The new combined United/Continental released a “tweaked” new look today. (It originally just replaced the word “Continental” with “United.” This is a bit more refined.)

The new logo displays the combined company’s brand name in capital letters (UNITED) in a custom sans-serif font, joined with the global mark which has represented Continental’s brand image since 1991.

A corresponding update of the combined airline’s aircraft livery will adopt Continental’s livery, colors and design, including its blue-gold-white globe image on the tail, combined with the new-style UNITED name on the fuselage.

Scroll down to see both and leave a comment!

Air Force One

On Tuesday, President Obama urged federal government employees to cut back on business travel in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The president wants the federal government, now the largest energy consumer in the country, to cut its emissions from indirect sources like commuting and business travel by 13 percent by 2020.

That sounds fair enough, but the announcement did not sit well at all with the travel industry.

On Wednesday the U.S. Travel Association fired back, calling Obama’s effort to curb government employee travel “short-sighted and counter-productive…. and will further economic decline at precisely the wrong time for the more than two million Americans whose jobs depend on business travel.” (Read the full statement here.)

Michael McCormick, executive director of another travel trade organization, the National Business Travel Association stated, “President Obama’s recent statements calling for a reduction in government travel are troubling for two reasons. First, they are part of a pattern of negative and misguided comments from the Administration that hurt the travel industry at an incredibly challenging time. Second, they seem to imply that cutting travel is the goal. The goal should be to use travel as cost-effectively as possible to meet the needs of the United States…”

On Thursday, perhaps as a way to hold out an olive branch to the beleagured travel industry, the President announced the he and his family would be vacationing on the Florida Gulf coast in August.

Who is right here? Should we be cut back on business travel to reduce emissions? Or should we encourage business travel to aid an ailing travel industry that’s just now starting to recover? Please leave your comments below!

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airtran.com | delta.com | Hotwire

Air Force One

On Tuesday, President Obama urged federal government employees to cut back on business travel in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The president wants the federal government, now the largest energy consumer in the country, to cut its emissions from indirect sources like commuting and business travel by 13 percent by 2020.

That sounds fair enough, but the announcement did not sit well at all with the travel industry.

On Wednesday the U.S. Travel Association fired back, calling Obama’s effort to curb government employee travel “short-sighted and counter-productive…. and will further economic decline at precisely the wrong time for the more than two million Americans whose jobs depend on business travel.” (Read the full statement here.)

Michael McCormick, executive director of another travel trade organization, the National Business Travel Association stated, “President Obama’s recent statements calling for a reduction in government travel are troubling for two reasons. First, they are part of a pattern of negative and misguided comments from the Administration that hurt the travel industry at an incredibly challenging time. Second, they seem to imply that cutting travel is the goal. The goal should be to use travel as cost-effectively as possible to meet the needs of the United States…”

Who is right here? Should we be cut back on business travel to reduce emissions? Or should we encourage business travel to aid an ailing travel industry that’s just now starting to recover? Please leave your comments below!

I’m still a little bit star struck.

Last week, on the first leg of my journey home from my summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., I traveled with one of my all-time favorite singers and songwriters, Carly Simon.

Here’s what happened: As we were walking along the pier to enter the queue for the ferry back to the mainland, a woman in a billowy white dress, a big handbag, blonde hair and a very familiar face walked up behind us in line.

Carly Simon looking and sounding great at 65 on the ferry between Martha's Vineyard and Woods Hole, Mass. (and me!)

I looked at her and smiled, then looked away, and then a little bell went off in my head. I turned and looked again, and she smiled back at me, and I stuttered something like, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like. . . um wait a minute. . . are you Carly Simon?” As a long-time fan, I knew that she lived on Martha’s Vineyard, so the possibility was not completely far fetched.

She smiled and said, “Yes, I am,” and seemed eager for a friendly chat, so I engaged. [Read more…]

I’m still a little bit star struck.

Last week, on the first leg of my journey home from my summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., I traveled with one of my all-time favorite singers and songwriters, Carly Simon.

Here’s what happened: As we were walking along the pier to enter the queue for the ferry back to the mainland, a woman in a billowy white dress, a big handbag, blonde hair and a very familiar face walked up behind us in line.

Carly Simon looking and sounding great at 65 on the ferry between Martha’s Vineyard and Woods Hole, Mass. (and me!)

I looked at her and smiled, then looked away, and then a little bell went off in my head. I turned and looked again, and she smiled back at me, and I stuttered something like, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like. . . um wait a minute. . . are you Carly Simon?” As a long-time fan, I knew that she lived on Martha’s Vineyard, so the possibility was not completely far fetched.

She smiled and said, “Yes, I am,” and seemed eager for a friendly chat, so I engaged. I introduced myself and my partner Barkley, told her I was a big fan and that I cut my music-listening teeth on many of her hits on AM radio way back in the 70’s. (like You’re So Vain, Anticipation, Nobody Does It Better.)

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I was looking around to see if her people, her handlers, her bodyguards or anyone else was around and realized quickly that it was just Carly, all by herself. She was toting a box of 100 or so CD’s that I offered to help her with, but she insisted on carrying it.

She told us that she was doing some very personal publicity for her new acoustical album Never Been Gone— and that the box was full of teaser CDs with two songs from it. Her plan was to stand at the entryway of the returning ferry and hand them out to passengers, and urge them to go to a record store on the Vineyard to buy the album for half price when they presented the teaser CD.

We made a little more small talk, boarded the ferry, she sat down, handed me a CD, we said goodbye, and I walked away floating about 10 feet in the air.

I found my seat, got out my iPod and started listening to her Greatest Hits album. After a song or two, I decided to go back and ask her to sign the CD she’d given me and maybe even ask for a photo.

Carly Simon’s latest album, Never Been Gone. (Iris Records)

With pen in hand, I went back to where she was seated, still by herself, and asked if she’d autograph the CD. She said, “Of course,” and pulled out a Sharpie (natch) from her big bag and asked, “Would you like to sit down? Now, Chris, is this just for you, or for you and Barkley?” (Inside, I thought, wow, she even remembered our names!)

I sat down. She signed the CD and we talked for ten minutes or so, about the horrendous summer heat wave, about her 42-year-old horse that recently died, her bout with Lyme’s disease, the brand new iPad she was fiddling around with, life on Martha’s Vineyard and about my week there.

Finally, I mustered the courage to ask if I could snap a photo and she said, “Of course, let’s do it!” I took two pics and then we huddled over the camera and she chose the best one. I returned to my seat, and continued on my journey to Boston and then back to the Bay.

What a great way to end a great vacation!

So anyway, frequent travelers . . . since this is a travel blog and not a celebrity blog, let’s add a travel angle here with a question:

Have you ever encountered a celeb or superstar on your frequent travels? If so, how did you react? I’d love to hear your stories and I’m sure other readers would like to hear them, too! Comments, please! Let’s have some fun with this . . .

Singapore Air's business class "seat" looks more like a sofa

Remember last year when everyone thought that no one would fly in the front of the plane again…forever? Times they are a changin’! And for the better if you are a frequent international business traveler.

Check out what American Express found when looking at its first quarter data:

Historically there has been close to an even split of passengers flying businesses class versus economy for International travel. However during the heart of the recession last year – particularly in the second quarter of 2009 – the percentage of tickets booked in business class hit its lowest rate at 36%. As the trending now shows, percentage rates are on the rise, indicating travelers are moving back to the front of the plane.

> Q1 2010 International Business Class – 41%

> Q1 2009 International Business Class – 39%

> Q1 2008 International Business Class – 51%

A neon American Airlines logo at Boston-Logan International Airport (photo: chaostheory)

American Airlines has confirmed to TravelSkills that it will eliminate its nonstop flights between San Francisco International and Boston-Logan on November 17.

Despite American’s departure from the route, frequent travelers can still jump on a nonstop between here and Beantown on Virgin America, JetBlue or United. In fact, the preponderance of other carriers on the route is part of the reason American is bowing out.

Nonetheless, the move seemed odd to me, given the fact that American is clearly making a significant investment in SFO’s Terminal 2, which includes a new 10,000 square foot Admirals Club. (See my recent report and hardhat tour video of SFO’s Terminal 2.)

But there are larger forces at work. “We are realigning our domestic network and concentrating on flights to, from or between what we are calling our ‘cornerstone’ or hub cities– Chicago, Dallas, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. You’ll see a lot less point-to-point flying between non-hub cities,” said American spokesman Tim Smith.

That of course forced me to ask the question…What about American’s nonstops between San Francisco and Honolulu, both non-hub cities? Are those in jeopardy?

“The San Francisco-Honolulu market is a specialty market for us with lots of traffic and I don’t see American taking any actions on that route. Plus, it’s a huge market for our frequent flyers,” said Smith.

To dig in a little deeper, I called on my friend Henry Harteveldt, a San Francisco-based travel industry analyst with Forrester Research. Here’s his take:

“It’s possible that some of American’s decision-making, both here and in Boston, may reflect the loss of some corporate account business. In the Bay Area, American’s utility has steadily declined — it closed Oakland after the 2008 fuel price spike, and has not added any new routes from SFO. The airline also dropped its San Jose, CA-Austin “nerd bird” route . . . . Since American has decided it’s not going to ‘fight’ for business at OAK, SJC, or SFO, it’s possible that corporate travel managers at Bay Area companies shifted business to other airlines. Hence, a route like SFO-Boston is no longer financially viable for AA.”

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YEAH! BURGER

1168 Howell Mill Road, Suite E

404-496-4393

www.yeahburger.com

The burger craze has certainly hit Atlanta in the past year as several burger-focused eateries are popping up all over town.  I decided to see what the buzz was all about and visit the latest modern-day burger joint, YEAH! BURGER.  The restaurant is owned and operated by Chef Shaun Doty of Shaun’s in Inman Park and entrepreneur Erik Maier.  Since Doty is normally known for his upscale fare, I was curious to see how his casual burger joint would pan out.

We arrived at YEAH! BURGER on a Monday evening right around 6 p.m. and the restaurant was fairly busy with a nearly full house inside and a few couples enjoying their meal on the patio. I liked that YEAH! BURGER was designed as a fast-casual restaurant where customers place their order at the counter and their food is delivered to the table.  I think this offers a certain convenience for this type of restaurant. [Read more…]

Here’s the full “OPT-OUT” email sent to previous CLEAR card holders.(Click here For the full post on the new CLEAR.)

NOTICE OF INTENT TO TRANSFER CUSTOMER DATA AND OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE FREE CREDIT FOR REMAINING SUBSCRIPTION TERM OR TO ELECT TO HAVE DATA DESTROYED

TO CUSTOMERS OF CLEAR AND VERIFIED IDENTITY PASS, INC.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Verified Identity Pass, Inc., the owner and operator of Clear (“Verified”), is selling substantially all of its assets (the

“Assets”) to Alclear, LLC which will do business as CLEAR (the “Buyer”).  Buyer is a private company backed by various investors including L-1 Identity

Solutions, a leading biometric solutions company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

As part of its purchase of the Assets, the Buyer will restart the CLEAR service and offer each current or former customer (“Customer”) the

opportunity to enter into the new CLEAR service.  Each Customer that accepts the offer will receive a credit equal to the number of months that remained in

that Customer’s contract with Verified as of June 24, 2009.  Buyer will be sending you details of the new CLEAR service, including how to qualify for the

credit and what changes will be made to the Verified Privacy Policies under the new program, in the near future.

I.      OPT-OUT NOTICE TO TRANSFER OF PERSONAL INFORMATION AND CHANGE IN PRIVACY POLICY TO REFLECT TRANSFER

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Verified is seeking to transfer as part of the Assets any and all personal and biometric data of any Customer stored and

maintained by or at the direction of Verified (the “Customer Data”).  Subject to future notice of change from Buyer, Buyer will maintain the security of all

Customer Data it receives from Verified according to all applicable rules, law and privacy policies, including applicable Transportation Security

Administration rules, regulations, and standards and Verified’s privacy policies in existence at the time your Customer Data was collected and at the time

Verified ceased operations.  Buyer has expressly agreed to be Verified’s successor-in-interest of your Customer Data if transferred to Buyer, to be

responsible to you for its violation of those policies following the transfer of your Customer Data, to use your Customer Data only for the purposes for

which it was originally collected or for which you’ve given consent, and not to disclose, sell, or transfer your Customer Data to any third party in a way

that’s inconsistent with the applicable privacy policy.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the transfer of any Customer Data requires a change to Verified’s privacy policies.  Verified’s privacy policy for

the Clear program in Section 3A (ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON APPLICANT AND MEMBER PERSONAL INFORMATION) stated that Verified does not sell or give personal

information of its Customers to other businesses.  That privacy policy has been changed to reflect the transfer to Buyer of the Customer Data of those

Customers who do not object to the transfer.  This change to the privacy policy will be posted on the Verified website (http://www.verifiedidpassinc.com) in

a “redline” form that highlights the changes made to the privacy policy so you can track the changes.

II.     OPT-OUT INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR DATA TRANSFERRED

If you want to receive your free credit for the remaining subscription term, no action is necessary at this time.  We will contact you at the

appropriate time with more information about how to become a customer of the new CLEAR service.  No Customer will be billed until he or she accepts a plan of

service with the new CLEAR service.  If you do not object to the transfer of your Customer Date to the Buyer, you do not need to do anything.

If you do object to having your Customer Data transferred to the Buyer, then you must take affirmative action to have your Customer Data destroyed by

completing and mailing the attached Customer Data Destruction Election Form (“Form”) to P.O. Box 42010, Nashville, TN 37204-2010, postmarked no later than

July 22, 2010.  If you do not complete and mail the attached Customer Data Destruction Election Form by July 22, 2010 (the “Deadline”) to the address above,

you will be deemed to have consented to the transfer of your Customer Data to the Buyer.  If you complete and mail the attached Data Destruction Election

Form by July 22, 2010 to the address above, your Customer Data will not be transferred to the Buyer.  Instead, it will be destroyed within 30 days after the

Deadline and you will be ineligible to receive your credit for the number of months that remained in your contract with Verified.  If you complete and return

your Form on time, you may be contacted by Alclear or one of its affiliates to confirm your election.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that in order to advise the court with regards to the transfer of the Customer Data to the Buyer and to assure continued

privacy of the Customer Data, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York appointed Todd B. Ruback as a consumer privacy ombudsman (the

“Ombudsman”) in connection with the sale of the Assets.  The Ombudsman has reviewed and approved these procedures and has worked with Verified and the Buyer

to ensure the security and continued privacy of all Customer Data.

ABOUT THE BUYER

Alclear is thrilled at the opportunity to rebuild CLEAR. We are a private company backed by various investors including L-1 Identity Solutions, a

leading biometric solutions company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  Your biographic and biometric data will be stored in a Government-certified

secure facility.

You may obtain further information about Alclear and its plans to restart the CLEAR service at www.flyclear.com.

Dated: June 22, 2010

CUSTOMER OPT-OUT OF TRANSFER OF CUSTOMER DATA AND CUSTOMER DATA DESTRUCTION ELECTION FORM

By signing and mailing this form to the address set forth below you are expressly opting-out of the transfer of your customer data from Verified Identity

Pass, Inc. (“VIP”) to Buyer and are forfeiting your right to receive free credit for your remaining term. By opting-out of this transfer, you are electing to

have your customer data destroyed. In order to opt-out of the transfer of your customer data and therefore have your customer data destroyed, you must

complete and mail this form to the address set forth below postmarked no later than July 22, 2010.

P.O. Box 42010
Nashville, TN 37204-2010

By signing below, I certify the following:

I was a customer of Verified Identity Pass, Inc. and I was enrolled in VIP’s CLEAR Registered Traveler program.

My name and current address, as set forth below, is true and correct. I am providing this information for the sole purpose of allowing VIP to verify that I

was enrolled in VIP’s Clear Registered Traveler Program.

I DO NOT CONSENT TO THE TRANSFER OF MY CUSTOMER DATA TO ALCLEAR, LLC AND I INSTRUCT VIP TO DESTROY MY CUSTOMER DATA

I acknowledge that, by completing and mailing this form, my CLEAR customer data will be destroyed and I will be ineligible to receive a credit from Alclear,

LLC for the number of months that remained in my CLEAR member contract with VIP after June 24, 2009.

(Click here For the full post on the new CLEAR.)

