Cheap Enough to Say, Phuket I’ll Go – Asian Airline Gets Creative With Its Marketing Message
(Source: via Reddit)
(Source: via Simplyflying.com)
We all know that the commercial aviation industry is among the cutting edge when it comes to advertising and testing new tools to engage their customers.. So, how are the airlines using the hottest new social media tool in the market – Google Plus (G+)? The brilliant folks at Simpliflying.com (on Twitter: @simpliflying) have done a comprehensive analysis and presented the findings in this awesome infopgraph below..
(Source: Flyersrights.org)
After what seemed like an eternity – roughly five years and 23 extensions later – the 112th United States Congress finally got through with the FAA Modernization and Safety Improvement Act of 2012, aka the FAA Re-authorization Bill. Apart from the usual aspects of the $63Billion four-year re-authorization bill, there are a lot of significant inclusions that will affect your travel in the days ahead… in a good way! Thanks to the tireless advocacy by FlyersRights.org, a non-profit that advocates for passenger rights, many of these demands from the passenger community has now found their way into books of law. The table below shows what the organization was fighting to achieve and what they managed to get. Seriously, if you are an airline passenger this law makes sure you have to be treated like a human being who deserves dignity and respect.
FlyersRights Goal |
Bill Provision |
Three-Hour Tarmac Rule | “Excessive delay” tarmac rule. DOT Secretary to determine definition of “excessive” |
Food and Water Available | Food and water ALWAYS available (deletes DOT “after 2 hours” provision) |
Medical Treatment Available | Medical treatment ALWAYS available (deletes DOT “after 2 hours” provision) |
Airline Contingency Plans | Airline contingency plans for eachairport where carrier has flights (removes DOT’s minimum annual enplanement restriction) |
Airport Contingency Plans | For the first time, airport contingency plans required (no such provision in DOT rules) |
DOT Consumer Hotline | Implementation of a DOT consumer hotline, number published on internet, prominently displayed by carriers on ticket counter signs and ticket e-confirmations |
Smoke-Free Environment | Smoke-free rules consistently enforced on scheduled and now unscheduled flights, domestic and international |
No Child Left Unbuckled | Carriers must post on their web sites the maximum child safety seat size for each type aircraft they operate so passengers can determine which seats will work with which aircraft |
Carry Musical Instruments On-board Without Additional Charge | Instruments that can be safely stowed will now be treated like any other carry-on item |
Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection | Creation of a DOT advisory committee, comprised of members from air carriers, airport operators, state, local governments, and non-profit public interest groups with consumer protection experience |
Realistic Scheduling to Minimize Delays | If aircraft operations exceed an airport’s capability, the FAA and airlines will meet to develop an appropriate schedule reduction. If no voluntary agreement is reached, the FAA will take unilateral reduction action |
Passenger Awareness of Insecticide Use | Air carriers will now refer passengers to the DOT web page with a list of countries that may require in-cabin spraying for flights to those countries |
Good Information on Delays | Added reporting requirement for diversions and cancellations |
Consideration for Military Members | “Sense of Congress*” that carriers should be flexible and generous with active duty military members. They seek reduced airfares, elimination of change fees/penalties, ability to purchase, modify or cancel without time restrictions, and the elimination of fees (including baggage fees), ancillary costs, and penalties |
Defined Compensation for Lost Luggage | Comptroller General to study the issue, including how added baggage fees should improve service |
Click here to read more. Thank you USDOT and Flyersrights.org for all your hard work to get this done.
(Source: FAA)
This nice infograph shows the economic impact of aviation.. What a great way to tell the story!
(Source: NPR Planet Money)
I was listening to this NPR podcast on the way to work and felt compelled to share with my readers.. Amazing Fact: Pretty much every major full service American airline has filed for Bankruptcy in the past two decades and one of them (U.S. Airways) actually declared bankruptcy twice in three years. “The industry in aggregate has lost about $60 billion over the 32 years since deregulation, ” says Severin Borenstein, an economist at the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkley. Meh!
This left me shaking my head in disbelief! Aren’t we the country full of smart MBA grads from top business schools like Harvard, Yale, et al. running some of these businesses? Anyways, if you got a couple of extra minutes, do check out Severin Borenstein’s detailed paper that goes into great details explaining how the airline business is not for the weakest of heart.
