Yes, I Paid For A Checked Bag

About 5 year ago, airlines were desperate to raise revenue in the face of fuel prices. In this desperation, some airline executive came up with the idea to start charging for the 1st checked bag. For decades, the 1st checked bag was included in the price of your ticket.

Since I have started flying more often, I have avoided paying for a checked bag. Either I flew an airline like Southwest Airlines that still does not charge for checking baggage, used an airline credit card to purchase my ticket that gave me a free bag or stuffed all my clothes into a carry-on bag. I was determined to do anything possible to avoid giving the airline more money.

Well last night, I finally lost and gave $25 to check a bag on my United flight. My family graciously gifted me tons of clothes and gear for my upcoming trip to Antarctica. These gifts made it difficult to travel home with a checked bag. I need these clothes in a few months time, so they needed to come home to DC with me.

My options of getting this gear to DC were limited:

• A few months ago, I cancelled my Chase United card eliminating my ability to get a free check bag. 
• I don't have elite status with United ie no free checked ag
• Southwest would have been free, but 3+ hour trip home after landing
• Sending by postal was not an ideal option. I dreaded finding a proper sized box, packing my stuff up, driving to the postal office, waiting in line at the post office, paying $X, waiting a week for my package to arrive at my office, and dragging it home after work one day.    

Therefore, United got $25 out of me. Sometimes, you just have to pay the man!


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Chinese Travel Sites Blocking Malaysian Airlines

The International Business Times is reporting that the top Chinese travel websites have joined a boycott of Malaysian Airlines. 

"Several of China’s largest online ticketing and travel booking portals have joined the public outrage, announcing the refusal to issue tickets using Malaysia Airlines, and instead, allowing customers to book flights to the Southeast Asian nation through other Chinese airlines. Agencies like eLong, LY.com, Qunar and Mango, which are some of China’s most popular travel websites, say that their new Malaysia Airlines-free services will last indefinitely."

I understand the outrage in China, but this is a major step by travel websites which could result in further problems between China and Malaysia. The websites' decision to ban Malaysian Airlines is a direct result of to current public outrage. 

"The online response to the ticketing ban and refunds has been very positive among users, which can often be an appropriate gauge of a company, brand or person’s public perception. “This is the solidarity we need. They [Malaysian Airlines] need to be accountable to all of us,” one person said, reposting the statement by eLong."

The question is how long will these websites continue the ban. Is this indefinite? My guess is the ban will last for a month to a few months. Not all travel booking sites are joining the ban. One of them is Ctrip, one of China's leading travel websites. Eventually, the money lost in Malaysian Airline sales will override the public pressure and you will be able to buy Malaysian tickets on sites again.
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United Follows Southwest's Lead

United announced earlier this week that starting in April that Apple-product users will be allowed to stream free tv shows and movies.

Photo Credit: United HUB

According to FOX Business News, "The personal device entertainment system will be available on select aircrafts in April and allows users to choose from more than 150 movies and nearly 200 TV shows free of charge on their own devices. The rollout will begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and some 777-200 aircrafts, according to United’s website. Most domestic aircraft will have the system by year’s end." The system will work off of United's iOS application and its laptop browser. Wifi is not needed to download the app or broswer plug-in. 

Photo Credit: United HUB

United's personal device entertainment system is very similar to Southwest's system, which I reviewed here. There are two diffrence at the moment. First,  United's TV shows and movies are free and Southwest's charges. Second, Southwest has free live TV and United doesn't. Either way, this is the right direction for United. Unfortunately, this new advancement does not help me. I am an Andriod user. Hopefully they develop an Android application soon.

Either way, charge your devices before getting on the plane. 

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Is It Cool To Ask Out A Flight Attendant?

Fox News takes a stab at one of the most off the wall travel question: Is It Cool To Ask Out A Flight Attendant?

Honestly, I have though about doing this once or twice, but I never did. According to the article, "Delta, Southwest, United and American Airlines and each carrier said that they have no policy preventing flight attendants from fraternizing with passengers."

With knowing that flight attendants can date passengers, the article moves on to asking flight attendants if they want/have engaged in passengers.

Melissa, a flight attendant who used to blog here says, "It can be a hassle. If a crew member responds to a passenger flirting it can create a situation where that passenger is perhaps 'too' comfortable. They start sitting on our jump seats, helping themselves to the bar, and hanging around in the galley.”

While former flight attendant, Cheryl Harden says:

“good looks definitely help because flight attendants don’t have a lot of time to talk. But if you’re clever, you can still find ways to catch a flight attendant’s attention.”

