience. In other words, exactly what I expected.
Posted by Seth on May 16, 2012 under points |
I have a bit of trouble justifying the annual fee for lounge access. The product offered in most domestic airports isn’t that great and with elite status I get in to the international lounges, so I’m mostly covered there. But I can understand that some folks who spend more time in airports domestically might enjoy the option. And, for another two weeks, there is a promotion running that can get you a year of access for free.
The United MileagePlus United Club Card (I may have gotten the name wrong, but you get the idea) offers a full lounge membership and a few other decent benefits, like 1.5 miles per dollar and no foreign exchange fees. Normally it is $395/year which, as noted above, is more than I’m willing to pay for it. But through 31 May 2012 it is possible to get the first year free thanks to promotion codes that are being handed out in the United Club lounges. No, I have no idea why they’re giving them away for free to the folks already inside, but that’s how they’re promoting it.
Anywho, thanks to my mileage run this past weekend and some friends I was traveling with I’m sitting on a stack of promo codes for the first year free. Many of them are spoken for but I have five left (and possibly more if the others come back unused) that I’m looking to give away.
If you want one, leave a comment. Doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering, just an indication that you want one. And make sure that the email address you leave when posting the comment is valid. If more than five folks want them then I’ll pick randomly on Monday morning EDT and will send out emails to the winners.
For other details on the card click here.
And, just in case anyone thinks I’ve changed my mind on the topic, no, I do not earn anything on these referrals. I actually don’t think it is that great a card. But it doesn’t suck if you get it for free.
Posted by Seth on May 16, 2012 under Review, Trip Reports |
There is only so much that can be done to make the airport gate experience enjoyable for customers. When you’re dealing with cramped old terminals like those at LaGuardia the options are even more limited. There’s not enough space to really make things nice and tearing down and rebuilding the facilities is not going to happen any time soon, either. These challenges haven’t stopped Delta from trying, however. The carrier has stepped up the experience in their terminal, working to make pre-flight actually enjoyable.
One of the aspects of the effort is replacing the typical gate area seating – rows of uncomfortable seats crammed too close together – with new seats, including tables and outlets, so people can work or eat more easily. The layout is definitely more comfortable and customer-friendly, so long as you can actually get a seat. The main problem with the setup is that the seating density is decreased, meaning there are a lot of folks left without seats. And at LaGuardia, with the crowds, that is definitely a challenge.
In addition to the booths for sitting there are also taller tables with bar stools set up in the area. Again, lots of power outlets available and a nice desk for working or eating. But the high tops have more than just power and space; they also provide pre-flight entertainment options.
There are iPads set up at the tables, offering a few pre-loaded apps (e.g. FaceBook) and also an ordering platform for the OTG concessions in the terminal. The OTG setup is similar to that which the company debuted in the JetBlue JFK T5 a couple years ago, allowing passengers to order meals to the gate area rather than having to walk over to one of the stands to get the food. And this version offers entertainment, too.
The setup is quite nice. It is definitely a big change from the traditional gate experience. Not quite perfect, but definitely a step in the right direction.
Posted by Seth on May 15, 2012 under Flying, News |
And this one is working out in favor of the consumers. The recent hullabaloo about the premium cabin fares priced ex-Rangoon to various destinations at a very steep discount has been interesting to follow. Like most “mistake” fares the cycle of the booking process is following the usual steps. First euphoria at the deal, followed by apprehension and worry as to whether the fare would be honored and then confusion or outrage when the tickets were canceled. And now, euphoria again, as the tickets are being reinstated.
After trading emails with Vayama and ANA a couple weeks ago regarding the tickets I booked for our New Years vacation and their cancellation of those tickets I received the following today:
Dear Customer –
Following discussions with our airline partners the decision has been made to reinstate your previously canceled reservation from Rangoon.
There are more details, including a deadline to accept or decline the offer, but this is excellent news on the consumer rights front in the air travel world. For too long the airlines have held all the power in such situations. It seems that the tide may finally be turning.
