Why does the airline make me turn off my electronic devices?

GREAT ARTICLE FROM NEW YORK TIMES

Is this flight at risk?

Millions of Americans who got on a plane over the Thanksgiving holiday heard the admonition: “Please power down your electronic devices for takeoff.”

And absolutely everyone obeyed. I know they did because no planes fell from the sky. No planes had to make an emergency landing because the avionics went haywire. No planes headed for Miami ended up in Anchorage. We were all made safe because we all turned off all our Kindles, iPads, iPhones, BlackBerrys and laptops, just as the Federal Aviation Administration told us to. Realistically speaking, I’m going to bet that a handful of people on each flight could not be bothered, or forgot to comply.
According to the F.A.A., 712 million passengers flew within the United States in 2010. Let’s assume that just 1 percent of those passengers — about two people per Boeing 737, a conservative number — left a cellphone, e-reader or laptop turned on during takeoff or landing. That would mean seven million people on 11 million flights endangered the lives of their fellow passengers.
Yet, in 2010, no crashes were attributed to people using technology on a plane. None were in 2009. Or 2008, 2007 and so on. You get the point.


Surely if electronic gadgets could bring down an airplane, you can be sure that the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration, which has a consuming fear of 3.5 ounces of hand lotion and gel shoe inserts, wouldn’t allow passengers to board a plane with an iPad or Kindle, for fear that they would be used by terrorists.

New technologies are often greeted with fear and that is certainly true of a disruptive technology like cellphones. Yet rules that are decades old persist without evidence to support the idea that someone reading an e-book or playing a video game during takeoff or landing is jeopardizing safety.
Nevertheless, Les Dorr, a spokesman for the F.A.A., said the agency would rather err on the side of caution when it comes to digital devices on planes.

He cited a 2006 study by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, a nonprofit group that tests and reports on technical travel and communications issues. The group was asked by the F.A.A. to test the effects of cellphones, Wi-Fi and portable electronic devices on planes.
Its finding? “Insufficient information to support changing the policies,” Mr. Dorr said. “There was no evidence saying these devices can’t interfere with a plane, and there was no evidence saying that they can.” I’m not arguing that passengers should be allowed to make phone calls while the plane zooms up into the sky. But, why can’t I read my Kindle or iPad during takeoff and landing? E-readers and cellphones can be easily put into “Airplane Mode” which disables the device’s radio signals.

The government might be causing more unnecessary interference on planes by asking people to shut their devices down for take-off and landing and then giving them permission to restart all at the same time. According to electrical engineers, when the electronic device starts, electric current passes through every part of the gadget, including GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular radio and microprocessor.
It’s the equivalent of waking someone up with a dozen people yelling into bullhorns.
As more and more people transition from paper products to digital ones, maybe it’s time to change these rules.

Michael Altschul, senior vice president and legal counsel for CTIA, the wireless industry association, said a study that it conducted more than a decade ago found no interference from mobile devices.
“The fact is, the radio frequencies that are assigned for aviation use are separate from commercial use,” Mr. Altschul said. “Plus, the wiring and instruments for aircraft are shielded to protect them from interference from commercial wireless devices.”

Mr. Dorr reluctantly agreed. “There have never been any reported accidents from these kinds of devices on planes,” he said.

Related Article.  Are Cellphones safe on airplanes?

American Airlines - Launches Deal Finder 2.0

American Airlines launches Deal Finder as an alternative to Orbitz and Travelocity. 

The all new DealFinder 2.0 features a user friendly design, more search capabilities, and exclusive offers.

DealFinder is the customizable fare searching tool that you can download to your desktop, so you can easily have a personalized travel planning experience!

With DealFinder 2.0, you have access to:

• Fare Search Alerts- Set up to 10 fare searches and DealFinder will alert you when your desired fare becomes available
• News and Offers – Be among the first to know about the latest fare sales and news from AA.com
• Exclusive Discounts – Receive exclusive offers tailored to your travel preferences

Whether you are using a PC, Mac or Linux operating system, DealFinder gives you access to all American Airlines travel deals.

Save time and gain more control over your travel planning with DealFinder.

To Download

SOUTHWEST Update - Working through cancellations

Southwest Airlines is experiencing relatively few flight delays and cancellations while they are proactively inspecting some Boeing 737s.  For more information about these inspections.

If your flight is delayed or canceled and you would like to reschedule your trip in accordance with Southwest accommodation guidelines Online Rebook

For Customers who did not purchase their ticket via southwest.com, please call 1-800-435-9792 to rebook your travel plans without paying any additional charge.  Also, Customers holding reservations for a canceled flight may request a refund for an unused ticket/travel itinerary.

