Airlines, airports and passengers: nothing but gains this year [INFOGRAPHICS]

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There are a whole lot more of us flying this year: 4.3 percent more, to be exact. That’s the increase in domestic air traffic from September 2009 to September 2010, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In that month, U.S. airlines had 57.3 million passengers, leading to the largest year-over-year gain since September 2007. Meanwhile, international passenger traffic on U.S. flights surged 9.4 percent year over year.

For the first three quarters of 2010, scheduled domestic and international passengers were up 1.5 percent, suggesting that the recovery has gained momentum throughout the year. Domestic passengers gained 1 percent, with international passengers up 5.3 percent. Relative to 2008, though, passenger traffic is off 6.8 percent.

So, who wins? Of course, the airlines have had a relatively fantastic year, especially the worst of them. Delta, considered bottom of the barrel, surged from #3 in September 2009 to #1 in September 2010, with more than 9 million enplaned passengers, up 68.6 percent year over year (but don’t forget that the Northwest merger plays a role in this. Delta‘s also the top dog for the first nine months of the year for the same reason, followed by Southwest, American Airlines and United Airlines.


Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport remains the busiest in the United States by a considerable margin. Close to 32 million passengers passed through in the first nine months of 2010, an increase of 1.1 percent year over year. Atlanta led Chicago O’Hare, which came in second, by more than 9 million passengers so far this year. For the greatest gains, look to Charlotte: it was eighth on the list but posted a growth rate of 6.5 percent YTD.

Las Vegas was the only airport in the top 10 for the first nine months of 2010 to post a year-over-year decline. The number of enplaned passengers dropped by a rather substantial 3.6 percent year over year, hardly surprising given the fact that the Las Vegas tourism business has been slammed by the recession. Also, outbound traffic from Las Vegas is likely constrained by the local economy, which has been battered pretty badly (as real estate prices indicate).


Even though the number of passengers increased for airlines and airports, the number of flights operated slipped 1.2 percent from the first nine months of 2009 to the first nine months of 2010. Likely, the airlines were tightening up their flights, making better use of available seats and cutting expenses.

[photo by Yaisog Bonegnasher via Flickr]

Federal judge will decide on your right to relax, not airlines

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Nobody likes it when the passenger in front of him reclines. I can’t fathom any circumstance in which having the person’s seatback on your lap is enjoyable. I have numerous tactics I use to prevent the person in front of me from reclining, and I suspect I’m not alone (in fairness to the person behind me, I rarely recline, and if I do, it’s never more than half way).

So, when you drive your knees into the seatback in front of you, are you being an unreasonable and impolite … or are you depriving the passenger in front of you of his right to recline?

It looks like the answer will come from the U.S. District Court of Colorado.

On an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Denver, two passengers got into a rather heated argument over this right (or privilege) to recline. CNN reports:

As Brian Dougal leaned back on the Denver-bound flight late last month, he felt someone bump his seat, according to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Colorado.

“Are you serious? My knees are up against the seat,” said the man behind him, identified as Tomislav Zelenovic, according to the complaint.

Dougal suggested that Zelenovic also recline, slide into an empty seat next to him or move his legs to the side. Dougal told the man in 10C that he paid for his seat and was going to recline it.

Zelenovic then shook the back of Dougal’s seat and grabbed his right ear, pulling it back and down with enough force to knock Dougal’s glasses off his face, according to the complaint.

Okay, that is hard core. The cops were waiting for Zelenovic on the ground, and he was charged with assault (he’s pleading not guilty).

Yeah, this behavior is nothing short of absurd, but it does speak to the fundamental issue of whether we should (or should) be able to recline. Frankly, this debacle makes Michael O’Leary look like a genius. After all, you can’t recline if you can’t even sit down, right?

Hey, how do you feel about reclining? Drop a comment below to share your thoughts.

[photo by Andrew Mason via Flickr]

Inside Virgin America’s mid-continent arrival

by Stephen Greenwood on

I don’t think I actually understood the implications of Virgin America’s launch into “fortress-hub” Dallas/Fort Worth until we touched down on the tarmac.

As we taxied to our gate, I could see nothing but a endless row of silver fuselages; all adorned with the iconic blue & red “AA” logo. It felt almost as if we were silently making our way through the front gates of a modern-day Troy.

The only difference, of course, was that this Trojan horse was bright red, equipped with mood lighting, and ready to be received by a cheering crowd of residents, city officials, and the rebel billionaire himself, Sir Richard Branson. To top it off, the tarmac was host to a pen of live bulls, tent with cocktail service, and full fledged Texan barbecue – the type of spectacle I’ve come to know, love, and anticipate when Virgin wants to catch people’s attention.

And it certainly seems as if American has already taken notice. In the weeks leading up to the launch, the legacy carrier lowered fares by 20% and offered double frequent flyer miles aboard Dallas-San Francisco and Dallas-Los Angeles routes.

DFW Public Affairs Manager, David Magaña, also mentioned that American hasn’t been able to stop talking about Virgin’s arrival preceding the event, as it signifies the first of several low-cost carriers that will be entering the Dallas market in 2011. While this loosens American’s 85% share of flights from the hub, it spurs competition and ultimately lower fares for passengers.Virgin America’s first mid-continent destination comes at a good moment in the airline’s young story. They posted their first quarterly net profit (as opposed to operating profit) in Q3 of 2010 and were rated top domestic airline for the third year running in the 2010 Zagat Global Airline Survey. At this year’s Farnborough Air Show, they announced plans to more than double their fleet with a purchase of 40 new Airbus A320’s. Now, with their entrance into Dallas consummated, they’ve shown that they’re ready to make their presence tangible and (thankfully) shake thing up a bit.


