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
Virgin America’s messin’ with Texas
A Texas-style greeting for Virgin America’s inaugural flight to DFW today.
First it was the San Francisco-based Giants. Now it’s San Francisco-based Virgin America tearing into Texas and hoping to tan some hide.
Virgin America is throwing a big hoedown in Dallas today to celebrate its arrival at Dallas-Ft Worth International Airport, the primary hub and headquarters of American Airlines. (American also happens to be the former employer of Virgin CEO David Cush.)
Dallas is also home to Virgin archrival Southwest Airlines, so it is time to pull out all the stops.
Those lucky enough to be on Virgin’s first flight (from LAX…SFO service starts Dec. 6) were treated to a catered Texas-style barbecue lunch on the tarmac upon arrival. Mayors of both Dallas and Ft. Worth along with small herd of Texas longhorn steers were there to greet them (see photo above).
Tonight, there’s a big party benefiting cancer research at the Dallas Opera House that will include a performance by Willie Nelson and an appearance by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson (natch).
American Airlines is not about to take a whoopin’ from a San Francisco-based outsider like Virgin, especially when it comes to the lucrative business travel market. To fight back, it’s pulled out its most powerful (and expensive) marketing gun: double elite qualifying miles on all flights between DFW, SFO and LAX from now through February 28. (To get the bonus miles, AAdvantage members must register prior to travel.)
From SFO, Virgin will operate just two flights per day compared to American’s nine. Its arrival in the market has brought down fares, with the lowest promotional ones now running about $260 round trip– matched, of course, by American and United. (Like Virgin, United offers only two SFO-DFW roundtrips per day and so far has not matched American’s double mileage promo.)
How will Virgin’s fleet of brand new planes equipped with seatback TV, Wi-Fi, signature cocktails and mood lighting stand up to American’s more conservative offering? Wrangling business travelers could be a tough for Virgin according to San Francisco resident Henry Harteveldt, principal travel analyst at Forrester Research. He said,
“It’ll be tough for Virgin America to get many business travelers with its limited schedule. Still, American’s actions show that it takes Virgin America seriously as a competitor, as they should. American will have to work hard to defend its market share. Virgin’s product and experience are tangibly better than what American offers. If Virgin adds more flights between Dallas and LAX/SFO, or adds other cities from DFW, they will give American a run for its money.”
In addition to some tough competition from American, Virgin is going to have to fend off nonstop competition between SFO and Dallas Love Field from Southwest starting in 2014. That’s when the Wright Amendment fizzles out, allowing Southwest to offer nonstop flights from SFO, OAK, SJC to Dallas Love. (Currently, it’s only allowed to offer one stop or connecting flights.)
AAdvantage miles on BA’s SFO-London flights
BA 747 at SFO (Photo: AngeloAngelo / Flickr)
We inquired with American Airlines’ spokesperson Tim Smith about new opportunities for Bay Area travelers to earn AAdvantage miles on British Airways flights to London as a result of the new British Airways+American Airlines+Iberia alliance. Here’s what he said:
Previous to the joint business with AA-BA-IB being launched, our AAdvantage members would not have earned miles on a British Airways flight between SFO and London. We did not codeshare on those flights so there was no provision to earn miles.
Now, under our joint business relationship, all three airlines’ flights between North America and Europe are now linked by that agreement, so our AAdvantage members will earn miles regardless of which airline – American, British Airways or Iberia — is actually flying their flight.
So, since it is 5,368 miles from SFO to London-Heathrow, a round trip in the coach cabin would earn the AAdvantage member 10,736 miles. Round trip in the business cabin would earn 13,420 miles (Business cabin earns 125 percent of the base miles).
POSTED ON OCT 11>> MORE DETAILS!
REDEMPTION:
· AAdvantage members may redeem miles for travel on all BA flights, including trans-Atlantic flights between the U.S. and the U.K.
