Delta offers free luggage for branded credit card holders

by Grant Martin on

A thin, thin silver lining on the dark cloud of checked baggage fees by Delta Airlines was announced today. According to the airline and American Express, the sponsor of their branded credit card, premium holders of the Delta Gold, Platinum, or Reserve SkyMiles Credit Card will soon be allowed to check one bag for free, a savings of $25 per direction of travel.

Travelers will still need to pay the annual fee on each respective card, however, as well as any incurred interest over the course of the year. So in the end, Delta still lines their pockets with a great deal of money.

It’s worth noting that those with elite status are completely exempt from baggage fees, so if you don’t want to spend the time impacting your credit score (and conversely want to spend the time and money earning status) there’s a way.

Needless to say, our preferred method remains to not check any luggage at all.

The Gadling “stranded at the airport” survival guide

by Scott Carmichael on

What better time to remind you of the possibility of being stranded at the airport, than in the aftermath of the Eyjafjallajoekull ash cloud disruption?

During that dark period of air travel, 7 million people were stranded at airports all around the world. Flights were canceled as far away as New Zealand, and even passengers just two hour flights away from home found themselves taking $5,000 cab rides just to get home.

So – what are the best ways to deal with a situation like this? What can you do to get yourself on the first available flight, and how can you compete with 7 million others, who all want the same thing? We’ve collected the best tips – but remember the most important one: stay calm, take a deep breath and make the best of a bad situation. Getting mad won’t get you home any sooner.Money – make sure you have some

This is a tough one – without money, being stranded can turn from an inconvenience into a nightmare. During the Icelandic volcanic ash disruption, there were countless stories of people that were stuck at the airport without a penny left. In those cases, tourists suddenly found themselves begging for food at the airport and sleeping on a cot for a week. Always make sure you have access to some backup funds in cash or on a credit card.

Another important tip is to save all your receipts – if the airlines are held responsible for the delays, you may be able to claim refunds. Before you go spending money, ask whether your airline is issuing hotel and food vouchers. If delays are no more than a day, many airlines will help their passengers, but don’t expect anything past that 24 hour period.

Always pack to be prepared

This rule applies to any trip – stranded or not. Any time you hand over your bags to the airline, make 100% sure there is nothing in it that you may end up needing.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people still pack wallets, laptops, phones or medication in their checked luggage. If the airline goes on strike, or cancels flights, your bags may be stuck in the luggage basement for days with no way for you to retrieve them.

Mobile technology is your best friend

Put your technology to good use – if you have a smartphone, make sure you install all the apps that can help you out. Check out our iPhone airport survival guide for some tips. Similar applications are also available for most other platforms. Your most important resources will be access to online search and the mobile site of your airline.

Once you are at ease with the idea that you are going to be stranded for the time being, use your phone to keep yourself entertained. Just remember that your battery won’t last all day, so keep an eye open for outlets, and read our airport power guide for tips on keeping your gadgets going.

Know your way around

When disaster strikes, spend 10 minutes to find your way around the airport. Some situations may require you to make a mad dash from gate to gate, and only those people that know their way around will be on time. Use smartphone tools like Gate Guru to find airport amenities, and on your way around, be sure to make a mental note of the quietest airport security checkpoints or other time saving tricks.

Find the most effective way to rebook yourself

During massive air delays, social media sites like Twitter are full of people complaining that they had to spend an hour or more on hold with the airline. Sadly, this is par for the course when thousands of people are stuck – you’ll be competing with every other stranded passenger on your airline.

Airlines will be dealing with thousands of passengers on hold – so don’t expect things to magically happen on their own. In the aftermath of the volcano, it took some airlines two weeks to clear their backlog of stranded passengers.

So – you’ll need to be smart and find the best way to get in touch with the airline. If you are abroad, make sure you find local access numbers. If the airline has a toll free number, use it. If your only option is to call the United States on a pricey international call, find WiFi and use Skype.

Some airlines have electronic rebooking options available on their kiosks. Other quick ways to find an employee not being harassed by 100’s of passengers is to check the airline lounge or even ask whether employees at the baggage desk have access to reservations systems. Remember – a smile goes a long way. Don’t whine, rant, grunt or complain. Just ask whether the employee would be willing to help and compliment them on their fantastic hair.

Need a hotel? Be quick and book ahead

As soon as you realize something is going wrong, find a hotel. Seriously – don’t worry (too much) about cost or whether the hotel has a room available with a jacuzzi tub.

When you call the hotel, book a night, and ask whether you can add extra nights without any cancellation penalties – then book these extra nights right away. This way, you can prevent spending one night at the hotel for $100, and having to pay $400 a night when the hotel realizes they can start gouging stranded passengers.

Got friends in high places? Use them!

Do you know someone who is an elite member of the airline? Now may be the time to ask them for that one big favor they owe you. They may not be able to magically call for a new plane, but they may be able to call their own elite desk and beg for a little help. Use the power of the Internet to find the elite passenger helpdesk numbers – yes, elite passengers will yell at me for this tip, but when you are in trouble, you do everything you can to fix things.

Get away from the airport for a bit

Do you already know that your next chance to get back home won’t be for another couple of days? Get away from the airport! Pick a hotel away from the airport area, but close to a rapid public transport system. This will get you a cheaper room, cheaper food and less stress from all the other stranded passengers.

Make the best of a bad situation

Look, everyone knows that being stranded is a waste of time – but getting upset about it isn’t going to help anyone. Make the best of a bad situation and have some fun. Make new friends at the airport and try to cheer others up. If you can help someone else – do it. I’ve been stuck at the airport several times, and despite the major inconvenience and cost, I ended up flying back home with new memories and new friends.