Fresh herbs on the patio at Miller Union (photo: David Naugle)

MILLER UNION

999 Brady Ave, NW (map)

Atlanta, GA 30318

Phone: 678-733-8550

www.millerunion.com

Admittedly, I became a sucker for this place the moment my dinner companion and I sat down. Upon arriving, we had asked the host if there were any available tables on the patio, and the only one left was being held for another reservation so we were seated in one of the small dining rooms.  Five minutes later, the host came back to tell us the guests who had reserved the outdoor table were going to be late and offered to move us outside.  Though a small gesture, this thoughtfulness really made an impression on me.

The patio turned out to be lovely and our table was surrounded by large planters filled with fresh herbs, which is always a good sign at a restaurant that touts local cuisine.  I ordered the Papi Chulo cocktail ($11) and my companion ordered … [Read more…]

Your BAT editor took a few minutes out of his Memorial Day working in his garden (see background) to discuss summer travel trends with KRON 4 News. Nice segment!

Air New Zealand is offering flash sale: $483 round trip SFO-Auckland incl. tax! Must travel late May-Early June. Book by May 14. This is as low as I’ve ever seen it. Interested? Act fast cuz the cheap seats are selling out.

NOTE: frequent flyer miles are not awarded on this fare.

http://www.airnewzealand.com/hot-deal-to-new-zealand

An Air Berlin A330-200 at SFO

San Francisco’s newest international airline, Air Berlin, touched down at SFO this afternoon.

I have not had a chance to fly Air Berlin so here’s what I have been able to pick up from a few online sources.

>Air Berlin is the second largest airline in Germany (after Lufthansa) and is considered Germany’s “low-cost” airline.

>Ironically, Air Berlin’s SFO flights don’t fly to/from Berlin. Instead, they fly to/from Dusseldorf, a wealthy and fashionable city on Germany’s western edge.

>Roundtrip coach fares for summer travel between SFO and Dusseldorf are running in the $1300 range according to a quick scan on Kayak.com. Round trip in business class is about $3400.

>Nonstop roundtrips between SFO and Dusseldorf (DUS) run just twice a week– on Wednesdays and Fridays– using an Airbus A330-200. The flight arrives SFO at about 1:20 pm and departs at about 3:20 pm (arriving in Dusseldorf at about 11:20 am the following day.)

>Coach seating on Air Berlin is tight. According to Seatguru.com, Air Berlin’s seat pitch in coach on the A330 is just 30 inches. (For comparison, Delta’s A330’s offer 31-33 inches.) There is no in-seat video entertainment. Movies play on overhead screens.

>Business class seats recline, but do not lie-flat.

>What do YOU know about Air Berlin? Please leave your comments below!

With the peak summer travel season right around the corner and plenty of TICKET readers busy planning their trips, we’ve put together an array news and tools to help you make the right decision. Happy planning!

CONSUMER REPORTS RATES HOTELS. There are all kinds of hotel ratings and rankings and lists out there…so many in fact, that I sorta glaze over when I read about them. However, when Consumer Reports ranks hotels, I prick up my ears. Its ratings are based on the experiences of nearly 28,000 CR readers regarding their hotel stays between January 2008 and April 2009. You’ve got to subscribe to the magazine for the full report (June 2010 issue), but here are a few nuggets: Ritz-Carlton (no surprise) placed at the top of the “Fanciest” category. For “luxury” hotels, Renaissance (Marriott) and Embassy Suites ranked highest, Sheraton lowest. In the “upscale” category, Homewood Suites (Hilton) came out at the top, Radisson at the bottom.  For moderate hotels, Drury Inn & Suites ranked highest and Howard Johnson ranked lowest. (Have you ever stayed at a Drury Inn?? If so, please leave a comment. I’m not familiar with this chain and I’m curious!) In the budget category, Microtel ranked best and America’s Best Value Inn ranked worst.

CR SAYS IT PAYS TO HAGGLE WITH HOTELS. From the article that accompanied the Consumer Reports hotel ranking: “Only 35 percent of respondents tried to negotiate for a better deal, but those who did were rewarded with a lower rate or room upgrade 80 percent of the time. That’s a slightly higher success rate than readers experienced in our 2006 survey. Those who called ahead to do their haggling were even more successful than those who tried to negotiate in person.” What’s your experience with haggling with hotels? Leave your comments below.

The Ellis on Peachtree

HOTEL INDUSTRY INSIDERS’ TOP PICKS FOR 2010. Since 2007 Expedia has produced the annual Insider’s Select List, an excellent resource for those blindly seeking a good hotel in an unknown city. Why do I like it? Because the selection is based on three factors: first, of course, it incorporates user reviews…but since user reviews are not always such a great gauge, they also include input from Expedia’s 400 local hotel market managers who know what’s hot and what’s not in their hometowns. They also use a value rating of each hotel, which compares the hotel’s average rate with that of comparable properties in the market. Combined, those three factors churn out some very reliable winners. In typical Expedia fashion, hotels are easily searchable by region, country and city. (In Atlanta, the top four hotels are: The Ellis on Peachtree, The Omni at CNN Center, the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead and the Ga. Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Midtown.) Disclosure: I  was editor of  Expedia Travel Trendwatch 2005-2009.

DESPERATELY SEEKING FREE WI-FI. It’s getting easier and easier to find free Wi-Fi at hotels these days as operators are finally tuning in to the fact that business travelers see it as a necessity and expect it to be included in the rate. But every now and then you get a big surprise when you have to pay $15 a day for the convenience. To help avoid that, the good folks over at hotelchatter.com have produced an exhaustive list of hotels with and without free Wi-Fi.

SPEAKING OF FREE WI-FI. Did you know that if you simply join frequent stay programs at Fairmont, Kimpton or Omni hotels you’ll get free Wi-Fi access? All you have to do is sign up. Other full-service brands such as Marriott, W (Starwood) and Hilton only offer free Wi-Fi to top-tier members of their programs.

SUMMER HOTEL BONUSES: The “Big Four” hotel chains have come out with their summer promotions and they are looking pretty good. Here’s a rundown:

>MARRIOTT: Marriott Rewards members earn a free night for every third stay at any of its 3200 hotels between June 1 and August 31. Marriott will also toss in a certificate for a $10/day discount on Hertz. Free stays are good through December 31 in Category 1-4 hotels only. Register here.

>MARRIOTT AND DELTA. SkyMiles members who stay at any of Marriott’s 3200 “participating” hotels worldwide between May 1 and September 6 will earn a whopping 5000 bonus SkyMiles beginning with the second stay. (Max: 60,000 miles) Register here.

>STARWOOD: Starwood is offering a free weekend (Fri, Sat or Sun) night after every three stays. However, Starwood’s earning window is earlier than Marriott’s: May 1-July 31. Free nights are good through December 19. What makes this a better offer, though, is that the free nights are good a ALL Starwood hotels in Categories 1-6 which even includes some of the pricey St Regis properties. Register here.

>PRIORITY CLUB (InterContinental): Members earn double Priority Club points OR airline miles OR up to $500 in gift cards starting with their second stay at any of the chain’s 4400 hotels worldwide. Good for stays from May 14 through August 31. Double points or miles awarded beginning with second qualifying stay. Gift cards are good at Best Buy, Home Depot, Target and others. Register here

>HILTON: According to a blog post by Hilton’s new CEO Chris Nassetta, all Hilton brands (3.500 hotels) will offer a “up to a 30% discount” plus free breakfast for stays between May 28 and September 6. (Details should be posted on Hilton.com site starting May 10.) Interesting aside: In the post, Nassetta points out that Hilton HHonors “enrollment from January to March 2010 were the highest enrollment levels for the program during those months within the last four years.” Why is that interesting? Because in January, Hilton increased its award redemption levels by about 25 percent, which got it a lambasting by travel media.

24 BRAND NEW HOTELS IN NEW YORK? You betcha. Check out this list and see how many you know of. Interesting to note how many of them are midscale and on the western side of the city.

• The Standard New York (SEE PHOTO BELOW)  Full-Service 335 848 Washington Street Greenwich Village Jan 2009
• Hilton Garden Inn Tribeca Select-Service 150 6 York Street Tribeca Jan 2009
• Hotel Reserve Select-Service 116 20 Maiden Lane Financial District Jan 2009
• Ace Hotel New York Full-Service 262 20 West 29th Street Chelsea Mar 2009
• Fairfield Inn Manhattan/Times Square Limited-Service 244 330 West 40th Street Midtown West Mar 2009
• Hilton Garden Inn – West 35th Street Select-Service 298 63 West 35th Street Garment District Mar 2009
• Smyth Tribeca – A Thompson Hotel Boutique 100 85 West Broadway Tribeca Mar 2009
• West 57th Street by Hilton Club Timeshare 161 102 West 57th Street Midtown West May 2009
• Four Points by Sheraton Midtown Select-Service 244 326 West 40th Street Midtown West Jun 2009
• Comfort Inn Manhattan Bridge Limited-Service 60 61-63 Chrystie Street Nolita Jun 2009
• Hampton Inn Times Square South Limited-Service 184 337 West 39th Street Garment District Jul 2009
• Holiday Inn Express Times Square Limited-Service 210 343 West 39th Street Garment District Jul 2009
• Candlewood Suites Times Square Extended Stay 188 339 West 39th Street Garment District Jul 2009
• Hotel Indigo Chelsea Select-Service 122 127 West 28th Street Chelsea Jul 2009
• Doubletree New York – Chelsea Full-Service 237 128 West 29th Street Chelsea Jul 2009
• Comfort Inn Midtown West Limited-Service 70 343 West 44th Street Midtown West Aug 2009
• Ink48, a Kimpton Hotel Full-Service 222 653 11th Avenue Midtown West Sep 2009
• Crosby Street Hotel Boutique 86 79 Crosby Street SoHo Oct 2009
• Club Quarters World Trade Center Full-Service 421 140 Washington Street Financial District Nov 2009
• The Strand Hotel Full-Service 177 33 West 37th Street Garment District Dec 2009
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Manhattan Limited-Service 92 21 West 37th Street Garment District Dec 2009
• Andaz New York – Wall Street Hotel + Condo 253 75 Wall Street Financial District Jan 2010
• W NY-Downtown Hotel & Residences Hotel + Condo 217 123 Washington Street Financial District Feb 2010
• The Distrikt Hotel – Ascend Collection Select-Service 155 342 West 40th Street Midtown West Feb 2010

Source: Hotelresource.com

The new Standard Hotel on the west side of Chelsea straddles the new High Line Trail (photo: C. McGinnis)

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The new United livery keeps the Continental look, but changes the name. (Photo: United Airlines)

United and Continental boards have approved a merger of the two carriers, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.

What does all this mean to TravelSkills Readers?

FARES: While consolidation and fewer competitors ultimately leads to higher prices, the reality is that Continental and United never really competed with each other out of Bay Area airports. And there are few routes from here that are dominated by the two. For example, nonstop flights between SFO and Houston on both United and Continental have always been expensive– expect them to stay that way. Those who want a deal on the route should consider a one-stop flight on low-fare carriers Southwest or Frontier.

FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS: Since it appears that United will be the surviving entity, Mileage Plus members should not expect any huge changes. If you’ve got any extra Continental OnePass miles lying around, those will be added to your Mileage Plus balance. Good news: OnePass has always been one of the best rated frequent flyer programs out there, so maybe Mileage Plus will cherry pick the good parts? Time will tell.

EARNING, BURNING MILES: Mileage Plus members already have access to the Continental network due to its recent inclusion in the Star Alliance, which added nice earning and burning opportunities where Continental is strong, such as in Mexico, Central and South America as well as the South Pacific (on Air Micronesia). See Continental Route Map.

ECONOMY PLUS: United is the only legacy carrier to offer its frequent flyers roomier coach class seats. Continental does not offer the equivalent of United’s Economy Plus seating (which I really appreciate on the long haul) so I hope the concept survives.

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P.S. FLIGHTS: I’m wondering if we’ll see those nice P.S. flights between SFO and New York-JFK shift to Newark where Continental has a large, efficient hub operation and better club space… at least nicer than United’s minor presence at JFK.

SFO AIRPORT: The combination of United and Continental will mean Continental will leave Concourse 1 and operations will move to United’s hub at Concourse 3, which will get even MORE crowded than it already is at peak times.

BRAGGADOCIO. SFO will also get bragging rights for being a hub of “the world’s largest airline” which will result when United and Continental merge. The new United will take that title away from the new Delta, which when it merged with Northwest, enjoyed a short life as the biggest player.

WHO NEXT? American and US Airways are likely entering a major flirtation stage at this point. They are the remaining two legacy airlines and will be dwarfed by the new United and new Delta.

More info from United on the merger here.

It’s a little early to tell, but here are my initial thoughts. I’d be eager to hear what you think about the merger and how it might affect your flying. Please leave your comments below.

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(Crain’s) — United and Continental airlines have reached an agreement on a merger and expect to announce a deal by Monday, pending approval by their boards, a source briefed on the matter says.

United’s board is set to meet Friday to discuss the deal, the source told Crain’s, and Continental’s board is expected to vote Sunday.

A deal isn’t assured. Continental’s board voted down a merger with United two years ago in a Sunday afternoon vote.

But that seems less likely now. Then, the industry was headed into a recession, and United’s financials were deteriorating. Now, air travel is beginning to recover, and United is leading the way, enjoying the biggest gains in revenue among the traditional carriers.

Here’s the full story:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=38032&ba=1

What are your thoughts on this big move?

Details are emerging from Bangor, Maine where a Delta flight from Paris bound for Atlanta was diverted yesterday due to a security threat.

Wire stories state that Derek Stansberry, a 27 year-old Air Force veteran, told federal air marshalls onboard the plane that he had bombs in his boots and laptop, that his passport was fake, and that he thought he was being followed.

He said that he had taken up to eight Ambien, but then changed his story and said he’d taken only one. (Ambien is a prescription sleep aid.) He also mentioned that he’d taken a Valium before the flight.

After Stansberry was removed from the plane in Bangor, the flight continued on to Atlanta, arriving three hours late.

All this makes me wonder about whether we should be taking hard drugs when we are up there flying across oceans, especially in light of heightened alertness to strange behavior brought on by the well-known Christmas Day “crotch bomber.”

Do you use prescription drugs to help you sleep on long flights? I’ve taken Ambien on overseas flights in the past with no side effects other than a bad hangover. (So bad, in fact, that I no longer use it.)

On a recent trip to Asia, I went the homeopathic route. I tried Jet Lag Formula ($20), an herbal concoction designed to help battle the ill effects associated with flying. I also followed the advice of Bill Ashton who runs the “StopJetLag” program ($35 per trip) out of Palo Alto, which (among other things) encourages the use of melatonin as a sleep aid in flight. I was surprised that I was able to get plenty of good quality sleep on flights in both directions. And jet lag was not nearly as bad as I’ve experienced on previous journeys, although I must say that it was a lot easier going over than coming back.

Have you ever used Ambien or other prescription drugs to help you sleep on transoceanic flights? Is it worth the risks? Have you ever had, or witnessed, strange behavior as a result of taking those drugs in flight?

Please leave your comments and experiences below.

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Shaun’s Restaurant

1029 Edgewood Avenue NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

404.577.4358

www.shaunsrestaurant.com

A cool, spring evening  brought me to the doorstep of Shaun’s Restaurant in the heart of historic Inman Park. My guest and I entered at dusk and were greeted by a clean, bistro interior. It immediately felt like I was in a dining room right out of Southern Living. We knew we could not pass up the opportunity to sit on the patio on such a clear, refreshing evening and decided to enjoy our dinner amongst the brick walls, candles and strings of lights that zigzagged above the tables.

Having perused the menu for the week prior to my visit, my first decision was to order a Guinness ($6.50), while my guest went with a Riesling ($11).  Now that I had that tough decision out of the way, it was time to get to the nitty-gritty and order our dinner.  To start off, we shared the Maryland style jumbo lump crab cake ($16), which came with a grainy mustard sauce and Napa cabbage slaw. The crab cake came out warm from the oven and the slaw was a nice and cool counterpoint.

Our server informed us that the salmon had just come in that day, so I went with the wild troll king salmon for my entrée ($28). The salmon came with braised organic greens, garlic caper relish, bacon butter and spring asparagus. This was by far my favorite part of the experience at Shaun’s. The bacon butter complemented every item on the plate and I made sure to dip every item in it.