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Posted by Seth on May 15, 2012 under Dining, Mileage Run, Trip Reports |
What to do in Honolulu with a three hour layover? This was the question nine of us were faced with in the middle of a ridiculous weekend mileage run. There were more than enough different cards available to grant lounge access but, quite frankly, the lounges there aren’t anything special and we were looking for something better, something different, something to eat.
The solution was a quick walk over to the L&L just off the airport property, past the car rental lots. No, it isn’t the best plate lunch in Hawaii but we didn’t have time to get over to Rainbow Drive-In or anything else too far afield. It was close by and better than any of the options inside the airport. Plus it gave us an excuse to walk around and get some fresh air.
Even better for us, one of the guys had a friend picking him up for the layover and she arrived in a pick-up truck. That meant we got a ride over to the restaurant rather than having to walk it. Bonus!
"Lunch" was just as expected. Quite filling and reasonably tasty. I actually branched out from my normal Mixed BBQ plate and added on an order of Korean chicken wings. The wings took a while to be cooked but they were delicious. Just a bit sweet in addition to crispy fried.
After the meal we headed back in to the airport. We made it to the US Airways check-in area and proceeded to confuse the heck out of a number of different agents as we each attempted to check in and address potential issues in out itineraries. Mine had the same HNL-PHX segment in it twice and others were working to get bumps or otherwise change flights. A trail of chaos followed in our wake, though the agents did seem to handle it reasonably well, all things considered. We were down to five now, with a bit more than an hour prior to the flight. The only lounge option was at the far end of the airport and, again, just not worth the schlep. Instead we headed downstairs into the garden area and settled in at one of the gazebos.
There we sat, under the watchful eye of Sun Yat Sen, relaxing in the cool Hawaiian breezes until it was time to make the way to the gate.
Yeah, we hit a bar along the way and actually paid for beers before the flight rather than getting freebies in the lounge. I still think we came out ahead on the deal. Lounges are fine, I suppose, but there really are better options out there when you’ve got a couple hours to kill.
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Posted by Seth on May 15, 2012 under Dining, Flying, frequent flyer, Mileage Run, points, Review, Trip Reports |
Having had so much fun the last time around (plus, I did book five of these!) I was off again last week for a quick trip to Portland, Oregon, again for just long enough to have dinner before heading back home on the redeye flight. And, like last time, the trip was pleasantly uneventful. I didn’t put together a video this time, but it still was a reasonably fun trip to document.
Somewhat shockingly we left on time from LaGuardia and made it in to Houston early. Alas, only a snack plate so I declined (I had just eaten at my favorite NYC taco truck) and took a nap instead. Incredibly exciting, right??
Flight number two had a meal service offering up two options that both sounded decent enough. I asked the flight attendant to surprise me and I ended up with a ravioli-ish option in tomato sauce. Nothing to write home about, good or bad.
A couple hours later we were on final into PDX, though we came in from the "wrong" direction. The winds were different than any other time I’ve arrived in PDX so we came in from the other side. It gave me a very different view of arrival than I was expecting
The really good part of the evening came when I arrived in Portland. A friend who lives there was available to go out to dinner that night so he picked me up from the airport and we headed out to some awesome Cuban food at Pambiche.
Just a quick stay in Portland, however, so I was soon back at the airport, just in time to clear security and head over to the gate for my departure back to Chicago.
I was happy to be upgraded for the redeye, though that may have worked against me. The two folks in the row ahead seemed to become fast friends prior to departure and they kept chatting into the first hour or so of the flight. Mid-con redeyes are already bad enough. Having chatty passengers nearby didn’t help the situation. I still managed to get a bit of sleep and was semi-functional by the time we made it to O’Hare.
I did rather enjoy being the only passenger in the first class cabin on the 6am ORD-LGA flight not wearing a suit. It was a pleasant reminder that life can be fun without having to dress up to play a part.
Departure from O’Hare was right on time and pretty soon I was napping again, all the way to New York City.
