Gadling TAKE FIVE: Week of May 17-23

by Jamie Rhein on

This has been a week where deal snagging has been a bit elusive and prices are rising.

For example:

  • Grant noted American Airlines announcement that it will start charging $15 for the first checked bag.
  • Jeffrey gave us details about how we can expect the price of plane tickets to keep going up as the availability of flights go down.
  • Aaron made note of the higher gas prices which could affect some travel plans for drivers this three-day weekend.
  • Iva has been searching in Moscow for things that are cheap without much luck, unless one considers the subway, vodka and symphony tickets.

But, on the bright side, Tynan was hooked up once more with his beloved Aloksak Plastic Bags which can help pack items more tightly so they can fit in those carry-ons. Plus, they are waterproof so things like your camera won’t get ruined. That’s money saving.

Tips for carrying more on a plane

by Jamie Rhein on

Now that American Airlines is opting to charge passengers $15 for the first checked bag, as Grant wrote in his post yesterday, there’s a huge potential of more people taking carry-ons on the plane. Yep, lots of luck finding overhead bin space. I can see a rush to get in line first when a plane is ready for boarding.

Here are some of my ideas for maximizing the carry-on potential if more airlines follow suit and charge for that first bag. I have tried them and they work. I think I was a pack mule in a past life.

1. As, I’ve posted before, this is a good time to pick up a kid if you don’t already have one–get two if you can. I have two for this very reason. Give Mike and Mindy a little backpack for crayons, a coloring book and snacks, and a stuffed animal or a doll to take along if they are so inclined, but remember, if they have a seat that’s been paid for, they get an adult size carry-on. No one said that the passenger has to be able to carry his or her bag onto the plane. Kids’ clothes are small, so that leaves more room for yours. Your child also perfect for carrying that camera bag.

2. Instead of packing that sweater or jacket that you might need when you get to a colder climate, wear it. So what if it’s summer and 98 degrees outside? Don’t let something you can wear take up valuable space.

3. Tie that pair of running shoes onto your carry-on handle. Don’t pack them inside. Just be careful as you’re walking down the airplane’s aisle that they don’t whack people who have already settled into their seats.

4. If you’ve been somewhere and picked up a souvenir item–like an African drum, don’t see it as a carry on. Sure, it’s a carry-on, but it doesn’t really look like one now, does it? I’ve carried an African drum, PLUS a carry on twice. No one said a word each time.

5. For some other packing ideas, check out this photo posted on Flickr by Halley. Particularly, notice the young woman with the pillow in the plaid pillowcase. She’s not getting on a plane, but she has the right idea. Last week someone asked me how to take a pillow along without it taking up space. I suggested this way exactly. I’ve done it and it works.

American Airlines flight loses panel during takeoff, continues to fly to Paris

by Jeffrey White on

American Airlines yesterday released an internal memo in which they comment on a April 20 incident that involved an AA flight that took off from Dallas, promptly lost a “large panel” on the underside of the plane during its initial ascent, and proceeded all the way to Paris, despite both the captain and crew confirming that they knew something was amiss.

Just what was wrong the crew didn’t seem to know until touching down in Paris. And it doesn’t seem that passengers were aware that anything was unusual. Several crew members managed to snap photos of the missing panel after landing, and circulated the shots in e-mails. The photos were attached to the internal member that CNN managed to obtain.

The company issued the statement after receiving upset e-mails from passengers, who stumbled upon pictures of the missing panel on the Internet.

All AA is saying is that it is investigating the matter.

What strange things have been found on planes?


Click the image to read the bizarre story…

Airlines are slowing down to save on fuel costs

by Jeffrey White on

How much can an airline save on fuel costs just flying a little slower?

JetBlue reckons that by adding two minutes to each of its flights, it saves $13.6 million a year. Southwest is now extending most flights from 1 to 3 minutes, and says it will save more than $40 million. Northwest says it saved about $530 by flying 532 mph instead of 542 mph on one recent Paris-Minneapolis flight (that added eight minutes to the journey).

The Associated Press mentions these figures in a piece about how some carriers are choosing to go it a little slower in this era of insane fuel costs. With jet fuel prices up some 73 percent, to $3.54 a gallon, adding a few extra minutes to normal flight schedules is just one of the ways airlines are coping, along with levying higher fuel surcharges and, of course, increasing fare prices.

United is looking at special software to help pilots choose better routes and speeds and says the software could save the company $20 million a year.

Not all airlines say they have adopted a slowdown approach in order to save on fuel costs. American Airlines, for instance, says it wants to maintain the integrity of its schedules, whatever that means.

It doesn’t seem that customers mind too much. Many are surprised to find out that their flight was a tad longer, and they usually agree that a few minutes is not really that big of a deal. Besides, these slight increases in flight times are built into the advertised schedule, along with taxi time and the like, so we probably wouldn’t know it anyway.

American Airlines executive calls Heathrow “a bit of a dump”

by Anna Brones on

I am sure that travelers who experienced the recent Heathrow Airport terminal 5 mess probably had a lot of negative comments to make about it. When flights are canceled and baggage is lost, it’s hard to stay positive. So we complain, and then complain again when our complaints aren’t heard.

When you are a top executive for an airline however, your negative comments regarding an airport are hard to go unnoticed. Such is the case of Don Langford, head of customer services Europe for American Airlines, who recently labeled Heathrow as “the worst of all airports” that American flies to in Europe. That’s right folks, Heathrow is officially “a bit of a dump.”

Langford’s comments come just weeks after American moved most of its London flights from Gatwick to Heathrow. Gauging from Langford’s remarks that Heathrow “is not just bursting at the seams. I think the seams have burst,” consolidating American’s flights to Europe’s busiest airport may not have been the best of decisions.

Heathrow operator BAA responded to Langford’s comments that “We are investing £4 billion over the next five years….. you’ve got to realize that if you are going to invest that kind of money it takes time to put things right.” Let’s hope things get put right real quick.

What strange things have been found on planes?


Click the image to read the bizarre story…