· AAdvantage members may redeem their miles for an upgrade on AA, BA or IB, including on Codeshare flights both marketed and operated by AA, BA or IB
EARNING:
- All BA flights, including trans-Atlantic flights between the U.S. and the U.K., are eligible for AAdvantage mileage accrual
- British Airways flights flown in discount economy class will earn 100% of base miles flown
- These miles count as Elite Qualifying miles
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum members and AAdvantage Platinum members will earn elite status bonus miles for BA flights (Note – AAdvantage Gold members will not earn elite status bonus miles on BA.)
17 Things Travelers Need To Know This Month
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of my Bay Area travel news round ups. Here are 17 things frequent travelers need to know this month:
(Photo: Ed Yourdon / Flickr)
>SIGH OF RELIEF. Ah, fall! If the madding crowds of tourists have knocked you around this summer, relief is on the way. Over the next few weeks, packed planes, sold out hotels, lines at the breakfast bar and shrieks and squeals in the hotel pool area should subside. Airlines and hotels are already rolling out the fall deals and discounts, which is a signal to me that they’re a little skittish about declining demand. That means lower prices, more deals and some welcome breathing room for travelers.
>FREE WI-FI AT SFO. San Francisco International has finally joined Oakland and San Jose airports offering FREE Wi-Fi throughout the airport. Log on and look for the “sfo free wifi” network. I’ve not used it yet. If you have, please let us know how it works below in comments.
>IHG HOTELS PAY BAG FEES. Here’s a deal that should be music to the ears of non-elite air travelers forced to pay those dastardly new fees for checked bags. IHG Hotels (which include Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, Indigo among others) is offering to rebate $50 to travelers who book two or more weekend nights now through Dec 30. Must use Visa card to pay for your stay. Details.
>A NICE PAIRING. Two very popular brands among Bay Area frequent travelers have hooked up their loyalty programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards & Starwood Preferred Guest. Details.
>JETBLUE PASS SOLD OUT. It only took about three days for JetBlue to sell out of its unique one-month all-you-can-fly pass. The pass is a great idea for someone with a lot of time and flexibility on their hands. . .like the retired or unemployed. Not really something that a frequent traveler would be able to use…but still a fun concept! (Not to mention great PR for the airline.)
Delta’s soon-to-be-demolished Worldport at JFK (photo: Mokolabs)
>DELTA TO DEMOLISH JFK WORLDPORT. I love Delta’s Business Elite service between SFO and JFK. But I hate using Delta’s dilapidated, ex-Pan Am Worldport facility there. Good news: it will soon be demolished and Delta will move international flights to an updated Terminal 4. Not so good news: Delta’s holding on to its mediocre Terminal 2 for domestic flights.
>VIRGIN AMERICA EXPANDS. Earlier this summer, SFO-based Virgin America bought a bunch of new planes. . . Now they’ve got to find more places to fly them. In coming months, Virgin will add flights from SFO to: Orlando, Dallas, Cabo San Lucas, and Cancun. I’m still hoping that they’ll get into Chicago O’Hare one day soon, but I suspect entrenched legacy carriers American and United are successfully blocking that for now. We’ll see.
>NEW NERD BIRD. Southwest jumps into the Bay Area to Austin, TX fray with new Nerd Bird nonstops from San Jose starting Nov 7. (Looks like Southwest is trying to beat Virgin to the punch…it’s recently been hinting about its own SFO-Austin flights.)
>BUY ELITE SEATS. No longer an elite level on American Airlines? Now you can buy many elite privileges per flight with it’s new “Express Seats” plan. Example: Pay $39 extra when you check in for SFO-JFK and you’ll get a coach seat near the front and early boarding. Details. Worth it?
>AMERICAN SLIMMING DOWN AT SFO. American Airlines is eliminating its non-stop flights to Boston later this year, which seems strange given its big investment and pending move into Terminal 2 at SFO. Did you know that it’s putting in a 10,000 square foot Admirals club, complete with a real FIREPLACE? I learned that little tidbit last week while attending the NBTA convention in Houston.
