Good News:
Delta Shows Amenities When You Book
Since the Northwest merger, Delta has had a hodge-podge of different types of amenities on different airplanes. Some have live TV while others have overhead screens. Some have wifi, others don’t. Now, Delta.com will show you exactly what you’ll get onboard for each flight at the time you book it. Coming soon: Ways to search for flights by amenity. Cool.
Delta.com Now Shows Amenities by Flight

Bad News:
Mother Nature Hates Airports, but You Can Fight Back
It has been a downright weird December when it comes to weather. The west coast is flooding (including my house) while big snowstorms have blanketed the Midwest and now Europe. When that happens, it often means there’s little that can be done for days on end as airlines scramble to make up for all that lost capacity. The good news in all this is that there are things you can do to get yourself home. Here are some tips.
Midwest Weather Mess: Navigating a Winter Storm

Good News:
More Flights to Mexico
The US and Mexico were having a fight over safety infrastructure, so the US decided not to allow Mexican airlines to add more flights. That sucked, especially since it happened right around when Mexicana went out of business. Now the ban has been eliminated and new flights are flowing freely.
Mexican Airlines Can Now Add Flights to the US, Aeromexico Starts the Trend

Bad News:
Cheap Flights to Hawai’i On Hold
Many people were salivating over the thought of cheap flights to Hawai’i when Allegiant announced it would start flying there from the west coast next year. That’s been put on hold and it probably won’t happen until 2012 now at the earliest. What’s the problem? It’s a regulatory issue in terms of getting the new airplanes up and running they way they need to be for the service.
Allegiant Delays Hawai’i Until 2012, Goes Head-to-Head with JetBlue

Good News:
Little Planes Get Internet
Many airlines have been putting internet on their airplanes, but few have put them on the smaller planes in the fleet. Delta is now going to have internet on all planes with more than 50 seats on domestic flights. Pretty good, huh?
Delta Adds Wifi to Regional Jets, Gets Closer to Matching the Mainline Experience

That’s enough for this year. Happy holidays and happy flying.

 

Good News:
Virgin America Makes Money
You mood-lighting loving, power outlet-craving technophiles will be thrilled to know that Virgin America has finally posted its first profit, three years into its existence. Don’t get too excited just yet – everyone is making money this year, but it’s always good to see some black ink on the income statement.
Virgin America Finally Posts Its First Profit, But It’s No Surprise

Bad News:
The TSA Wants to Irradiate You or Grope You, Take Your Pick
Outrage has been mounting lately as the TSA has now changed its processes. If you’re asked to go through a backscatter x-ray machine (known as “Advance Imaging Technology”) you can either do it or take a pat down instead. If you do it, an x-ray image is sent to a backroom for review that shows you body and anything that might be concealed there. It does involve a minor amount of radiation, so it doesn’t appear to be a safety issue. Your privates are blurred, but it’s too close for comfort for some. On the other hand, the pat-down is now done with the front of the hand and gets awfully close to areas that you don’t want touched by strangers.
Should You Be Afraid of the Body Scanner Raising the Risk of Cancer? Nah, and Neither Should Pilots

Good News:
Spirit Looking to Fly Pasty White Canadians to Get Sun
If you live up in Canada, Spirit wants to take you somewhere warm. Flights are beginning just across the border in Niagara Falls and Plattsburgh, New York (near Montreal) down to Myrtle Beach and Ft Lauderale.
Spirit Turns Its Focus to the US and Canada After Caribbean Build-Up

Bad News:
Qantas A380s are Still Grounded
You heard about the Qantas A380 that blew an engine, right? Well the fleet is still grounded and the airline has scrambled to put together a reduced schedule in place. If you’re booked on Qantas, double check to make sure your flight is flying.
Qantas A380 Grounding Causes Disruption, What Should You Do?

Good News:
Southwest Stand By Its No Change Fee Policy
Southwest is getting ready to ramp up its campaign to let people know that change fees are not welcome at the airline. Others may charge up to $150 a ticket to change, but Southwest still doesn’t and won’t be doing it anytime soon.
Southwest: Why It’s Promoting No Change Fees and Its Web Site

That’s it for now. Happy flying.