On a related note, Boston Globe had an interesting article back in November 2011 that is somewhat optimistic about the future of aviation. Worth a read while you are still suspended in disbelief after reading/listening to the above NPR material.
(Source: Young Prof. in Transportation)
As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
Direct deposit of pay is required.
(Source: Huffington Post)
Whoa.. I did not know that some of the airport workers are making a living ONLY out of tips. How terrible – work at one of the swankiest places in town (airports) with people milling around dressed up in their high fashion. But how many of us know that the person pushing folks around in a wheel chair may not even have the money to buy a sandwich. Too bad these guys are stuck in a catch 22 situation, not able to tell their passengers that they work for tips due to some stupid federal law hence left out with nothing but a thank you for the service offered. Something has to change… Either the laws or the rules imposed by the airlines that pay hefty bonuses to their CEOs and leave these folks hanging. Read the story on Huffingtonpost.
(Source: via Gadling.com)
Some interesting observations:
(Source: Houston Chronicle)
I came across this piece by Houston Chronicle’s contributor, Amanda L. Grossman and felt compelled to share with you all. Quite a bit of research has gone into answer this simple question – How much can you buy with $5 inside a plane? Below is a snap shot of Mr. Grossman’s analysis from her blog – Frugal Confessions – A Guide to Thrifty Living.
The chart below is based on flying economy class on a domestic flight (typically including Hawaii and Caribbean). My research shows that most airlines (excluding Southwest) offer an array of expensive and ‘inexpensive’ food offerings (remember you are thousands of feet in the air), and that American Airlines and Continental/United offer more expensive options than others. Wine and cocktails are most expensive on Delta, American Airlines, and Continental, while AirTran even charges for water, milk and premium juices (these are offered as complimentary on other airlines).
Airline | Cost of Snacks or Meals | Cost of Non-Complimentary Beverages |
Delta | $2.00-$8.50 | $5.00 Beer, $7.00 wine/cocktails |
American Airlines | $3.29-$10.00 | $6.00 Beer, $7.00 wine/cocktails |
Southwest | No food offered for purchase | $3.00 energy drinks, $5.00 beer, liquor and wine |
Continental/United | $2.99-$9.49 | $6.00-$9.00 |
AirTran (recently acquired by Southwest) | $1.00-$6.00 | $2.00 water, milk, premium juices, $5.00, $6.00 wine/cocktails |
jetBlue | $6.00 | $6.00 cocktails |
In order to compare the airline pricing further, I decided to see which airline would give me the most value for my $5 (please note that the products listed below are only offered on certain flights and at certain times of the day). What I found is that I certainly will not get full from any of the airline’s menus if I only want to spend $5. Also, for $5 there are very few healthy snack options (other than nuts, cheese, and dried fruit).
Airline | Food $5 Will Buy |
Delta | 1 package of M&Ms ($2.00) or Bentley’s Popcorn ($2.00) and Pringles ($3.00), a Breakfast on the Fly ($3.50 for a granola bar and yogurt for Caribbean and Latin American flights only) or a kids PB&J Plate ($4.50) |
American Airlines | 1 chocolate chip cookie ($3.29), Lay’s potato crisps ($3.29), a cheese and cracker tray ($4.49), a fruit and nut blend ($4.49), Fisher’s nuts ($4.00) or trail mix ($4.00) |
Continental/United | 6 oz. can of Blue Diamond almonds $4.99, 2.6 oz. can of Pringles ($2.99), 4 oz. box of strawberry twizzlers ($2.99) or two-bite cinnamon rolls ($2.99) |
Airtran | “Sky Bites(SM) offers a la carte items, which range from $1 to $4, or combo packages ranging from $4 to $6 in price. A la carte selections include Kraft Foods snacks, such as Oreo Cakesters, Chips Ahoy! cookies, Nilla Wafers, Cheese Nips crackers” (could not find menu and pricing) |
Note: Barring transatlantic-flights, my two top favorite American airlines are Virgin America and Southwest. That said, I hate flying the American carriers during the transatlantic flights. Many European, Middle Eastern and Asian carriers are far better in their service and connectivity than the American carriers, some of them are well known for their appalling service (the worst I have experienced is United, which got me stranded in Dubai for almost 24hrs). What are your favorite domestic & international carriers?