Na Pali Coast, Kauai (Photo: Jeff Kubina / Flickr)
>KEEP AN EYE ON HAWAII FARES. Mahalo very much! Periodically over the last month, SFO-HNL fares to Honolulu have fallen to just $257 round trip on Delta. If you are interested in getting out from under all this fog, set up a fare alert on routes to Hawaii and then jump when you see a fare of less than $300. Here’s evidence of just how low those fares can go.
>MORE AIRPORT PERKS FOR AMEX PLATS. If you fork over $450 per year for your American Express Platinum card, your benefits just got better– cardholders now get access to US Airways airport clubs, as well as those from American, Delta and Continental airlines.
>SF-BASED PARTNERSHIP. Virgin America Elevate members can now earn one point per dollar spent at participating Joie de Vivre Hotels. To qualify, you must also be enrolled in Joie de Vivre’s loyalty program, Joy of Life Club. In addition to your Elevate points, you’ll also earn Joy of Life Club points for each stay through Dec 31, 2010.
>iPHONE TO THE RESCUE. There’s a very helpful new iPhone application from the TSA that allows users to check airport security wait times and flight delays in real time.
>FREAKISH FEES? The smart folks over at TripAdvisor have fashioned a very helpful “fees estimator” to its search engine– allowing users to enter the number of bags they plan to check as well as their frequent flyer program affiliation and status. Then the site calculates the TOTAL fee you’d pay and presents it for comparison on a matrix. Nice! See www.tripadvisor.com/flights and try it yourself.
Lie-flat business class seat on SAA A340
>EASIER SEAT SEARCHES. I’m a big fan of Seatguru.com when trying to pick the perfect seat for a long international or transcon flight. In the past it was tough because there are so many different airplane configurations flying around out there. Seatguru’s solved that by letting you enter your actual airline flight NUMBER first, which means you’ll always see the exact layout of your plane. (I just used it to check out the nice business class seat I’ll have on my South African Airways flight to Cape Town next week. Stay tuned for more on that trip.)
>WATCH THOSE VALUABLES. A 47-year-old Air France flight attendant is facing 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to stealing from business class passengers sleeping on long haul flights. She said that she targeted passengers who would fall asleep after a big meal with lots of alcohol.
$257 roundtrip SFO-HNL late Aug/Sept (UPDATE)
Screenshot from Expedia website, Friday July 30 @ 3 pm
It’s rare that you see fares between SFO and Hawaii dip below $300. But check out what we just found on Expedia! Who knows how long it will last.
From what we can see on various sites, these fares are good for travel from late August through the end of Sept.
Thanks to BAT reader BKL for the heads up!
UPDATE: Monday, Aug 2…Alas all good things must come to an end. Those $257 are gone and now the least expensive fare is $352. But keep an eye out. I bet they’ll dangle those cheapies again soon as the weak fall travel season approaches.
American Airlines zaps San Francisco-Boston nonstops
A neon American Airlines logo at Boston-Logan International Airport (photo: chaostheory)
American Airlines has confirmed to The BAT 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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Airport CLEAR program makes a comeback
Remember the CLEAR registered traveler program? Those who shelled out $179 per year got a special bio-metric membership card, which provided access to exclusive, shorter security lines at 21 airports across the country.
While CLEAR won the hearts and wallets of its customers, it struggled with debt and demand and abruptly shut down last June.
In recent months, a new company called Alclear announced an agreement to purchase the assets of the old company (Verified Identity Pass) and crank the operation back up.
Alclear’s first move was to update the www.flyclear.com web site, which had been dormant. The revived site encourages previous, new, or just curious travelers to fill out a form and vote on which airports where they’d like to see the service. (The site updated again on June 25 with more new info.)
CLEAR says that it will be in both Denver and Orlando later this fall. Prior to shut down, CLEAR was at all three Bay Area airports, OAK, SFO and SJC. But don’t get your hopes up for a quick return. The new company has to sign all new airport agreements, a process which could take quite a while. The site says, “We are in discussions with multiple airports to re-introduce CLEAR,” but does not mention any airports by name. Company president Ken Cornick told The BAT that all three Bay Area airports are targeted to get the service back, but he could not offer any more specifics.