 

Good News: United Grows in Mexico
Now that United and Continental are merging, there is a renewed focus on Mexico from the United crew. Much of this is expanded service from United hubs to Mexico City as well as a flight from LAX to business-focused Leon. But for those of you in San Antonio, Austin, and Raleigh/Durham, you’ll now have weekly nonstop flights to Cancun. These flights will operate every Saturday throughout the winter season.
The New United Boosts Mexico and China, Adds Frequent Flier Reciprocity

Bad News: SFO is Last in On Time Arrivals
If you live in the Bay Area or are simply heading there for your wedding, you’ll be sad to know that SFO was last for on time arrivals in August. Why? It’s all about the fog. You might want to think about Oakland or San Jose if you’re on a tight schedule.
San Francisco’s Fog and Runway Problems Give the Airport a Dubious Honor

Good News: Cathay Pacific to Get New Economy Seats
If you’ve flown Cathay Pacific in the last couple years, you might know the pain of their economy seats. But now, Cathay is finally putting some new ones onboard since the chorus of angry cries has grown so loud.
Cathay Pacific Expected to Replace Pain-Inducing Coach Seats

Bad News: Cancellations More Likely if Long Delays are Present
The government-imposed 3 hour ground delay rule has reduced the number of people sitting on airplanes for long periods of time on the ground, but it’s also had an unpleasant side effect. If you do happen to be stuck on the ground for more than 2 hours, you’re now twice as likely to see your flight canceled.
Flights with Two Hour Ground Delays Were Twice as Likely to Cancel This Summer

That’s it for now. Happy flying.

 

• DO NOT throw things at a flight attendant but DO write a complaint letter. Sure, you might feel like it when that 150 year old flight attendant gives you a scowl, but it will generally just get you into trouble if you throw something at her. If you have a beef, get the flight attendant’s info and write in to the airline afterward to complain.
• DO ask for help with heavy bags, but DO NOT expect help. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Most flight attendants won’t help you lift a heavy bag. It’s either an airline concern about paying workers comp or it’s not in the contract. Some flight attendants will still try to help, so it can’t hurt to ask, but don’t expect much.
• DO ring the call button when you need something, but DO NOT ring it every five minutes. Some flight attendants will try to tell you that the call button is there for emergencies. That’s a load of crap. It’s there if you need something from the flight attendant. Now, if you happen to need something every five minutes, you’re likely to get some dirty looks and a scolding. Nobody needs something every five minutes.
• DO NOT get up when the seat belt sign is on. I know, I know. You’ve been bouncing around for ages and you just need to pee, but you should try to hold it as long as you can. The pilots will generally only keep the sign on when there’s a threat of turbulence (though not always). You remember hearing about those flights where people break their neck when a plane hits turbulence? That is almost always someone who didn’t have a seatbelt buckled when it should have been. Don’t be that person. Flight attendants don’t want to have to scrape you off the ceiling.
• DO say “please” and “thank you.” You’d be amazed at what a little common courtesy can do. Flight attendants are out slinging drinks and throwing peanuts all day long, and a lot of people aren’t very friendly about it. Just a simple “please” and “thank you” along with a smile can do wonders.
• DO not yell at the flight attendant for all the problems you have with the airline. You’re finally winging your way to Omaha after a 3 hour delay and a missed connection in Chicago. This airlines sucks, right? Well, don’t yell at the flight attendant for it. Do you think he had anything to do with the delay or missed connection? Nope. I know he’s an easy target since you’re in a metal tube and he has nowhere to hide, but there’s nothing he can do from up there anyway.

If you’re flying for your wedding or your honeymoon, the last thing you want is to be tied up with flex cuffs and humiliated in front of your groom. Just be nice, have some common courtesy, and enjoy the ride.

 

If you’re getting married, you have about 400 million things to remember to do, so the last thing you want is to have to remember your frequent flier information when you’re booking your wedding travel. Oh sure, you want to earn those miles, and maybe you even want to use them, but what was that number again . . . ?

You know that you’ve dug into a drawer in some dark corner of your home, hoping to find that card that was sent to you in 1987. Let’s face it. It’s a real pain in the butt. So why not just use a site that keeps everything in one place?

There are a handful of sites out there that do this. TripIt has a Pro version that costs money, as does Mileage Manager. And GoMiles, which is in private beta, is working on relating your miles to what you can get for them. But for my purposes of just monitoring all the accounts, AwardWallet does the job. As long as you don’t have concerns about storing your numbers and passwords elsewhere, this site works really well.

You set it up program by program, entering your frequent flier number or web login along with your password. Then it goes in and pulls out your balances and expiration dates so you can monitor them all from one place.

When you log in, you see your frequent flier number and website logins so it makes for an easy reference point. It can even log you in directly to the websites for those programs and take you there if you so choose.

It’s also not limited to airlines or even travel even general. Yes, I can follow my Starwood, National car rental, and Amtrak balances on there, but I could also look at credit card rewards, and more.