My compatriot ordered the roast Georgia chicken ($21), which came with wild nettle polenta, sweetbreads and spring asparagus. I did not get the opportunity to taste it, but she said she really enjoyed it. It was such a large portion that she could not even finish the plate. I wish I had more to say about this because the chicken and polenta looked quite appetizing, but I was focused on my salmon and bacon butter and for good reason.

My guest and I somehow managed to find room in our stomachs for dessert. I went with the vanilla bean cheesecake ($7), which had a corn flake crust and cranberry compote. My cheesecake was a soft, melt-in-your-mouth, type of good. The sticky toffee pudding ($7) was my guest’s choice and she said it was full of flavor and a great way to end the night.

From the flavorful Southern fare to the warm welcoming atmosphere, my experience at Shaun’s was a memorable one. I can now see what has made it a staple of historic Inman Park.

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In April, your TICKET editor was on a business trip to Asia and checked in at the new Best Western Shinjuku ASTINA Hotel in Tokyo. It’s currently the only Best Western in town and offers a great value to business travelers visiting one of the most expensive cities in the world.

A few unusual touches to see in the video below: Pajamas and buckwheat pillows, smoked trout and miso soup on the breakfast bar and heated toilet seats!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgONunfdG7U

(Disclosure: I contribute to Best Western’s travel blog at youmustbetrippin.com)

LAN Boeing 767 (Photo: James J. Jenkins)

1> NEW NONSTOPS TO SOUTH AMERICA. LAN Airlines will launch 4x per week nonstop flights between San Francisco and Lima, Peru on July 1. The new Boeing 767 flights will be the ONLY nonstops between SFO and South America, so this is great news for those who don’t like to connect in LA or Dallas or Miami to get there. LAN is an outstanding carrier; by far the best in South America with a fleet of new planes and an excellent lie-flat business class seat. LAN has a code share on the route with American, so AAdvantage members can earn and burn miles on the flights. Details here

2> FREE WI-FI COMING TO SFO. The rumor has been floating around for a while, but today I got confirmation from airport officials that FREE Wi-Fi is tentatively scheduled for implementation at SFO in September. The official start date should be released in coming weeks. Woo-hoo!

3> HUGE BONUSES FOR TRANSCON TRIPS. Delta started it, now American and United have joined in on the bonus bonanza for frequent travelers between SFO (or LAX) and New York-JFK. The deals vary slightly, but the gist is this: Pay full fare round trip business class or first class and you get an eye-popping 50,000-mile bonus. Discounted business class and full fare economy round trips earn a 25,000-mile bonus. The cheap seats– lowest economy fares– don’t earn any special bonus on the routes. The bonuses can be earned an unlimited number of times through June 30. KEY: You must register for this promotion. Here are the links:

DELTA (NOTE: Delta’s “premium Economy class” is only premium in the sense that it costs more. It’s not equivalent to United’s Economy Plus which offers extra legroom.)

UNITED

AMERICAN

VIRGIN AMERICA: so far, there’s been no competitive response.

4> SOUTHWEST BONUS. Rapid Rewards members get one bonus credit per flight (for a total of two) through May 26. This means you can get a free Southwest ticket after just four round trips instead of the usual eight. More expensive Business Select fares earn even more. To get the bonus you must first register and book your trip online.

5> IPAD STAYS IN YOUR BAG. Thanks for all your comments on my recent post about wanting an iPad for business travel. I’ve still not bought one, but was nearly pushed off the fence when I read that the TSA will NOT require travelers to remove iPads from carry on luggage for scanning as it does for laptops.

6> HOTEL BOOM IN NYC. If you are like me and you LOVE a brand new hotel, especially in Manhattan, you’ll love this news: Twenty-one hotels opened in Manhattan in 2009. Thirty-two new hotels will open this year. Click here to see the full list. Speaking of NYC hotels, two W Hotels in NYC (The Court and the Tuscany, both on 39th St) have been sold to a London-based outfit called St Giles Hotels.

7> UNITED+US Airways? I just can’t see a whole lot of positives when two struggling carriers combine to form a much larger struggling carrier. I was sorta hoping that United would merge with Continental, which is considered by many to be near the top of the heap of “legacy” carriers in terms of good management. Well, in any case, airline merger rumors come and go as fast as Hollywood romances, so I’ll reserve further commentary or speculation until this one gets some legs.

UPDATE  Sunday March 21 1:15 pm. British Airways has told me that both departures from SFO to London will happen today (flights 284 and 286). One flight will arrive from London with passengers and depart with passengers (BA 287). Another (BA 285) will arrive from London with cargo only, but will depart for London with passengers (BA 286).

UPDATE: Sunday, March 21. British Airways contacted me to report that it has reinstated a single roundtrip flight (BA 287 and BA 286) between SFO and London-Heathrow today. They say that more workers than expected are showing up, so they are able to reinstate more flights than expected. No word yet on when BA’s second daily SFO-London flight (BA 284/285) will be reinstated.

SATURDAY: A strike at British Airways has grounded the carrier’s two daily flights between San Francisco International and London Heathrow.

According to BA’s web site, BA flights 285 and 287, which originate in London have been scrubbed today (Saturday), Sunday and Monday. From the BA website it appears that BA planes that are already here or in the air on their way here will operate today (Saturday) and fly back to London. But once there, they will be grounded.

It’s unknown now how the strike may affect flights after Monday.

If you are holding a BA ticket to London, here are your options:

1. rebook your flight within one year (BA waives change fees)
2. rebook your flight via another U.S. city where BA flights have NOT canceled (Note that flights from both LAX and PHX have canceled, too so not many options from SF).
3. cancel your flight for a full refund
4. call British Airways (1-800-247-9297– expect a long wait on hold!) or your travel agent and ask that they re-book you on another carrier.

Note: If you are currently booked to travel to London on another carrier (such as Virgin Atlantic or United which both offer nonstops to London from SFO) expect your flight to be VERY full. And expect the gate area to be rather angst ridden with lots of displaced BA passengers standing by and hoping to board your flight.

For more information and to monitor the situation, go to www.ba.com/strike

News around this strike is changing fast, so if you know more than I’ve been able to include here, or have updates, please add them in the comments section below.

Something nice for those who fly close to home….Southwest is offering double Rapid Rewards credit each time you travel within the state of California between March 11 and May 26, 2010. That means you can get at least two credits for every one-way flight (four credits when you travel roundtrip) between any two California cities (Burbank, Los Angeles, Oakland, Ontario, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose).

If you earn double credits, that means you’ll get a free flight in just FOUR roundtrips instead of eight. Not bad!

If you buy the pricier, but nicier Business Select Fares  you’ll earn 2.25 credits for the shorthaul flights.

Details here: http://bit.ly/9rxW9A

This is not as rich as the offer in 2007 when Southwest offered double credits for not only INTRA California flights, but ANY flight to/from or within Calif. But hey, it’s still nice!

1>DULLES AEROTRAIN IS OPEN. R.I.P. “MOBILE LOUNGES.” Finally, those awful, awkward “mobile lounges” that travelers to and from Washington, DC’s Dulles Airport had to endure to get to their gate…are history! The airport’s new underground AeroTrain system commenced service last month. Every two minutes, shiny new trains whisk passengers along a central spine connecting the main terminal with distant concourses. (Sorta similar to train systems at airports in Atlanta and Denver…) Note: For the time being, international travelers still have to board the mobile lounges to get to the airport’s “D” gates. Now, if they could just add a high-speed rail line to get from Dulles to the District. That 45-minute slog is a tough on after a 5-hour flight from the Bay.

2>NEW YORK-JFK IS A MESS. This week the NY/NJ Port Authority closed JFK’s main runway for four months of repairs. While the airport and airlines say that they’ve been able to plan around this without any major issues, I remain skeptical. So stay tuned and be prepared. In the midst of all this airport angst, a story broke this week revealing that an air traffic controller at the JFK tower brought his child into work one day and allowed him to talk via radio to aircraft under his control. (Controller was subsequently put on leave…)

3>SKIP HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING FOR POINTS OR DOLLARS? Guests at many Westin and Sheraton hotels can opt out of daily housekeeping in exchange for a $5 credit or 500 Starpoints. That seems like a good idea to me since my room remains mostly tidy when I’m traveling on business. It also has environmental benefits since less water and chemicals are used to clean the room. The Wall Street Journal points out that an average high-end hotel saves about $22 per room if the guest opts out of housekeeping. What do you think? Would you take a hotel up on an offer like this?

4>CREDIT CARD ACT NOW IN EFFECT. The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act took effect on February 22, will force more consumer-friendly practices on card issuers. But it will also increase competition among banks for lucrative affluent customers with good credit ratings (i.e. frequent travelers) according to an interesting article in Business Week. Customers with credit ratings of 750+ should expect to receive more bonus rewards, solicitations and promotional offers. Speaking of affluent customers, here’s another newsy nugget from the BW article: “American Express dominates the market for affluent users, with individual card purchases averaging $9,342 in 2008 compared with $2,672 for Visa and $2,300 for MasterCard. Its cardholders have average credit scores of 754 compared with 722 forthe rest of the industry.” (Disclosure: I engage in occasional consulting work for American Express.)

5>BEST WESTERN MATCHING ELITE STATUS. Everyone knows about how airlines will match elite level status to poach frequent travelers from competitors. Now hotels are getting into the act as well. Just this week, Best Western announced that it would give elite status in the Best Western Rewards program to anyone who sends them their elite level credentials from another chain. Elite membership in the BW program offers members room upgrades, early/late check in/out, and earning bonuses. Details here

6>NYC BOUND? SHERATON MANHATTAN NO LONGER SHERATON. Starwood has announced that the Sheraton Manhattan in midtown will loose its brand affiliation this spring due to its deteriorating quality. However, the Sheraton New York (across the street on the EAST side of 7th Ave) will keep its brand flag. (It always seemed a little weird to me to have two Sheratons so close to each other anyway.)

7>ARE YOU A TRAVEL SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN? Or do you want to be one? Later this month a “who’s who” in the burgeoning realm of travel social media will meet in Fisherman’s Wharf to talk shop at the “Social Media Strategies for Travel” conference (Mar. 24-25). From the looks of the agenda, there will be a mix of global social media superstars (think Trip Advisor or Facebook), big time travel names (Expedia, InterContinental, Virgin America) and a lot of consultants and content providers. Plenty of local startup firms in the travel space will share the limelight, too, such as NileGuide and TravelMuse, both of which help travelers imagine and then plan their trips. I’ll be there, too!

SKIP HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING FOR POINTS OR DOLLARS? Guests at many Westin and Sheraton hotels can opt out of daily housekeeping in exchange for a $5 credit or 500 Starpoints. That seems like a good idea to me since my room remains mostly tidy when I’m traveling on business. It also has environmental benefits since less water and chemicals are used to clean the room. The Wall Street Journal points out that an average high-end hotel saves about $22 per room if the guest opts out of housekeeping. What do you think? Would you take a hotel up on an offer like this?

SHERATON MANHATTAN NO LONGER SHERATON. You might not be able to opt out of housekeeping at the Sheraton Manhattan, though. Starwood has announced that the hotel will loose its brand affiliation this spring due to it’s deteriorating quality. However, the Sheraton New York (across the street on the EAST side of 7^th Ave) will keep its brand flag. (It always seemed a little weird to have two Sheratons so close to each other anyway…)

Updated room at the Best Western President Hotel near Times Sq- NYC

WHO KNEW IT WAS A BEST WESTERN? Check out my latest blog post on Best Western’s youmustbetrippin.com blog about the increasing number of Best Western hotels that may surprise you and make you say, “Wow! Who’da thunk THIS could be a Best Western?” I take a look at unusually cool BW hotels in San Francisco, Seoul, New York and Honolulu.

HOTEL BIZ IN BIND. Despite whispers of the return of business travelers, the hotel industry is still hurting. That’s because even as business travelers creep back, they are paying significantly lower rates. Evidence: IHG, the world’s largest hotel operator (Holiday Inn, InterConti, Crown Plaza, etc) said it’s revenue for 2009 was down 19% compared to 2008. However, the company said declines in January were less severe.

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

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire

One of the most frustrating things about Virgin America’s frequent flyer program has been the fact that points expired after 18 months…even if you were flying Virgin all the time. That set it apart from most major airline programs that allow members to keep points as long as they do business with the airline at least once every 18 months.

Today, Virgin eliminated that frustration. Now, members of its Elevate program retain their points indefinitely, as long as they either earn or redeem points at least once every 18 months.

Elevate points will not expire as long as a member has at least one qualifying activity every 18 months. Qualifying activities include: purchasing Virgin America flights; completing Virgin America reward travel; earning Elevate points with partners like Avis/Budget and Hilton Honors; and accruing points via the Virgin America credit card or the Red store. Elevate members can earn free flights just by shopping online at the Red Store,

If you are not yet familiar with Virgin’s Elevate program, here are some key features:

• No black-out dates – guests can redeem points for any available seat on any flight
• Simple “points per dollar” system, instead of typical miles or segments flown
• Members earn five points for every $1 spent on base fares and can book a free flight with as few as 2500 points
• Visible “price in points” for booking flights online
• Price in points varies based on class of service and seat availability
• Ability to use points to book one-way travel and book any class of travel
• Customized member profile to help speed bookings – go from flight to confirmation in just a few clicks
• Points do not expire as long as member has earned or redeemed in the past 18 months
• Members receive exclusive offers to unique Virgin America events, including past opportunities to fly with the Victoria’s Secret supermodels, tickets to the in-flight premiere of HBO’s Entourage and the chance to earn a seat on a Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space flight.

Stay tuned: More Elevate partnerships and rewards are planned to roll out later this spring. For more on Elevate or  visit Virgin America’s Web site.

Saskatoon

360 Pharr Road (Buckhead)

Atlanta, GA 30305

404-891-1911

www.saskatoonatlanta.com

I met my dinner date at the newly-opened restaurant, Saskatoon, on a week night and was pleasantly surprised as soon as I walked in the door.  The interior was warm and inviting with soothing jazz music playing in the background and several fireplaces blazing brightly. It was an excellent escape from the harsh wintry weather.  The friendly hostess seated us and we immediately started to scan the eclectic menu.  Our server soon came over and gave us all the information on the restaurant and its background.   It was then that we realized we were in for something totally different at Saskatoon. The mountain lodge-like eatery offered everything from a basic filet mignon to ostrich. We didn’t know where to start!

We both ordered a Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale ($5) and began trying to decipher what we were going to have for an appetizer.   Since we wanted to get the full Saskatoon experience, we went with the wild game sausage sampler ($10).  I also chose the BLT wedge salad ($8).  Both came out of the kitchen in a timely fashion and we dug right in.  The sampler included venison, duck and rabbit sausages served with roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, corn relish and Saskatoon’s signature barbeque sauce.  The sausage selections were very tasty and the combination of the different components worked nicely together.  The salad was simple, and served as a cool complement to the sausage sampler.

[Read more…]

CREDIT CARD ACT NOW IN EFFECT. The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act took effect on Feb 22, will force more consumer-friendly practices on card issuers. But it will also increase competition among banks for lucrative affluent customers with good credit ratings (i.e. TICKET readers!) according to an interesting article in Business Week.  Customers with credit ratings of 750+ should expect to receive more bonus rewards, solicitations and promotional offers. Speaking of affluent customers, here’s a nugget of info from the article that we did not know: “American Express dominates the market for affluent users, with individual card purchases averaging $9,342 in 2008 compared with $2,672 for Visa and $2,300 for MasterCard. Its cardholders have average credit scores of 754 compared with 722 for the rest of the industry.” (Disclosure: Travel Skills Group, the publisher of this blog, engages in occasional consulting work for American Express.)

