Travel

Winner: US AirwaysSecond Place: AmericanDishonorable Mention: United Along with bad business reputations, the legacy carriers seem to be thought of as physically filthy as well. Whether this perception is accurate or not is hard to measure, but it is clear that airlines need to clean up their public image. Voting Breakdown: US Airways……………..18.13%American…………………15.69%United……………………..14.31%Delta……………………….10.45%Northwest…………………7.87%Other………………………33.55%Total……………………….100% See All Category Winners Best Value Domestic Airline | Best Customer Service | Best Airfare Prices | Best In-Seat Comfort | Best Onboard Entertainment | Best Routes and Availability | Most Reliable On-Time Service | Best Baggage Service | Best Standard Economy Class | Best Value Frequent Flyer Program | Least Favorite Domestic Airline | Cleanest Airline Cabin | Dirtiest Airline Cabin | Best Value International
(Read the full post about ‘Dirtiest Airline Cabin - Domestic Airline’…)

“Effective October 31, 2008, NWA Cargo will reduce its fuel surcharges in certain markets in response to recent declines in the price of jet fuel.” That’s the lead sentence of a news release issued yesterday by Northwest’s cargo department. The reductions for domestic and transatlantic flights are just under 5 percent. Since the price of oil has plummeted by more than half—from $147 a barrel in July to less than $65 a barrel today—those decreases seem woefully inadequate. But that’s a quibble. What’s more important is the implicit recognition that fuel costs and fuel surcharges are fundamentally linked. Fuel costs have declined, therefore Northwest is lowering its fuel surcharges—which, after all, were imposed to offset a temporary spike in fuel costs. Indeed, that’s what a fuel surcharge is: A temporary add-on to the published price to cover an unanticipated increase in costs. That’s what ‘fuel surcharge’ means. So Northwest has proved that, at least in its cargo
(Read the full post about ‘When Is a Fuel Surcharge Not a Fuel Surcharge?’…)

"Don't worry," veteran mountain guide Lyle assures us, his wild mane of silver hair starting to freeze into icicle- like strands. "You're lost only if you've got somewhere to go." Welcome to summer in Canada, the Bugaboo Range of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, to be exact. We had been in the country less than 24 hours, and after a quick jet from Vancouver to Calgary, and shuttle ride, while waving to the moose, to the famous Banff Springs Hotel for a night, we had hopped in a helicopter and landed on top of a mountain. Having been assured that the weather was going to be decidedly summery, most had packed accordingly. It was a bit of a shock, then, to be suddenly covered in snow and unable to see more than a few steps ahead. We were heli-hiking. All we really had to do was wander around without falling off a cliff until the weather improved and the chopper picked us up and returned us to our cosy lodge. But walking around in the snow turned out to
(Read the full post about ‘High in the Rockies’…)

I highly recommend going to the annual Bridge Day Festival in Fayetteville, West VA. It is the worlds largest extreme sporting event. It includes base jumping, rappelling, zip line, plus plenty of vendors with food and souvenirs. It is held the third Saturday in October each year at the New River Bridge. Now for some photos and maybe I will come back and write some more at a later date.

When is a dining-for-miles promotion blog-worthy? We routinely see offers for double dining miles—pretty good since most frequent flyer program members normally earn five miles per $1 spent. Upping that to 10 miles, for doing something you’d do anyway, is a solid deal. But because such offers are relatively common, they don’t typically merit special mention. Today’s featured deal does. Members of the Delta SkyMiles Dining program who spend at least $200 at participating restaurants by December 15 will earn 1,000 bonus miles. (To qualify, you must register and agree to receive marketing emails.) So far, that’s an extra five miles per $1, double the normal earning rate. Good, but not exceptional. What makes this offer noteworthy is the type of miles earned: They’re elite-qualifying miles (EQMs). EQMs are generally awarded only for actually flying—they’re reserved for the best customers of the airline itself. Occasionally, EQMs are offered by airline-affiliated credit cards.
(Read the full post about ‘Delta Offers More (and Better) Miles for Dining’…)

