Two stunning new airline lounges at SFO (Photos)
Gorgeous white marble and backlit Fabbian glass tiles make for a dramatic entrance at Cathay Pacific's new SFO lounge.
International business and first class travelers departing for Hong Kong, Dubai or beyond can now cool their heels while awaiting flights at two gorgeous new lounges at SFO. These perches are so plush that passengers may want to get to the airport early just to enjoy the surroundings and get a great pre-flight meal.
In December, Cathay Pacific and Emirates opened new lounges at SFO’s international terminal. Both invited me out last month for a look around, and allowed me to take photos to share with readers.
The gorgeous 5,500 sq ft Cathay Pacific lounge is located up an escalator just beyond the security screening area near most other airline lounges on south (A) side of the International Terminal. Prior to the opening of this lounge, Cathay Pacific passengers used facilities offered by Oneworld partner British Airways. Now they have a lounge all to themselves. The lounge’s minimalist design is based on Cathay’s flagship lounges at Hong Kong International– materials such as white italian marble, bamboo paneling and Fabbian crystal are the same. Another similarity: the chef-staffed noodle bar!
The Emirates lounge is located about halfway down SFO’s south side international terminal corridor on the left hand side. First, business and Skywards elite passengers enter and check in, then descend into the enormous 9,500 sq. ft. lounge located one floor down– with direct access to the waiting B777– there is no need to exit the lounge to board the plane. Again, the design of this club should be familiar to Emirates flyers– the rich contemporary look (wood, leather, brass, earth tones, sprays of fresh flowers and plants) is nearly identical to Emirates’ 25 lounges in Dubai and around the world. Similar to the carrier’s main hub lounges in Dubai, passengers are tempted by a visually stunning, seemingly limitless smorgasbord of dining options designed to appeal to western, Indian, Asian and Arab palates. There’s even a Muslim prayer room– with it’s own foot-washing station.
Let’s go take a look! Cathay first:
The big, bright Cathay lounge is open from 7:45 am until 11:50 am, and then again from 8:05 pm until midnight.
The unique and popular Cathay Solus Chair is a specially built unit offering a private space to eat, work and relax.
Cathay's signature fresh noodle bar turns out the perfect pre-flight comfort food-- made to order. There is also a wide variety of hot and cold Western and Asian dishes at the self-service counter
Plenty of space to spread out and work or chill, bathed in natural light
There are three unusually large shower suites, sheathed in marble and other unusual finishes like this white river stone tile.
A large carrera marble communal table in the dining area.
Cathay offers two flights per day from SFO to Hong Kong-- noon and midnight. SFO-HKG nonstops last about 14 hours.
Now, let’s walk on down to the Emirates lounge….
Emirates passengers check in here, then descend to the lounge. It opens at noon and closes once all passengers have boarded for the 3:45 pm departure to Dubai (15.5 hours away!)
The enormous, light-filled lounge is filled with cozy seating nooks like this. Floor to ceiling windows look out onto the ramp and the waiting Emirates B777.
There are several of Emirates signature Rolex wall clocks throughout the lounge.
A private prayer room.
This is the foot washing station adjacent to the prayer room.
Passengers get restaurant-style service at the largest private dining room at SFO.
Foodies will delight in the array of gorgeous hot and cold options-- all labeled.
Vegetarian options abound to appeal many travelers who travel through Dubai to get to India.
Passengers can even get a steak! There's also a full bar, a fine wine selection, including champagne.
Nice touch: Free wi-fi throughout the lounge. There is also a business center with several internet connected PCs.
CLEAR card makes comeback at SFO
A traveler uses the CLEAR kiosk at Orlando International (Photo: CLEAR)
Remember the CLEAR card and those CLEAR lanes at SFO? The service that allowed travelers submitting biometric information and paying $179 per year to bypass regular security lines and get to their gates faster? (The original company folded in 2009.)
Well guess what? A new iteration of CLEAR has been functioning at Denver and Orlando airports since 2010, and it will soon make a return to all terminals at San Francisco International.
According to a company spokesperson, the San Francisco Airport Commission has approved a new lease, although there is not yet a firm date when CLEAR lanes will open at SFO. The spokesperson estimated it could take 2-3 months.
What’s best about CLEAR is that it makes the airport security process a lot more predictable—members know for certain that they’ll get through security checkpoints in just a few minutes. The downside (for now) is that the new company is currently operating in only Denver and Orlando airports—SFO will be the third. CLEAR says that it’s got other airports in the pipeline for opening later this year, but it will not name names at this point.
Is CLEAR as necessary as it once was? Over the last year, unexpectedly long lines at airport security at SFO have rarely tripped me up. Travelers and the TSA seem to have gotten the process down to a science. But there is the occasional scare when entering United’s Terminal 3 and seeing a queue (even the special one for premium or elite level travelers) snaking beyond the roped off area.
When it shut down in 2009, CLEAR was operating at all three Bay Area airports and had 40,000 members in the region. CLEAR is honoring membership from all prior members—click here to reactivate. New members can join here.
So what do you think, dear frequent travelers? Is it worth $179 to have the peace of mind that you’ll make it through the airport security gauntlet quickly? Please leave your comments below. And stay tuned for an update once the CLEAR lines open at SFO.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. He’s also the Business Travel Columnist for BBC.com. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
Take a look inside United’s newly configured Boeing 777
You can spot a Boeing 777 by the pinched (vs cone-shaped) rear tip of the fuselage (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Slowly but surely, United is rolling out its popular true lie-flat business and first class seats across its international long haul fleet.