CAR RENTAL SURPRISES CONTINUE. We keep hearing similar stories from TICKET readers about rapacious car rental rates. Here’s another…”I’m an Avis Preferred First Member.  Last night I tried to make a reservation in Boston in April (not Easter weekend).  The airlines are having a great sale ($128 RT midweek) so I decided to see about visiting kids and grandkids.  The airfare for 2 was about $320 with taxes, etc. but the car (economy) was $375!!!! Fully one third of that was taxes and garbage.  I am aware of this imbalance and realize it’s been going on for a while, but in this economy, it seems bizarre.  I realize, or at least I’ve heard, that the car companies have cut back the number of cars available in order to keep the price high. To get the best deal, I booked it at Orbitz for $100 less.  Here’s the problem or challenge: Avis won’t let me use my Avis Preferred First status with the rental. I really don’t care about the mileage but I was annoyed to think that I’ll be forced to check-in at the counter. No manner of questioning from either Orbitz or Avis produced any answer.  Customer service??  Not!  Anyway, keep up the good work!”–JL

United's Lie-Flat Biz-Class Sleeper. Now on ALL 747 and 767 aircraft

Hey Folks: Our new little BAT blog is getting some good press! Check out our quote in the following Bloomberg article about the s-l-o-w return of business class amenities on international flights.

Here’s the link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a10He8umbUY4

And here are a few lines from the intro:

Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) — Delta Air Lines Inc. and AMR Corp.’s American Airlines, the world’s two largest carriers, are counting on lie-flat seats and Tahitian crab soup to help win back their most-profitable customers.

With the easing of an 18-month global slump in first- and business-class travel, Delta’s seats that recline 180 degrees into beds and American’s Asian-fusion appetizers are lures for the corporate passengers whose ranks dwindled when the global recession ravaged budgets for international flying.

Filling the premium seats at the front of airplane cabins is pivotal to U.S. airlines’ efforts to return to profit in 2010 after weak demand forced them into discounting to woo vacationers. Business fliers are prized because they typically pay the highest prices and take to the air more often.

“If you’re flying to Japan or Seoul, it makes all the difference in the world to put your legs up and really sleep and arrive rested and ready to go,” said Chris McGinnis, editor of TravelSkills, a San Francisco-based newsletter and blog for frequent travelers. “You’re going to feel really taken care of.”

U.S. airlines have been playing catch-up in recent years with overseas competitors such as Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. that moved more quickly to add amenities including seats that convert into beds.

Here’s the link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a10He8umbUY4

(This item also appeared on my SF Gate blog, The Frequent Travel Advisor.)

Taking a bathroom break in the sky has always been a rather unisex affair. But that might be changing.

ANA women's lav door

Japan’s ANA airlines (with daily nonstops between SFO and Tokyo) announced today that it will offer “women only lavatories” on its international flights. Citing “numerous requests from passengers for this service” the carrier will designate a single lavatory in the rear of the aircraft “for women only.”

Men will know to stay away when they see the special pink signage (above) on the door. However, there are cases where men will be allowed to use the women-only facilities:

• When required for safety reasons, just prior to the seat belt sign being turned on during take-off and landing.
• When a passenger is not feeling well and a personal emergency requires such use
• When there are very few female passengers and the women-only designation has been lifted for the flight
• An in-flight announcement will be made in such cases.

This is not the first time ANA has engaged in potty talk. You may have read before about its pre-flight boarding announcements which ask passengers seated at gates to empty their bladders in airport bathrooms in order to decrease the weight of the aircraft, which will in turn mean less fuel spent and less environmental impact.

I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts about this, so please leave your comments below.

WARNING: PAY SKYMILES CREDIT CARD BILL ON TIME. Or lose your miles. Starting this month, Delta/Amex/SkyMiles credit card holders who pay their bills late will forfeit miles earned during the pay period. To reinstate those miles, you’ll have to pay a $29 fee. (This policy has long been in effect on standard American Express cards, but it’s now imposed on co-branded cards, too.)

NEW SKYMILES CREDENTIALS AND MILEAGE ROLLOVER COMING. If you recently qualified for Medallion status for 2010, your shiny new credentials should be in your mailbox soon. Also, if you qualified for Medallion last year, but continued to earn MQM miles, those extra miles should have “rolled-over” into your account this month, giving you a nice head start of getting Medallion again next year. Other changes that come as part of the 2010 Medallion program go into effect on March 1.

SKYMILES MARKETPLACE. Tired of trying to unload miles for flights? Delta would like you to try to unload miles for other things, like hotel and car rental bookings, electronics, clothing and luggage at its new SkyMiles Marketplace. As usual with these merchandise-for-miles schemes, the prices seem very high compared to street prices, or when compared to the enormous value of a free round trip. For example, a Flip MinoHD Video camera is featured on the opening page of the marketplace for 38,200 miles. A frequent flyer mile is generally thought to be worth about 1.5 cents, so you’d be paying the equivalent of $573 for a camera that costs about $200 at Best Buy. A first class round trip award to Hawaii starts at 37,500 miles, and this $200 camera is going for MORE than that? I dunno…I think I’d stick with redeeming miles for award flights. It’s a value that can’t be beat (at least when you can find the award seats you want…) What do you think? Is the Marketplace worth it for you?? Leave your comments below.

BEST WESTERN MATCHING ELITE STATUS. Everyone knows about how airlines will match elite level status to poach frequent travelers from competitors. Now hotels are getting into the act as well. Just this week, Best Western announced that it would give elite status in the Best Western Rewards program to anyone who sends them their elite level credentials from another chain. Elite membership in the BW program offers members room upgrades, early/late check in/out, and earning bonuses. Details here: www.bestwesternstatusmatch.com (Disclosure: I write a blog for Best Western’s youmustbetrippin.com site.)

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

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire

Even though the hotel biz is having a tough time, new properties are still opening, so here are four hip brand-spenkin’ new hostelries that TICKET readers should know about:

NEW YORK: I had an outstanding stay earlier this winter at the brand new Hotel Indigo on W. 28^th St near the Fashion Institute of Technology. The hotel is located in Chelsea on a block full of commercial florists which makes for a beautiful walk to or from the hotel. While the hotel is out of the bustle of midtown, there’s a subway stop a block from the hotel on 7^th Ave where trains can get you up or downtown in a flash. What do I really like about this hotel? It’s brand new from the ground up—something you don’t see a lot of in NYC.  There’s free wi-fi. Only downside: Rooms on lower floors have poor views. Lowest rates in late March range from $175 to $200.

CHICAGO: We’ve not actually visited the brand new, ultra-glam Elysian hotel, but we’ve been hearing about it from TICKET readers and colleagues at Leading Hotels of the World. It’s all-new from the ground up which is nice in a town with a lot of old hotel stock.  While it’s new and has all the latest techie bells and whistles (flat screen TVs, free wi-fi, built in stereo speakers) it’s got old world touches like a cobblestone driveway, marble bathrooms, fireplaces, outdoor terraces and windows that open. In late March, rooms range from $300 to $600, putting it in competition with the likes of the Peninsula and Four Seasons. If nothing else, you must see it’s gorgeous  website. (PS: When in Chicago last week, my frequent-traveling mother Julia checked out the Elysian and gives it a big thumbs up.)

photo: Erik Oginski

LOS ANGELES PT 1: The brand new glitzy and glamorous W Hollywood Hotel opened last month in a new mixed use development in the heart of Tinseltown at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Guests are given star-studded treatment in true Hollywood fashion as they walk the plush “red carpet” to check in. As usual at any W Hotel, there’ll be a party in the lobby— here’s what an opening press release says: “Guests, residents and LA insiders can sip and socialize on the adjoining outdoor terrace and ground-floor lounge, featuring black tufted leather sofas, lounge chairs and a decadent backlit lobby bar crafted of glowing Onice Fantastico onyx.” Rates in late March start at about $220.

LOS ANGELES PT 2: The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE officially opened Feb 17.  The long-awaited hotel is a cornerstone of the $2.5 billion L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district, located in downtown Los Angeles, across the street from the LA Convention Center and Staples Center. (Photo below) The 878-room property, which plans to be LEED-certified, shares space with the much smaller 123-room Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles (with a 4000 sq foot spa) in a unique 54-story tower. This is one of several new developments in the once-blighted downtown area that should help it shed some of its grittiness. Rates in late March at the J.W. start at $229. At the Ritz (opening next month), lowest rates are closer to $350.

photo: Marriott International

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Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft

1745 Peachtree Rd

Atlanta, GA 30309

(678) 539-6181

www.tuktukatl.com

As you enter Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft you are greeted by an authentic tuk tuk, a type of pedi-cab found all over the main cities in Thailand. This jewel of a neighborhood restaurant is in the former Taurus space, meaning it’s awkwardly located on the 2^nd floor of a building in the Brookwood Square shopping center. It’s worth finding.

Tuk Tuk opened quietly in December. They have yet to do any marketing so the large space is usually pretty empty. The owner is the daughter of well-known Atlanta Thai restaurateurs Charlie and Nan who own Tamarind and Nan. It’s not a copycat. Tuk Tuk is more street food focused. The largest part of the menu is the small plates which are meant for sharing. Also offered are Thai salads, Bangkok street noodles, big plates, sides and dessert. The room is beautiful and will be even prettier when they get some artwork and more people in the chairs. [Read more…]

As of today, Canadian authorities have relaxed the  onerous ZERO carry-on bag policy enacted after Christmas Day bombing attempt over Detroit. Passengers on flights bound for the U.S. from Canada can now carry on a single bag, plus a personal item like a purse, briefcase or laptop bag.

This is more or less a return to the rules in force before the Dec 25 incident, but a spokesperson at Transport Canada told TravelSkills that travelers should expect tighter enforcement of the one-bag rule.

This is VERY good news for Vancouver Winter Olympics-bound travelers headed north in February.

photo: life.com

NEW!! See TravelSkills on SFgate

Love what Virgin America as done for flying from the Bay Area? (There are a lot of chihuahuas that sure do! See video below) Then you’ll be glad to know that it’s cleared an important challenge to its U.S. citizenship. This just in from the AP:

The Transportation Department has rejected an Alaska Airlines challenge to the U.S. citizenship status of privately held carrier Virgin America.

The agency said Friday that Virgin America remains a U.S. citizen and remains under the actual control of U.S. citizens. Under U.S. law, foreign ownership in a U.S. air carrier is limited to 25 percent of the voting interest in the carrier.

The Virgin Group, controlled by British billionaire Richard Branson, is a minority holder in Virgin America. DOT said the Virgin Group holds a 25 percent equity stake in Virgin America.

Here’s a link to the complete AP article

And Virgin America’s public statement on the decision

YO QUIERO VIRGIN AMERICA:

And here’s a very cute Chihuahua story that was a publicity coup for Virgin America…it got the brand on ALL the big morning talk shows in New York, plus tons of Bay Area and national media coverage. It was a feel good travel story in the midst of a bad travel news week!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjmRSHemqs

(Too bad the voice over says “Virgin ATLANTIC” instead of Virgin America! I bet the PR’s are cringing down in Burlingame!)

NEW!! See TravelSkills on SFgate

Here’s a copy of an email sent by TICKET reader P. Sinnott regarding her experience returning from Belgium on Weds, Dec 30. Remember that most of the TSA rules here apply to INCOMING international flights only. Most domestic flying remains mostly unchanged, except for heightened security at checkpoints. Many thanks to Ms Sinnott for this!

I flew back from Brussels Belgium to Atlanta yesterday (Dec. 30) on Delta and arrived at the airport three hours ahead of time for check-in. [Read more…]

SKY CLUB AT RALEIGH OPENS. Delta has finally opened a snazzy new 4000-sq-ft Sky Club at RDU’s brand new Terminal 2 offering complimentary Wi-Fi, beverages and snacks, personalized flight assistance, a full-service bar and satellite TV.

NO MORE THAN THREE. Lengthy tarmac delays are a rarity at ATL thank goodness! But they do happen (but mostly up north due to snow and ice or de-icing.) Nonetheless, the feds have enacted new rules (effective later this winter) that will force airlines to provide food and water after two hours on the tarmac and a mandated return to the gate if they’ve been on the tarmac for more than three hours. If they don’t, they are fined $27,000 per passenger (that’s $5.5 million for a planeload of 200 pissed off passengers). Ouch! While the airlines are saying that the new rule will do more harm than good, the reality is that when faced with a fine like that, they will be forced to make operational changes that, in the long run, will prevent the horror stories we’ve all heard about folks stuck in stinky planes for hours on end. Your TICKET editor has a comment about the whole brouhaha in this ABCNews.com article.

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NEW MEMBERSHIP REWARDS PARTNER. Got a big bank of American Express Membership Rewards points that you are aching to redeem? You’ve got a new option: British Airways Executive Club recently became the 17th participating frequent flyer plan in Membership Rewards. BA flies to 150 destinations worldwide from ATL via its daily flight to London.

NEW ARRIVALS TAX IN ARGENTINA. Effective immediately, all U.S. citizens arriving at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport must pay a one-time “reciprocity fee” of USD $131.00 upon arrival. Why? Because that’s the amount the U.S. charges Argentines applying for entry into the U.S. (Several other South American countries such as Chile, Brazil and Bolivia already require such fees.) While the fee might make travelers wince, the Argentine government stands to pull in a cool $52 million from the 400,000 or so Americans that arrive each year.

DELTA DOWN UNDER. Now that Delta’s the largest airline in the world, it’s beefing up its presence in Australia. To do so, it’s teamed up with Virgin Blue in a code share deal on flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. SkyMiles members can also earn SkyMiles on V Australia (another Virgin carrier) transpacific flights. Delta’s BusinessElite customers, Platinum, Gold and Diamond Medallion members and Sky Club members also gain complimentary access to Virgin Blue lounges at airports throughout Australia NOTE: Your TICKET editor was recently in Australia and is happy to report that Virgin Blue is a class act…much more efficient and highly regarded than QANTAS. If you’d like to see V Australia’s business class seats, check out the last few second of this VIDEO of its seats from the National Business Travel Assoc. Convention last summer.

FLY FROM HERE TO THERE ON WHO? In one of the more interesting USA Today articles we’ve read in a while, columnist Ben Mutzabaugh presents the whole concept of “fifth freedom” routes where foreign carriers fly from U.S. cities to countries where they are NOT based. For example, you can fly on Korean Air between LA and Sao Paulo. Or from Las Vegas to Vancouver on Philippines Air. From New York to Toronto on LAN, or from Newark to Brussels on India’s super luxe Jet Airways. Definitely worth the read!

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You remember the old Steak & Ale in downtown Atlanta? Well it has been transformed into Truva – a stunning Mediterranean restaurant.  One moment you are in the middle of downtown and the next you are inside a gorgeous, comfortable space with a warm fireplace, splashes of burnt red and turquoise and great seating options.  We loved the casual feel of the lounge and the option to sit in the more formal dining room.  Apparently, there is also an upstairs for large parties but we didn’t get to see that space. [Read more…]

VEGAS WILL BE PACKED. All indications are showing that this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Jan 7-10) is going to be full to overflowing. Why? Pent up demand. This time last year we were all in economic shock. Attendees for CES and many other conventions were forced to cancel their plans. With things looking up this year, everyone wants to go back. So expect FULL flights between ATL and Vegas, full hotels, and the necessity of restaurant reservations. The city is expecting in excess of 100,000 visitors for this, the city’s largest event of the year.

HILTON HHONORS. Hilton is increasing the number of HHonors points required for award redemptions starting on January 14. Most reward categories will require an additional 5000 points for a free night stay. Stays at Hilton’s poshest brand, the Waldorf=Astoria Collection, are now pretty much standardized at 50,000 per night in the low season and 60,000 in high season. (TIP: Redeem points before Jan 14 on the old schedule and you’ll save.)
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/landing/RewardFAQ/index.do

MISCELLANY

DEAD WEEKS. (SEE VIDEO) If you’ve got some flexibility in your travel schedule, don’t forget that the first three weeks of January are considered “dead weeks” in the travel industry. This is when travel demand plummets and you’ll find some of the very lowest prices of the year if you can take off at the last minute. It’s a great time to troll for bargains on last minute sites like Hotwire or name your own price sites like priceline.com. You can also find tons of last minute deals on cruises departing Florida and Gulf Coast ports. You’ll also find incredible weekend deals at luxury hotels located in downtown areas. And this year, with AirTran launching service to Jamaica, Aruba and the Bahamas, (and Puerto Rico) you will find lots of last minute bargains to warm weather destinations. Also, all those nice new hotel rooms in Las Vegas are a steal (except Jan 6-10 when the Consumer Electronics show is in town.)

PER MILE RATE CHANGE. The IRS recently announced that, starting January 1, 2010 it would lower the standard mileage rate to 50 cents per mile, down from the current 55-cent rate (and a high of 58.5 cents in 2008) The IRS standard mileage rate is the maximum amount you can deduct from your taxes for business use of a personal vehicle. It’s also used as a guideline for companies reimbursing employees who use their personal vehicles on company business.

