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February 2003 (Printer Friendly Version)

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AIRLINE NEWS  

SO-LONG MEDALLION. Don't forget that if you step down or lose your medallion level status this month (your 2002 status changes/ends on Feb. 28) you have a host of new fees and surcharges to look forward to. First, of course, is Delta's new $25 fee for same day standbys (gold and platinum only are exempt). Second is the new fee for over-weight checked bags. Like other majors, Delta will now charge $25 extra if your bag weighs between 51 and 70 lbs.; $80 if it weighs more than 71 lbs. Delta says it won't accept a bag that weighs more than 100 lbs. Each Delta passenger is allowed to check two pieces of luggage. (AirTran's web site says that it allows three checked pieces per passenger, with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. each.)

FEE APPLICATION. Please let us know if or when you are faced with the new fees. Charged an extra $25 for a 52-lb bag? Forced to pay the $25 fee to standby? Told you've lost the entire amount of your ticket if you did not change or cancel it ahead of time? We are curious to hear how uniformly these fees will be applied, and how often they are waived. We want to hear from you.  

DISCOUNTED FIRST CLASS. America West says, "You can pay more for a coach ticket and hope to get upgraded on other airlines, or you can pay less for a confirmed first class seat on America West." Check out America West's deal: From ATL fly up front for just $499 each way to western cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, or Phoenix. (Book by Feb. 18 for travel all the way through August.) That's $1000 round trip, with a stop in PHX in each direction. Delta's first class fare to these cities (non-stop) runs in the $2300 range.  

WASTED SPACE? From TICKET reader Bob Sabin: "I found on my last Delta flight, that it has actually removed six seats from each Boeing 737-800.  Not to make more precious leg room, but so they can meet new FAA regs for minimum flight attendant staffing. With those six extra seats, they would have to put one more person on each flight for service.  Instead of giving us extra leg room (at least for now) there's an open space in the back of the cabin by the galley." Delta confirmed Sabin's observation, stating, "we have removed some seats (4 to 6 depending on the aircraft) from some of the B737-800's to make the fleet consistent with 148/150 seats.  This, in turn, allows us to staff these aircraft consistently with three flight attendants, per FAA regulations."  

DL-NW-CO ALLIANCE BATTLE . Although the carriers have said they will continue with their alliance-making plans (nothing concrete yet), the DOT says that it "intends aggressively to enforce its statutory authority to challenge the transaction and require such conditions as it deems necessary to preserve competition." All eyes are now on DOT secretary Norm Mineta, who is expected to call for a formal enforcement action. Don't expect anything good for consumers anytime soon. . . .

SONGFEST. Despite the howls, we here at THE TICKET like the moniker "SONG" for Delta's planned re-do of Delta Express. We just wish that Atlanta travelers could enjoy some of the creativity (new logo) and perks (like in-flight TV) to be showered on New York City-based flyers who get to enjoy the fruits of true competition more that we do here in ATL. Delta used Landor, the same firm that came up with its mainline "beach towel" tails and current logo, to dish up SONG. Check out the Landor site for a look at the new logo, livery and interiors. The all-757 airline-within-an-airline will eventually fly between Boston , Hartford , Washington , DC, New York , and four Florida cities -- Orlando , Fort Myers , Tampa , and Fort Lauderdale . While there were plenty of tongues wagging over the announcement of SONG, here's our favorite quote, from Mike Boyd at aviationplanning.com : Delta sez: "Just as a song is the harmonious composition of distinct yet related elements, our Song will be in harmony with each individual's self-expression." Mike sez: "Oh, pluh-leez. It's an airline, not a 60's San Francisco love-in. At a $99 fare, what's to self-express, already? The customer wants a seat to West Palm, not psycho-analysis."  

KIOSK-O-RAMA. Delta says that it is going to completely re-vamp the check in lobby at ATL this spring. When a Delta passenger enters the airport, a greeter will direct him or her to a check-in kiosk. (Delta will double the number of kiosks available.) If a kiosk won't work, Delta wants you to use the phone. It plans to install phone banks in the check in area where passengers can go with more complex matters. Agents answering the phones will be able to print out boarding passes from printers built into the phone banks. Only as a last resort will a Delta passenger actually deal face-to-face with a ticket agent.  (Delta already has this system up and running at New York 's La Guardia Airport.) NEW: Between Feb. 15 and May 15, you get a one-time bonus of 500 miles for your first use of a kiosk, and a 100 mile bonus for each additional use up to five total. (The deal is good even if you have previously used a kiosk.)  