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However, to make a significant impact, they’ll have to add more flights. At the moment, Virgin America will offer two daily nonstop flights between DFW and Los Angeles, and two to San Francisco. Although it plans to add a third on each route, it would require significantly more options to directly compete with the hundreds of flights per day that American and American Eagle offer.

“It signifies a second stage for the company. We knew eventually that we’d be going into the middle of the country but now seemed the right time since we’ve blanketed most of the coasts. So this is the second stage of our network development.” Virgin America CEO David Cush said in an interview on the flight.

He also emphasized the company’s dedication with hiring “creative, smart, risk-tolerant people who are willing to go out and push the envelope.” as they grow, and that they’re “not sitting back”, but pursuing the development of a “new in-flight experience” that could be ready as soon as 2012.

The night proceeded to unfold in Dallas’s emerging and surprisingly modern downtown arts district with an intimate performance by activist & music icon, Willie Nelson. Following Nelson’s recent arrest for possession of marijuana, Branson donned a shirt that read “Free Willie” and cheekily quipped that the 77-year old musician looked good after “losing six ounces”.

In partnership with nonprofit foundation Stand Up To Cancer, Virgin transformed the Winspear Opera House into a glowing red hub of its own; filled with Dallas’s elite and hundreds of donors that had gathered friends for Stand Up To Cancer’s cause.

It was an impressive occasion that only an airline leveraging Branson’s magic could pull together, and one that sent a clear signal to the rest of Dallas. Virgin America has entered the mid-continent rodeo, and is ready to take the legacy bulls by their horns.

For more information, check out Virgin America’s introductory fares and schedules right here.

Are airlines bad for your health? Five perspectives on plane food

by Tom Johansmeyer on


Lately, it seems like the easiest way to lose weight is to fly regularly. There isn’t much to munch on in the skies, as airlines have cut back on just about anything that looks like an amenity. Fatty foods have been replaced by none at all, which is great for your waistline, right?

It turns out that you can still pork up on a plane, even if you think the dismal state of customer service leaves you with a barf bag and nothing to expel into it. DietDetective.com has done a bit of digging and rated the airlines with “Health Scores” to reflect the quality of their high-flying fare.

Even at 35,000 feet, the mighty have fallen. According to Charles Stuart Platkin, PhD, MPH, public health advocate, editor of DietDetective.com and visiting assistant professor at CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, “This year United provided the ‘healthiest” choices in the sky, while Continental had a fall from grace, US Airways received the lowest rating, and Virgin America and Delta were the least cooperative (and also received a low health rating).”

So, let’s take a look at five airlines and what makes them good for you … or not:1. United Airlines
United Airlines finally has something to celebrate: its grub. According to DietDetective.com, you can score a Tapas snack box on flights of two hours or longer – in fact, it’s the top seller. If your flight stretches to more than three hours, “United has a plethora of choices, but I really like the Turkey sandwich at 600 calories including the sauce and chips — skip those if you want to save the calories,” notes Platkin.

Finally, a reason to fly United!

2. JetBlue
It isn’t surprising to see JetBlue on the list, as it’s a perpetual high scorer in terms of customer service. The airline that treats you like a human being, it seems, also believes in feeding you like one. But, DietDetective.com warns you not to take advantage of the largess the airline provides: “Try to stick with no more than one snack. Just because they offer more doesn’t mean you have to take them, especially if you’re not hungry.”

Moral of the story: don’t let kindness turn you tubby.

3. American Airlines
The service may suck – the American Airlines flight attendants were singled out in a recent study of the worst airlines in the United States – but the “Boston Market Chicken Caesar Salad with chips and dressing is a pretty good meal choice.” If you go with the Cheese & Cracker Snack Tray, DietDetective.com advises, “[j]ust skip the cracker packages.

Oh, and steer clear of the beverage cart!

4. Delta Air Lines
Is it any shock that the worst airline in the United States was also the least cooperative with DietDetective.com? The company notes that Delta wasn’t helpful at all in providing nutritional information, adding, “I had to contact them repeatedly – they are back to their old ways.” You can do pretty well with the food, though: “Delta’s individual snack choices are not very good, but their meal choices on longer flights are reasonably healthy. Still, they can do much better.”

Warning: “Skip the turkey, egg salad and Canadian bacon croissant at all costs.”

5. Continental Airlines
There isn’t much here to celebrate, according to DietDetective.com. Go with the almonds, as “it’s really the only snack choice that has any nutritional value.” If you’re at a loss for other options, Platkin says that “if I had to choose, the Savory is probably the best — just watch that fruit-and-nut mix. In terms of meals, for breakfast, the yogurt is not too bad. For lunch or dinner, the Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad is the obvious best choice so long as you watch the dressing — that could put it over the top.”

Who cares? This is moot, of course, as a result of the merger with United.

[photo by WordRidden via Flickr]

American Airlines launches promotions to compete with new Virgin America route at DFW

by McLean Robbins on

Move over, American – there’s a new dog and pony show in town. American Airlines has launched a new promotional series they propose will “surprise and delight customers” who fly between their hub at Dallas/Fort Worth and LAX or SFO between now and February 28, 2011.

Cooincidentally, this promotion comes just as Virgin America begins competing service to the same two cities. Still, we’re never one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Take advantage of American’s AAdvantage® program when flying these nonstop routes and gain double elite qualifying miles and double flight miles.

To qualify, passengers must register prior to travel and use promotion code LASF2.

Additionally, between December 1 and 15, American will introduce a ’15 Days of Giveaways’ promotion where customers on several mystery flights a day between DFW and LAX or between DFW and SFO will be selected to receive complimentary giveaway items including Avis Rent A Car coupons, movie passes to see the new film “The Fighter”, Admirals Club one day passes, 5,000 AAdvantage miles an AA Vacations $100 coupon and more.

[Flickr image via CaptnBrando]