Bid To Fly The Friendly Skies, Today

The idea of flying the friendly skies in a commercial airplane apparently still has its allure for many. A common dream is to be behind the controls of a jumbo jet, responsible for not just the $100 million aircraft, but also the lives of passengers and crew. Today, one would-be “pilot” will win that incredible experience in a United Airlines simulator training session – if they bid enough award miles.

Put your money away, but get out your United MileagePlus card because the current bid is over 200,000 miles with just one day left to bid.

The high bidder and a guest will fly to Denver on June 1, a day ahead of the training session, with flight, hotel and ground transportation included. Professional instructors will explain how it all works, allow you to pick the airport and weather for your flight and even let you try out the evacuation slide and the slide raft, just in case something should go wrong.

If you win, look forward to a Q & A with airline professionals, learning about safety and emergency procedures, two hours flying time in the flight simulator used to train pilots and a catered lunch.

See more at United Airlines.

[Flickr photo by by curimedia]

TSA PreCheck program to be expanded, details sketchy

The TSA PreCheck program being piloted by The Transportation Security Administration is expanding and will allow some passengers to go through pre-screening then make it through security checkpoints faster at many more airports in 2012. The exact benefits of the program, however, are difficult to define.

“We are pleased to expand this important effort, in collaboration with our airline and airport partners, as we move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more intelligence-driven, risk-based transportation security system,” TSA Administrator John S. Pistole told the Los Angeles Times saying the PreCheck program and a similar effort for international travelers, called Global Entry, will help make the TSA screening process more efficient.

Designed to help TSA focus resources on higher-risk and unknown passengers while expediting the process for lower-risk and known passengers whenever possible, more than 336,000 passengers been screened to date through TSA PreCheck lanes.

Some passengers could qualify for expedited screening through U.S. airport security checkpoints via designated screening lanes. The TSA doesn’t say exactly how the screening differs, citing security reasons but potential benefits may include keeping shoes, belts and light jackets on and keeping a 3-1-1 compliant bag in carry-on luggage. The TSA is quick to point out though that “at no point, however, is this program an entitlement. Passengers are always subject to random, unpredictable screening measures,” on their web site.

Not everyone is eligible for the PreCheck program though. It applies only to members of airline frequent-flier programs who also must first apply with the TSA. If approved, they get a boarding pass with a special barcode signaling TSA workers to let them go through the fast lane.


Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/09/2995938/airport-will-offer-tsas-precheck.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/09/2995938/airport-will-offer-tsas-precheck.html#storylink=cpy

TSA PreCheck is currently operating with American Airlines at airports in Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, and with Delta Air Lines at airports in Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas and Minneapolis. Later this year, US Airways, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines will begin operations.

TSA PreCheck is scheduled to be implemented at the following airports this year:

  • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
  • Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
  • Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
  • Denver International Airport (DEN)
  • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
  • Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
  • Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
  • Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)
  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
  • Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
  • O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
  • Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  • Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
  • Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
  • Portland International Airport (PDX)
  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
  • Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
  • Tampa International Airport (TPA)
  • Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and
  • Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).




Flickr photo by Inha Leex Hale
Graphic via TSA

Turn your phone off when told to – or risk being kicked off your flight

Anyone that has flown knows that the cabin crew will make a big deal about having all passengers turn electronic devices off as soon as the cabin doors are closed. Of course, there are always a couple of people that need a little extra reminding. Then there are of course those passengers that need to make a call that is apparently so important, they’ll ignore all requests to turn their phone off.

A 20 year old man from Colorado fits that profile – and his phone call was so important, that it triggered a fight when he refused to turn his phone off. By the time the fight broke out, the plane had taken off from Charles De Gaulle airport, and four American security agents got involved.

With a disruptive passenger on board, the pilot took no risks, turned the plane around and landed back at the airport where the man was handed over to French police officers.

To make matters worse for this idiot passenger, United Airlines refused to fly him back home, and canceled his ticket. The flight ended up being delayed by almost two hours, causing a considerable inconvenience to everyone on board.
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United Airlines delivers best ever November on-time performance

As much as we love to whine about the airlines, we do still like to give credit where it is due. Such is the case with United Airlines.

In November, United managed to close the month with its best ever on-time performance since the Department Of Transport started asking airlines to report on their results in 1987.

For the month of November, United Airlines achieved a 91% on-time record. On November 26th they even managed to have 96% of their flights depart on time.

This really is an amazing accomplishment, and one that can all be traced back to United Airlines Employees. In January, United started a cash incentive program rewarding all their employees when the airline ranked first among its network peers. A first place is worth $100, and a second place is worth $65. The program is clearly working, because United Airlines employees have already earned $725 each, for a total payout of $28.5 million.

The airline is dealing with a bit of an image problem, so good news like this will probably go down quite well at their Chicago headquarters. Plus, as a United Airlines regular myself, I’d like to thank them for doing their best to get us in the air on time.
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United Airlines bringing 165 call center jobs back home

Here is a bit of feel good news from the travel world – hidden between all the bad news was an announcement from United Airlines that they were going to move 165 call center positions from their International Call Center back to the USA.

The new jobs will be added to their existing centers in Chicago and Honolulu.

This news is great for several reasons – it creates new (and badly needed) jobs here in the US, and it means you can call the call center without having to explain everything twice.

No offense to the hard working people in their International Call Center, but if I’m completely honest, it was always quite the hassle to deal with them, especially if it involved anything a little more complicated than a simple itinerary change.

Of course – with good news also comes some bad news; none of these new workers will be anxiously awaiting your reservations. All the new positions will be used to respond to complaints sent to the airline.

In fact – United Airlines is so tired of people picking up the phone to complain, that as of April 2009, you will no longer be able to call them with your rants, and complaints will only be accepted through email or regular mail.

So much for progress.