FARE FOR FOOD. Delta says that it is testing the sale of snacks and meals on certain flights (none touching ATL). Of course, in Delta-speak, Delta is not simply copying recent tests by America West or Northwest; this is something we "asked for."  A Delta press release on the subject states: “Customers told us they want an option to buy quality, name-brand food items that are reasonably priced,” said VP-Consumer Marketing Patrice Miles. If you've recently told Delta that you wanted this, or have any other comment on the sale of food on planes, please let us know!  

BRIGHT SIDE. Last year, the largest U.S. carriers posted their best on-time record since 1995, when the government started keeping records. Flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule 82.1percent of the time last year, up from 77.4 percent in 2001. Why? The DOT says it is due to air traffic control changes, good weather and fewer people flying.  

COMING AND GOING. Ailing United has eliminated non-stops between Los Angeles and Atlanta (but it is still flying nonstop between ATL and SFO). Delta has deployed regional jets on two flights per day between ATL and Valdosta .  

PAY CUTS FOR PILOTS? After bankrupt US Airways and United were able to wrest pay cuts from pilots, Delta this week floated the idea to its pilots—among the highest paid in the industry—and got a curt reply: "Our pilot working agreement is not amendable until 2005."  

CLEARER SKIES. US Airways won a $900 million loan guarantee (from Uncle Sam) when the Air Transportation Stabilization Board approved of the airline's revised business plan this week. That means that the carrier will almost certainly stave off liquidation, and could emerge from bankruptcy as early as March 31. United, on the other hand, seems to be stuck in an awful limbo, with no clear plan to emerge from bankruptcy, and looking a lot like Eastern Airlines did on the eve of the Gulf War in 1991. Scary stuff, folks. . . .  

BLACK CARDS.  United is preparing to roll out an exclusive "Global Services" program to recognize its most valued customers, says USA Today. Members — who must be invited to join — receive black membership cards, according to congratulatory letters being sent to the chosen fliers.  

NASA TO THE RESCUE? Tired of commercial airlines? Before too long, travelers may be able to avoid big airport hassles by taking tiny jets from one small airfield to another. NASA is spending $69 million to design and test small jets, not much larger than SUV's, which have two pilot seats, four passenger seats and a lavatory. Their tiny jet engines could propel the planes to speeds up to 400 mph and altitudes of 41,000 feet. A NASA spokesman says that the agency wants to demonstrate that it makes sense to think of small aircraft as an alternative to commercial airlines for trips between 200 and 1000 miles. Here's a picture of the cool craft.  

HOOTERS AIR ONE, featuring an orange and white paint scheme, Hooters Air graphics and a large owl on the tail, from the eponymous restaurant chain will soon be joined by Hooters Air Two. Both 737's are expected to be in service for consumers sometime next month, flying out of Myrtle Beach to unknown (at present) destinations.  

TRUE VALUE? Here's an interesting observation from our friends at the AJC: AirTran Airways has a higher value on Wall Street than American Airlines, the world's largest airline. AirTran, which has 5,000 workers compared with 122,000 at American, recently rose 25 percent in market value, to about $461 million. Southwest's aggregate stock value is about $10 billion, and JetBlue Airways' is almost $1.8 billion, well above those of larger U.S. carriers, including Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines. Delta's recent stock market value was about $1.1 billion

SAFETY AND SECURITY NEWS  

MONDAY-MONDAY: "The checkpoint line at Hartsfield moves so slowly on Monday Mornings it's not uncommon for passengers to stand in line for 45 minutes." (AJC, Feb 13) The article says that Airport GM Ben DeCosta has asked the TSA for follow through on plans to expand the security gate area, but has been told that there is no money to do so. Don't expect those funds to appear any time soon. According to traveltrade.com, the TSA is asking Congress for $5.3 billion for fiscal year 2003.  However, revenue from passenger security fees of about $1.7 billion and yearly airline contributions of about $300 million create a $3 billion gap.  

NOTE TO SELF: Be sure and check insurance policies to determine what is and what is NOT covered due to acts of war.