What don’t I love? The pricing plan is really goofy. You get a lot of functionality for free, but the premium version, which includes some bells and whistles, costs, uh, whatever you want. Seriously. You decide what you think it’s worth and pay it. Strange, I know.

But forgetting about that quirk, this site is great. I never remember my frequent flier numbers, so this is an easy way to bring them up. It’s also helpful when you’re trying to log in to the different programs and can’t remember your information. This stores your login info even if it isn’t your frequent flier number. So you really can’t lose this stuff anymore.

Kudos to AwardWallet for putting together a really helpful tool.

 

If you’re traveling by plane to your wedding, maybe think about splurging for First Class. It may seem excessive, but then again, the groom is going to think that all those absurd flowers and centerpieces are pretty ridiculous and excessive as well. Compared to the cost of the wedding, airfare in First Class is a drop in the bucket. Unless you’re flying around the globe – that may require selling your house.

Let’s say you really would rather spend your money on fruity drinks with umbrellas in them instead of on expensive airfare. Ok, fine, but that doesn’t mean you just have to sit back and take it. People love weddings, and you can try to work your magic on the flight crew.

When my brother got engaged in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I called Delta and they generously gave him a gift basket on his flight home. They were thrilled. Now, could they have done this simply because I’m Cranky? Maybe, but it can never hurt to ask. Here are some tips.

1. Call reservations and ask them to note in your PNR (passenger name record, your reservation) that you’re traveling to your wedding, honeymoon, vows renewal, whatever. If they put it in the record, then others might see it and do something nice.
2. When you get to the airport, politely mention that it’s your wedding and ask if any upgrades are available. Airlines have tightened up on allowing their agents to upgrade people compared to the good old days, but it’s always possible and can never hurt to ask.
3. When you board, mention to the flight attendant that you’re getting married and you might find yourself with an embarrassing PA announcement and a complimentary glass of champagne. If there are empty seats, on rare occasions, you might find yourself bumped up front.

And remember, this isn’t limited to you getting married. In fact, you’ll have better luck if you’re calling for a friend (or an enemy who hates to be embarrassed).

A few years back, a friend got married in Toronto and then a whole group of us flew together to Paris for another friend’s wedding the next weekend. On the flight, we all conspired to have a champagne toast with the bride and groom. It was a small gesture, but they really appreciated it, especially since they were forced to share the first part of their honeymoon with us punks.

And remember, if you do get something special on your trip, let the airline know. If someone goes above and beyond, you should always make sure that they get recognition from above.

 

It’s a timely topic, right? I mean, let’s say you were scheduled to get married this weekend and a volcano just happened to erupt, spewing ash all over a continent and messing up air travel. Then what? Lots of people are facing that prospect right now, and the moral of the story is . . . don’t get married in Europe. No, wait, that’s not right. I think the moral is to just have patience.

There’s not much you can do when something like this happens, unless you want to get really creative, so just chalk it up to being a great story you can tell the grandkids one day. But how do you make the best of a bad situation? Stay on top of things and you might get out sooner than others. We’ve sent Cranky Concierge clients through places like Israel and Iceland with much luck so far. Here are some tips.

First off, follow your airline and airport on Twitter. These guys have been pumping out information via Twitter like rock stars, keeping people up to date. For example, I just received a tweet that Icelandair was adding a few flights tonight to Scotland. If you catch it before others, you might be able to grab yourself a seat.

Another tip: go standby. Though flights are jammed full for the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean all seats will be filled. Many people will opt not to travel and others will get stuck on connections. If you see that flights are starting to leave, it might be worth it to go standby and see if you can get on an earlier flight.

Lastly, just be creative. If you’re willing, there are ways to get to Europe. It may involve flying to Africa or the Middle East and backtracking. It may involve trains, buses, and cars. It may take a long time, but you’ll get there.

No matter what, having patience is the best suggestion. It will make things much better for you while you’re waiting this out. Your “perfect” wedding may not work out as planned, but man, it’ll make for a much better story.

 

The thought certainly crossed my mind more than once. My now-wife and I went to Vegas a couple of times while we were engaged, and I only half-jokingly suggested that we elope while we were there. It would have saved a lot of money, and that’s money that can be spent on other things like season tickets to the Diamondbacks or, uh, something a little more female-friendly. Sounds great.

So if you decide you want to elope, chances are it’s more of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Before you change your mind, you decide to hop a flight to Vegas or Hawai’i and get it over with, right? Well, if you’re going to do that, then you’ll want some tips on how to keep the cost down.