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The following new airlines and routes will be added at San Francisco International Airport in upcoming months:

January 5:

• Jetblue adds second daily A-320 nonstops to/from Boston and New York-JFK
• JetBlue adds two daily roundtrips to Long Beach for a total of five daily.

February 11: United adds new roundtrip A320 nonstop to/from St. Louis

March 28:

• United reinstates second daily  flights to: London,  Frankfurt and Tokyo (all Boeing 777 aircraft)
• United adds two more flights per week to Osaka for daily nonstop service

May 4: WestJet adds seasonal nonstops to/from Calgary with B737 aircraft.

May 10: AirBerlin starts Weds and Fri roundtrips to/from Dusseldorf using A330 aircraft

June 1. Swiss begins 6x per week roundtrips to/from Zurich with A340. (no Tuesdays)

June 22: Air France adds second daily seasonal flights to Paris on Tues, Thurs and Sat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIytDRus58

Delta’s now offering a schwanky new transcon Business Elite service for flights between SFO and New York-JFK.  Fares run in the $1000 to $3000 range.

I have only flown United P.S Business and Delta on this route and would love it if someone could chime in with some comments below about American’s premium classes or Virgin America’s first class on the route.

Delta’s upgraded service brings it up to par with rivals on the busy route.

Like United’s PS flights, Delta flies only Boeing 757’s on the route. However, Delta offers 16 Business Elite seats in the front section of the aircraft (forward of the galley and to the left when you enter the plane). The rest of the plane is coach (no first class.)

United P.S. offers 12 first class, lie flat seats and 26 business class, cradle style seats which are similar to Delta’s. (On United, first and business class comprise about two thirds of the on-board real estate.)

Delta Transcon Business Elite offers a wide range of entertainment options, but no live TV on its in-seat AVOD system. United passes out portable, individual inflight entertainment units that offer more limited choices than Delta’s.

United currently has in-flight wi-fi on ALL P.S. flights. Delta says that its wi-fi installation on these flights should be complete by the end of Dec 2009. Both United and Delta offer in-flight power plugs for laptops.

Anyway, TravelSkills recently went along for a test ride— see our 2.5 min video review. Enjoy! Take a look and let us know what you think. LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

ABC-7 reporter Lillian Kim called on your BAT editor Chris McGinnis for commentary about the British Airways strike, which was thankfully called off by court injunction the following day. The story was mostly about a high school band’s plight, but Chris supplied the expert opinion (See 1:20) ….this is great publicity for the blog! GO BAT!

See BA statement re: strike cancellation below….

BA STATEMENT RE: STRIKE CALL OFF:

We are delighted for our customers that the threat of a Christmas strike
has been lifted by the court.

It is a decision that will be welcomed by hundreds of thousands of families
in the UK and around the world.

There was never any need for a strike and we hope that Unite will take this
opportunity to reflect before deciding its next steps. We believe the
public would want that too.

In recent days, we believe Unite has formed a better understanding of our
position and of the ways in which we could move forward.

It has also become very clear that our customers do not believe that
old-style trade union militancy is relevant to our efforts to move British
Airways back toward profitability. Financial success is essential to build
the kind of business our customers want and provide long-term opportunities
for our staff.

It seems as though Southwest Airlines’ big “Bags Fly Free” campaign might be helping it snare more flyers than its competitors.

While most major airlines reported continuing declines in passenger loads in November, Southwest reported a healthy INCREASE of 12% year over year. Continental was the only other carrier to report an increase (2.8%). (See chart below)

What do you think? Would you fly Southwest because of it’s free baggage policy? I’m usually not one to check bags anyway, but if I had two bags to check, and a one carrier wanted to charge me $20 for the first, $30 for the second (so $100 round trip!) I’d sure give my biz to Southwest.

Airline, rank    Percentage gain (loss) Percentage gain (loss)
                 in November traffic    in year-to-date traffic

1. Delta         (8.3)                  (7.7)
2. American      (0.5)                  (7.6)
3. United        (0.6)                  (9.3)
4. Continental    2.8                   (4.4)
5. Southwest     12                      1.2
6. US Airways    (1.8)                  (4.5)
Total            (1)                    (6.2)

There’s nothing I love better than to gaze out my bay window as the big jumbo jets from Europe and Asia soar over the city on their approach to SFO.

Now I’ll have a new bird to look out for. Starting next June, SWISS will fly between SFO and Zurich six days a week using an Airbus A340 with first, business and coach cabins. Flights will depart SFO at 7:25 pm and arrive at 3:40 pm the next day. On the return, flights depart Zurich at 1:15 pm and arrive SFO at 4:30 pm.

Good news for United Mileage Plus members: SWISS is a member of the STAR Alliance.

And it sounds like luck is on their side— San Francisco makes the EIGHTH gateway city served by SWISS in North America. (Others are: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark, and Montreal.)

A little history: SWISS was formed in 2002 after the bankruptcy of Swissair. The company is now a subsidiary of Lufthansa. More info: www.swiss.com

Chicago O’Hare Airport Map

BIG DELTA CHANGE AT O’HARE. In case you’ve not heard, Delta has moved from Terminal 3 to the recently remodeled Terminal 2 in the E Concourse at Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Now all Delta and Northwest flights arrive and depart from Terminal 2. The Sky Club is located in Concourse E across from Gate E4. As part of the remodel, two new security lanes were added to accommodate the increased traffic.

ATL CAR RENTAL CENTER OPENING IS DELAYED. (UPDATE 12.15.09: THE CAR RENTAL CENTER IS NOW OPEN!!) The much ballyhooed opening of the ATL Consolidated Car Rental Center (CONRAC) which will be accessed via a new light rail system that crosses I-85 has been delayed. Stay tuned for updates. As of today, the car rental shuttles are still transporting passengers to car rental lots and the consolidated center remains closed.

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Good Morning America called. We answered!

Take a look at this short (1.5 minute) video of TICKET editor Chris McGinnis offering up tips and advice for choosing the fastest airport security screening line. The theme of the overall segment was about how to get through lines faster, be it at grocery stores, or on the freeway. We edited out the non-travel elements for you.

Thoughts please!

[ F6P47YY2TKWF Technorati Claim ]

NOON|MIDTOWN

1080 Peachtree Street, Suite 6 (at Crescent Avenue)

Atlanta, GA 30309

404-496-4891

www.noonmidtown.com

Hours: (Breakfast/Lunch only) Mon- Fri, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sat, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

After walking into Noon|Midtown through the convenient parking deck entrance, my dining companion and I stepped up to the counter to place our breakfast order and were greeted by a friendly young man who handed us menus. The first thing I notice is this pattern of friendliness – everyone that works here has a smile on their faces and I immediately get a good feeling about this place. A happy staff means happy customers, right?

I ordered the prosciutto baguette with sweet butter and parmesan ($7.95), and my friend ordered the scrambled egg sandwich with Benton’s bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and scallion pesto ($5.75).  We couldn’t resist getting some grits to accompany our breakfast sandwiches, so I chose stone ground grits ($1.95 for a cup; $2.50 for a bowl) with Benton’s bacon ($1.50), while my friend opted for cheddar cheese as her topping ($1). [Read more…]

MORE $$ FOR MORE SPACE. United says that it will raise the price for annual membership to its Economy Plus Annual Option from $349 to $425 starting Jan 10. This promo is a good idea for someone who does not fly UAL enough to get elite status (and therefore automatic upgrades to more spacious economy plus seating) but would like to have access to roomier seats onboard.  Note: While you get the ability to reserve Economy Plus seats with this plan (for you and a companion), you are not always guaranteed one.

FARES A TWITTER. The new flight search engine Fly.com is now tweeting last minute flight deals from Bay Area airports…as we go to press, some deals:  SFO-Cabo for $294 round trip. Vegas for $99 round trip. Twitterati should follow at: #SFfares

RED CARPET CLOSED AT FRANKFURT. United has closed its Red Carpet Club in Frankfurt and encourages members to use partner Lufthansa’s (distant, but much nicer) clubs instead. (Notefrom TravelSkills reader Mark: “The Lufthansa clubs in Frankfurt aren’t always farther away.  A good number of United’s daily departures leave from the A gates and the new Tower Lounge @ FRA’s A concourse is in the right spot to make relaxing before the flight a breeze.”)

KOREAN AIR TO BRING ON 747. Korean Air will switch out its current 777 flying between SFO to Seoul with a 747 starting next summer.

MILWAUKEE BOUND? Midwest Airlines, which abandoned SFO a while back, will return with new nonstops to Milwaukee, WI using an Airbus A319 starting in April.

UNITED COPAYS. After going back and forth on the issue,  United will begin charging copays for upgrades in January. This pay-to-play move is both good and bad: Good in that you can now score a confirmed upgrade off of any discounted fare, which was prohibited in the past. Bad in that you actually have to shell out some coin to get out of coach. So, TravelSkills reader, what do you think….is this a positive or a negative? Would you rather UAL stick to the old plan, or is this new one a good thing?

SO LONG 737. In case you missed the celebration, United has officially grounded its last Boeing 737. (We’re glad. They were getting a little tatty and worn out.)

MORE FLIGHTS FROM BAY TO HAWAII. Fresh off its inauguration of new flights between Oakland and Hawaii, Alaska Air has announced that it will add new nonstops between San Jose, Sacramento and Hawaii (Kona and Maui) starting on March 11. It will use a two class 737 on the route. Current lowest fares for travel next spring are running at about $350 roundtrip.

SFO TERMINAL 2 TOPS OUT. Workers welded the final steel beam into place on the renovation at Terminal 2 at SFO, which will be the new home of Virgin America flights in about another 18 months. (Scuttlebutt: American Airlines is a possible Terminal 2 tenant as well. This would make sense if United’s new partner, Continental, moves into AA’s space in Terminal 3.) The state-of-the-art, LEEDS certified terminal will have 14 gates, a “slow food” marketplace (more wholesome, locally produced selections), a spa, and two 500-sq foot kiddie play areas. Bring it on! (The terminal is paid in part with stimulus funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Thank you President Obama.)

DOWN HOME WITH SOUTHWEST IN MANHATTAN. BAT editor Chris McGinnis checked out Southwest Airlines “porch” in New York’s Bryant Park. Southwest is using the porch to woo Big Apple business travelers to its new flights to New York’s nearby La Guardia Airport. Would you fly SW to New York? To do so, you’ll have to make a quick stop at Chicago Midway, and sale fares are currently running at about $300 roundtrip.

TRAIN TO/FROM THE PLANE IN SEATTLE. Starting on December 19, the long awaited light rail link between SEA-TAC and downtown Seattle will open! The station will be connected to the airport via walkways through the parking garage. Stops along the 35-minute trip to downtown Seattle Link include: SODO, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley neighborhoods and Tukwila.

NO UAL PREMIER OR 1K FOR YOU NEXT YEAR? If, like a lot of folks faced less frequent travel due to the recession, you’ve lost your elite status on United, you can buy your way into the perks you’ve grown accustomed to. Depending on flight length, you can pay a premium of anywhere from about $50 to $175 each way for “United’s Premier Travel Package.” With it, you’ll get access to the elite security lines, priority boarding, upgrades to Economy Plus, two-free checked bags and a Mileage Plus bonus. Pay twice that much, and you’ll also get a pass to the Red Carpet Club. (Purchase online or soon at United check in kiosks)

MORE ON TIME. With airlines parking more planes in the desert, airport congestion has become less of a problem at most airports (But not NYC!). In September, airlines had their best on-time performance since 2003, with 86% of flights arriving on time. That’s an improvement over August when just 80% arrived on time. It’s also slightly better than last September when 85% arrived on-time. Alaska Air and Southwest topped the list for best on time performance at about 90% on time.

AA TRANSCONS GET CREAMED. Starting Dec 1, business class passengers of American’s transcon flights out of SFO will get Ben & Jerry’s sundaes.

If you are a frequent international traveler and don’t like to wait in line at customs and immigration at SFO or elsewhere, checkout the new Global Entry program from Homeland Security. It streamlines the process by allowing members to bypass regular passport processing lines. Users will instead enter at a Global Entry Kiosk, insert their passport, provide biometric digital fingerprints, answer a few customs declaration questions, and then present a transaction receipt to a customs officer before leaving the inspection area.  Sounds easy enough! Global Entry kiosks are available for international arrivals at SFO and other major gateway airports in the U.S. There are currently about 27,000 members of Global Entry. Homeland security says that nearly all members get through customs and immigration in five minutes or less. The non-refundable fee to apply is $100. www.globalentry.gov

Here’s a helpful 1 minute video on how the whole thing works.

BQZZ7NG9E68G Technorati Claim

Here’s an interesting item from the SF Chronicle’s Matier & Ross political column. We’d expect the Newsom’s to be particular to our hometown carrier (Virgin America) but it looks like they mix up their biz on other carriers. “Special service: It’s usually first-come, first-served seating on Southwest Airlines. So a passenger flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles bright and early Monday was a bit taken aback when, just as she reached the front of the line, two airline agents stopped her. ‘They said the mayor’s wife was running late, and they needed to save her a seat,’ said our flier, a local attorney who asked that we withhold her name. The line of passengers was kept waiting while one of the agents boarded the plane and placed a ‘reserved’ sign on a window bulkhead seat. And, indeed, with plenty of time to spare, the mayor’s wife, actress Jennifer Siebel Newsom, arrived and took her seat. Airline spokesman Brad Hawkins told us that although Southwest doesn’t often reserve seats for passengers, ‘we do make exceptions for anyone legitimately in a bind, and our employees are empowered to make sure the flight leaves on time.’ In this instance, we’re told, the plane left a minute ahead of schedule.”

The photo below (uncredited) has been making the rounds this weekend amongst the travel set. Apparently this photo was taken by a flight attendant’s cell phone from an American Airlines flight departing San Francisco. He or she used it to show the boarding agent that something needed to be done before the flight took off. According to the viral email, the agent boarded the plane and “paid off” the large passenger’s neighbor, who deplaned, allowing the large passenger to move over.

(Thanks to blogger buddy johnnyjet for passing this along to us!)

The photo below (uncredited) has been making the rounds this weekend amongst the travel set. Apparently this photo was taken by a flight attendant’s cell phone from an American Airlines flight departing SFO. He or she used it to show the boarding agent that something needed to be done before the flight took off. According to the viral email, the agent boarded the plane and “paid off” the large passenger’s neighbor, who deplaned, allowing the large passenger to move over.

(Thanks to blogger budddy johnnyjet for passing this along to us!)

TDWWS88T82TW

This post will only be up long enough for Technorati to detect that this is really my blog.  Sorry for any inconvenience.

I almost called this post “Business Class Exotica.” Here’s a sampling of nine different business class seats from nine different airlines from around the world. Which one do you think looks cushiest? I’m leaning toward Virgin Atlantic and Jet Airways.

You’ll also see those big recliners from: American, Delta, Korean Air, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, V Australia and QANTAS.

I taped this at the recent National Business Travel Association trade show in San Diego where corporate travel buyers mix and mingle with travel suppliers showing off their wares….like these business class seats. Enjoy!

Better viewing tip: Double click on the video below to see it on the large screen!

Business Class Exotica

If you are flying in late, or taking off early and plan to use the Bay Bridge to get from or to the airport…BEWARE. It’s now a speed trap.

The CHP will narrow the bridge lanes from five to three at the infamous S-curve and will have officers stationed there to monitor speed nightly between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

According to SFGate, officers handed out 35 speeding tickets on Weds/Thur this week alone. Note: The posted speed limit at the S-curve 40 mph.

Like most frequent travelers, I switched from the paper version to the online version of the Wall Street Journal many years ago—for something like $79 per year. Then the rate magically went up to $99. Last year I think it was $119. I just got my Amex bill, and guess how much the standard renewal is now? $197! With no prior warning of a price hike!

I called the WSJ to dispute, and they told me to access my account information online and click on “Renew for $156,” and the $41 difference would be refunded to my credit card. We’ll see if the refund shows up. I’m tempted to cancel and renew at the “new subscriber” rate of $103.

What’s up with this? I’m more than happy to pay for the excellent content the WSJ provides, but to double the price and then charge my card without any notice seems like a shady business practice.