We arrived early and an hour later I had navigated the bus/subway transfer – including helping another passenger who didn’t have a MetroCard and who only had bills – back in to Manhattan. The day was just getting started and I was ready to go. Or at least ready to try to survive on just a couple hours of sleep.
Like I said at the beginning, nothing too amazing on the flights, but it was a fun day. Special thanks to Luke for driving out to the airport to pick me up for dinner, and for knowing where the good food is in Portland. Definitely made for a great night.
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Tags: Chicago, Dining, Flying, frequent flier, frequent flyer, houston, in flight, New York City, PaxEx, Photos, points, Portland, review, Trip Report
Posted by Seth on May 15, 2012 under Flying, News |
The wait is over. A couple months after carriers applied to provide service for four new slot pairs at Washington’s Reagan National Airport the DoT has announced the winners of the coveted operating permissions. And the winners are exactly what I predicted back when the applications were revealed:
JetBlue won their first choice of routes, adding service to their quickly growing operation in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Alaska Airlines won their first choice as well, with service to Portland, Oregon being approved. Austin, Texas had two different applications for service; both Southwest and JetBlue indicated that they wanted to add the destination. Southwest was awarded that authority. Virgin America won their only application, adding service to their hub in San Francisco. The route to SFO will be the only of the new operations with direct competition on it; United Airlines is also going to be operating on that route. Southwest will face competition on the proposed through-service aspect of their Austin service to San Diego from US Airways which will operate that route with a non-stop flight.
So no real surprises in the route authorities awarded. Probably for the best; the routes picked were the favorites because they made the most sense based on the economics of the markets. Still, every now and then I do wonder if the DoT has a sense of humor and would award something like the Colorado Springs application Frontier put out there.
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Tags: Alaska Air, Alaska Airlines, Congress, DoT, FAA, Frontier, JetBlue, Portland, Puerto Rico, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, Southwest Airline, United, United Airlines, US Air, Virgin America, Washington DC
Posted by Seth on May 14, 2012 under Dining, Flying, Mileage Run, Review, Trip Reports |
I had quite high expectations as I boarded United Airlines flight 15 from Newark to Honolulu. This is, after all, a flagship route and as a top-tier elite customer seated in the forward cabin I expected a level of service and comfort that would be truly unparalleled from the world’s largest airline. That expectation was shattered even before we left the ground when I was threatened with arrest for attempting to talk to the pilots before the cockpit door had been closed. Wh’ev.
Things went downhill from there.
One of the recorded pre-flight announcements indicated that the flight was operated by Continental Airlines, a brand that hasn’t existed since I put them out of business back in March. Seriously, it has been more than 8 weeks now. That they haven’t fixed the recording is an abomination and an insult to brand homogenization. Alas, following my prior chastisement I chose to bite my lip and accept that the flight was going to be a miserable 11 hours of my life rather than point out to the flight attendants that there was a mistake in the recordings that demanded resolution.
A meal was served shortly after departure. The flight attendants who had appeared so diligent in following my every move prior to departure had failed to notice that I had traded seats with another on the flight. This meant that my meal order was taken approximately 38 seconds after it should have been, with the FA going to the incorrect seat before finally noticing my new arrangements and coming over to ask what I wanted.
Continuing with the branding debacle which started with the announcement prior to departure, the linens, glassware and flatware were a mismatched mess of old and new names and logos.
The steak was fine – it tasted nothing like leather – but, as can be seen from the photo, there was no bread to be found anywhere near my tray. Truly insulting that the roll wasn’t served as it should have been.
The ice cream sundae trolley showed up after dinner, laden with gooey toppings and a few choices of digestifs for those of that persuasion. Of course, being a Hawaii trip I was more in to mai tais than liquor and I asked to have another. I was informed that the mai tais had too much sugar, meaning that I should stop drinking them. Oh, and no Grand Marnier, either. Alas, I was stuck drinking the cognac instead.
All this, and we still hadn’t cleared Wyoming airspace.
The flight continued, as did the abject mistreatment. I wasn’t awoken from my nap, meaning my fresh-baked mid-flight cookie cooled off before I could eat it. They simply do not taste the same when the cookies have cooled.