You could always drive, of course, but that doesn’t exactly create the fun, cool memories that last a lifetime. You want to fly, but last minute airfare can be pretty expensive, and that sucks. Yes, it’ll still cost you less than all those flowers you were going to buy for your traditional wedding, but still, there’s no reason to waste any money.

The first thing you should do is look for last minute deals. American, for example, has NetSAAver fares that come out midweek for last minute weekend trips. Other airlines, like Delta, do this as well. It’s a great way for the airlines to sell off some of their excess inventory at the last minute. Then again, it might be tougher to get a flight to Vegas than, say, Reno.

But unless you’re going in and coming right back, you also need a place to stay. There are some great deals around right now, but how do you find them? Well, there certainly are a million places to look, but one that you might want to bookmark is Dealbase. Dealbase shows deals from a variety of sources and tries to display them in terms so that they can be compared to each other easily.

Find your deals this way and then you’ll have plenty of cash leftover to blow on the deluxe package at the chapel.

 

One of the reasons that weddings are great for this purpose is because they offer the luxury of time. You’ve probably planned your wedding 30 years in advance. (Yes, we know what you girls were doing with those Barbie Dolls when we were pretending to be the A-Team.) And chances are that your date has been picked more than a year in advance, unless you were drunk and just married some schlub in Vegas. But that’s a whole different issue.

Most airlines open up their schedules 330 days in advance, so if you have your date ready, be there to grab any available seats exactly 330 days before you walk down the aisle. This is particularly important if you’re getting married in Hawai’i during the high season or maybe Europe in the summer. If you’re heading to Erie, Pennsylvania in January, well, don’t bother hurrying to check availability. (On the other hand, you might want to consider hurrying to your nearest shrink.)

Sometimes, miles will never be available on a flight. Going to Hawai’i over New Years? Yeah, good luck. That’s a tough one. But if you don’t find availability at other times, that doesn’t mean that it won’t pop up later. Airlines may expect a flight to be full, but if it doesn’t book up as predicted, they will open up seats later. You can check this every day or you can use a service to do it for you, depending upon the airline.

ExpertFlyer.com will notify you when award seats become available on some airlines if you have a subscription. (Cranky Concierge clients get a 15% discount.) Or you can sign up with Cranky Concierge and we’ll monitor it for you. Don’t want to spend money? Just check periodically. You can start with a monthly check when you’re very far out, but start checking more frequently the closer you get. Granted, if you get too close, you risk not being able to buy a ticket.

And when it comes to your honeymoon, that’s even better. You can usually build that schedule around when flights are available. If you’ve been saving up miles, what better way to burn them than with a First Class trip to the Maldives?

So if you’ve got miles, this is a great time to burn them, unless, of course, your parents are paying . . . .

 

Work sucks. So when it comes time for your wedding, you’ve probably been saving up vacation days like a squirrel saves up acorns. Your natural inclination will probably be to dart out of work as soon as you can and make a beeline for the airport for an evening flight out of town. I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Stick with morning flights and you’ll be happier.

I realize that waking up at 0-dark-thirty and dragging yourself to the airport before the sun comes up is not your idea of fun, but you’ll thank me in the end. Morning flights tend to go on time more often than afternoon or evening flights. It’s worth waking up early if it means things go smoothly.

Think about how airplanes spend their days. The goal for an airline is to keep planes in the air as often as possible. When they’re in the air, they make money. When they’re on the ground, they don’t. Airlines would fly their planes 24 hours a day except for two problems.

1. Nobody is willing to pay for a 3am flight to Jackson, Mississippi.
2. They have to maintain those planes sometime, so the airlines do most of their maintenance at night when demand is lowest.

Simply put, most planes start the day fresh each morning. Then they fly like crazy until late at night when they go back to sleep for a few hours.

But what happens when there’s bad weather? Or there are 25 sets of new parents with strollers to be checked on that flight from Omaha? Planes get bogged down during the day as traffic increases and things conspire to really mess up schedules. By the end of the day, you’re paying for all the problems that happened earlier. But each night, the planes get to where they’re supposed to be going, sometimes very late, and the airline is able to reset for the next day.

Sometimes flights get canceled, planes break, etc and things don’t work out as planned. So when you’re running to the airport after work on a bad day, that plane is falling behind and your flight may end up being canceled. That’s not a big deal if there’s another flight five minutes later with an empty seat on it, but in an era of very high load factors, that’s a rarity. Sometimes, you can be out of luck for several days and your trip may be ruined.

So spend that last night in eager anticipation of what lies ahead and then wake up early and enjoy that on time departure. Oh, and on the way home? Who cares. You don’t want to go back to work anyway.