Has anyone else noticed?

Your BAT editor Chris McGinnis and TravelSkills appeared on GOOD MORNING AMERICA today! Seriously! The segment is about how to beat long lines. My part (taped at SFO) starts at about 2:10.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9022454

Check it out and let me know what you think! We are also pleased that the ABC reporter, Becky Worley (who lives in the East Bay), is now a TravelSkills reader, too!

Big day for TravelSkills!

Hey Folks: Based on our most recent poll (<<LOOK LEFT!<<), most TICKET readers have NOT tried in-flight wi-fi yet. What are you waiting for? If it’s cost, we’ve got a deal for you. TICKET readers can give the new Gogo inflight internet service a go FOR FREE now through January 7, 2010.

Here’s how: When you get on a wi-fi equipped plane (all AirTran jets and most Delta 757’s have it now. It’s also on United and American) fire up your laptop or PDA and log on the internet. You will automatically arrive at the Gogo site. Then enter this code:

2285274562xbf

(copy and paste this into a doc or write it on a slip of paper and put in your wallet to access on the plane)

And Voila! Free internet! Let us know what you think.

UPDATE: Let’s just say that anyone who pays for in-flight wi-fi this winter is a dummy! This just in: Delta and eBay have teamed up, with eBay sponsoring FREE inflight wi-fi on Delta during Thanksgiving.

Have you STILL not witnessed the wonders of in-flight Wi-Fi? What are you waiting for? If it’s cost, we’ve got a deal for you. TravelSkills reader can give the new Gogo inflight internet service a go FOR FREE now through January 7, 2010.

Note that Google is sponsoring free in-flight wi-fi on Virgin America Nov 10-Jan 15, but if you’re on wi-fi equipped aircraft from United, American, Delta or AirTran, you can use this code to avoid the standard $13 fee.

Here’s how: When you get on a wi-fi equipped plane, fire up your laptop or PDA and log on the internet. You will automatically arrive at the Gogo site. Then enter this BAT code:

2285274562xbf

(copy and paste this into a doc or write it on a slip of paper and put in your wallet to access on the plane)

And Voila! Free internet! Let us know what you think.

Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

Now that Continental has joined the Star Alliance and has a code share arrangement with United, Mileage Plus members now have 123 NEW destinations where they can earn or redeem their miles flying Continental. Some of these new spots are very sexy, very exotic, very exciting….the ones that interest me the most? Hmmm: Fiji, Antigua, Cairns, Puerto Plata, Micronesia, Edinburgh, Oaxaca, Managua, Anchorage, Key West, Caracas…

PLEASE leave your comments below and tell me which ones interest YOU the most….??

Here’s the list of cities where Continental flies and that United does NOT fly. (Thanks, Continental for providing this info to TravelSkills!)

PLEASE leave your comments below and tell me which ones interest YOU the most….??

ALASKA AIR. Alaska Air’s big Eskimo shows his face at ATL for the first time in October. Alaska now offers a single daily round trip to its main hub in Seattle, in direct competition with AirTran and Delta flights.

BIG BUCKS AT ATL. Ever wonder what the biggest source of income is for ATL? Landing fees? Concessions? Nope. The single largest source of revenue for ATL is parking, which produces $105 million every year (of which the parking contractor keeps about $25 million). Recently, the airport turned over all parking operations (a total of 30,000 spaces) to Standard Parking Corp out of Chicago. It says that the transition will not affect customers.

(Get TICKET updates faster! Check out The TICKET’s Facebook Fan Page and become a fan! Please!)

PROS AND CONS OF THE NEW CAR RENTAL CENTER. While it may be rare that TICKET readers rent cars at ATL, it’s interesting to note that the new car rental center (CONRAC) will open on Nov 10. To get there, passengers will board the new monorail for the ride across I-85 to the new consolidated car rental center. What’s best about this? Getting in and out of the airport is going to be a LOT less congested with all those car rental buses and shuttles out of the way! Potential headache: While the city is investing hundreds of millions on the new international terminal, it’s going to be a LONG slog for arriving international visitors who rent cars, who must take the airport train all the way through the airport, then walk over to the ATL SkyTrain for the ride to the CONRAC.

HALF OFF BOOKS AT AIRPORT. Buy a book from any Paradies shop at ATL, read it, then return it within six months and you’ll get a 50 percent refund. Books can be returned at any Paradies location across the United States.

ALLIGATOR OR CROCODILE? So which is it…. An alligator or a crocodile on those trendy Lacoste shirts? You’ll find out if you go by the new Lacoste boutique on Concourse B at ATL. (If you prefer Italian designers, Concourse A has now got a Ferragamo, Bulgari and Zegna.) Who needs to go to Phipps or Lenox anymore?

AIRTRAN MOVES AT PHILLY’S PHL: AirTran flights now operate from gates on Philadelphia’s E Concourse…but the ticket counter and baggage claim area for AirTran is still in the D concourse.

DID YOU KNOW that in the original plan for ATL, the main terminal atrium was going to be a hotel? This makes sense to me…. When you look up and see all those balconies, it feels sort of like a big Hyatt or Marriott. (Thanks to WABE for pointing this out!)

DELTA SKYCLUB AT RALEIGH-DURHAM. This long-awaited opening will not, in fact, happen before Thanksgiving as previously reported here. Delta is now aiming for the first week in December…

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

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire

(Get TICKET updates faster! Check out The TICKET’s Facebook Fan Page and become a fan! Please!)

What do Mileage Plus members in the Bay Area have to gain from the entry of Continental into the Star Alliance and a code sharing deal with United? First off, plenty of new Continental destinations south of the border (Mexico) and in the south Pacific (via a hub in Guam) where you can now redeem miles for award trips.

Plus, Mileage Plus members will have a lot more opportunities the EARN United miles on Continental flights—the code share agreement adds 60 cities previously not served by United.

Here’s Continental’s global route map

The miles you earn on Continental can be accrued in Mileage Plus. And the flight miles you earn qualify toward elite status. You earn one Elite Qualifying Mile (EQM) for each flight mile you earn and one Elite Qualifying Segment (EQS) for each segment you fly.

map from airportterminalmaps.com

However, connecting from a United flight to a Continental flight at any of Continental’s three U.S. hubs is going to be VERY difficult for the time being. For example, most United flights land at Newark’s Terminal A. All of Continental’s operations are in terminal C. This means exiting and re-entering secure space, a transfer between terminals using the airport monorail system and potential delays transferring bags on tight connections. Also, EWR is famously congested and subject to serious air traffic delays. The same goes for connections at Continental’s main hub at Houston Intercontinental Airport. United flights use terminal A while Continental flights use terminal C (primarily) and terminal B (for mostly regional flights). If you’ve ever taken that rickety underground people mover system at IAH, you know it’s going to be a tough connection! (A newer “Terminal Link” train system will eventually connect Terminal A to the rest of the airport. But for now, it’s a slow-go.) When flying from SFO to Cleveland, only Continental offers nonstops, so connections in its Terminals C and D should not be a problem. However, if you arrive from elsewhere on United, you’ll use Terminal B, quite a long walk away.

Small upside: In recent months, Continental has co-located with United in several U.S. airports including Chicago, Frankfurt, Salt Lake City and Cincinnati. (And soon in Paris-CDG and Tokyo-Narita)

Frequent flyer guru Randy Petersen, the father of the mammoth frequent flyer social networking site flyertalk.com says that Mileage Plus members have a lot to gain and little to lose with this new alliance. “First off, Continental is going to force a lot of positive changes on the Mileage Plus program. Second, due to the way the alliance is currently structured, Mileage Plus members will not see any extra competition for Economy Plus seats or upgrades. However, Hawaii-bound travelers are going to be hearing a lot more Texas twang on United flights from the Bay Area to Hawaii as Continental OnePass members from Texas jump on those routes with their miles.”

If you are a Red Carpet Club member (or on a first or business class ticket), you now have access to Continental President’s Clubs at TEN new airports. Here’s what United’s Web site is saying:

United Red Carpet Club members now enjoy full access to Continental President’s Club locations, expanding members’ options to 58 clubs in 36 airports, including 14 lounges in 10 airports not currently served by a Red Carpet Club:
1. Atlanta
2. Austin
3. Cleveland
4. Dallas
5. Houston (five locations)
6. Ft. Lauderdale
7. Las Vegas
8. San Antonio
9. Guam
10. Panama City, Panama

Any Mileage Plus members flying in first or business class on United or Continental can also access the President’s Club lounges. Additionally, Premier Executive, 1K and Global Services members can access these lounges when traveling with a same-day international ticket.

Southwest offered up a whopper of a deal today for flights during winter dead weeks, which fall on either side of the big Christmas/New Years rush: December 2-16 and then January 5-February 10.

Act fast because these deals are only good through this THURSDAY, Oct 29. Here’s the deal:

• $25 each way for flights up to 374 miles (such as LAX, Orange County, San Diego);
• $50 each way for those up to 549 miles (like Denver, Vegas),
• $75 each way for those up to 999 miles (such as Phoenix, Tucson, Salt Lake),
• $100 each way for those longer than 1000 miles (like Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Dallas).

These fares do not include taxes and fees. (For example, the total for a round trip SFO-LAX is $72.) Other carriers have matched to a limited degree— but don’t forget: If you are checking bags, you’ll pay almost as much for your bag as your ticket on if you book on carriers with $20-$30 fees for checked baggage. Southwest does not charge fees for the first two checked bags.

To get the deal, you must book here: http://www.southwest.com/landing/fourthqrtr.html

*****

SAD: IRISH LUCK RAN OUT.

Aer Lingus’s big green jet will no longer be gracing the tarmac at SFO. The beleaguered Irish carrier will discontinue SFO-Dublin flights this Friday, Oct 29. Too bad.

Those Northwest pilots who overshot Minneapolis HAD to have been asleep. I can’t think of any other reason for the silence. Can you? What do TravelSkills reader think? Please leave comments below!

OCT 28th: Here’s the latest on this story.

Check out what Delta’s now got on transcons from SFO to NY-JFK to compete with United PS, AA and Virgin’s first. Very nice! Will you try it?

UC Berkeley Grad Student Gabriel Leigh

Okay all you mileage-obsessed mileage mavens, mileage junkies, travel addicts, road warriors or anyone who has ever held an elite level membership with a frequent flyer program. You know who you are. This video is for you.

This 20-minute documentary (titled “Frequent Flyer”) is actually the master’s thesis of Gabriel Leigh, journalism grad student at UC Berkeley. I don’t normally have 20 minutes to devote to an online video, but this was time well spent. (The video is very professionally made and easy on the eyes…)

So sit back, relax, hit the full-screen button and enjoy this….it will be like looking in the mirror for many of you!

Frequent Flyer from Gabriel Leigh on Vimeo.

UC Berkeley Grad Student Gabriel Leigh

Okay all you mileage-obsessed mileage mavens, mileage junkies, travel addicts, road warriors or anyone who has ever held an elite level membership with a frequent flyer program. You know who you are. This video is for you.

This 20-minute documentary (“Frequent Flyer”) is actually the master’s thesis of Gabriel Leigh, journalism grad student at UC Berkeley. I don’t normally have 20 minutes to devote to an online video, but this was time well spent. (The video is very professionally made and easy on the eyes…)

So sit back, relax, hit the full-screen button and enjoy this….it will be like looking in the mirror for many of you!

Frequent Flyer from Gabriel Leigh on Vimeo.

My buddy Tim Winship, who blogs for SmarterTravel.com picked up on an interesting comment made by Southwest CEO Gary Kelly in a recent conference call. The comment portends some BIG changes in store for the Rapid Rewards program. While the company remains tight-lipped about what they are calling “Rapid Rewards 2.0,” Winship lays out some possible scenarios for change. (SEE UPDATE BELOW)

To me, the most likely change will be a shift to a DOLLAR-based program versus flight-credit-based one. Basically, members are rewarded based on how much they SPEND, not how many miles or segments they fly. Virgin America and JetBlue have already switched to this sort of program. I’m surprised others have not. If Southwest does it, I bet more will follow suit.

Here’s Tim’s insightful post.

Stay tuned for more!

UPDATE: TravelSkills contacted Southwest spokesperson Linda Rutherford for further comment and here’s what she said: “We’ve been saying for a few years that we have a goal to revamp our frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, in order to bring greater value and relevance to our most frequent travelers. That might mean different ways to earn rewards, or even different kinds of rewards that can be earned. We haven’t divulged more detail than that, as we know our competitors are watching closely. Late next year is the current timing for the changes to roll out, so nothing is imminent.”

SF-based Joie de Vivre hotels recently invited your TICKET editor Chris McGinnis  to Long Beach, CA for the grand opening of the Hotel Maya, located right there on the waterfront between the Queen Mary and downtown. They’ve done a great job! If you find yourself on the southern side of LA or in Orange County, it’s worth a look! Here is my video review. Below you’ll find the voice over script to the video in case you can’t watch it.

Video Review of the Hotel Maya

In typical fashion, designers from the mod San Francisco based Joie de Vivre hotel chain have gone to Long Beach, California…

…where they found the UN-gracefully aging  Coast Hotel …

…and transformed it into a Latin lover called the Hotel Maya to the tune of about $20 million dollars

The property is set in a forest of 400 palm trees on the Long Beach waterfront.

Rooms are decorated with unusual touches like river stone headboards…

Bathrooms are brand new… I love that brown granite and burnt orange wallpaper!

Every room’s got a big desk area, flat screen TV, mini bar— and thankfully free and fast wi-fi

There’s a dramatic pool area with Vegas style cabanas good for play, and for work….

Plus an ample gym and meeting space for business travelers.

The airy Fuego Restaurant specializes in three things: seafood, tequila, and a stunning view of the city AND the Queen Mary docked nearby.

All in all this a great redo— like a stodgy old aunt going in for a makeover and coming out a flamenco dancer!

The Hotel Maya is located about 30 mins south of LAX on the border of LA and Orange county.

Rates start at around $140 for garden views. Water views are closer to $200.

www.hotelmayalongbeach.com

UNITED SLOWLY ADDING WI-FI ON NYC FLIGHTS. Some (but not all) United P.S. flights between SFO and New York-JFK now offer the Gogo in-flight wi-fi system offered on many other carriers. United promises that ALL P.S. flights will be outfitted my mid-November. (UAL is a little late to the game here…AirTran and Virgin America offer it fleetwide and it’s on about half of Delta’s fleet.) Fees range from $8 (for PDA’s) to $13 (for laptop users). Using it is a breeze…just log on as you would in an airport or coffee shop, pay with your credit card, and voila! High speed internet. Sure makes that five-hour schlep to NYC go by a LOT faster!

FLOOD OF NEW FLIGHTS TO FLL. Virgin America will launch new nonstops between SFO and Ft Lauderdale on November 19 using a two class Airbus A320 (the only bird in its fleet.) And guess what? JetBlue is launching nonstops on the same route on Nov 17! And both depart from SFO’s international terminal. Eastbound flights on both carriers are red-eyes (yuck) but mid-January fares are currently only $218 round trip. Not a bad place to go when its cold and wet here by the bay. Winter in Fort Lauderdale (located about 30-40 minutes north of Miami) is gorgeous, sunny and 70’s for most of the winter. JetBlue pro: more legroom in coach, a free sleep kit, and Dunkin Doughnuts coffee in the morning. Virgin America pro: in-flight wi-fi. Which one would you choose and why? Leave your comments below.

ECLECTIC EATS. Virgin America’s got a new fall menu that offers a virtual puu-puu platter of choices. Some of the more interesting-sounding fare for sale onboard: Banh mi flat iron beef sandwich: “A traditional street-vended Vietnamese sandwich made of grilled Asian marinated sliced flat iron steak with shaved cucumber, green leaf lettuce, baby frisée, fresh sprigs of cilantro and topped with a Vietnamese slaw of julienne carrots, daikon radish and red onion. Asian ginger dressing served on the side.” ($10)

HE’S A GOOD GUY! Your BAT editor recently spotted Virgin America CEO David Cush on a San Diego-SFO flight sitting in coach! With the traveling masses. Back there with the rest of us! Apparently Virgin employees, including the CEO, are forbidden from riding in those big white seats up front. Soon after witnessing this display of humility, we heard from a reader who spotted Delta CEO Richard Anderson in coach on a flight to Atlanta. Are we on to something here?