(This post appeared first in The BAT blog for Bay Area frequent travelers. Sign up for The BAT today!)
The site’s FAQs also state that the new company will honor previous members’ remaining membership terms as of June 2009. (For example, those who had three months left in their term will get three months free membership.)It also says that old card will still work…so don’t throw them away!
In what appears to a bungled first step, this week Alclear sent out a confusing and unwieldy email (two full pages, 1200 words) to former members. The gist of the tome was to ask those former members who DO NOT want back in to send the new company a letter (via snail mail) asking to “opt-out” of the new program and have their data destroyed. (Here’s the full email.) Cornick told The BAT he was regretful, but said that this communication procedure was mandated by courts and privacy lawyers and they had to maintain a hands off approach.
Anyway… I was a former member of CLEAR and must admit that the service paid for itself, but not because it actually saved me all that much time. As an elite level member of several frequent flyer programs, I already had access to shorter, faster security lines.
What CLEAR did was remove the uncertainty from the airport screening process– here at Bay Area airports as well as in other airports that don’t have special elite lines, or those that have unpredictable wait times. To me, as a frequent business traveler, that kind of peace of mind was worth $179.
So, frequent travelers, what do you think? Would you sign up again or for the first time?
Airport security full body scanners: up close and personal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzRKw567GVo
Remember last Christmas when the “underwear bomber” almost brought down a Delta jumbo-jet over Detroit?
That prompted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to grab a big pile of federal stimulus money for about 500 more full body scanners– you know, the ones that produce images like the one you see below.
There are currently 97 of the so-called “advanced imaging units” in use at airports across the country, but TSA says that number will soar to around 500 by the end of this year– with nearly 1000 in place by the end of 2011. That means frequent travelers should expect to encounter more of them, and soon.
Here’s what you need to know:
>WHERE ARE THEY? Just last week The BAT was invited down to San Jose Mineta International to check out the four new “backscatter” scanners that are currently being deployed at that airport’s Terminal A. (Four more units should be operational in SJC’s brand new Terminal B when it opens on June 30.) At San Francisco International, you’ll find full body scanners in the international terminal only. Oakland International expects installation of scanners to begin in July (Terminal 1) and August (Terminal 2).
>WHAT ARE THEY? There are two types of full body scanners: “Backscatter” scanners, which are in use at San Jose Airport, and older “millimeter wave” scanners which are in use at the international concourse at SFO. (See video for a look at the new generation units.)
>WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? The newer backscatter machines look like two big blue boxes with a small open alley down the middle. (Millimeter wave units are rounder looking with the passenger surrounded by Plexiglas for the scan.)
>HOW DO I GET SCANNED? You walk into the scanners, turn sideways, place feet in square boxes marked on the rubber floor, hold hands up and wait for the TSA agent to tell you to exit. The whole process takes about five seconds. (See video for a real-life walk through.)
>WHAT IS DIFFERENT? As usual, you must remove shoes and belts and place them with carry-on luggage in bins. But when getting a full body scan, you must also remove your wallet or any other non-metallic objects from pockets. (Wallet removal is not necessary with the standard magnetometers.)
>WHAT ABOUT RADIATION? The TSA says that the radiation emitted by these machines is equivalent to what you are exposed to during about two minutes aboard at aircraft at altitude, and far less than what the government permits for cell phones.
>WHAT DO SCANNERS SCAN? Body scanners only expose what’s between your skin and the clothes you are wearing. They are NOT like x-rays, which penetrate your skin and show internal organs and bone. (This is a plus for travelers with artificial joints or other metallic implants who’ve been slowed down and forced to submit to pat downs at traditional magnetometers.)
