I’m a huge fan of in-flight Wi-Fi, especially for flights longer than 90 minutes, so I’m excited to learn that two more airlines that serve the Bay Area in a big way are adding it. But not for a while.

First off, Alaska Air announced that it’s reached a deal with AirCell’s Gogo—the same provider used by Virgin America, United, Delta and others. But don’t hold your breath. The carrier still has to go through testing and certification with the FAA. It plans to outfit its fleet of new Boeing 737-800’s first, but has not officially set a target date for installation.

One downside: Much of Alaska Airlines’ flying is over water or desolate areas in Alaska, Canada and Mexico where the ground-based Gogo system is currently out of range of the network of radio towers it depends on. That means I’ll get a good Wi-Fi signal in-flight if I choose an Alaska Airlines flight from here to Seattle or Austin. (It adds a second daily “Nerd Bird” nonstop between San Jose and Austin next week.) But my Wi-Fi is not going to work on those new Alaska Air flights from here to Hawaii. And it will be spotty at best on the long coastal flights between Seattle and Anchorage.

Here’s where this story gets ironic. Southwest Airlines, which flies almost exclusively over land, has chosen another in-flight Wi-Fi provider called Row 44, which uses a satellite-based system that works over water and just about anywhere else.

At one time, Alaska Airlines seemed close to landing a deal with Row 44, which would make sense given its flying patterns. Instead, it’s gone with land-based Gogo. Why? “Ultimately Alaska Airlines decided to go with Aircell’s Gogo service because of its proven track record of deploying affordable inflight Wi-Fi services to travelers. Its lower-cost equipment, coupled with the ease and speed of installation and finally its system reliability, allow us  to rapidly deploy a desirable service to customers,” Alaska Airlines spokesperson Bobbie Egan told The BAT.

Anyway, Southwest plans to start outfitting its fleet of 540 Boeing 737’s this spring, and says Wi-Fi will be available fleet wide by late 2012.

Frequent travelers from the Bay Area are lucky… they have more in-flight Wi-Fi choices than nearly any other major city. (Except maybe Atlanta, where AirTran offers it on all flights from its hub there, and Delta’s got it on well over half its fleet.) From the Bay, all Virgin America flights offer it. Delta, United and American offer it on all flights between SFO and JFK, and on select flights to other cities. AirTran offers it on all flights between here and Atlanta and beyond.

Have you tried in-flight Wi-Fi? Are you as big a fan as I am? I can’t think of a better way to take advantage of a long flight. To me, it’s the greatest thing since the introduction of the in-flight movie. I don’t mind paying for it either. It definitely drives my airline choice, especially when planning flights longer than 90 minutes. Please leave your comments and experiences with in-flight Wi-Fi below.

Here’s an interesting video that explains how Gogo’s ground-based in-flight internet works:

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!

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.

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 The BAT, 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

I was perusing my email and came across this doozy from Delta offering $69 fares between SFO and OAK.  It came in the form of the weekly web-only fare alerts it sends me. At just $69 each way between OAK and SFO, Delta’s fare beats cab fare. (You know what they say about things that seem to good to be true…See below for the full story)

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Ahhh yes, there must be a glitch in the system, because when I went to take advantage of this special web-only fare, it told me what I already knew. There are no Delta flights between SFO and OAK.

But it’s sure fun to ponder the idea…We contacted Delta and they said it was simply an honest mistake.

(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.

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.

Even though the hotel biz is having a tough time, new properties are still opening and there are deals to be had. So here are four hip brand-spankin’ new hostelries that BAT 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 BAT 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.)

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.

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

airtran.com | delta.com | Hotwire

(scroll down two view my two-minute video tour of the new terminals)

The sleek new look of Mineta-San Jose’s new airport terminal reminds me of my iPod. Or a space ship. Or a museum. In any case, it’s cutting edge design is now a much more befitting symbol of the Silicon Valley than the version 1.0, which sort of reminded me of my 60’s-era elementary school. (Take my two-minute video tour of SJC)

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Last month, the Silicon Valley Business Travel Association invited me to their monthly meeting, which was hosted by airport officials. The SVBTA is a 240+ person organization that represents the interests of corporate travel buyers in the South Bay region—to the tune of just over $1 billion per year. (see svbta.org)

San Jose airport authorities brought in SVBTA members for a look-see because they are eager to get support from the business community necessary to attract more flights and more airlines to its fancy new digs. Why? Because the new digs cost a whopping $1.3 billion, and that mortgage will be repaid in large part by the fees airlines pay to fly in and out of SJC. (The airport is self-sustaining and does not rely on local tax funds.)