According to its website, all of the carrier’s Boeing 747′s and 767′s now have the new business and first class seats. The revamp of its Boeing 777-200 fleet is about halfway there– with 24 out of 46 completed.
United is also installing brand new coach seats in its B777′s, and reconfiguring the cabin from a 2-5-2 to a 3-3-3 layout. (You can see a seat map here.) United’s B777′s are 11-13 years old, on average. Eventually, Continental’s 22 B777′s will be folded into the United fleet, but for now will remain with Continental’s BusinessFirst configuration– which also offers a true lie-flat seat.
From SFO, United has deployed the newly configured B777s on nonstop routes to: London, Tokyo-NRT, and Shanghai.
In December, United invited me out to its maintenance hanger at SFO where most of the reconfiguring is taking place. Below you’ll find photos and info on the new design. Once you’ve had a look, or if you’ve flown on one of these birds, leave your comments about it below!
Check out how big the first class section looks without seats-- like a gymnasium! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
At the back in coach, the B777 is now configured 3-3-3 vs. the old 2-5-2. The new Weber seat "pivots" back, instead of leaning back into the face of the person behind you. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Knee-room in Economy Plus is not bad! Economy Plus provides 34" of "pitch" -- three more inches than standard coach at 31". (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Every coach seat gets a new 7" seat back screen with 150 hours of programming with a variety of movies (all free), television programs, games, and music. If you'd rather BYO entertainment, United's also installed two power outlets for every row of 3 coach seats-- which means you might have to share the juice. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
United and British Airways are the only two carriers to offer front AND rear-facing business class seats. United said it can fit more business class seats into the cabin this way-- and has received few complaints from rear-facers. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's another angle so you can see what I mean by forward and rear-facing seats. All biz class seats now have a power plug, USB 2.0 plug and iPhone/iPod input plug. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Seats are configured 2-4-2 which means two middle seats for each row. But there's a nice wide armrest separating them. However, it will still take some maneuvering to get out of the middle seat if your seatmate is in full recline. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Plenty of legroom and a big 17" screen in both business and first class (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There are eight "First Suite" seats on the B777 configured 1-2-1. Niiice! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's a full frontal view of the big First Suite seat. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There's plenty of storage space for personal effects in the First Suite-- nice on those long hauls to Asia! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Many thanks to the fine folks at United Services at SFO for taking us behind the scenes! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
So, what do you think? In coach, is 3-3-3 better than 2-5-2? The lie-flat seats in biz are clearly better than the previous version. And how do you think the First Suite stacks up against competitors? Please leave your comments below.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
- United and British Airways are the only two airlines in the world to offer forward AND rear-facing business class seats. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Q: What is the longest flight from SFO?
Seatback screen aboard an Emirates B777 showing the route of our 15.5 hour flight from SFO to>>>
Q: What’s the longest flight from SFO?
A: The longest flight from San Francisco International is Emirates’ nonstop, 15.5-hour flight to Dubai on a Boeing 777.
Q: When flying from San Francisco to Dubai, would your heading be west or east?
A: Neither! The 8,100-mile flight between SFO and Dubai heads due north—right over the North Pole!
Last fall, Emirates invited me to take this monumental, nonstop journey to the other side of the world. Here are some notes and photos from the flights—in both directions. C’mon along for this spectacular ride– and see the North Pole…
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Emirates flies a Boeing 777-300 between SFO and Dubai in a three-class configuration: First, business and economy. Depending on time of year, economy class roundtrip nonstops cost between SFO and DXB are in the $1,000-$1,500 range; business class fares range from $5,000 to $7,000; first class roundtrip fares are $8,000+.
Emirates says its load factors out of SFO are very healthy– around 80% on average. It says that SFO is at the “top of the list” for deployment of one of Emirates 15 giant A380s, however, at this time the double-decker does not have the range to fly SFO-DXB with a full load during the hot summer months, so there are no set plans to switch to the A380 for now.
Emirates recently opened a brand new 9,500 square foot business class lounge at SFO’s International Terminal A (the southern side).
Forty-two business class seats are configured 2-3-2 on the B777, with a cocoon-like back shell that provides plenty of privacy. Most surfaces (such as the tray table, and even the toilet seat lid in the lavatory) are covered in a classy burled walnut veneer; there are power outlets for laptops, noise canceling headsets, and oversized inflight amenity bags– one for men, another for women– full of all sorts of goodies. While there is no in-flight internet, passengers can send and receive text messages from their seats at $1 per message. All seat functions (including recline, in-flight entertainment or IFE controls and even massage) are controlled by the hand held unit you see in the armrest pictured above.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After a 3:45 pm departure from SFO, we headed due north on a clear day, right over the top of Mt Shasta, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and the snow-capped peaks of British Columbia at sunset. What a view! I tried to get some work done on the laptop, but found it difficult not to watch the show unfold out the window.
I was particularly impressed with Emirates’ IFE system, which provided a 3-D, virtual-reality-like experience that (to me) was much more entertaining than the thousands of movies, TV shows and games from which passengers can choose. For those who don’t want to view the scenery out the window, electronic window shades raise or lower at the touch of a button.