Dummy image provided by TSA
>WHO SEES MY PRIVATES? The TSA agent directing you into the full body scanner never sees your image. This officer is wearing an earpiece and is in radio contact with another TSA officer viewing your image in a remote area. Once your image has been checked, this officer then tells the attending officer to allow you to pass, or to subject you to secondary screening if he/she sees any anomalies. (See video for a behind the scenes look at the remote viewing room.)
>WHAT HAPPENS TO THE IMAGES? The TSA emphasizes that these images cannot be stored, saved or transmitted. In addition, they do no allow officers to bring cameras, cell phones or PDA’s in rooms where images are viewed. (Except for ours, of course, but that was just for the media…)
>WHAT ABOUT ADULT DIAPERS OR SANITARY PADS? Citing confidentiality, the TSA officer at San Jose Airport would not tell me how or if the machines can tell the difference between a sanitary pad and contraband placed in the crotch area.
>WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL THIS? You are. The units cost about $150,000 a pop, which means that the TSA spent nearly $75 million on this latest round of full body scanners. (Check out how the stock of OSI Systems, parent of scanner manufacturer Rapiscan, has soared since Christmas when this order was placed)
So, what do you think, folks? Is this an invasion of your privacy, or a necessary evil for safety’s sake?
Psychedelic new planes and summer surcharges
A special San Francisco edition of a SWISS A340. Groovy!
(Stay tuned for more about those new SWISS flights that begin on June 2. I just wanted to get that psychedelic San Francisco themed plane up on my blog for all to see! Can you believe they painted a plane just for us? For now, let’s take a look at summer travel.)
I’ve spent most of this week doing radio and TV interviews about summer travel trends. (Check ‘em out! Good Morning America. KCBS. Bloomberg/BusinessWeek.)
As usual, the stations want me to peel off a list of all the great travel deals out there.
But the reality is that nearly all the good airfare deals are gone. That’s right. If you want to travel during peak summer travel season, those dirt-cheap deals you might be hoping for are, well, dust in the wind.
Here are a few sound bites I’ve been tossing around:
>Over the course of this week, most major airlines raised fares $20 to $60 dollars round trip during the peak summer travel season, which runs from mid-June to mid-August. These are some of the most aggressive fare increases for peak summer travel season that I’ve ever seen.
>When airlines are aggressive like they’ve been this week, it means that it’s very clear to them that people are willing to pay higher fares. They would not raise fares if they were not confident we’d buy them.
>Airlines are calling these fare increases “surcharges” for technical reasons. However, when you are fare shopping online, those surcharges are already added into the fares you see and compare. Don’t get tripped up by semantics. Surcharges = fare increases.
>If you’ve been waiting around hoping you might luck into a great fare, I’m afraid your luck has run out. If you find a summer peak season fare that seems somewhat reasonable, book it now, because I’m afraid it’s only going to go up from here.
>People who last week may have found a pretty good fare but thought they would wait a week were greeted with surcharges this week. A fare that was $400 last week is $460 this week.
>Travelers have had a lot of cabin fever now because they’ve shunned vacations due to recent financial worries. If they did go out, they took shorter trips or they maybe stayed at less expensive hotels or they stayed with friends. But now the summer is here. They haven’t taken a vacation in a while and they’re ready to go. And they seem ready to pay more.
>Some lower prices: While airfares are up, hotel rates are on par with last summer (which means historic lows.) Also, after a year of sharp increases, rental car rates could be down as much as 15 percent compared to last summer. In addition, travelers headed to Europe will find that a stronger dollar will lead to lower prices.
>There are two windows of opportunity for good deals this summer. The first two weeks of June and the last two weeks of August. If you have the flexibility to travel during these windows, you’ll pay less than during the peak (roughly June 15-August 15).
>Other strategies for lower fares (but higher potential for hassles): Take a one-stop flight instead of a nonstop. Take an overnight flight or a very early or very late night flight or fly on an off-peak day. Monday and Tuesday are going to be the slowest days this summer– that’s when you are going to find those surcharges the smallest.