CALLING ALL JETS. The Pentagon calling up some of the nation's passenger jets for active duty. Under the air reserve program, the government can commandeer use of civil aircraft to mobilize troops, transport cargo, or make medical evacuations. According to the New York Times, Delta is ready to provide a 767, a 777 and an MD-11. (The government reimburses the airline for the use of the aircraft—which might be pennies from heaven once a war breaks out or a commercial airliner becomes the target of a terrorist and bookings vaporize.)

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AIRPORT NEWS  

PARKING LOT UPDATE. Due to heightened security, airport authorities have had to rope off approximately 1,400 spaces on the third and fourth levels of the North and South hourly parking decks.  Daily spaces on the first and second levels remain available. Although rare these days, airport parking lot sellouts occur most frequently on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Always call ahead to determine parking availability: 404-530-6725. Press 2 to go straight to the availability hotline, or check ATL lot status online.      

BEANTOWN. The earth has been moving under the feet of Bostonians over the last few years. Last month, transit authorities opened a $6.5 billion, three and a half mile tunnel between the city and Logan Airport , which had been under construction since 1991. Now, a trip between downtown and the airport takes about fifteen minutes, compared to a traffic- snarled 45-minute trip prior to the opening. "It took five minutes! I had to pull over and weep," writes TICKET reader Brian Balmer .  

AMERICA WEST will stop using Columbus , Ohio , as one of its hubs, after competition grew in the area and an increase in cross-country flights reduced the need for passengers to make connections there. Delta is picking up the slack with a slew of new CRJ flights to several nearby cities, and to Florida .  

VIRTUALLY SHUT DOWN. Due to new TSA security requirements, Delta has shut down its "Virtual Check-In" option. This service allowed SkyMiles members to phone a special number (printed on the back of SkyMiles cards) before arriving at the airport to check in for flights. Once you completed the virtual check-in by entering your SkyMiles number and flight number, all you had to do was show up at the gate with your SkyMiles card and photo ID. Your boarding pass was issued as you walked on the plane. 

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INTERNATIONAL  

TRANSATLANTIC FARES TANK. As the war drums beat louder, and anti-aircraft guns, tanks and missiles are deployed to British airports, British Airways has launched one of the best fare sales ever. Calling it a Valentine's Day special, roundtrip coach fares from ATL to a variety of European cities are under $300 (London as low as $211 round trip), which is hard to beat. Most other carriers have matched the sale, and you must book by MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, Feb. 13.  

LUFTHANSA CUTS FIRST CLASS. Due to a drop in demand for first class service, in March Lufthansa will replace its current three-class configured A-340 on the ATL-Frankfurt run with a two-class (business and coach only) Boeing 767, A-330, or another A-340. (That leaves BA and Air France as the only two airlines offering three-class service from ATL.)  

BRAZILIAN MERGE. Brazil 's largest airlines, Varig and TAM, announced that they will merge their operations later this year. If approved, the merged carrier would control a majority of Brazil 's domestic air traffic.  

LOW FARES FOR VIKINGS. SAS will face another challenge this year when Ryanair opens its fourth continental base at Skavsta Airport some 100 km south of Stockholm . On April 4, Ryanair will use four new 737-800s to fly to London , Aarhus , Glasgow , Hamburg , Paris , Oslo and Tampere . Ryanair says that its fares will be 84 percent cheaper than the current fares offered by SAS.  

NO-NO A LA MORDITA. In Mexico City , authorities are cracking down on motorists who offer bribes to police in the latest effort to combat rampant corruption among Mexico City officers. Hundreds of new video cameras which have been used to control traffic are now being used to watch police making traffic stops.

 

Who do the editors of THE TICKET use to book their business travel? The experts at Century Travel. Thousands of busy professionals—those who are too busy to handle all the details of their business trips or vacations— rely on the Century Travel. You can too! Call 404-478-8888; 800-533-6336. Ask for Belinda Crews, business travel manager.   

FREQUENT FLYER NEWS

HHONORS-SKYMILES EXCHANGE NO MORE. Hilton and Delta will terminate their mileage exchange program in March. The program is (or was) a great way to be able to transfer mileage balances between programs, or to use SkyMiles for Hilton stays. HHonors members have been able to transfer Delta SkyMiles, for example, into Hilton HHonors points, and then convert the HHonors points into, say AAdvantage miles. Or you could convert your HHonors points into Delta miles and use them for free trips. If you were planning on making such a transaction, you must do so by midnight , Feb 28. (Interestingly, and oddly, Delta is the ONLY airline that is terminating its participation on the HHonors mileage exchange.) Important: Delta is not ending other aspects of its partnership with Hilton—you'll still be able to earn Delta miles for your Hilton stays. Additionally, on March 1, HHonors members can redeem HHonors points for one-time Crown Room passes, or $50 discounts on annual CRC memberships.  