Despite its location in largest city in the Bay Area and adjacency to some of the world’s largest tech companies that spend billions of dollars each year on travel, San Jose airport handles less than 20% of all commercial flights in the region.

(Take my two-minute video tour of SJC)

The tech bubble burst and recession have had a severe impact on the airport. For example, the number of daily flights at SJC has fallen from 232 in 2001 to just 125 in 2010—that’s a 42 percent decline. The number of destinations served nonstop has declined from 39 to 28 in the same period. International flights to Tokyo and Paris were scrubbed long ago. Passenger numbers have declined nearly 40 percent.

Airport authorities blame a lot of this decline on what they call the “Virgin Effect.” They say that when Virgin America cranked up operations at San Francisco International in 2007, airlines quickly “herded” around the new entrant, concentrating their Bay Area flying at SFO and slashing prices to protect their market share. That means SFO added 83 new flights since 2007 while OAK and SJC have experienced losses in flights and passenger numbers.

However, there are some notable new flights at SJC: Alaska starts flights to Maui and Kona in March; Horizon just added new flights to Mammoth Mountain and will add flights to Spokane next month. In May, JetBlue adds nonstops to Boston.

(Take my two-minute video tour of SJC)

Airport Primer:

If you find your way to San Jose for a flight in the near future, here’s what you need to know:

>All that’s left of the old structure is the current Terminal C, which will be demolished by this summer. Currently, if you fly into Terminal C (Alaska/Horizon, Delta, Frontier, US Airways), your bags will actually arrive at Terminal B due to construction. (This will change in June 2010 when all airlines move to A or B.)

>Terminal A (16 gates), originally opened in 1990 but has gotten a complete makeover, with a brand new ticketing area, concessions, and a big, bright new security screening area which opened last November. Terminal A handles American, Continental, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Mexicana and United flights.

>The bright new Terminal B Concourse (see video) partially opened last summer with six gates for Southwest Airlines flights. However, until Concourse B is complete this summer, Southwest passengers must enter security at Terminal A and take a rather long walk to their gates. (Take my two-minute video tour of SJC)

>Eventually, an entirely new south Concourse will rise from the site of the current Concourse C, but that depends on when  airport traffic levels recover enough to justify the expansion.

>A new consolidated car rental center and parking deck (the building with the exterior skin featuring giant hands, which can be seen for miles) should open in June.

For more information on airport changes, maps, and services, go to www.flysanjose.com.

(Take my two-minute video tour of SJC)

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follow this link to the 1.5 min video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRHRzSzaBU4

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The older I get, the more I’m affected by jet lag, which is not a good thing for someone who makes his living in the travel industry.

Over the years, I’ve tried every drug from Ambien to Xanax; gone the homeopathic route with melatonin and herbs; tried starving myself, avoided alcohol, and experimented with caffeine. I’ve tried sleeping with hotel room drapes open and taking long walks in the sunshine upon arriving. I even tested an oversized visor with a battery-operated light under the bill that was supposed to offer some sort of “light therapy.”

The sad news is that none of them really worked. I still get that prickly, woozy, sweaty feeling on my first few days overseas. I sleep soundly for an hour or so, then lie awake in bed for the rest of the night, and then feel sorta hollow the next day. YUCK!

So every time I hear about a new substance or practice (other than denial) that might help ease the pain of jetlag, I’m eager to learn more.

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Introducing Nuvigil

There was much talk among the international travel crowd this month when the New York Times ran a story about a new jetlag drug called Nuvigil, on the market since last June.

Nuvigil is not a sleeping pill. Instead, it is a stimulant that travelers can take to treat the daytime sleepiness associated with jetlag—it does NOT help shift the body’s clock to a new time zone. (Nuvigil and its precursor, Provigil, are frequently used by people who suffer from narcolepsy and sleep apnea.)