DELTA BATTLES ON SFO-JFK RUN. Delta is now flying 757’s equipped with international business class “cradle” seats on all nonstops between Los Angeles and and New York-JFK. By the end of October, the cradles will be on all JFK-San Francisco flights. Big seats are a nice addition and should do well competing against similar internationally configured nonstops from American and United P.S. as well as the swanky first class on Virgin America. Bad news is that chances of upgrades in DL flights are now slimmer— previously, the 757’s had 24-26 first class seats while the new ones will have only 16 business class cradles. (PLUS: All Delta’s 757 flights offer inflight wi-fi.)

NEW USE FOR UNITED MILES. Maybe. United is now allowing Mileage Plus members to redeem airline miles for hotels and car rentals. I’d say that this is only a good deal for folks desperate to dump miles because the redemption levels are quite steep. It also might work if you are faced with otherwise exorbitant rates. For example, if I wanted to redeem miles for a one-night stay at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago later this month, it would cost me 24,500 miles! (The best available rates are about $300/night incl tax.) That’s nearly enough for a domestic round trip award. Car rentals in Chicago are running 10,000 miles for a compact for one day.

ALASKA AIR BRINGS BACK THE NERD BIRD. Last month Alaska Air picked up where American Airlines left off, launching a new nonstop between San Jose and Austin. A second daily flight is planned starting in March. Both flights use a two class Boeing 737. Current fares are running just $219 round trip for mid-Nov departures. (JetBlue offers non-stops between Austin and SFO for about the same price.)

SJC SKIERS DELIGHT. Horizon Air will fly nonstop from San Jose to Mammoth Mountain starting Dec 17. It will use a propjet on these flights, but fares are now running just $168 roundtrip for mid-January flights.

FLYING TO NYC ON THE CHEAP. Here’s a nifty nugget from our friends at airlineweekly.com: “Q1 of 2007—before Virgin America arrived on the scene—United passengers flying between New York JFK and San Francisco paid an average of $620 each way. In Q1 of 2009, those same passengers in that same market paid only $421 each way.” Thanks, Virgin America!

LESS OF A SWA CATTLE CALL FOR $10. If you frequently end up forgetting to check in for your Southwest flight exactly 24 hours before departure, and then ending up stuck in a middle seat at the back of the plane or having to gate check your carry-on, there’s a new fix. With its new Early Bird Check-In, you pay Southwest a $10 premium (each way) when you make your reservation. Then you don’t have to play the 24-hour check-in game and you are allowed to board before everyone else, but AFTER A-Listers and those flying on Business Select fares. I personally don’t have a problem paying $10 for a nearly guaranteed good seat and space for my carry-on. But Southwest has taken a lot of heat for this new fee since it prides itself as being a fee-free airline.

NEW OAKLAND-HAWAII FLIGHTS. Picking up where Aloha left off last winter, Alaska Airlines will fly nonstop between Oakland and both Maui and the Big Island (Hawaii) on Nov 9 using a two-class Boeing 737. Mid-January round-tip fares are currently running about $500-$550.

TOILET KITSCH. Leave it to our hometown carrier Virgin America to spice up the toilet kit. For $10 you can order up a “How Could I Forget Kit” from the seatback of your next Virgin flight. (Just in case you forgot your own, or the one you had got nabbed by TSA screeners.) Contents include shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion, lip balm, night cream and breath mints all packed up in a nifty little quilted kit. There’s a similar red-eye flight kit selling for $12 that includes a blanket, pillow, eyemask and ear plugs.

MORE GOOD NEWS. SORTA. Worldwide airline passenger traffic dipped just 1 percent in August compared to the same month last year. That’s the smallest year-over-year drop in 2009, says the International Air Transport Association. The biggest decline this year was in March, when traffic dipped 11 percent year-over-year. Despite the recent improvements, airlines are still having a very tough time withpricing—economy class ticket prices are down 18 percent; first and business class fares are down 22 percent.

AIRLINES BAGGING BIG BUCKS. Those irksome new baggage fees are helping to keep a lot of airlines afloat in these lean times. According to the DOT, it’s the low-cost carriers that are bagging the most fees as a percentage of their overall revenues .The top four fee earners in q2 are (in descending order) Spirit, Allegiant, AirTran and Frontier. Nearly 9 percent of Spirit’s revenue was baggage fees. AirTran earned 7 percent of its revenue that way. Delta came in at 3 percent. Southwest, which does not charge for the first two checked bags, bagged less than one percent of its revenue that way.

FULL NAME AND BIRTHDATE, PLEASE. The TSA now requires airlines to book your ticket under the EXACT name as it appears on the ID you will be using to check in for your flight. IMPORTANT: Check your online booking profiles to be sure that your profile name matches your ID and modify it if necessary.  Airlines are also now required obtain your birth date. Why? Supposedly this should help folks mistakenly placed on terror watch lists.

Like what you are reading? Then be sure and SUBSCRIBE to TravelSkills so you don’t miss a single nugget of info. Look to the right>>>> and click on the SUBSCRIBE links! RSS or email! Thanks! Tell all your friends to do the same! –chris

Where do you want to go on your next business trip or vacation? This might help:

A recent poll of 15,000 women revealed that the world’s best lovers can be found in Spain, Brazil and Italy. The worst? In descending order: Germany (too smelly), England (too lazy) and Sweden (too quick). The Dutch were fourth worst (too dominating) and Americans came in fifth worst (too rough).

The poll was conducted by a global research firm www.onepoll.com asking women from 20 countries to rate countries based on the sexual experiences they’ve had with nationals of each. It first appeared in the London Telegraph and has made the rounds ever since. Read on for the full best/worst list:

[Read more…]

Hey Folks:

Thanks for all your compliments and suggestions on our new blog format.

We are still working away on improvements, so bear with us!

Here are some tips on navigating the new format:

• First, you can scroll down and see the familiar headline categories as you’ve seen in the past, such as “Airline News” and “Airport News” and “Hotel News,” etc. If you’d like to head straight to one of those categories, just click on the appropriate category on the list on the upper left side or along the bottom of your screen.
• Second, on the main page, only the first few paragraphs of each section are displayed. To read ALL the great info we have prepared for you, be sure to always click on the “read the rest of this entry” at the end of the second paragraph, which will open up the entire section for you.
• Third: PLEASE be sure and leave your comments! Blogs and other social media tools are all about interactivity and we want to hear from you! Sound off with your comments, tips and advice! (See “Comments” links at the bottom of each post) Thanks!
• NOTE! Which post garnered the MOST comments last month? The one about problems with the iPhone.
• Important: The URL for THE TICKET has changed. It’s now https://www.travelskills.com

Stay tuned for some new delivery options (like RSS feeds), but for now, sit back, relax and enjoy the new format! We’ll continue to send you an email once or twice per month to alert you to our latest issue.

Let us know what you think about the changes! This is a work on progress and we are counting on you to help us make it perfect!

Sincerely,

Chris McGinnis, Editor/Publisher, THE TICKET,  www.travelskills.com

The view from here is brightening and there’s lots of evidence to back that up. First off, while it’s not the best news for travelers, airlines feel confident enough about strong holiday booking trends that they are adding $10 surcharges on peak days around Thanksgiving and Christmas. They would not be doing that if they did not see clear signs of improving demand. (You know that there are a LOT of grandkids who did not get to see grandparents last winter when we were all in shock over the financial system meltdown and put the brakes on holiday trips. That’s less likely this year…)

Also, American Express is saying the decline business travel seems to be bottoming out, and demand is on the rise, which will lead to slightly higher airfares next year, while hotel rates will decline slightly (but not as much as they crashed this year.) We are thinking that everyone who has missed out on important meetings, tradeshows and conventions this year are now chomping at the bit and ready to hit the road again as the economy warms up.

So, I think all this points to a phrase we’ll all be hearing a LOT more this fall: PENT UP DEMAND. When it comes to holiday travel bookings, we suggest you go ahead and purchase now, because prices are much more likely to increase than decrease. And they might just POP up if we keep hearing positive economic news.

Happy Travels!

Chris McGinnis, Editor & Publisher, THE TICKET. www.travelskills.com

What do YOU think? Is a release of pent up demand on the horizon….or not? We’d love to hear your comments! Leave them right here:

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

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire

CLEAR LANES COMING BACK? A company called Henry, Inc has signed a letter of intent with Verified Identity Pass, the company that ran the Clear Card program at 18 major airports (including ATL), to purchase some of its assets and liabilities. Henry, Inc is hoping to work on building a good relationship with the TSA in the hopes of once again offering an airport security fast lane to those willing to pay an annual fee. From Business Travel News: “…if Henry Inc.’s bid to acquire the remains of Clear are successful, the firm plans on reengaging existing customers and attracting new customers of the program, including a plan to enroll members of Clear for free for the balance of the term of their membership that remained unused when Clear ceased operations in June.” And an article in the NYT said that the lanes could be open as soon as this holiday season. Stay tuned!

DELTA’S NOT BUDGING. We’ve just heard that Delta and ATL officials have finally come to a new agreement that will keep Delta from moving flights to other hubs as it had threatened to do. The last deal was signed in 1980, and this deal should be good for the next 30 years.

RACIAL SLURS FLY AT ATL. WSB has an interesting report about a wave of racially charged outbursts on the part of both white and black passengers at Hartsfield. Here’s a snippet from the article: “Bell said Kambouris had too much to drink at the Budweiser Brew House and when Bell told gate agents that Kambouris was in no condition to fly, he said Kambouris screamed ‘white power.’ He did the Nazi salute and he just kept calling me the N-word, said Bell.” Whew!

[Read more…]

Spain's Smoldering Antonio Banderas

Where do you want to go on your next business trip or vacation? This might help:

A recent poll of 15,000 women revealed that the world’s best lovers can be found in Spain, Brazil and Italy. The worst? In descending order: Germany (too smelly), England (too lazy) and Sweden (too quick). The Dutch were fourth worst (too dominating) and Americans came in fifth worst (too rough).

The poll was conducted by a global research firm www.onepoll.com asking women from 20 countries to rate countries based on the sexual experiences they’ve had with nationals of each. It first appeared in the London Telegraph and has made the rounds ever since. Read on for the full best/worst list:

[Read more…]

MORE INT’L FLIGHTS FROM ATL? Despite the fact that you can fly nonstop from ATL to 70 cities outside the U.S., airport officials are hoping to woo even more international flights. In the wake of the loss of several nonstops (such as ATL-Mumbai, ATL-Shanghai and ATL-Cape Town) Airport manager Ben DeCosta recently told the AJC that they could consider financial incentives to airlines hoping to add non-stops. QUESTION: Where would YOU like to be able to fly nonstop from Atlanta? Which international airlines should ATL woo? Leave your comments below!

KOREAN AIR STILL IN THE GAME. Despite Delta’s decision to cut out non-stops between ATL and Seoul, you can still get there, non-stop on SkyTeam partner Korean Airlines. If you are looking for a great stopover on the way to Asia, I’d recommend Seoul’s amazing Incheon over just about any other Asian hub. Good news: KAL is in the process of upgrading its premium cabins with lie-flat business class seats. Unfortunately, they are not on the ATL flights yet, but are reportedly on the way. Here’s a 30-second video of what’s coming:

OLYMPIC AIRLINES DEAD. LONG LIVE OLYMPIC AIR. Greece’s beleaguered national carrier, Olympic Airlines ceased flying on Sept 28. A new private airline, called Olympic Air will pick up most of the pieces and offer mostly short haul intra-Greece and regional flights. It will no longer offer any long hauls and instead will code share with Delta for flights between Greece and the U.S. Best bet when flying in Greece? Aegean Airlines.

QUERY: Based on a few recent flights, it seems to us at THE TICKET that international business class seems to be filling back up. So dear readers, we ask those of you who have flown internationally in the last month or so: ARE BUSINESS CLASS CABINS FILLING BACK UP? Let us know what you are seeing! Leave your comments below.

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

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire

FREE NIGHT AT MARRIOTT. If you are not yet a member of Marriott’s Rewards program, now would be a good time to join. If you sign up and stay twice at any Marriott brand between now and Nov 15, you’ll get a certificate good for one free night at nearly any Marriott, except the most expensive ones.

2x-3x-4x WITH BEST WESTERN. Best Western Rewards members can earn double points for two stays, triple points for three stays and quadruple points for four stays through Nov 24. Catch: You must book your stay on a MasterCard to qualify. In addition to that bounty of points, you’ll earn and extra 250 points if you book at www.bestwestern.com

BEL-AIR GETS FACE LIFT. The best breakfast I ever had was an egg white omelet and a glass of fresh orange juice that tasted like it came off the trees in the courtyard at the outdoor patio restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air, located in a leafy canyon just off Sunset Blvd west of Beverly Hills. That was about five years ago and while my stay there was nearly perfect in every way, the place just looked t-i-r-e-d. So it’s a good thing that this west coast grand dame is closing for up to two years for a full renovation of it’s 91 rooms and suites.

Serpas

Located@Studioplex

659 Auburn Avenue

Atlanta, GA

404-688-0040

www.serpasrestaurant.com

Located in the Old Fourth Ward historic district, Serpas brings tons of culinary talent to this emerging community.  I live in the Midtown/Buckhead area, and am quite guilty about not traveling far beyond my comfort zone.  But last night my friend and I decided to try this new place we had heard such good things about.

As soon as we walked through the doors, I was surprised to see how many people were there – the place was completely packed.  Everyone else in the neighborhood must have caught on months ago about this new dining gem.  Servers, bartenders and the whole restaurant staff were buzzing around.  And, to our surprise, we were able to be seated immediately. [Read more…]

—

British Airways is definitely on to something here. I don’t know if it’s good marketing, good PR, good business or what. But it’s definitely good karma. And I got a taste of it last week in New York and London.

You may have heard by now about British Airways new Face-to-Face program. The carrier is hoping to prime the pump of international business travel by giving entrepreneurs free tickets anywhere the world it flies. The hope is that these business owners will come back to BA and buy more tickets if this opportunity to show up in person for a crucial meeting helps them realize a big gains for their companies.

[Read more…]

IN THIS ISSUE:

>ATL gets lots of new flights to sunny climes, loses others

>British Airways is giving away business class seats

>Video interview with Southwest Airlines CEO re: flying to ATL?

>A live look at Delta’s new lie-flat business class seat (video)

>Do you feel like throwing your iPhone out the window?

>A new, hip (and cheap!) hotel in California’s Silicon Valley (video)

Dear TICKET Readers:

As you may have noticed by now, we’ve transitioned THE TICKET to a new blog format.

First thing you’ll notice: We’ve added a lot more VIDEO. Frequent travelers clearly prefer online video as a way to get their news, so you’ll enjoy a new visual sensation. Our video production skills are still in their infancy, so please bear with our learning curve and expect big improvements in coming months.

The new format is shorter and a lot easier to read. When you see THE TICKET, look for the list of “Categories” on the top left side. These are the titles of the various sections you have seen in the older version— such as Airline News, Airport News, Frequent Flyer News, etc.

So now, you can click on the categories that interest you, or you can continue to read THE TICKET from top to bottom, just like you’ve done in the past.

Important: The URL for THE TICKET has changed. It’s now https://www.travelskills.com

Stay tuned for some new delivery options, but for now, sit back, relax and enjoy the new format! We’ll continue to send you an email once or twice per month to alert you to our latest issue.

PLEASE interact with us. THE TICKET is really a community of readers and responders. Travelers are our eyes and ears out there, so we expect to hear from you frequently. Tell us when we are wrong or right! Let us know when you agree with us, or not. Did we save you money or time? Add your own quips and anecdotes!

Let us know what you think about the changes! This is a work on progress and we are counting on you to help us make it perfect!

Sincerely,

Chris McGinnis, Editor/Publisher, THE TICKET,  www.travelskills.com

e-mail:  chris@travelskills.com

I made the following video for my Best Western blog at www.youmustbetrippin.com and it’s sorta gone viral (nearly 1000 views as of Aug 27)

It’s a video report on the opening of the cool new Hotel Avatar in Santa Clara, Calif….in the heart of Silicon Valley. Very clever re-do of the classic motel with all the modern amenities you’d expect, like free and fast wifi, nice pool, gym with elliptical trainers, etc.

Rates start in the very reasonable range of about $130 per night and it’s a nice colorful change compared to a lot of the beige box hotels in the area.