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Upon boarding, flight attendants served a round a Veuve Cliquot champagne to business class passengers. After about two hours, flight attendants then proffered scented hot towels and warmed mixed nuts and then poured a nice Stag’s Leap Chardonnay, which was followed by a nice meal, briskly served, since many passengers were readying for sleep. I chose halibut, potatoes, grilled asparagus and tomatoes (my seatmate had the Lamb biryani). Food was on par with other foreign carriers I’ve flown– and head and shoulders above what’s typically found in business class on US carriers. Service was efficient, not obsequious or doting.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
While I was hoping to stay awake long enough to peer out at the North Pole, the two glasses of Chardonnay, the meal, the melatonin and this nice linen covered mini-mattress (see above), full sized pillow and cozy comforter convinced me otherwise. (I did see The Pole on the return, though! Keep reading…)
Business class seats on Emirates B777 are of the “angled lie-flat” variety (vs true lie-flat) which disappointed me at first. However, the tilt was barely detectable once the seat was fully reclined– and get this: I fell asleep somewhere over the Yukon Territory, and woke up seven hours later somewhere over Iran! By far, the longest, best night’s sleep I’ve ever experienced on a plane.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After our 15.5 hour journey, we landed in Dubai the following day at about 7:45 pm. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is simply stunning. What you see above is baggage claim– which should give you some idea of what the entire airport is like– big, bright and beautiful. It felt like a brand new Las Vegas casino– minus the gambling, which is illegal in Dubai.
Sixty percent of Emirates passengers use Emirate’s giant DXB hub as a connecting point to the carrier’s extensive network of flights– especially to India. As a matter of fact, 50% of all Emirates passengers from SFO end up flying onward from DXB to Indian cities such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
India-bound passenger’s other options include flying from SFO via Asia or Europe. At one time, United and Emirates participated in a frequent flyer program partnership where Mileage Plus members could earn United miles when flying Emirates to Dubai. However, Emirates says that United decided to terminate that partnership last May.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
All business and first class passengers get free transportation via a fleet of black Volvo station wagons stationed outside the airport to their hotels in Dubai (most are about 15-30 minutes away). There is also the quick, slick Dubai Metro rail system that connects the airport to the city– however, note that it has limited hours on Fridays, which are holy days in the Arab world.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
This photo, taken from the roof of the Shangri-La hotel shows the towering Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world. In the lower right corner is a Dubai metro station. It all looked like something out of a science fiction movie.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
On the day of my return flight, I arrived at the airport early to investigate and enjoy what I’d heard was one of the poshest business class lounges in the world. I was not let down– from the spray of fresh flowers at the entry, to the multiple buffets serving traditional English breakfast, full Indian meals, baked potatoes with all the toppings, salmon with capers, shrimp, endless refrigerated shelves of desserts, juices, tea, and coffee. The selection boggles the mind.
Morning is peak time in the Emirates business class lounge, and the place was packed– almost uncomfortably so. I was told that this enormous lounge could accommodate up to 1,600 travelers, and I think it was running pretty close to capacity that day. Seeing the crowds, and knowing that everyone in the lounge had paid several thousand dollars for their business class tickets made me wonder to myself, “What global financial crisis?” (See additional photos here.)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Flying back to SFO took us over the North Pole once again, and this time I stayed up for the action. In the photo above, you can see our routing over the top displayed on the IFE system.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
That’s it! The money shot! In this photo, I’m looking out the window straight down on the North Pole. (See the big striped candy cane? 
)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After the excitement of seeing the North Pole, it was time for a snooze. Note how Emirates has cleverly installed thousands of tiny fiber-optic white lights (that actually twinkle) into the ceiling of the aircraft to let you know that it’s time to sleep. Nice touch.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
For Muslims, who must face east for their daily prayers, Emirates in-flight system displays this icon several times throughout the flight in the IFE system– the arrow points east toward Mecca, no matter which direction the plane is pointed in.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Almost home!
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Forward facing cameras on the B777 broadcast the view as we approach SFO and touch down at about 1 pm pacific time.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. He was a guest of Emirates Airline on this roundtrip flight. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
San Jose gets new Tokyo nonstops
Advertisement for ANA's new 787 Dreamliner at Tokyo's Haneda Airport (Photo: Infradept / Flickr)
Yesterday, Japan’s ANA (All Nipp0n Airways) announced that it would bring nonstop service back to Mineta San Jose International airport starting this April. (American Airlines offered SJC-NRT nonstops until 2005).
What’s most exciting about the announcement is that ANA will deploy the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the route. ANA is the launch customer for Boeing’s newest aircraft and the San Jose flights (as well as those to/from Seattle) will mark the first commercial Dreamliner flights in the US. Currently, ANA only flies the 787 on intra-Asian routes.
So far, all we have is an announcement– There is no firm start date for the flights and when I checked on ANA’s website today, San Jose is not yet listed as an origin or destination city.
Here’s part of ANA’s announcement:
Flying long-haul services to these two key West Coast destinations will enable ANA to maximize the Dreamliner’s efficiency and performance. The Dreamliner uses 20 per cent less fuel than similar-sized aircraft, making it the first mid-sized airplane capable of flying long-range routes, and offers new standards of passenger comfort because of its composite structure and interior design.