By this point in the flight, as if by some miracle, additional mai tais appeared in the forward galley and shortly thereafter at our seat. Of course, as part of serving the drinks at this point in the trip, questions were raised as to my consumption habits, including my willingness to mix rum drinks with other rum drinks and the impact that might have on my sobriety. Explaining to the flight attendants that getting drunk was the only way to deal with their subordination didn’t seem like the correct response; once again I bit my tongue.
About an hour before arrival our last meal was served, I accepted the tray from the flight attendant and then immediately realized my mistake. They served the meal with only 55 minutes remaining before arrival and that would mean insufficient time to digest before undertaking the hike from the gate to the curb. And I know how important it is to have time to digest before such strenuous exercise. I considered calling for a wheelchair to avoid issues but instead simply accepted the risk of getting a cramp as I walked out of the airport to our next meal.
Finally, our landing in Honolulu was anything but normal. We used a different runway than I’m used to from my previous trips to the island meaning that the views I was expecting on final approach didn’t materialize. It is hard to get good photos of a landing when the pilots change things like that on you without consultation.
At least the flight was finally over. Eleven hours I’ll never get back. Eleven hours of pure torture.
Yes, the entire post here was decidedly tongue-in-cheek. That said, the service really was rather below par from my previous experiences. Part of that stems from the downgrades in the service offered on the flight (fewer meal choices, entrees of lesser quality) and part of it was from a crew that didn’t really seem to be happy working, much less with a group of six guys in the forward cabin who actually intended to enjoy the trip rather than just idle through until the doors opened again on arrival. I really never did get a roll with my meal, for instance, and things like drink and snack basket service were essentially non-existent. Only one of the FAs was anywhere close to being personable. Oh, and the IFE on these planes really is an embarrassment. Just awful.
Clearly not actually a "trip from hell" but also not a particularly great ride.
Tags: Continental, Dining, Flying, Hawaii, Honolulu, IFE, in flight, Mileage Run, Newark, PaxEx, Photos, review, Trip Report, United, United Airlines
Posted by Seth on May 14, 2012 under frequent flyer, News |
When the announcement came out that the PeoplExpress brand was looking to get back into the skies it also included an announcement about a loyalty program, Club Travelati. Customers could sign up as a lifetime member for only $19. In addition to other benefits (including a souvenir pin), the Club promised access to super discounted sales and deals from the carrier once they actually started flying. It turns out that the DoT isn’t so keen on such a marketing approach; the carrier agreed to a $10,000 fine based on the effort.
The company settled with the DoT, admitting no fault, and pulled all content relating to the Club off their website. At issue is whether selling access to discounts is permissible given that the airline cannot actually legally operate flights yet. By enticing customers with discounts for fares that they cannot actually sell the DoT felt that the company violated a couple CFRs. The company has stated they disagree with that position but that they are choosing to avoid litigation in an effort to not derail their pending operational certificate application.
The company has pulled the offer to buy in to the Club from their web site, showing only this now:
Club Travelati is an exciting new club by PEOPLExpress™ for people just like you! We can’t tell you all the details just yet, since we are not yet a certificated airline. But we can tell you it will be fun! Stay tuned here for more details.
Oh, and they apparently only sold about 130 of the $19 memberships since they launched the product per the DoT claim.
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Posted by Seth on May 12, 2012 under Dining, Review, Trip Reports |
Odds are that if you’ve made it to Fajardo, Puerto Rico you’re there for one of the mega-resorts in the area. The El Conquistador (where I was staying) is the most popular but there are a few others in the area. There are also a few smaller hotels and B&Bs around. Either way, getting away from the hotel is nearly always a better option for dining and that certainly held true in Fajardo. We had several meals on the resort and, with the exception of one, they really weren’t very good. The meals we had off property, on the other hand, were nearly all delicious. Moral of the story: Go out to eat.
As for where to go, there are a number of options. Some are easily walkable from the resorts and some are a bit further afield. Fortunately we had a car to make those also feasible.