Check out the two min video and see for yourself:

Hello Dear Readers:

We are transitioning THE TICKET to a new blog format and ask for your patience and your feedback.

With the new format, we hope to provide you with more frequent, shorter updates instead of the lengthy monthly version from the past. (However, the August issue, which you will find below, is in the format of the older once-a-month version. Expect newer shorter updates going forward.)

The new format will also give you all the opportunity to contribute to THE TICKET immediately with your comments (similar to the old “MAILBAG”).  At the bottom of each post, you’ll see where to leave your comments.  Please do so! Reader feedback and interaction is what social media is all about.

Again, we beg your patience as we work through the kinks of our new format.

Enjoy this month’s issue and have a wonderful August!

Sincerely,

Chris McGinnis, Editor/Publisher

chris@travelskills.com

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Southwest Comes to ATL?
• Virgin America Comes to ATL?
• Delta Makes Big Moves at La Guardia
• AirTran Leaves Newark
• More In-Flight Wi-Fi Updates
• Delta Ups Checked Bag Fee
• Busiest Domestic Air Routes in the US…Guess Which is #1?
• American Express Honoring Clear Card Refunds
• Free Wi-Fi at ATL?
• A New TICKET Hotel Review Feature: Checking In
• Brand New Hotel in NYC
• Car Rental Rates Soar…Why?
• Business Meals and Entertainment Deduction to Increase?
• TASTE of THE TICKET Goes Asian This Month!

Hi Folks:

Here we are in the dog days of summer in the midst of a recession that won’t stop dogging us! (I recently heard someone refer to the situation as a “repression”— a combination of a recession and a depression!) We were hoping that summer was going to be a turning point or a bottom to the travel industry’s tailspin, but based on recently released 2nd quarter numbers from airlines and hotel chains, we just are not there yet. Airline revenue is down about 25% compared to this time last year. Average hotel rates have declined below $100 per night-— for the first time since 2007 (currently at about $97).

Business travel is still in the pits. Leisure travel is a hair better, but still not good. It seems like the travel industry is stuck in a “less worse” situation. But…bad industry news is good for consumers, at least in the short run…airfares are exceptionally low as are hotel rates nearly everywhere. Airport security lines are no longer an issue. Airline and hotel employees are treating customers a lot better for the most part.

Longer term, the news is not so good for consumers who should expect fewer flights on older, smaller and dirtier planes. Ancillary fees will continue to bloat. Hotels could start to appear frayed and tatty as renovations get postponed and staff get overworked. Rental cars might get older, smellier and clunkier.

Wish we had better news! For now, we’ll keep muddling through and chronicling all the changes for you, dear readers. Thanks for tuning it!

Best,
Chris McGinnis
Editor

+++
YOUR TICKET EDITOR NOW TWITTERING: follow my business travel commentary, newsings and musings here:  twitter.com/cjmcginnis

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Check out Chris McGinnis Talking Summer Travel Trends on FOX NEWS

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AMEX HONORING CLEAR CARD DISPUTES. If you charged your Clear Card on AMEX and disputed it, it looks like you should be getting your money back. TICKET reader D Cumpston was the first to email us with the good news: “I got a very welcome letter from AMEX last week saying, ‘We would like to advise you that the status of your claim on your account from Verified Identity Pass Inc. We suspended the amount of $179 and advised you we would contact the merchant on your behalf. Outcome: This dispute has been resolved in your favor. The merchant has not yet provided the information necessary to resolve your claim. Therefore we have issued a credit to your account and removed the previously suspended amount…’ NICE!” Thanks, Amex!

SPEAKING OF CLEAR CARD. There are some rumors floating around about the possibility of a resuscitated program. Stay tuned as we sniff these out! But don’t get your hopes up.

LUGGAGE THEFT AT ATL CAROUSELS. From TICKET reader T Yarbro: “Saturday night my bag was stolen from the Delta baggage carousel.  The police recovered it later in the parking deck where someone had obviously taken it and gone through it looking for electronics (fortunately, they didn’t find any).”

NEWER FASTER SECURITY LANES. Have you tried using the new NORTH terminal security lanes located behind the international airline counters? Airport officials say that the average wait there is five minutes or less. Plus, the airport has added a new bank of escalators at the top of the spine at T concourse that bring you down to the transportation mall and trains.

FREE WIFI AT ATL? Airport officials are hoping to offer free wi-fi option next year, in addition to the current paid ($7.95/day) plans. Based on our experience with free wi-fi on offer at other airports, users should expect a slower, clunkier experience cluttered with ads. (Don’t try streaming video or large downloads.) It should be a welcome relief to those of us who just want to do a quick email check before boarding without having to go through the current, unwieldy, time consuming process of logging on, entering credit card, etc. Luckily, if you still want the premium paid experience due to corporate firewalls, you’ll still have that option. Stay tuned.

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MORE DELTA CUTS IN CINCINNATI. The AJC says that Delta plans to lop off another 17% of flights at CVG after cutting 22% of flights there last year. When you combine Delta mainline and Comair flights, there is now a total of just 215 per day, down from 600+ four years ago. Delta’s also cutting its nonstops from Cincy to Frankfurt and London this fall. (We are not surprised, considering that Delta’s gleaming hub at Detroit (previously Northwest’s) is just up I-75 a piece…)

RED COATS. We mentioned this last month, and the program seems to be taking shape, according to a recent puff piece in the NY Times: “Delta has already brought the [Red Coat] agents back to Kennedy Airport, and last month it added more than 100 at its biggest airport hub, Atlanta. As of Aug. 1, about 500 of these agents will be in circulation at more than a dozen airports, including terminals in Washington, Los Angeles, Boston, Cincinnati, Memphis, Newark and New York.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/business/28service.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

NEW TERMINAL AT SAN JOSE: The new terminal B at San Jose International opened last month but most ATL travelers won’t get to see it unless they fly Southwest, which has laid claim to its five gates. Delta and other airlines use Terminal A, which is also under renovation, part of a much needed $1.3 billion makeover of the Silicon Valley airport.

NEW RUNWAY AT O’HARE HELPS. Ever since Chicago-O’Hare opened its new runway last November, delays have plunged. Its on-time performance has improved 27% and it now ranks higher than most other large hub airports, including ATL.

NYC AIRPORTS STILL IN THE PITS. Despite on-time improvements nearly everywhere, New York’s three airports are STILL stuck at the bottom of the list for major airports. JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports ranked 29th, 30th and 31st, respectively, for on-time arrivals at the nation’s 31 largest airports. (So why does Delta want to put another hub in the middle of this mess?)

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AIR JAMAICA? Here’s something that slipped through the cracks— Air Jamaica quit flying to ATL last spring. Sorry we missed that one. Remember their “Champagne Flights” where everyone got a glass of bubbles just after take off?

WHEN TO CHECK IN FOR DELAYED FLIGHT? Here’s an interesting dialog that helps answer the question about when you are supposed to check in for a flight that has been delayed and you have been notified of the delay. From TICKET read R Jetmundsen: “I was in Sao Paulo and had a Delta flight on Saturday night.  My blackberry began to ring and it was a recording from Delta telling me that the flight schedule had changed. The new departure time was 11pm, not 9:51pm.  Wow, what a wonderful technology!!  So, I had a light dinner and another glass of wine and arrived at the airport at 9:10pm only to find out they had closed check in one hour before the regular departure.  What is the point in calling us?  They did get me on a flight to Miami on American.  So good for them.” Hmm. So when are you supposed to check in for a flight you know is delayed? We emailed our contacts at Delta for the answer: “The customer notification system will continue to provide updates directly to customers if flight times change.  For instance, if a flight is delayed by 2 hours and then is pushed up to only be delayed 1 hour, a second notification would be sent to the customer’s mobile device.  Additionally, it is correct that customers should be able to check in to a flight based on a new departure time – not the originally scheduled time. We are investigating what occurred in this instance. This appears to be an unusual situation that did not occur within our normal practices.”

READERS! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

Between our business trips, press trips and personal travel, we stay at a LOT of hotels. We’d like to share our experiences with TICKET readers here in this new feature, CHECKING IN WITH THE TICKET.

HOTEL PALOMAR-ATLANTA. We’ll start out with a review on familiar turf: Atlanta. A few months ago, the new Hotel Palomar in Midtown Atlanta hosted us for one night. By now you may have seen the 21-story, 304 room Hotel Palomar from the downtown connector. It’s a brand new-from-the-ground-up hotel at 12th and West Peachtree.

We stayed there on a Saturday night in late May. Having had many positive experiences at other Kimpton Group hotels scattered around the country, we had high expectations, and we are pleased to report those expectations were met this time around.

For a hotel that had only been open a few short months, we did not detect the slightest bit of just-opened jitters. All the staff, from the bellhops who greeted us on the street, the front desk staff, housekeepers…everyone was completely on their game. We are used to giving a wide berth to the staff at brand new hotels as they work through opening kinks, but that was definitely not necessary at the Palomar.

We really liked the modern, yet comfortable design of our room. Lots of ambers, browns, grays and tans in both wood and stone with a splash of red and orange here and there. Nice desk with an Aeron-like chair. Wi-fi is free for members of Kimpton’s In-Touch loyalty program. Flat screen TV. A nice bright and modern bathroom with a big tub-less shower.

Overall, it had the mod feel of a W Hotel without the disco-y dark corridors throbbing to a deep beat which always strain us when traveling on business.  We had an outstanding meal in the hotel restaurant called Pacci, which was reviewed earlier this year in THE TASTE OF THE TICKET. Then we spend several hours on the rooftop deck, complete with its own screened in porch.

The only downside was the enforced valet parking @$30 per night (plus tip). There’s no self-park option, which is too bad considering that the hotel parking lot is located right next to the hotel…and about 100 feet from the valet stand. Next time we’ll ditch the car and take MARTA!

READER! PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

RATES CRASHING. Hotel rates are WAY down, too. That’s because hotels can’t just go park excess hotel rooms in the desert like airlines can park planes. This means there are a LOT of unsold hotel rooms going at bargain basement prices—- and we are talking some of the most popular destinations in the country like Las Vegas, New York, San Francisco and Hawaii. European rates have tanked, too!

Examples of average hotel rate declines this summer
In US:
•    Las Vegas: -25%
•    New York: -25%
•    San Francisco: -23%
•    Honolulu: -18%

In Europe:
•    Barcelona: -35%
•    London: -25%
•    Rome: -23%
(Source: Expedia.com)

INTERESTING FINDINGS IN LATEST JD POWER SURVEY. Overall guest satisfaction at hotels rose last year, says the J.D. Power 2009 North America Guest Satisfaction Survey of 66,000 hotel guests. No surprise: Four Seasons came out tops in the luxury category. Hilton Garden Inn and Hyatt Place ranked high in the mid-priced category. Surprise to us: Wyndham Hotels ranked high in the upscale tier. Drury Inns also came out very high in mid-priced range. We’ve not stayed at a Wyndham or a Drury Inn in years—have you? They must be doing something right, so please let us know about your experiences with these chains! LET US KNOW!

TOUGH TIMES. The first half of 2009 was brutal for the hotel industry. According to Smith Travel Research, occupancy fell 11% in the first six months of 2009. The average daily rate dipped below the bellwether $100 mark to $98.66. Revenue per available room slipped 19%. Ouch. However, the outlook for hotels is improving as the economy seems to be warming up.

WATERGATE STILL A MESS. Did you hear that the Watergate Hotel in Washington went up for sale on auction last month and failed to attract a single bidder? The hotel was built in 1967. I remember staying there when it was a Swissotel.

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CANDLEWOOD SUITES HITS NYC. We always love a NEW hotel in NYC and here’s the latest from InterContinental: “Candlewood Suites is bringing a full-scale apartment experience at a midscale hotel price to business and leisure travelers at a prime location just one block from Times Square. Guestrooms are all studio suites with wide rooms, including a full kitchen with full-size refrigerator, stove top, dishwasher and microwave, and stocked with pots, pans, plates, glassware and utensils; comfortable recliner; large workspace with desk chair; and deluxe bedding.  Unlike most New York City midscale hotels, the Candlewood Suites offers amenities typically found in apartment buildings, including a complimentary 24-hour fitness center, complete with cardio and weight machines, and complimentary onsite laundry for guests. Location: 339 West 39th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues—over near the Port Authority. Rates in August start at about $220 per night. When we checked rates for Sept and Oct, the hotel was already sold out most nights! www.candlewoodsuites.com

AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRIPADVISOR. Check out this very helpful new site where hotel guests post their own VIDEOS of hotel stays. Very revealing! http://hotelvideoreviews.com/index.html

MORE FREE INTERNET. So here’s a positive trend that we are hearing about more frequently: Many full service hotel brands are FINALLY getting the message that guests are tired of paying for wi-fi when they can get it free at most limited service brands. For example, Hyatt now offers free wi-fi in all hotels to platinum and diamond members of its Gold Passport program. InterContinental Ambassors get it free, too. We are hearing that many west coast luxury properties, such as Ritz-Carltons are also offering it for free. Let’s hope the trend continues!

DOUBLE MILES ARE BACK. Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders earn DOUBLE miles on all Delta flights through the end of the year. Register here www.deltadoublemiles.com

DISINTEREST IN LOYALTY PROGRAMS? Membership in hotel, airline and car rental loyalty programs has declined 31.2 percent since 2007, according to a new study from the loyalty research company Colloquy. The results, based on interviews with 2,152 U.S. consumers, indicate there still is interest in loyalty programs, but travelers are picking fewer carriers and hoteliers with which to invest their time and money.

HELLO READERS! PLEASE CHIME IN WITH YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

She’s going Asian this month: “The Tunacado was probably my favorite part of the meal; the seared tuna was fresh and beautifully presented with avocado slices.  The creamy ponzu dipping sauce served on the side was a nice touch.  I usually find potstickers to be too greasy for my tastes, but these were crisp and tasty..” Ummm. Yum? Want to hear more? Then check out the latest dispatch from our fearless taste-tester in THE TASTE OF THE TICKET!

>>>DEAR READERS!! THERE IS MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE….INTERNATIONAL NEWS AND MISCELLANY. PLEASE CLICK ON “OLDER POSTS” BELOW TO READ ON!!>>>

AIR FRANCE GUPPY. Air France has announced that its first A380 (pictured) will begin flying between New York and Paris this November, making it the first European carrier to offer transatlantic service with the 538-passenger behemoth. (Might be cool for Europe-bound ATL passengers to route over JFK to ride on this big bird.)

DELTA OUT OF MUMBAI. Earlier this year, Delta cut out its non-stop ATL-Mumbai flight and moved it to New York. Well, it’s now cut out that flight to, leaving Delta without any nonstops from the US to India. However, you can still get there from ATL via Delta with stops in either Amsterdam or Paris.

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DELTA TO SYDNEY: FIRST HAND LOOK. “I just returned from Australia, taking the new Delta service from Atlanta to Sydney.  A very, very good experience, and the flight fills a significant gap in the Delta routes.  If you fly from Atlanta, make sure to take Flight 243 to/Flight 244 from LAX.  It’s the same plane that goes on to Sydney, which means you can’t miss your connection in LAX, and the layover is only two hours.    The 777 is configured in business class for international travel, and Delta’s service is at least as good as any on the route.  The crew was very attentive, and my flights were all on time.  Plus, the points you earn (both MQM and generally) help out considerably for those committed to flying Delta.  And right now, with Delta’s and V-Australia’s addition to this route, the fares are at the moment excellent buys–as low as $900 RT in coach.  Interested in going to Australia? Now is the time.” —R Barkoff

CANCUN IN BIZ CLASS DEAL. AirTran has an ongoing business class roundtrip fare of just $400 from ATL. Not a bad deal for a nice late summer getaway!

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BUSINESS MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT DEDUCTION TO INCREASE? Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) introduced a bill that would increase the deductible portion of business meal and entertainment expenses, currently set at 50 percent. The proposed legislation would up that percentage to 75 percent for 2009 and 80 percent thereafter. Not a bad idea! We think this would definitely help the beleaguered restaurant biz. According to National Restaurant Association research, raising the deduction to 80 percent would boost business meal sales by $6 billion and create an $18 billion increase to the overall economy.

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THE END!

THANKS FOR TUNING IN TO THE AUGUST EDITION OF THE TICKET!

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