Shinichiro Ito, President and CEO of ANA Group, commented: “We are very pleased to announce the launch of further international Dreamliner services to these two new destinations on the west coast of the United States. We will make full use of the efficiencies of the 787 as well as capitalizing on our close relationship with United and Continental Airlines to enhance the competitiveness of our joint ventures with these two Star Alliance partners.”
“Seattle is an important international business hub and home to companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and, of course, Boeing itself while San Jose is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Passenger demand to fly to both destinations is high, not only from Japan but from many Asian cities. The launch of these new services will make ANA the only Japanese airline to operate the two routes, as well as the only carrier to operate the Narita-San Jose route.”
ANA currently operates daily nonstop flights from San Francisco to Japan using Boeing 777-300ER with new “Inspiration of Japan” interiors.
American Air Bankruptcy: No impact at SFO for now
An American Airlines B737 loads up at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
American Airlines is filing for bankruptcy protection as they try to cut costs and unload massive debt built up by years of high fuel prices and labor struggles according to AP. The company says that there will no impact on travelers for now. American said it would operate normally while it reorganizes in bankruptcy, but hinted at future flight and staffing cuts. The airline said it would continue to operate flights, honor tickets and take reservations. It said the AAdvantage frequent-flier program would not be affected.
Important: American is NOT shutting down. It’s filed for Chapter 11 protection, which means it will continue to operate while it reorganizes. Chapter 11 protection is a well-worn path taken by nearly every major US carrier at some point in the last 20 years. (Southwest Airlines is the exception.)
American and its Oneworld alliance partners have had a dwindling presence at SFO for a couple years now. AA exited SFO-Honolulu in September and left SFO-Boston last year. Partner QANTAS left SFO-Sydney last year. The carrier walked away from Oakland in 2008. It stopped flying its famous “nerd bird” flights between San Jose and Austin in 2009.
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From SFO, American flies nonstop to only its hubs at New York-JFK, Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas-Ft Worth, Miami and Los Angeles– and in all those markets faces stiff fare competition from low fare carriers like Virgin America, Southwest and JetBlue.
Last year, American inaugurated new service and a posh new Admiral’s Club at SFO’s swank Terminal 2, which it shares with Virgin America. While that presence won’t be affected in the short run, if the carrier continues to shrink at SFO over time, it will be interesting to watch what happens at T2.
How do you feel about American’s bankruptcy? Will it affect your decision to fly American?
Paying up pays off for holiday trips
Why wait in a long holiday taxi queue? Reserve a car instead! (Photo: Enrico Salad / Flickr)
As the peak holiday travel season approaches, everyone’s looking for a deal or a steal. But the truth of the matter is that bargains are difficult to come by during the Thanksgiving and Christmas peak travel season.
And if you snag what you think is a bargain, you might end of “getting what you pay for.”
As a matter of fact, paying a little more at this time of year usually translates into more peace of mind, more quality time with friends or family, and the increased likelihood of a low-hassle trip home for the holidays…. which is what we all want.
Here are six examples to illustrate what I mean:
1> Take a nonstop flight. While you might be tempted by the price of a one-stop flight, by choosing one, you are increasing your chances of a delay or cancellation by 100%! Why take that chance, especially if you are headed home for just a few days, and a delayed or canceled flight could spoil the entire trip?
Cost: $50 to $200 depending on flight length
Example: Flying during peak Christmas week between San Francisco and Atlanta, you’ll pay $660 for a six-hour one-stop journey on Frontier connecting in Denver. On the other hand, fly four hours nonstop on Delta or AirTran and the fare is $730– $70 more. Worth it to fly nonstop? I think so. (Fares checked Nov 13 for flights departing Dec 23, returning Dec 27 and are subject to change.)
2> Book your trip via a real, live travel agent. Most budget-conscious travelers shy away from travel agents who charge fees. But as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) likes to say, “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own.” Most travel agents can use their experience, connections and clout to help get you out of sticky situations, plus they’ve got knowledge and experience to offer you the best alternatives when or if you get stuck.
Cost: $20-$50 or negotiable
Example: ASTA’s motto surely rang true last year when a monster storm blew up the East Coast on Christmas day, stranding travelers across the country. Most of those who booked trips via travel agents were able to get through to them by phone and adjust travel plans faster than those who only had airline 800-numbers. (Note: Be sure the travel agent you choose has an after hours emergency number.)
Rooms dip as low as $80 over Xmas at a brand new Best Western near Dallas, TX
3> Stay at a hotel. Why burden the in-laws with the stress of houseguests during the already stressful holidays? Instead of bunking on that lumpy sofa bed or stuffy guest room, book a nearby hotel. Tip: Due to lack of demand from business travelers, most hotels are dirt-cheap during the holidays, especially those located in suburban office parks. Travel expert John DiScala, who edits the popular johnnyjet.com website suggests that the holidays are a great time to consider redeeming loyalty points for nicer hotel digs, saying, “For example, Hilton HHonors points can also now be used to upgrade an existing reservation to a premium room or suite at hotels worldwide, with no blackout dates.”
Cost: $50 to $100 per night, depending on location.
Example: A nice, newish Hilton Garden Inn in the northern Atlanta suburbs costs only $67 per night during Christmas week—but book it two weeks later when business travelers are back on the road and you’ll pay nearly twice that much– $127.