Link to ehow article on Southwest Cancellation policy.

American Airlines in battle with Online Booking Sites

Expedia Cancels Relationship with American Airlines Over a  Price Dispute

Expedia Inc. removed American Airlines’ airfares from its travel website today.  They claim the new pricing model from AA is “anti-consumer and anti-choice,” making it harder to compare American ticket prices and options with those of other airlines, the online travel agency said in an e- mailed statement.

American doesn’t expect a “significant” drop in sales from Expedia’s move, said Ryan Mikolasik, a spokesman for American Airlines. On Dec. 23, Expedia omitted American fares from prime search displays on its site, though customers could still buy tickets. This widens the conflict between online travel agencies and airlines, such as American, that seek to drive more consumers to their own websites. Fort Worth, Texas- based American, owned by AMR Corp., has developed a system called Direct Connect that provides fare pricing and options directly to larger online travel agencies.

Last month, American pulled its listings off Orbitz Worldwide Inc., while Delta Air Lines Inc. notified three online travel sites -- CheapOAir.com, OneTravel.com and BookIt.com -- that it terminated them as authorized travel agents.

American spokesman Mikolasik said that while consumers can’t buy American tickets on Expedia anymore, the airline’s fares and schedules remain on Egencia, Expedia’s corporate travel website.

AIRLINES FEES - Cool visual chart on fees

Vacation Tip: Lost Luggage

Even though lost luggage claims are down over 20% this year, it still hurts if it is your bags that are the ones lost.  If your bags are lost, you may qualify for up to $3,300 in compensation on domestic USA flights and up to $1,700 for international flights.  Check with your airline for policies.




The best advice to is to prepare so your bags are not lost.  Here are some things you can do to get control:

BEFORE LEAVING:
*  Book a non stop flight.  Minimize the chance of a failed transfer.
*  Choose an airline with a good baggage record.  Compare here.
*  Pack your carry-on wisely so that you can live comfortably for a few days - medications and clothes - in case you have to.
*  Remove old luggage tags to avoid confusion.
*  Label your suitcase well - also tuck a business card inside - Lack of ID tags is why luggage ends up in the lost luggage clearing house and is resold.

AT THE AIRPORT:
*  Check in on time, if not your bags may not make the flight.
*  Make sure the desk agent places the correct destination tags on your bags.
* Hang onto your baggage claim ticket.  Often, it is attached to your boarding pass and is frequently left behind on the plane.

AFTER LANDING:
* Be at the carousel when bags are off-loaded.
*  If your bags are lost or delayed, file a report immediately at the airport and get a copy.
*  Ask the lost-luggage counter for the airline's contract of carriage, this will spell out your rights.
*  The Department of Transportation recommends following up with a certified letter to the airline's customer service department restating the details of the incident.

LESSON LEARNED:
Do your best to pack lightly and travel with carry-on only.  With what you save in time, aggravation and baggage fees, you could purchase what you don't pack at your destination.

Cool web site about travel by American Express:  www.TravelAndLeisure.com

AMERICAN AIRLINES - USA ADMIRAL'S CLUB - Free Drinks

American Airlines last month announced it would start serving Admirals Club lounge visitors free drinks, adding it decided to make the move because it's "committed to investing in enhancing the travel experience for its loyal customers."

Now offering free alcoholic beverages

American continues to reinvest in its products with new technology and lounge refurbishments. Since 2008, two, new Admirals Club facilities opened – one in Raleigh/Durham (opened October 2008); one in Washington Dulles (opened January 2009). In 2009,American announced the completion of extensive renovations to its Chicago O’Hare H/K Admirals Club lounge (February 2009) and its Sao Paulo Admirals Club lounge (June 2009). This year, American completed extensive renovations to its Boston Admirals Club lounge and to its London Heathrow Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge.

American also recently updated the technology offering in its Admirals Club and Flagship Lounge Business Centers with HP Compaq 8000 Elite Business PCs. The Cyber Cafes will also include HP TouchSmart PCs, boasting built-for-touch applications that allow customers to experience music, photos, games and video in a visually-engaging manner beyond what a mouse or keyboard can do.