GOOD QUESTION. From TICKET reader Jeff Taratoot: "In the past, if I spent $25,000 or more on my Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex card, I would get 10,000 BASE miles that counted toward Medallion status. How does this change now that Delta has changed the Medallion program with formulas, etc?" American Express replies: You still earn 10,000 miles that count towards your Medallion Qualification. In fact, moving forward we will no longer reference "base" miles in our Platinum information. We will start calling them Medallion Qualification Miles. The amount that a cardmember receives and the hurdle (s)he must reach to receive the miles is unchanged."

MAD AND NOT TAKING IT. Hundreds of disgruntled fliers are glomming on to the popular Delta boards at Flyertalk.com, and turning into a protest group. They want Delta to rescind recent changes to the SkyMiles program that tie medallion status to dollars spent instead of miles flown, as well as changes that make it harder for platinum-level members to upgrade. According to group spokesperson Mike Seidenman, two members own mobile billboard companies that they plan to use at airports and at the Delta stockholders meeting this spring in New York City to publicize their cause. Seidenman, a medallion-level SkyMiles member from Cincinnati , says that group members have pledged nearly $3,000 so far to fund a publicity campaign. (If you want to follow the group's progress, see www.saveskymiles.com)

ELITE EQUALITY. On March 1, United and US Airways systems will recognize each other's elite-status fliers for upgrades. In April, members of each program will have the ability to upgrade or redeem awards on itineraries that are partly or totally operated by the other airline. (It has yet to be determined if the DL-NW-CO alliance would be as far reaching, but it is certainly interesting to think about!)  

SKYMILES DINERS. The following are the most frequented restaurants in Atlanta by users of credit cards registered with the SkyMiles I-dine program. Big Red Tomato (midtown), Three Dollar Café (Buckhead), Lickskillet Farm (Alpharetta).

CHEAP FLIGHT, GREAT STAY. Now that you can fly cheaply to the Bahamas on AirTran, consider redeeming some of those Starwood Preferred Guest points at the well-known Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island , which officially joined the Starwood portfolio last month.  

TAX TIME AGAIN. You'll earn one mile per dollar spent on federal, state and local taxes when paying your tax bill with a standard mileage earning charge card. And this year, Delta is offering DOUBLE miles or points to those paying taxes on their SkyMiles credit cards.  Of course, there's a catch to this: in addition to your tax, you must pay a 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent fee for the "convenience" of using your credit card. For more information, call Official Payments Corp. at 1-800-272-9829 or see www.officialpayments.com. (This year, AMEX is applying cap controls on the amount you are able to earn points on.)  

HAD MILES SNATCHED? A law firm claiming to represent SkyMiles members who have had miles confiscated by Delta filed a suit in New York . In the complaint, they say that Delta is unfairly punishing those who barter or sell the miles they have accrued. The suit is seeking unspecified damages, as well as class-action status. Sorry folks, but this smells to me like many of the other frivolous lawsuits brought against airlines by lawyers more interested in lining their own pockets than protecting the rights of flyers. Nonetheless, if you are a SkyMiles member who supports the claims in this complaint and you want your name added to the class-action suit, you should contact: Barry Roberts,  Roberts & Hundertmark LLP,  info@rhllp.com .  

Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET!   

delta.com  |  Hotwire  |  Orbitz |  priceline.com |  Site59

Each time you click on an airline website link, button or banner ad from this newsletter or elsewhere on our site, and end up buying a ticket, we earn a few dollars. (Same web sites, same online booking bonus miles, just a different way of getting there!) Each time you want to visit an airline site, do so via a link from this newsletter or via our portal page. 

delta.com  |  Hotwire  |  Orbitz |  priceline.com |  Site59

TASTE OF THE TICKET

THE TASTE OF THE TICKET  (This part of our web site is becoming increasingly popular and well-read! Please take a peak and give us some feedback!)  