4> Review your charge card benefits. Most banks have added a slew of new benefits to charge cards in recent years to woo free-spending, credit-worthy frequent travelers, so you might be packing more power in your pocket than you know. While annual fees are higher for such cards, many now offer benefits that come in handy for holiday travel such as waived baggage fees, access to airport lounges, early boarding privileges, early check in/late check out or upgrades at hotels, concierge services and more.
Cost: $100-$500/year
Example: While the American Express Platinum card sounds expensive at $450/year, the benefits can pay off big time when it comes to peak travel season. For example, the card gets you out of the airport holiday mayhem and into 600 airport lounges (gratis) around the world, covers up to $200 airline fees from checked bags to in-flight food or cocktails, and Global Entry membership, which gets you to the front of the line US Customs and Immigration. For a $95 fee, the new Chase/United Explorer card offers early boarding, one free checked bag, and two United Club passes. Many high-end cards also offer concierge services that can help get you out of travel jams—worth a call if you get stuck!
5> Book roomier airline seats. While you can always pay a lot more to sit in first class, you can now pay a little bit more, and get a more comfortable coach seat. During the busy, crowded holidays, that’s money well spent. While getting a few extra inches of room always helps, the real benefit of paying for a better economy seat is that you usually get to board early—with elite level flyers—which means you get first dibs on scarce overhead bin space.
Cost: Varies based on carrier and flight duration– $10-$100 per segment
Example: I frequently take advantage of last minute upgrades to Virgin America’s Main Cabin Select seats, which offer a few extra inches of legroom at exit rows and bulkheads, free in-flight food and booze, and early boarding privileges. While reserving a Main Cabin Select seat in advance can be expensive, cheaper last-minute upgrades (24 hours prior to flight) can make a good flight a great one. Delta recently added roomier “Economy Comfort” seating on transcon flights between SFO and New York City.
6> Hire a car service to/from the airport. There are lots of reasons why you should use a car service for a ride to or from the airport during the holidays. First, don’t burden friends or family with the chore of driving to the airport during rush hour traffic to pick you up or drop you off. Second, when arriving, you walk straight to your waiting car instead of waiting in those long, cold taxi queues at airports that form during peak holiday season.
Cost: 10%-20% more than cab fare
Example: Last month I was greeted by a taxicab queue at SFO at least 100 people deep after returning from a 15-hour flight from Dubai. Wish I had booked a car service! In New York, I always use the economical Dial 7 car service (212-777-7777) which costs $5 or $10 more than a cab, but offers a comfortable sedan ride to/from Manhattan versus the tight squeeze, bumpy ride, and possible wait for a NYC Taxi.
Where are YOU headed for the holidays? Please leave your comments below.
American Airlines eliminates SFO-Honolulu
Despite its fancy new digs at SFO’s Terminal 2, American Airlines continues to reduce the number of cities it serves from San Francisco.
On September 7, the Texas-based carrier will eliminate its nonstop flights between San Francisco and Honolulu. This follows a decision to cut out nonstops between SFO and Boston last November.
After Sept 7, American will have 31 daily round trips into and out of SFO: 11 to Dallas/Ft Worth; six to Chicago O’Hare; five (four on off-peak days) to New York-JFK; three to Miami; and six to LAX.
American spokesman Tim Smith said that the move is not directly related to any particular issue in San Francisco. “It remains a key city for us or we obviously would not have become involved in the new terminal and built a new, state-of-the-art Admirals Club that just opened. 31 flights a day makes it an important destination/departure city in terms of being a non-hub.”
The move is a result of American’s 2009 decision to concentrate domestic flying at what it calls its hub or “cornerstone cities:” Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Nearly all its domestic now flying touches those cities in some way.
“As to the SFO-HNL flight itself, since it is a point-to-point flight between two non-hub cities, there is generally not enough traffic on both ends to fully support the flight,” said Smith. “That means we have had to find ways to feed traffic bound for Honolulu into SFO. Under the cornerstone plan it is much more efficient and cost effective to feed traffic to HNL from our cornerstone hubs where we have lots of daily feed [from other cities]. So, as of Sept. 7, we will fly from HNL 3x daily from LAX; 2x daily from DFW; and 1 from ORD (but not every day – it will be 4 times per week). This gives us either 5 or 6 round trips per day to and from HNL from the U.S. mainland.” he said.
What’s happening with American’s flights at SFO is happening throughout the airline industry as airlines grapple with higher fuel costs. “We’re past the point of airlines flying routes out of a sense of vanity or pride. If a route doesn’t make money, it shouldn’t be flown,” said San Francisco-based Forrester Research analyst Henry Harteveldt.
Despite the loss of American, Bay area residents won’t have much difficulty finding flights from here to Hawaii. Alaska Airlines has added a slew of new Boeing 737 non-stops from Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento to several Hawaiian cities over the last year.
And there are still plenty of seats to Honolulu from SFO. “While disappointed by American’s decision, the airport recognizes that our partner airlines need to make tough economic decisions on where to deploy their aircraft. After September 7 the non-stop SFO-Honolulu market will be served by United, Hawaiian, and Delta; collectively offering over 9,000 seats a week,” said airport spokesman Charles Schuler. (Fares for October SFO-HNL flights are currently in the $400-$500 range, but dip closer to $350 during periodic sales.)