But the bigger question is if you have the guts to ask out an attendant, how should one?

The flight attendant interview for the article provided some suggestions:

    1) Be Discreet. Approach them in the galley, not at your seat.

    2) Be Cleaver. You need to catch her/his attention. 

    3) Give Your Number. 

    4) Don't ask 30 minutes Before Landing. They have things to do.

    5) Don't Ask Where The Crew Hotel.

    6) Don't Hit The Call Button Constantly To Get Their Attention 

Have you every ask out a flight attendant? Do you have the guts to do it?
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Why I Support Child-Free Sections & Flights on Airplanes

We have all been there. You settle into your seat, pull out your book/tablet/eye shades, and you start looking around at your fellow passengers. Its inevitable that you will make eye contact with it. Doesn't matter when, where you are traveling to or even which airline that you fly on, there is always at least one present. What am I talking about? Children. Little Children!

WSJ Online

Let me say that I am not anti-children. I respect people's decisions to have children. AND I respect their right to fly with their children. My beef starts when parents can not control their children during the flight. I am not talking about a kid crying during take-off or landing. These are scary times. Some adults even have problems during takeoffs and landings. Also, the change in pressure on a child's ears is greatest at these times. My problem is with the child or children that cry, scream, kick the back of the seat or don't follow crew member instruction throughout the ENTIRE flight. Maybe my beef isn't with the child, but the parent that can't control his/her child.

Many will argue that when a child is fussy there is sometimes nothing a parent can do to calm down a child. As I am not a parent, I can't attest if this is true or not. However, parents need to make the decision before booking flights if their child is ready to fly. Not ever trip is essential to make. If your child can't take an hour trip in the car without crying, why would you put them on a plane for 4 hours?

This post isn't about bashing parents with children. Rather a discussion about being a twenty something annoyed with having to fly with out-of-control kids. What if airlines had sections of the planes that had age limits ie only those 12+ can sit there?

Age restricted seating is becoming a trend in Asian based airlines. The Telegraph, of the UK, reports that budget airline, Scoot Airlines, has created a child free cabin:

"Passengers flying with Scoot Airlines can be upgraded to the 41-seat “ScootinSilence” cabin in rows 21 to 25 for S$18 (£9), where children under the age of 12 are banned from sitting.

The child-free cabin offers more legroom than the rear section of the aircraft, with a 35-inch seat pitch, four inches more than in economy class.

The budget arm of Singapore Airlines is the latest carrier to introduce a child-free zone on planes."

I would definitely pay extra to sit in this cabin on certain fights.  If a flight is under two hours, I would not pay the extra money. I can handle a screaming child for 2 hours. Anything more than that might test my patience; therefore, paying extra money might be worth it. Flying is a peaceful time for me. A screaming child ruins my peace and makes the flight much more difficult.

My distaste for unruly children is supported by others. The article cites a 2013 British survey that indicated "unruly children remain the biggest in-flight annoyance for the majority of travellers – ahead of drunken passengers, surly cabin crew and over-talkative neighbours" A quick poll of 10 friends had 50% of them say the same thing. Yes, my survey was skewed. None of those survived have kids.

Will American based airlines follow the trend? My guess is yes! When there is extra money to be made the US airlines will find a way to take advantage.  I wouldn't be surprised if some airline takes it to the next level and have entire flights restricted to those under 12. The question is can an airline sell out a flight out without children allowed on it. My guess is on some routes is yes. In the United States, I could imagine the shuttle flights between DC, New York or Boston being prime candidates for age restrictions due to the high number of business travelers that fly those routes. The other question is it legal?

Children-free zones or flights are a win-win for parents and non-parents alike. Why you might ask?  For those without children, children free zones/flights give them an option for a peaceful flight at an additional price. On the other hand, parents flying with children won't have to deal with as many dirty looks, sneers or angry fellow flyers because those flyers likely to give those will opt to pay for seats in the children free zones/fights. Almost a Win-Win.

Yes, I have these feelings now about children, because I don't have them. However, karma has its way of kicking you in the butt. So rest assured, IF I have children, mine will be the one screaming in the back of the plane and then I will be the one getting the dirty looks from twenty-somethings. 

oh, Karma!

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Don't Believe the Hype - Airfares Aren't Going Up

When the first rumblings of the merger between US Airways and American Airlines began many in the media, and even some in the travel blogging world, worried that prices would skyrocket. The prevailing argument was that as the number of airlines decreased, the prices of flights would increase because of a lack of competition. In fact an article in today's Wall Street Journal that popped up after I had already written the first draft of this article argued that mergers are bad for frequent flyers.