The best meal all week (at least to me) was at La Estacion. The restaurant is run by a New York City couple who moved to Puerto Rico, set up shop and haven’t looked back. Along the way they’ve churned out some of the best food in the region, day in and day out. Everything is fresh, with the menu changing depending on what’s available from the market that day. The two options for preparation are pretty much grilled and smoked, with a variety of meats and fish to choose from. I had the grilled lobster while Matt had the grilled red snapper. Both were spectacular, though I have to admit that the snapper was better.
Both mains were served with tostones and a mango salad, making for quite a full meal. Of course, even though we didn’t actually save room for dessert that didn’t stop us from eating some. When glazed bananas are deep-fried in dough and served with ice cream I’m never going to be able to say no.
I didn’t get to try the New Yorican Hot Dog (wrapped in bacon and garnished with a sliced avocado. I’m going to have to go back for that some day.
La Estacion is located about a half mile from the main gate of the El Conquistador. That’s not very far but the main gate is far enough from the hotel itself that walking it would be quite a schlep, particularly with the hills. We drove.
The following night saw us at, Pasion por el Fogon, a tapas restaurant about a mile and a half the other direction from the resort. The sangria was too sweet, but that was the only real negative I remember from the evening (possibly because we still finished the pitcher). We had six different small plates, from mushrooms sautéed in garlic sauce to the less traditional fried plantain and bacon balls. Squid stuffed with crab meat was particularly delicious, while the smoked salmon was just OK.
For the main course we had a mofongo stuffed with mahi mahi. The folks at the next table over raved about the chorizo (I’m still not sure why I didn’t order it) and there were a few other options on the menu that looked delicious. Definitely a solid set of choices covering both the traditional and local varietals of tapas to make for a good meal.
The other two meals we had off-property were walkable from the resort, so long as you don’t mind heading out down an unmarked and unlit street with no clear indication as to where it leads. We did it at lunch time but there were plenty of folks doing it at dinner time, too. It is plenty safe; the road is actually one of the employee parking lots for the resort. From the marina area of the resort head out past the ferry dock and the dive shop and through the gate that leads off the property. Walk along the water for 10 minutes or so and you’ll find yourself in the park and town where there are a bunch of dining options to choose from. Some of the smaller stalls weren’t open while we were there – it was decidedly shoulder season at best – but most of the larger shops were open, leaving a few choices to try.
Lunch number one was at Blue Bahia. It was just OK. The beer was cold and the food was reasonable, but it wasn’t particularly great so it is a bit lower on my recommendation list. The other meal we had was at Racar Sea Food, just past Blue Bahia.
Racar’s is all outdoor and very simple fare, mostly seafood with a few meat options, too. A plate lunch, including rice and beans, was about $6 and it was pretty darn good. The shrimp arepas I ordered was even better, though not quite as filling.
There were a few other restaurants in the area, both out on the main road and along the walkable water front, but we didn’t get to them. Something about being lazy with a pina colada on the beach seemed to get in the way.
All of the meals off-property were, for me, better than the meals on-property. Dinner at Strip House was on par with the better of the other dinners if you really don’t want to leave the resort. But if you can muster the energy I highly recommend getting out and exploring the little town. Your taste buds will thank you for it.
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Posted by Seth on May 12, 2012 under frequent flyer, media coverage, News, points |
I’ve never been above a bit of shameless self-promotion and I see no need to start now. Fozz, Stephen and I have started up a new podcast, Points Hoarder. The goal is pretty simple: we take the obsession we have with points and miles and try to help everyone better understand how we collect them, how we value them and how we redeem them. In short, how to make travel better through points.
We’re just starting out with the concept and we’ve got one episode live right now and a second just recorded. You can check out Episode 1 here; Most of the discussion is about awesome redemptions we’ve all recently had. After all, earning the miles can be fun but redeeming them is where the excitement really comes out, at least for me.
I’ll be sure to announce a link to episode 2 and the iTunes feed once those are available. In the mean time, give it a listen and let me know what you think.
