Southwest Airlines Halloween update – looks like someone is having fun!

by Scott Carmichael on

The messages on the Gadling Twitter feed sound like they are all in a secret code, but the only thing I can tell is that someone is having a great time celebrating Halloween with Southwest Airlines!

Apparently the celebration involves golf carts on the tarmac, an airline CEO dressed up as ZZ Top and a Gadling blogger with a yet to be photographed orange pilot suit (I’ve demanded photographic evidence of that!).

Stay tuned to our Twitter feed for updates as the day progresses, and perhaps we’ll catch a glimpse of even more wacky costumes.

Gadling infiltrates Southwest HQ for Halloween

by Grant Martin on

As I’m sitting on WN1540 headed towards Saint Louis, I’m starting to realize just how serious they take Halloween at Southwest Airlines. Sure, I know they’ve always been a little wacky – their blog is called “Nuts about Southwest” after all – but I guess at the core of that fun, outer shell I just expected to see the same old straight-laced corporate abomination.

It took me until about page 12 of “Spirit,” their in-flight magazine, to start to change my mind. On it is the normal letter that Gary Kelly, Southwest’s CEO always writes to the reader and passenger — only the topic of this note is how passionate he and his airline are about Halloween. And at the bottom is a cutout picture of Mr. Kelly dressed up as Gene Simmons from Kiss.

Alright. So maybe when I was invited out to Southwest’s headquarters to help judge the annual Halloween contest I underestimated how strange this could get. Yes, they did ask me to dress up and yes, I do have an orange pilot’s suit in my carry-on. But Gene Simmons? Are you serious?

Well, I guess we’ll see what happens. Throughout the day today I’ll be wandering around Southwest headquarters with Gary, some friends from Jaunted and The Cranky Flier, inspecting some of the decorations and skits that the various departments have prepared and declaring the most outrageous getup as winners.

You can follow along at our Twitter feed with live picture updates, or for those more patient among you, you can probably wait until I return home for the closing post. I have a feeling I’ll be sleeping on the return flights.

Virgin America Delays Start of Service from O’Hare

by Josh Lew on

Virgin America has been flirting with Chicago O’Hare for several months now. The airline had hoped to launch its service in the fall of ’08, but, obviously, that isn’t going to happen. Now Virgin is telling fans that the first take-off from the famously busy airport will be in Spring of next year. Fair enough. It hasn’t been a good year for airlines. Why not back off and wait for calmer skies?

But the delay has nothing to do with economics. At least, that’s what Virgin is saying. Rather, the failure to launch from ORD is due to the high demand for gates at the airport. O’Hare was not able to provide the gates that Virgin wanted because they are already being used. That is not a new scenario for those familiar with the airport. Even hyped and hip airlines like Virgin have to wait in line like everyone else. But don’t fear, jet-setting hipsters of Chicago, Virgin America will be losing its O’Hare cherry soon enough.

Is United’s new door-to-door baggage service worth it?

by Jeffrey White on

United Airlines is betting heavily that you will pay pretty much anything to have a speedier experience at the airport.

Yesterday the legacy carrier announced the start of its new door-to-door baggage shipping service.

Here’s how it works: Customers flying domestically in the Lower 48 can ship their suitcases and what not to their destination. Just leave your luggage at a FedEx or have United pick it up at your home or office. Your stuff will arrive the next day at your destination, be it a hotel, motel or your in-laws’ house.

The cost? $149 one way for flights less than 1,000 miles and $179 for longer flights.

Naturally, what United’s press release doesn’t tell you — but what you’ll quickly find out if you log on to United.com to use this service — is that those prices are per bag.

You can order the service up to 10 days before your departure. There’s convenient luggage tracking on the Web site.

United hopes that customers will see the chief advantage of this: Let somebody else hump your bags, while you simply stroll into the airport with a small carry-on or purse feeling free, unencumbered and satisfied as you walk past that huge line for checked baggage.

But how much is this “freedom” worth to you?

Say you’re flying from Philly to Denver, a flight of more than 1,000 miles. You have two bags to check (a suitcase and skis).

Under United’s basic checked baggage fees, it will cost you (round trip) $30 for that first bag and $100 for that second (starting Nov. 10, United’s fee for a second checked bag is $50 one way). So, $130 in all.

Avail yourself of United’s new door-to-door program and you will pay (again, round trip) $358 per bag, or $716 in all.

Maybe I am looking at this wrong, but that doesn’t even seem like a choice. What do you think?

Is Gadling against Qantas airlines?

by Jeffrey White on

If you’ve been reading Gadling for a while — and we trust you have! — you might have the impression that we’re somewhat down on Qantas, Australia’s major carrier. For a sampling:

  • In March, we covered new, serious safety concerns at the airline
  • In June, we wrote about the airline making its second emergency landing in three days
  • Two days ago, we covered Qantas’ confession to price fixing

I don’t think we’re predisposed against Qantas (personally, I’ve flown the airline a few times and love it). It’s just that the carrier has had a rough year, and things keep happening to its flights.

Take reports yesterday that a Qantas flight from LA to Sydney lost its weather radar capabilities shortly after taking off and was forced to tail an Air New Zealand flight (funny enough, the airline’s chief rival) all the way to Auckland. The ANZ flight led the way and sent back weather reports and headings to the Qantas crew, who were transporting 284 passengers on the 12-hour flight.

That’s just the latest in a series of malfunctions at Qantas that has led to some serious questions about the carrier’s safety standards and the condition of its fleet.

But lest you think that we’re only reporting negative news about Qantas here at Gadling, here’s some news the carrier wants you to know about: It began service on its ultra-luxurious A380 aircraft this week.

The plane’s main claim to fame is a first class section that boasts 14 private suites, each complete with LCD screen TV, a dining table (where you’ll eat an eight-course tasting menu), guest chair and a swivel chair that converts into a bed. Plus, you get your own Akira Isogawa pajamas. Cost per ticket: $25,000.