Nuvigil’s maker, Cephalon, has plans to sell the drug to frequent business travelers—those who might pop over to Europe for a couple of days of meetings and then return. The Times article reports that in clinical trials among adults flying to Paris from the east coast, those who took Nuvigil did not nod off during the day as quickly as those who took a placebo.

I asked physician Jim Braude, who travels to Europe several times each year, for some insight and he said, “These drugs work by somehow stimulating the brain (although the mechanism is not clearly defined), and can cause heart palpitations and raise blood pressure. So as much as I personally want to eliminate jet lag, I’m not ready to try these given the risk/benefit formula.”

Several readers have used Provigil, but not the new Nuvigil. BAT reader Matt reports, “I use Provigil. It works well at keeping you up with out giving you the jitters. I can see how it can help when you first get some place and need to make it through the first few days until you get adapted to the new time zone.”

Another reader, MG, wrote, “I have used Provigil for almost a year now, and find it to be a ‘miracle’ drug for jetlag as well as many other ailments. It is astonishing! Somewhat like a stimulant in its results, it has almost no side effects and is a completely beneficial option for dealing with stresses to both the body and mind. Insurance companies (mine, two different ones) are reluctant to pay for it and it is quite expensive.”

Hmmm. I’d still like to try Nuvigil, but I think I’d experiment first on a trip that did NOT include an important meeting.

Since I’m alway curious to try anything to help with my jet lag issues,  I’m considering trying a new herbal concoction for an upcoming trip to Tokyo made by Mountain View acupuncturist and herbalist Ted Ray. He says he’s “tested his Jet Lag Formula on Silicon Valley executives for about seven years  and almost all notice an improvement in how they feel in the days after arrival– though some more than others.” The formula consists of a round of capsules containing a cocktail of various herbs that you take before during and after your flight.

How about YOU? How do you deal with jetlag?

Please leave your comments below! Or leave them on the SFgate by clicking here

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The headline on my recent post about this week’s storm-related delays at Bay Area airports prompted a question.

Why does San Francisco International seem to suffer so many more weather-related delays than airports in Oakland or San Jose?

There are two main reasons:

1>Parallel Runways

SFO is designed to handle up to 60 aircraft arrivals per hour in good weather. That’s because the airport operates two sets of parallel runways—one set for takeoffs, the other for landings. These parallel runways intersect at their midpoint forming a giant “X.”

The problem is that planes are only allowed to land side-by-side on these parallel runways during clear weather. When inclement weather strikes, the FAA forbids parallel landings. So all planes must land in single file, which cuts the airport’s arrivals capacity in half– from 60 down to 30 or 38 per hour, depending on the severity of conditions.

And when planes arrive late, they most likely end up departing late, compounding the frustration level at the airport, and leading to poor on-time performance numbers.

2>Volume

When bad weather strikes and the arrival rate at SFO is restricted to just 30-38 per hour, problems arise when the number of arrivals exceeds that ceiling.

Before 9 a.m., arrival volume at SFO remains below 30 per hour. But after 9 a.m., just over 30 aircraft are scheduled to land. The arrivals rate peaks between 12 noon and 2 pm when over 40 aircraft per hour are scheduled to land at SFO.

So that means that if a storm blows through SFO mid-day, you can expect major delays, which will ease later in the afternoon when arrival volume falls below 30 per hour.

The main reason that airports in Oakland and San Jose don’t face such on-time performance issues is that their volume is low…they rarely exceed their capacity for arrivals in good or bad weather.

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 The BAT 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.

A barrage of winter storms coming in off the Pacific Ocean is affecting on-time performance at SFO this morning. With several storms expected for the rest of the week, similar delays are expected. Prepare by checking on airport updates below, bring along a good book, a laptop with wi-fi and your patience.

SFO: At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, arrival and departure delays at SFO vary from a few minutes to about two hours with the greatest impact on short haul flights (those less than two hours in duration), says SFO’s Mike McCarron.

SFO Updates here

SJC: Mineta San Jose International Airport spokesman David Vossbrink reports no delays for arrivals or departures. He said that SJC has actually had to accommodate a couple of flights diverted from SFO over the last 24 hours.

SJC updates here

OAK: The duty manager at Oakland International reports that nearly all flights are taking off and landing on time on Tuesday morning with no significant arrival or departure delays.

OAK updates here

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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!)

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