But I completely disagree with that notion. From 2000-2013 there have been 12 major airline mergers and acquisitions and many other small companies that have joined forces. This includes major mergers like American Airlines and TWA, US Airways and America West, Delta and Northwest and, of course, Continental and United. So the natural reaction would be that over the past 12 years the prices of airline tickets have continued to climb over and over to the highest levels out there. But that's simply not true.

A study from the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics Research and Innovative Technology Administration (say that three times fast) has found that airfare in the United States decreased by an average of 16.7 percent from 2000-2012 and 0.2 percent from 2011-2012. The average airfare in 2000 was $449 and in 2012 it was $374 in 2012 dollars. The observation was domestic round-trip itineraries and it included the total price of the ticket, including all taxes and fees.

The study also focused on the prices for the top 100 airports in the United States and it found that only 14 out of 100 airports saw an actual increase in prices from 2000 to 2012. The most shocking of those airports was Dallas Love Field and Chicago Midway, which saw an 8.6 and 4.4 percent increase in prices respectively. What is unique about these airports is that they are dominated by Southwest, which is know as one of the leading low cost carriers. I don't know that this necessarily means that Southwest is increasing their prices overall, but there could be an argument that in this case the lack of competition did result in increased prices.

But for the remaining 86 airports, they all saw a decrease in prices. The range was -0.3 decrease for Sacramento to a -47.5 decrease for Atlantic City.

I believe that this runs counter to the idea that airline mergers automatically mean an increase in airfare. The fact still stands that there are major airlines competing with each other. How many times a week do we see fare wars between the major carriers and the lower cost carriers trying to undercut them all, while offering their own levels of service.

The fact is travelers have started to adapt to the airline market that they live in. You will find that most people who are "average travelers" are alright sticking with their low cost carrier and could not care less if they have to take Southwest, Spirit or Frontier. People that fly more often may also prefer a low cost carrier, but most are quite loyal and would rather build up their loyalty with a legacy carrier who offers a few more perks. The economic preferences of travelers truly comes out in these situations. It is to the benefit of airlines to charge less for their flights to get the traveler who will pay for the cheapest ticket they can find and also attract the business traveler or savvy traveler who builds loyalty to get them on board as well.

But I think the bigger message for fliers of American Airlines and US Air is that they shouldn't worry about higher prices. There is a chance of course that I could be wrong, but the data over the past 12 years seems to disagree. We also have to remember that just 12....yes 12 out of nearly 900...routes overlap for US and AA. This means that they are not going to have to consolidate routes or try to compete against each other. The service levels can remain mostly the same with a few tweaks to get rid of old routes that went through old hubs that are covered in other areas.

The greater proof in the pudding is the data from United/Continental hubs over the past 12 years which saw the following changes in airfare:

Continental Hubs 

Cleveland                   -0.5 percent
Houston                     -6.3 percent
Newark                      -19.9 percent

United Hubs

Denver                       -42.0 percent
Washington Dulles    -23.6 percent
Los Angeles              -13.5 percent
Chicago O'Hare        -27.6 percent
San Francisco           -29.9 percent

The total reduction works out to an average of -20.41 percent.

There is a need to be worried about airline consolidation and there have been cases of price increases in the recent future as airlines try to compete in new markets and fly as efficiently as possible.  We know that if the industry continues to merge and we end up with only a few airlines airlines there will be a monopoly on prices, but right now there is nothing to worry about as the long-term trend is still on the side of the flyer.
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Forget About That Pajama Photo in This Airline Bathroom

While bathrooms in premium cabins of aircraft are getting upgrades to include self flushing mechanisms, room for toiletries and enough space to actually have a bench to sit down and give you enough room to change your clothes in...the bathrooms in the back of the plane are getting smaller and smaller.

An article published this week in the Wall Street Journal highlighted the recent battle between the different companies who make airline toilets, which seems like a very lucrative business, are fighting to flush the competition (sorry, had to do it...) with smaller and smaller bathrooms to help airlines fit in more and more seats.

The most recent change was on the new series of 737s that will be coming out soon that will feature a bathroom that is slightly smaller than 3 feet by 3 feet. The smaller toilet and better use of space behind the sink for storage will give airlines the ability to add a few more seats. Delta is taking advantage of this and putting on four more seats to bring their total to 180 passengers on that aircraft.

So as airlines figure out how to fill those planes to the brim and fly smaller and smaller equipment on longer routes that bathroom is getting even smaller. But just be thankful...as the author of the Journal article reminds us...the FAA doesn't actually require an airline to have a restroom on the plane...so lets just be thankful they have one!