It's reminiscent of a place where “everybody knows your name.” This Vinings neighborhood pub’s offers a unique selection of Irish, English and Scottish brewed beers, combined with familiar comfort foods and a tight knit atmosphere. Can you name it? Check out the latest dispatch from our intrepid critic in TASTE OF THE TICKET.  

HOTEL News  

SAVE SOME POINTS. Marriott Rewards is offering Winter 2003 PointSavers-- up to 33 percent savings on hotel award stays at 238 hotels through Mar. 31, 2003 , including 30 Ritz-Carlton hotels and 16 Marriott and Renaissance spas and resorts. Sample: 82,500 points = 25 percent point savings on a two-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in Hawaii . (Unfortunately, the new Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek is not included in this offer. TICKET staffers took to the slopes last month, staying at the newest R-C, and we must say, the place is spectacular. It's a modern version of the venerable Yellowstone lodge, right there at the bottom of the ski lift. If you've got a chance to go there, don't miss out!)  

PRIORITY AUCTION. Six Continents Hotels has launched an online auction site for Priority Club Rewards members. Priority Club has long been a leader in the points for merchandise game, and this is a new twist. You can use your points to bid on everything from big-screen TVs and golf clubs to concert tickets and massage chairs using their program points.  

HOTEL SERVICE DIVES? U.S. hotels cut $1 billion in expenses over the last year and service has suffered as a result, says a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. We are getting an increasing number of reports from readers taking note of these changes. Hotels are cutting back on housekeepers, clerks, bellhops and even phone operators. Plus, they are eliminating perks like free newspapers or turn-down service, and even closing some in-house restaurants. Have you noticed a change? Has it affected your choice in hotels? Let us know.  

FRENCH KISS. Delta's newest hotel partner is Paris 's ACCOR hotel group, which will offer SkyMiles for stays at its Sofitel (500 per stay), Novotel, and Mercure (both 250 per stay).    

CAR RENTAL  

CAR RENTAL RATES DOWN. Car rental suppliers have recently undercut their rates from last year to compete with low-cost car rental suppliers that have been pushing rates downward in response to flatlined demand. January-February car rental rates for 100 U.S. business destinations averaged nearly $20 cheaper this year than last year, reports Business Travel News.  

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MAILBAG!

Feedback from TICKET readers regarding:    

Paying for Medallion Status. Last month we wrote about American Airlines selling elite level status for $395 (gold) or $595 (platinum), and asked if you'd be willing to buy Medallion status from Delta. The overwhelming response was YES. As a matter of fact, we did not receive a single response from anyone who said they wouldn't pay to retain SkyMiles Medallion status. Some comments:  

>Yes, I would pay if I fell short.  What if something came up and one year I didn't make my platinum status? I'd HATE to give up the perks (upgrades, mostly) and I would rather pay than not have status.  

>Yes, I would pay to keep my medallion status.  I did that this year by flying around in a circle on 30 Dec. to complete my base miles.  No difference, just less time involved.  

>Yes, I would!  I've been a Platinum Delta customer continuously since before Platinum was invented, and am working on my 4th million miles with that company.   A job change has slowed down my current travel to Gold for the coming year, but I expect to fly more in 2004 and would welcome the chance to continue the level of perks afforded by Platinum status until then.  

>Yes, the convenience is worth it.  I am a frequent leisure traveler, to grandchildren on the west coast.  I am also a physician and my time is valuable.  I joined the Crown room, not ever even to enter one, but to get in the short security line.  I would definitely pay if the new rules caused loss of medallion status.  

Other Feedback:  

On AirTran: I just flew back from Tampa .  Easy check-in, a free upgrade to Business Class and a friendly staff. And they didn't use a "multiplier" on my A-Plus rewards even though I booked one of their low fares on the Internet. I also like the fact that on their online bookings I can "price shop" before choosing the flight. I hate having to go "back and forth" on the Delta website when booking a one way ticket or an open jaw to one city and back from another. Great news that AirTran has added Denver . I'll be saving my A-Plus reward vouchers for a ski trip in 2004! They have my business and I will fly Delta only when AirTran isn't flying where I need to go. The credit card company (Juniper Bank) for the new AirTran Visa is also quite good and the customer service representatives are very helpful and friendly. -Jon Kiger  

PLEASE JOIN IN and provide us with your questions, observations and comments about your travel experiences or topics in this issue! Send your questions and comments to us at mailto:ticketatl@travelskills.com.