Europe breathes sigh of relief as ash cloud moves west

by Sean McLachlan on

Shifting weather patterns brought good news to northwest Europe this morning as a new ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull blew west out into the Northern Atlantic.

The new eruption had produced a cloud of ash that caused temporary airport closures in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and some parts of the Scotland and England since Monday. Most airports reopened in the early hours of this morning and at the time of writing all airports were operating normally.

The volcano continues to erupt and aviation officials are monitoring the weather for any changes. Travelers flying to Ireland or the United Kingdom are advised to check ahead before going to the airport.

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk 012: Trains, planes, & mergers! Behind the scenes at Southwest Airlines, Gowalla & Gadling in Austin + a brand new GIVEAWAY!!

by Stephen Greenwood on

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 12 – Click above to watch video after the jump
Well, we’ve been bouncing around the country this week and have got a great show to prove it! From Dallas, Texas to Austin, Texas and finally Portland, Oregon – we’ll take you behind the scenes at Love Field Airport and the operational headquarters of Southwest Airlines!

In the news this week: United & Continental’s big merger, a new train makes tracks in a forbidden country, we look into the biggest World Expo in history, and find out why your toothpaste may once again be safe while traveling through Europe.

We get the inside scoop on Austin-based tech startup Gowalla, and catch up with Gadling crew for a day out on the town. Last but not least, we’re GIVING AWAY TWO FREE TICKETS on Virgin America!! Watch to the end to find out how to enter!!

Tune in next week for our full Portland, Oregon special!

If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

Subscribe via iTunes:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Travel Talk feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

Links
Get the official scoop on the United/Continental merger.
U.S State Department’s guidelines for visiting North Korea.
Must Watch!! The Vice Guide to North Korea. An in-depth look at DPRK guided tours.
Going to the World Expo 2010? Download and print this form and read these instructions.
More Shanghai World Expo 2010 photos!

Contest:
We’re giving away two free tickets on Virgin America!

To enter, join our Facebook group and send us an email, telling us 1) where you would go 2) what you would do there 3) who you would take.

At the end of May, one lucky winner will be randomly selected from our inbox. So, get your friends to submit to increase your chances!!


Hosts: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea
Special Guest: Jonathan Carroll, Jeremy Kressman.


Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea

Update **The current video has been revised from it’s original version at the request of Southwest airlines. We were given a sneak peak at the TSA’s baggage screening room and filmed bags being opened, which presented privacy concerns. That footage, as well as a mention of Southwest’s mechanical practices – has been removed.



Music by:
“Hraka”
Finn Riggins
myspace.com/finnriggins



All other music used in partnership with nonstopmusic.com

Ask Gadling: How do I extend the benefits of my elite status?

by Grant Martin on

This week’s question comes from Julie in Ann Arbor, Michigan

“This year I have Gold Medallion status on Delta, which I probably won’t ever have again. Are there any good programs or perks that I qualify for now that I won’t in the future and should consider taking advantage of?”

Gadling: The Gold Medallion status that you’ve earned on Delta Airlines is a valuable perk. With it, you’re entitled to a 50% 100% earned mileage bonus on all of your flights, select seating (including bulkhead and exit row seats) and two free checked bags, among other perks, during this year’s travel. You can find a full list of benefits on Delta’s website.

If you earn 50-75k miles this calendar year you’ll be able to retain these perks, while if you fly only 25-50k miles your status will drop to silver. Below the 25k mark, your status will drop to nothing on the 1st of March, 2011. Those two extra months in the beginning of 2011 are rollover months during which you’ll retain your 2010 status (and perks) but against which you’ll earn miles for the 2011/2012 years. So if you don’t earn 25k miles through the end of this year, well, you can try to earn 25k in January and February of 2011 to keep your status active.

But if your status is due to expire irrespective of your travel plans, there is not much you can do to extend your benefits into next year. The best way to take advantage of 2010’s status is to coordinate and travel as much as you can (perhaps at the whim of one of your friends) before February 28th, 2011. In addition to the upgrades and bonuses that you’ll get as a gold, you’ll also be entitled to numerous other benefits including Delta’s new Sky Priority service.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

One forward reaching benefit that you may want to consider is enrollment in the Delta Sky Clubs. While not as nice as they once were, Sky Clubs provide a pleasant oasis from the normal airport hubbub with free limited snacks, televisions, soft chairs and wireless internet. Memberships range from one year to three years to a full lifetime, and those rates are discounted based on your elite status.

Though there aren’t many ancillary benefits that Skymiles Gold can afford with other companies, you may want to consider trying to “status match” to another airline. At year’s end, get in touch with a competing airline, tell them that you’re switching preferred carriers and ask for similar status. They’ll ask you to send over your credentials and depending on their policy, should give you some sort of status. I’ve done this with British Midlands (bmi) before and have been very pleased with the accompanying benefits from Star Alliance Gold.

If you haven’t earned enough miles by March 1 2011, it’s not unheard of for the airline to offer you a “soft landing” from gold to silver, though given Delta’s recent revenue management tactics this may be a far reach. A polite letter to Skymiles indicating your planned flights (ie revenue) upcoming may further validate your case.

Until then, take advantage of your status and hoard as many miles as you can. Skymiles has been particularly stingy on releasing inexpensive rewards lately, so you’ll need every single mile that you can get your hands on.