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Chris' Newbie Airline of Choice

Important Note: JD and I may talk about the loyalty credit card for our particular airline and hotel in these posts. Credit card sign-up bonuses are an important part of the “game.” Any credit card links in this post will be public application links taken from the issuer's direct website. We do not earn income from you applying from the links. Similarly, please take an extra minute or two before applying for credit cards. If you do not pay your credit card balance off every month then you should stay away from this aspect of the game. Credit cards can lead to major long-term problems if not used correctly. I encourage you to read JD's post on Young People and the Chains of Credit Card Debt for more details. 

Alright it's time to keep this throw down going. JD made some valid points and got a few nods from the judges...but now it's my turn to lay the hammer down. (Stop: Hammer Time? Sorry sorry I digress). 

My newbie airline of choice, and my personal airline of choice, is......United Airlines! 

I miss the Dreamliner 

As you might know United's frequent flyer program is known as MileagePlus and United as an airline is a member of the Star Alliance. When you accumulate United MileagePlus miles you can use them to over 370 destinations worldwide on United or one of their 26 partner airlines. The hubs for United include: Newark's Liberty International Airport, Houston, Cleveland, Denver, Washington Dulles, Los Angeles, Chicago O'Hare and San Francisco. 

Image Via United Airlines 

The wide range in hubs gives United the edge over US Airways, though post merger with American this will change a bit, but for now it offers tons of different choices all over the country. With most flights on US Airways you know you will have to go through one of three locations, with United your options will be much more abundant and should offer more choices in comparison. 

You can access award travel within the continental United States, Canada and Alaska for 12,500 miles each-way in economy and 50,000 miles to Europe in business. I know this is more than US Airways, but what I believe is an advantage is that you can use your miles for a one-way trip. If you only have enough miles for half of the award, you can book half of the award. With US Airways you are stuck until you have enough to get that 110,000 miles to get to Africa via US Airways. With their current credit card sign up bonus and no Grand Slam promotion to earn valuable miles quickly....United is gaining the edge here. 

As with US Airways you can currently use your United miles on any of their Star Alliance partners. I have used United miles to book flights on Lufthansa in the past and in July we will be using our miles to experience the great service on Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines. When US Airways moves to the oneworld alliance they will still have some great redemption options, but I don't think they are quite up to the level of Star Alliance. Especially with the availability in Asia and the South Pacific that Star Alliance has. United wins on this one here in my book as well. 

Like US Airways, United has the option to earn a decent sign up bonus via their MileagePlus Explorer credit card. The current offer is to earn 30,000 MileagePlus points for $1000 in spending during the first three months. The annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year. This card has had much better sign up bonuses in the past, but I have no idea what will happen in the future...but for all of our sakes I hope it goes back up! Where I think the MileagePlus card has the most value if you are a casual traveler is in the benefits. Your first checked bag is free, which is nice if you have to pack a little bit more. Also you are able to have Priority Boarding privileges in Group 2. That's in the same group as me as a Premier Silver and Premier Gold members. You also get two passes a year to the United Club which is a great way to try out the airline club lifestyle without committing to the fee for a full year membership. 

United also has many of the same other ways to earn extra miles that are equivalent to US Airways, like shopping portals and dining rewards so that's a push in my opinion. 

But where I think United has the edge is from the same exact position that JD uses to justify US Airways...the future. United had some growing pains during their merger with Continental and I understand why some long time fliers are angry at them. But they seem to be getting the kinks out and starting to integrate in better ways which is making for a much better airline. US Airways is going to go through those same growing pains (in different ways, of course) when they merge with American Airlines. What this means, we don't really know, but for now I would rather take the airline that is clear of mergers and is finally getting their feet again. That and for the most part the people at United are very nice. There are a few bad apples, as is to be expected, but for the most part their employees are awesome. Though to become a truly awesome airline they HAVE to be better at social media. 

United has been my favorite airline for years now, and was the first one I ever focused on as my only airline giving me the first opportunity to earn status. The earning options, route networks and partner availabilities make them my newbie airline of choice. Plus...when your airline theme song is Rhapsody in Blue...can you really go wrong? 

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WSJ: At Star, Carrier Rivalry Heats Up

The Wall Street Journal has a very interesting inside look at the competition between Star Alliance Members Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa which is very quickly heating up, despite their alliance ties.

Turkish officials are pushing their airline to quickly compete with Lufthansa on many of their Europe and Asia routes and have seen good growth over the past few years. Give it a read and let me know what you think!