SEAT BACK ADS ON AIRTRAN. This month, AirTran will add seatback advertising on all its 138 jets. The ads will run in a clear plastic 2.5”x9” panel affixed to the underside of each tray table (visible only when the tray is upright). Don’t think for a minute that the seatback is going to be the only place you’ll see onboard advertising in the future— soon the inside of the airplane (of any airline) could look like the inside of a MARTA train— ads could appear on overhead bins, wall panels, bulkhead walls, and even in lavatories according to illustrations on the website of the Atlanta-based company producing the ads.
NO CASH ONBOARD DELTA MAINLINE JETS. Following in the footsteps of archrival AirTran, Delta has eliminated the unwieldy task of accepting cash (and making change) for onboard purchases. Flight attendants will use wireless handheld devices to ring up bills for food, booze or other items. While it might be slightly inconvenient to a few folks, we think that this is a very smart move that helps streamline serving and relieves overtaxed flight crews with the hassle of making change. And who doesn’t travel without a charge card these days anyway? Important note: As of now, this only applies to Delta mainline jets and NOT on flights operated by regional Delta connection partners, which still accept only cash. And you can still use either cash or credit on Delta international flights.
GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT SKYMILES MEDALLION CHANGES FOR 2010? Delta’s got answers. It recently posted a very helpful FAQ page on the SkyMiles website covering new benefits such as Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), the new Diamond Medallion status, new “select benefits” for Platinums and Diamonds, no award ticketing fees for Gold, Platinum and Diamond members.
GOOD COFFEE ON THE ROAD. Tired of the brown water? AirTran just added a new canned premium coffee to its inflight drink menu: illy issimo Latte Macchiato. It’s free for business class passengers and $4 for those in coach. Speaking of coffee: Starbuck’s has made the world a better place by introducing a new line of instant coffee called VIA Ready Brew. (It’s packed in handy travel size packs about the size of a pack of sugar.) The taste test at my neighborhood Starbucks convinced me to change my ways. So now, whether I’m on a plane or at a roadside diner, I just order a cup of hot water, add a pack of VIA and voila – real coffee!
Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET!
airtran.com | delta.com | Hotwire
I’ve flown the ATL-PHL route for nearly 20 years on Delta and notice that since the completion of the merger between the Delta Skymiles and Northwest Worldperks programs I’m now credited with 665 Skymiles for the trip rather than the 666 that I’ve received for almost 2 decades. What happened, did they move the PHL airport a mile closer to ATL? Seems like a sneaky way to lessen the liability on the Delta balance sheet by short-changing everyone by 1 mile.
Way to go, Delta. Another straw being added to the camel’s back. When will enough be enough and force me to move my loyalty?