American’s partnership with Hawaiian on its nonstops between SFO and HNL helps ease the pain a little for AAdvantage members. Currently, they can still redeem AAdvantage miles for Hawaiian flights between SFO and HNL. However, they can only earn AAdvantage miles on Hawaiian’s inter-island flights.
Does the loss of American flights provide an opening for Virgin America to enter the market? “It doesn’t really impact our immediate plans,” said Virgin’s Abby Lunardini. “That said, Hawaii remains on our prospective destination list [but] our ability to fly there in the short-term is dependent on our aircraft, as we need the extended range capability of our new on-order A320s to fly those routes.”
Will you miss having American fly between SFO and Honolulu? Please leave your comments below.
Fall Travel Sales Begin– Act Fast
(Photo: Flickr / Telstar
If steep fares are keeping you grounded this summer, there’s relief in sight.
Southwest Airlines kicked off a big sale for fall travel with fares significantly lower than what we are paying this summer. If you have firm plans to travel this fall, The BAT recommends that you take advantage of this sale.
Systemwide fares are based on mileage and priced at $40, $80 or $120 each way.
Sample fares for travel between August 23 through November 16 from SFO or OAK. (Fridays and Sundays and Labor Day–Sept 1-5– are blacked out.)
> LA, San Diego, So Cal: $40 each way; $80 round trip
>Denver or Phoenix: $80 each way; $160 round trip
>Chicago-Midway: $120 each way; $240 round trip
What’s most interesting about this sale is that it includes Southwest’s new subsidiary, AirTran.
>Nonstop SFO to Atlanta or Milwaukee, and then beyond: $120 each way; $240 round trip (That’s dirt cheap for east coast flights!)
If these fares sound good to you (and they should!) you must act fast: The sale is only good between now and 11:59 pm Thursday.
Although they have not formally announced a sale matching Southwest yet, when searching for fares on Virgin America or United, you will find those that match Southwest’s (in markets where they compete nonstop.)
Please forward this link to your friends and tell them to sign up for The BAT! www.thebat-sf.com
New AA Admirals Club at SFO T2 revealed
American Airlines seems be getting drowned out and left out of a lot of the media coverage regarding the opening of SFO’s new Terminal 2, which it shares with Virgin America. Of huge interest to frequent travelers is the opening of a fantastic new Admirals Club, with touches I’ve rarely or never seen before in an airport lounge….like a fireplace and pine trees! Be sure to scroll through the photos below.
T2 is so high-end that the entire terminal feels like one giant airport club, so AA had to pull out all the stops to make this club even nicer than the rest of the terminal…and I think they succeeded.
You don’t necessarily have to be an Admirals Club member to enjoy this club– day passes are available for $50 and access is a member benefit for American Express Platinum Card holders which, in addition to access to American, Delta and US Airways clubs in the US, now offers free membership in Priority Pass for lounge access overseas. Details.)
The new T2 Admirals Club is almost 10,000 sq feet– double the size of the old club in Terminal 3. There’s room for 165, a business center with HP PC’s, free Wi-Fi, tons of electrical outlets, several flat panel TV’s and “spa-like” showers. It’s also American’s first and only LEED certified lounge in the world.
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Now for the show!>>>
Entry from the "recomposure area" on the sterile side of security
Check in
Warm welcome from a fireplace!
Bonsai pine trees a nice touch around a circular central area
Looking toward bar area
Super cozy soft leather seating throughout. Smells like a new car. Electrical outlets by every seat.
HP workstations. That's a vintage American DC3 at SFO for T2 Opening festivities
The all-important bar area
So, what do you think? Please leave comments below.
Cyndi Lauper soothes angry airport crowd (VIDEO)
As airport delays and angst piled up at Buenos Aires Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport last Friday, singer Cyndi Lauper commandeered the microphone at her crowded gate and sang her hit, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.”
London’s Daily Mail reports, “Her quick-thinking was just what was needed to diffuse the situation as the angry crowd settled down and began to join in.”
Lauper, 57, was in Buenos Aires as part of her current “Memphis Blues” world tour. Her Twitter feed from that day reads: “Ok, so chow Argentina. At airport.. So many delays. Wound up being announced, wound up sing two songs for airport. A first for me. Crazy day”
Maybe SFO should hire her to calm crowds on those rainy, windy days that shut down runways and raise blood pressure!
Virgin America (finally) invades SFO-Chicago ORD market
(Photo: Drewski2112 / Flickr)
After a protracted battle, Virgin America today announced it will fly to United and American fortress hub Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), with daily nonstop flights from San Francisco International Airport SFO (and Los Angeles LAX) starting May 25, 2011.
With legacy airlines representing 98 percent of domestic departures at ORD, Virgin America hopes to inject some healthy competition into the market. I bet we’ll soon see fare sales, mileage bonuses, more Gogo inflight and other bennies offered up by United and American on their SFO-ORD flights as a result of this announcement.
“Until today, travelers flying from O’Hare to SFO or LAX had little choice and few low fare options. With unrivaled service and new planes that look like nothing else in the skies, we hope our flights will be a breath of fresh air for Chicago travelers,” said Virgin America President and Chief Executive Officer David Cush. “When more airlines compete, consumers tend to win — with lower fares and better service. Mayor Daley and the airport have shown tremendous vision by investing in ORD’s future and by helping to open up access to new competition.”
Virgin America originally announced its intent to serve O’Hare in 2008, but its plans were delayed due to gate availability.
