Vote for (or against) the airline of your choice in the Freddie awards

by Scott Carmichael on

It is that time of year again – the airlines and hotel chains of the world will all be competing for your vote, and a chance to win an award in the 21st annual Freddie awards.

The first Freddie award ceremony was held in 1988 and was named after commercial aviation pioneer Sir Freddie Laker. Sir Freddie passed away in 2006, but his name lives on in these awards.

The awards focus on several aspects of the loyalty program offered by these companies, and your vote determines who has the best program and perks in the industry.

The various categories you’ll get to vote in are:

  • Best Award
  • Best Bonus
  • Best Affinity Credit Card
  • Best Newsletter/Member Communications
  • Best Web Site
  • Best Customer Service
  • Best Award Redemption
  • Best Elite Level
  • Program of the Year

Airbus A380 is a big plane and a big pain in the behind

by Scott Carmichael on

The Airbus A380 has been in service for over 16 months and a total of 13 of these monsters have been delivered to airlines around the world.

One of those airlines is Qantas, who use the plane on their Sydney-Los Angeles route.

Of course, a plane this big offers some major logistical challenges to designers, but the airports they visit get their fair share of hassles too.

Los Angeles airport has had to make special arrangements for the superjumbo, including shutting down service roads and halting other aircraft on taxiways when the plane is being positioned. The wingspan of the A380 is so big that it actually intrudes on the safety zone on either side of the tarmac.

When the A380 is ready for takeoff, air traffic controllers make sure their tower is fully staffed, and the plane receives priority over any other traffic. The plane is so big, that when it prepares to take off in bad weather, the tower tries to let it get airborne as soon as possible to prevent its jumbo size from blocking radio transmissions from airport towers.

Still, despite the hassles, the plane is a blessing for an airport suffering from the global decline in air traffic – LAX has lost 650 flights a day, and since airports make money off planes and passengers, having a superjumbo visit your airport is a sure way to make up for some of those losses.

(Via: LA Times Online)

Free flight ploy ends in jail

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Some people will do anything for a free flight. Instead of waiting for the airline to screw up, Arthur David Proskin used a bump by the beverage cart as his ticket to glory … and hopefully anywhere in the continental United States. He used what was probably an accident to shout obscenities at the flight attendant who so egregiously wronged him (hint for the tone-deaf, this is sarcasm) and other passengers.

Well, Proskin has learned that wishes do come true. And you better be careful what you … blah, blah, blah.

The guy’s headed to jail. He hatched his plan on a Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Palm Springs, CA and caused it to be diverted to Midland International Airport. On the ground , the gump was arrested.

“Free” won’t be in this 44-year-old’s vocabulary for another 2 ½ years. A guilty plea back in October made sure of that.

What’s the moral of the story? Since a lot of jails actually charge for room and board (at least here in New York), there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

[Via MSNBC]

Get in on the airfare wars Down Under

by Alison Brick on

You gotta love a little healthy competition.

Airlines to Australia have been caught in a price war, and we’re reaping the rewards. It all started with V Australia whose new flights to the US begin February 27th. Their sales have ended, but Qantas’ sales are still around. But book quickly–their sale ends Monday, January 26th.

Get a Qantas ticket for $880 round-trip to Australia or New Zealand from LA or San Francisco–a fare that’s easily $200 cheaper than normal. Fly to Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane anytime from February 1-September 21. Or fly to Auckland from February 24-September 21. That’s largely their fall and winter, but you can catch good weather at the fringe in Sydney and Melbourne, and even longer up north in Brisbane. And it’s perfect timing for a last-minute trip to Sydney’s Mardi Gras, which is February 14-March 7.

And watch out for more sales from a new competitor in town: Delta. They’ll be starting up non-stop LA-Sydney flights on July 1st. No sales are posted yet, but they’ll probably pop up closer to the start date.

Wacky flight attendant announcements from an airline no longer with us

by Scott Carmichael on

This hilarious collection of cabin announcements was made by Kurt Stecker who recorded them during his time at ATA airlines. The clip is part comedy and part tribute to ATA, which ceased operation on April 2nd 2008.

The end of ATA put 2300 people out of work, and stranded almost 10,000 passengers around the country. Still, it is obvious from the clip that at least one person working with ATA had a great time, as he puts on a fantastic show to entertain his passengers.