Beginning October 1, 2010, American will offer guests alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer and spirits, free of charge to customers visiting any of its domestic clubs, in addition to complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices. Premium liquors and wines and a selection of Amora™ fresh food items will be available for purchase in all U.S. Admirals Club lounges. Customers visiting international clubs will continue to enjoy complimentary non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages as they do today.
Pricing for new Admirals Club memberships is based on the level of American AAdvantage membership, ranging from $350 or 50,000 AAdvantage miles annually for a new Executive Platinum membership, to $500 or 80,000 miles annually for a regular membership. One-day passes are available for $50 each.
Club Amenities**:

• Complimentary well brand liquors, house wine and beer
• Complimentary snacks, coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices
• Amora™ fresh food for purchase
• Premium liquors and wines for purchase
• Conference rooms
• Complimentary Wi-Fi Internet powered by T-Mobile for members and one-day pass guests visiting domestic lounge locations, including San Juan
• Complimentary Wi-Fi in most Latin American clubs
• Showers
• Cyber café with HP TouchSmart PCs
• HP Compaq 8000 Elite Business PCs with complimentary Internet access
• Children's rooms
• Music rooms at LAX and DFW A locations

** Amenities vary by club location
Airport Locations:
Atlanta, Austin, Bogotá, Boston, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Frankfurt, Honolulu, Kansas City, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Nashville, Newark, New York Kennedy, New York LaGuardia, Orange County, Panama City, Paris, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, Rio de Janeiro, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Sao Paulo, St. Louis, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C. Dulles, and Washington, D.C. Reagan.

Cebu Pacific - Air Travel - Fun Travel - Philippines

Cebu Pacific Flight Attendants between dances

In the Philipppines people have fun at their jobs.  To help you pay attention to the safety announcement we have all heard many times, these flight attendants made it fun by dancing to Lady Gaga.  The airline is Cebu Pacific, and is know for having fun games and a fun attitude for their passengers.

Fun Video is linked here.

The main competitor to Cebu Pacific is Philippines Airlines (PAL).  The flight attendants at PAL are complaining that the dance is somehow sexist by citing the sexist comments on the video post.

Last Minute Travel - Cost Saving

If you have ever had to travel at the last minute, you know it can be hectic and expensive. 

Go soon without breaking your budget:

 If you surf the usual places — Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak, a few airline and rental car sites — but they all came back with similar numbers. Barring inconvenient timing or lousy connections (Seattle–San Diego, by way of Denver?).

Try lastminute.com, the Travelocity subsidiary that specializes in travel over the next two weekends. Enter

your preferred plan and be surprised.  The results maybe surprising. 

The system, notes communications manager Giovanna Garlati, is pegged to the availability of distressed inventory, i.e., those airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars that are in danger of going unsold by their original providers. “They usually release it two weeks beforehand,” she says, “when they see it’s not selling.”

A steeply discounted seat (or room or rental car), after all, provides more revenue than an empty one.

Once the inventory is released, lastminute reassembles it (via software developed under the site’s predecessor, site59) and prices it for quick sale. Generally speaking, users can book travel from 14 days to three hours before departure. Says Garlati, “You can book right now and head to the airport straightaway.”

Additional Resources:

If you are using your points or airline miles, I quick review of http://www.flyertalk.com/ maybe useful.

Get your Travel Complaint Resolved

Here are some reasons your complaints maybe ignored by whoever ruined your vacation.  Remember, what ever happened has already happened, now you want to get what you can get.

Frivolous grievances

So the hot water in your hotel room ran lukewarm? Sorry, but you're not entitled to a free week in a suite. Did a flight attendant get a little short with you on your last trip? Your request for a first-class seat anywhere the airline flies is unlikely to be met. Complaints are sent to the proverbial circular file almost immediately when they're not legitimate, and that's almost certainly where yours will end up. How do you determine if your complaint is for real? I recommend checking out the company's terms and conditions (for example, the airline's contract of carriage or the cruise line's cruise contract, both of which are available from the company's Web site). If your problem is addressed there, it's probably the real deal. For the rest, use common sense.

Calling instead of writing

Even though a phone offers an instant way of communicating with a travel company, you shouldn't expect too much from it. A representative may or may not respond to your oral request (in my experience, usually not) and since phone calls disappear into the digital ether once you hang up, there's no surefire way of holding a company to its word. Besides, how can you be certain they understood a word you said? Unfortunately, more travelers are running into a formidable language barrier when dealing with overseas call centers. The agents often don't get it.  I've lost count of the number of times I get e-mails from disgruntled passengers who say they've spent "hours" on the phone and have gotten nowhere. But when they put their complaint in writing and send an e-mail to the company, the case is often solved quickly. Note: for some odd reason, Southwest Airlines still prefers real paper letters. It's not the greenest practice, but the airline is typically very responsive.