As oil prices (and jet fuel prices) continue dropping faster than your 401(k) balance, many have wondered if, and when, airlines would begin rolling back those fees introduced throughout the spring and summer. Well, if you are a US Airways flyer, here’s your answer: Don’t hold your breath. According to The Arizona Republic, US Airways CEO Doug Parker said he has no intention of eliminating the airlines’ new fees, no matter where oil prices go. “You never say never because competitive forces could eventually force us to turn back,” he said, “but we certainly hope that’s not the case and don’t believe it will be.” Parker points to the charge-for-everything approach as a solution to years of industrywide financial struggle. “It’s a better model for an industry that’s been struggling for a long time to find a model that works,” he said, noting that US Airways’ new fee structure has been a success for the airline. In fact, US Airways estimates its fees will bring in between $400 million
(Read the full post about ‘US Airways: Fees to Stay Regardless of Oil Prices’…)

This series, Spain…On The Road Again is a lighthearted but "sometimes food, wine, and scenery intensive" show that brings you the best Spain has to offer in all three categories. And when you’ve got hosts such as famed actress Gwyneth Paltrow; the Iron Chef, Mario Batali; Spanish actress and linguist Claudia Bassols; and New York Times writer Mark Bittman, combined with the sometimes breathtaking beauty, the wonderful food and the robust wines of Spain [not to mention the famed Spanish sun], you’ve got a can’t-miss show that bathes you in gustatory opulence. You can find good food and wine anywhere, but in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, the food and wine seduce you, beg you to partake of their sustenance. The reds are redder, the greens greener, the spices spicier. Another millimeter and it would all be over the top, but the Med does it to perfection. [Even though Basque country borders on the Atlantic.] This week’s episode takes
(Read the full post about ‘TV Review: Spain…On The Road Again: Basking in Basque Country Episode 5′…)

Figures released by the airport after a board meeting yesterday seem to back up that claim more international passengers flew out of Hamilton between May and August this year than the same period last year. The numbers were up two per cent, beating Freedom flight figures from last year. But there was a drop in passengers flying here from Australia 38 per cent down, something the airport says Air New Zealand should take responsibility for. Airport chairman Jerry Rickman said Air New Zealand's argument that poor passenger numbers helped drive the decision was not accurate. "Air New Zealand's assertion that the Waikato catchment area, including Tauranga and Rotorua, is not performing is untrue." The airport company met the five shareholding mayors yesterday to discuss Air New Zealand's pull-out. Hamilton International Airport is jointly owned by Hamilton city and Waipa, Waikato, Matamata-Piako and Otorohanga district councils. Mr Rickman said the increase in
(Read the full post about ‘Hamilton Airport hits back at Air NZ cuts’…)

Today, Delta’s new three-tier award chart takes effect, giving SkyMiles members a choice of three combinations of price and availability. The low-price award (as it’s called on Delta’s award booking widget) requires the fewest miles but also offers the fewest available award seats; the medium-price award is more expensive and gives the program member expanded seat availability; and the high-price award requires the most miles but also guarantees access to any unsold seat. Award bookings can mix and match award types, combining more and less expensive awards for a round-trip as availability dictates. So, for example, the most popular award, a domestic coach ticket, is now priced at 12,500 miles each way at the lowest price level, 20,000 miles for medium, and 30,000 for high. Compared to the previous two-tiered award chart, the low price award is the same as the old restricted award; but the new high-price award costs 5,000 extra miles each way compared to the old unrestricted level.
(Read the full post about ‘Delta’s New Award Scheme Faces Reality Check’…)

We were so proud of ourselves. My best friend JoAnne and I fashioned ghost costumes out of old white sheets, corralled my little sister Amy to join us, and—presto—we were The Ghost Family. We happily went off trick or treating in our suburban Long Island, New York, neighborhood. No parents tagged along; no one had expensive costumes or headed to a theme park fright fest. No one could have imagined trick or treating among giraffes at a zoo or dinosaur fossils at a museum. Boy, have times changed. Not only would today’s parents not allow kids to trick or treat without adult supervision, but they screen every bit of candy to make sure it’s safe. There’s an even bigger difference: Halloween has become a huge deal, a lot more than an after-dark trek through the neighborhood in homemade costumes. The National Retail Federation says more of us plan to celebrate Halloween this year—to the tune of $5.7 billion. The federation suggests that, this year, Halloween may be just
(Read the full post about ‘Spooky Fun and Games This Halloween Season’…)