Virgin America’s Main Cabin SFO-ORD fares start from $99 (restrictions, taxes and fees applying) and are on sale today on the airline’s Web site (www.virginamerica.com).
SMART: To kick off its new Windy City service, the airline is teaming up with the Chicago-based Groupon for today’s “Featured Deal” that will give Groupon subscribers in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco the chance to purchase a $7 Groupon good for $77 in air fare for a roundtrip purchase on Virgin America’s new ORD routes. This is the first Featured Deal that Groupon has launched solely for air travel. For more, visit: http://www.groupon.com/deals/virgin-america-chicago
Flights will depart SFO for ORD at 6:55 am, 10:25 am and 4:35 pm. Returns from ORD will depart at 7:00 am, 2:05 pm and 5:35 pm.
(This item first appeared in The BAT blog for Bay Area Travelers. For new, fare alerts and deals, sign up! It’s free.)
Sneak-peek: SFO’s new Terminal 2
Today I was invited on a hard-hat tour of SFO’s Terminal 2, which will open officially on April 14 housing the operations of American and Virgin America. Below are a few photos of the gleaming new terminal and some information provided by the airport. Enjoy!
From the roadway: The art starts as soon as you see Terminal 2
Future American Airlines ticketing area with faux wood ceilings
This is the big bright and airy main atrium area. American Airlines occupies the left side; Virgin America occupies the right.
These faucets in the atrium area are for filling water bottles only. No hand washing!
Airport officials say that bathrooms in the terminal have “five star hotel finishes” such as glass tile and granite counter tops.
Gadget freaks rejoice! There are electrical outlets everywhere in Terminal 2. Find them on multiple table top work areas like this, as well as on granite topped tables between seats. Nice!
There are two dedicated kiddie play areas. Notice the SFO “crawlable” letters? Fun with the help of the Exploratorium.
This is the “recomposure area” where you put yourself back together after security screening. When complete, there will be benches, tables and some big cloud-like nets hanging from ceiling.
Members or travelers walking by the sliding glass doors of American’s new Admirals Club will be able to see the airport’s only working fireplace! (See the cut out on the wall to the right?)
Here’s a press release issued by the airport with details about the new terminal:
SAN FRANCISCO — Officials from San Francisco International Airport led a hard-hat tour today to announce that it is nearing the completion of a $383 million renovation of Terminal 2 (T2), one of the most sustainable and modern airport terminals in the United States. The new home for American Airlines and Virgin America, T2 will open to the public for a community open house on Saturday, April 9, 2011, with the first flights commencing on Thursday, April 14, 2011.
“Once again, San Francisco has led by example,” said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. “The completion of Terminal 2 at SFO is noteworthy on many levels — it is the most modern terminal in the country, it is uniquely sustainable, and it has been designed specifically for how we travel today.”
Originally constructed in 1954 and renovated in 1984, the 640,000 square ft Terminal 2 housed the Airport’s international flights until December 2000, when it was replaced by the current International Terminal. Built through a design-build partnership between Gensler and Turner Construction, the renovated T2 will offer 14 gates serving Virgin America and American Airlines.
“T2 demonstrates how we can achieve sustainability in a way that enhances the traveler experience,” said John L. Martin, Airport Director. “T2 is modern, comfortable, intuitive and better suited to meet the needs of today’s travelers. From the early design and construction practices to paperless ticketing — we have provided this experience using sustainable methods at every step along the way.”
The design of T2 is a notable departure from traditional airport terminals — most of which were built decades ago. T2 is customized for today and tomorrow’s modern travelers with features designed to elevate the travel experience.
“In T2, our goal is to reset traveler expectations. We’re striving to de-stress the travel experience, offer passengers a healthful, sustainable environment, and even delight people with fun things to do,” said Steve Weindel, Principal Gensler, the project’s architect.
Key design features include:
Better Seating — Club-like seating in the dining and waiting areas that allows views of all the gates.
Relax After Security — A unique “recomposure” area past the security screening area that allows passengers a quiet and unhurried place to re-assemble their clothing and carry-on items.
Food Marketplace — The country’s first airport food marketplace and retail street featuring local, organic vendors and producers, including restaurants from noted chefs Cat Cora and Tyler Florence.
Computer Connections — Work-oriented counter seating with outlets and free Wi-Fi.
Hydration Stations — Special tap-water hydration stations for filling re-usable water bottles.
Place for Kids — A children’s play area with original artwork and play pieces.
T2 is the first airport terminal in the United States that is LEED Gold-Registered. The terminal was built with multiple progressive sustainable features that aimed at reducing carbon emissions while also creating a more healthful environment for travelers and staff. These features include:
Natural Light — Skylights and clerestories bring daylight into the ticketing lobby and retail areas, providing a healthier working environment while significantly reducing electricity requirements during daylight hours.
Cleaner Air — An innovative displacement ventilation system that uses filtered air to improve indoor air quality, while using 20 percent less energy.
Car-Free Connection — T2 connects to BART via SFO’s AirTrain people mover system, so that employees and travelers alike can easily go from Airport to City on mass transit.
Zero Waste Stations — Waste stations replace traditional garbage cans with easy-to-use compartments for composting, recyclables and trash.
Locally Grown — Local-organic food vendors, offering wholesome food grown and prepared in a healthful manner.