Making a laundry list

Let's face it; a long list of complaints makes you look like a whiner. And no one takes a whiner seriously. Laundry lists are most common to cruise passengers. The air conditioning in my berth didn't work right, we didn't get the dinner seating we wanted, our shore excursion left without us -- and we want a full refund. No can do. I usually stop reading after the third bullet point and send my form letter. I'm not sure if the customer service agents even get that far. Did I mention no one likes a whiner?

Wasting their time

Couldn't get an aisle seat on your flight because the airline had to change planes? Did you specify a beach view room but only saw part of the shore? These time-wasting complaints automatically are met with form letters.

Writing long

For some reason, lots of travelers want to compose the great American novel when they complain. Who knows why? The essentials of a long -- and likely to be ignored -- letter include the following: first, it must be incomprehensibly verbose. I've read letters that run more than eight pages, single-spaced. Instead of clear, simple language they use big, empty words.   Another telltale sign of a long and ineffective letter is a timeline. "Saturday morning, 9 a.m., tried to board flight; Saturday late morning, 11:45 a.m., flight delayed; Saturday afternoon, 2 p.m. flight FINALLY boarded." No one needs this information. In fact, these specifics probably are standing between you and the compensation you deserve. Why? Because customer service agents will take a quick look at it and then send -- you guessed it -- a form response. Save the details for court.

Not offering a solution

Most travelers with a solid case do a fine job of explaining their problems. But not everyone offers a solution. This makes the travel company's job exceptionally difficult. Now their customer service agents must guess what it would take to make you happy. Is a letter of apology enough? A voucher? A couple thousand frequent flier miles? Or are we talking real money? Here's the problem: The customer service agent will almost always err on the low side, offering a highly restricted certificate instead of a refund, or just sending you a cleverly-worded apology and hoping it will be enough. It hardly ever is.

Being impolite

I shouldn't have to tell you that yelling on the phone or online by typing in ALL UPPERCASE is a terrible idea. You will get hung up on. Your letter will be taken to the dumpster. Remember, the customer-service department is staffed with real people. How would you feel if you got an e-mail that said: "This is the WORST HOTEL IN THE WORLD and you should all be ashamed of yourselves." Doesn't make you want to do something nice for that person does it?

Threatening

If you've ever wanted to end a complaint letter -- or phone call, for that matter -- with the words "I'LL NEVER FLY YOUR AIRLINE AGAIN!" or "I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT!" then let me offer a little advice. Don't. Threats won't just guarantee your failure. You could also end up on a company's blacklist (oh yes, they have them) or if your threat is serious enough -- say, you threaten the president of the company with bodily harm -- then you find yourself on the wrong side of the law. Interestingly, when I see one of these letters in my "in" box, it's attached to a note sheepishly asking me why the traveler hasn't heard anything from the airline or hotel. Hmm, let's see. Maybe it's because you threatened to boycott the airline.

As long as you remember to complain only when you have a good reason, put it in writing, tell them what you want and mind your manners, you'll get what you deserve.

AIRLINES - Budget Travel and Price Shopping

AIRLINES:

 

Discount airlines maybe pricing some destinations higher this year, the WALL STREET JOURNAL reports.

 

Virgin America, jetBlue Airways and AirTran Airways are pricing some markets significantly higher than their bigger, typically more-expensive competitors, expecting robust demand and limited airline capacity will lead to full planes at full fares. Despite the struggling economy, airline executives seem to think that travelers will buy tickets regardless of price.

 

Demand for air travel has increased recently, and airlines haven't added much capacity back after the recession.

 

Some tips on finding affordable fares this holiday season:

 

1. Buy early: Demand will likely be stronger than supply this year, so prices will rise as seats sell. There are still some good prices out there.
2. Be flexible: Avoiding peak days can save you hundreds of dollars. Consider the Saturday before or Tuesday after Thanksgiving, for example. And the cheapest days of all can be the holiday days.
3. Shop around: Check websites that search fares across multiple airlines, like Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz, and sites that search more aggressively, like Kayak. Don't forget that Southwest fares are only available from the airline.
4.  Find a cheaper beach: If it's a vacation you want, look at multiple destinations. The Caribbean may be selling stronger than Florida or Mexico, for example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Tips - Postponing or Canceling

If your flight gets canceled or postponed, see if it can be rescheduled.  Getting a new date may be better than hanging around the airport for an indefinate period.

• If you decide to travel at a later date, call your travel agent or your airline as soon as possible for details on how to reuse your ticket.  Generally, tickets must be used no later than one year from the date of purchase.  Some changes may require a fee and/or an additional fare payment.

• If you originally scheduled flight was canceled and you decide not to travel, you can receive a full refund.  To arrange for a refund, call your travel agent or call your airline customer service.