Water Conservation — A dual plumbing system that allows for reclaimed water from SFO’s water treatment facility to be used for toilets and other uses throughout the Airport. Moreover, T2′s plumbing fixtures use 40 percent less water than typical fixtures.
Paperless Ticketing — A paperless ticketing system throughout the terminal increases efficiency and saves trees.
Energy Efficiency — Energy efficient lighting and machinery will drastically reduce energy use.
Sustainable Building Materials — Sustainable building materials include terrazzo flooring with recycled glass chips, recycled-content carpet and innovative and efficient use of structural steel.
The travelers’ experience will be further augmented by SFO’s world-renowned signature public art program featuring dozens of art works by local and international artists. “The San Francisco Arts Commission’s Public Art Program has assembled a world-class art collection for Terminal 2, including dramatic, new commissions by artists of national and international acclaim,” said San Francisco Arts Commission President P.J. Johnston. “From the moment they step off the plane, travelers will experience the unique spirit of San Francisco, which is a city that is committed to enriching the lives of its residents and visitors through the arts.”
QANTAS to dump SFO-Sydney nonstops
The big red QANTAS bird that took me to Sydney two years ago. I’m sad it’s now flying away.
I have not seen this reported in the U.S. media yet, but I’ve learned from the Australian Business Traveller website that QANTAS intends to ditch its SFO-Sydney flights on May 14th.
The 747-400 flight will move to Dallas/Ft Worth airport, the main hub of QANTAS’ Oneworld alliance partner, American Airlines.
This will leave the only nonstop choice between the Bay and Australia to United Airlines. However, Bay Area travelers can still opt to fly Air New Zealand’s daily nonstop to Auckland, then connect to Australia from there.
In a recent interview in Australia, United CEO Jeff Smisek termed the older, raggedy United 747 currently plying the SFO-SYD route as “unacceptable.” I would hope that upgrades to the flight are imminent as a result of that comment, but without direct, nonstop competition on the route, I’m not expecting too much.
I’ll sure miss seeing that red kangaroo tail when I drive by SFO.
Southwest Airlines revamps Rapid Rewards
(Photo: Andertho / Flickr
Hoping to appeal more to frequent business travelers, Southwest Airlines announced a major re-do of Rapid Rewards, its frequent flyer program, today. The program is switching from a flight-credit based program to a points-based program. Points earned are based on how much money you spend.
The new program is remarkably similar to that of San Francisco-based Virgin America and it’s part of a trend among all airlines to programs that are more based on how much members spend than how far they fly. Southwest’s new program also picked up a unique component from AirTran, which will allow members to “buy” tickets on other airlines to destinations not served by Southwest.
Here are some highlights from a news conference I attended yesterday where Southwest CEO Gary Kelly and program mastermind Ryan Green rolled out the new program:
>EFFECTIVE DATE: New program goes into effect on March 1, 2011.
>EARNING: Members earn points based on fare paid. For example, on a deeply discounted $100 “Wanna Get Away” fare between say, SFO and Denver, you’ll earn 600 points– six points per dollar. If you choose to pay the $200 “Anytime” fare, you’ll earn 2000 points– 10 points per dollar. And if you choose the most expensive “Business Select” fare of $220, you’ll earn 2,640 points– 12 points per dollar.
>REDEEMING: When booking a flight, you will be given the choice of paying with dollars or with points. Using Denver as the example again, if you book the least expensive “Wanna Get Away” fare that normally sells for $100, it will cost 6000 points. The less restrictive $200 “Anytime” fare will cost 20,000 points. Business Select fares ($220) would cost 26,400 points.
>FEWER RESTRICTIONS: Unlike programs offered by legacy carriers where seat availability is murky at best, Rapid Rewards members will be able to redeem their points for every seat on every flight with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. Points expire only if you don’t have earning activity within a 24-month time period.
>TRANSITION: Current credits and awards will maintain their value until they are used or expire. Members’ accounts will automatically be transferred to the new program on March 1, so you can keep your Rapid Rewards number and there’s no need to re-enroll.
>INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: One of Southwest’s biggest challenges with its old program was that it only offered award flights to Southwest-served destinations in the continental U.S. while competing airline programs offer flights to more attractive far-flung international destinations. With the new program, members can redeem points for flights to over 800 new destinations served by other carriers. Similar to some credit card loyalty plans and AirTran, Southwest has teamed up with a third party travel agent where members can use their points to “buy” tickets on other carriers. (Details are somewhat sketchy here, but if the program is similar to that of AirTran, tickets for international flights will require a hefty redemption of points. . . but at least it’s an option for members who’ve banked lots of points.) In order to take advantage of this option, you must hold the $59/year Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card.
>ELITE LEVELS. Those near top of the heap, A-List Preferred members, will get free Wi-Fi access on all Southwest flights (currently it has close to 100 planes with Wi-Fi with plans to have it fleet wide within two years.) Also, with the new program, members only have to fly 25 one-way segments (down from 32) or earn 35,000 qualifying points to qualify for the A-List. For the new A-List Preferred tier, you must fly 50 one-way segments or earn 70,000 qualifying points. To help build point banks faster, A-List members get a 25 percent booking bonus; Preferred members get a 100 percent bonus. Members who fly at last 100 one-way segments or earn 110,000 points get a Companion Pass, allowing one designated person to fly free with the member for a year.
For a peek and more details, check out the new site here: www.newrapidrewards.com
