The Flying Critic

United Will Still Give Free Meals on Transatlantic Flights

With no other airlines following United's fee mania plan of dropping free meals to coach passengers on some transatlantic flights, United decided to stop their new program before it even started.  Here is the open letter United just sent out announcing their revised plan:

Policy announcement: meal service on flights to Europe

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your direct, candid feedback on the test we had planned to launch in the fourth quarter for food choices on some of our flights. We heard you and have decided not to move forward with the test of offering customers buy-on-board options in United Economy on certain trans-Atlantic flights. We will continue to offer complimentary hot meals on those flights.

The response from you and many of our corporate customers, even before we launched the test, told us what we would have undoubtedly learned had we proceeded - you value our hot meal service in economy class for international flights.

In this environment, where higher costs driven by volatile fuel prices are now the norm, we must continue to tailor products and services so that we provide you with choices and competitive fares. As such, we will continue to be proactive in testing new ideas.

On October 1, we will proceed with the test of new, complimentary options for United Business customers on three-cabin aircraft used for domestic routes, which represents 16 daily flights. Customers on these flights will receive complimentary fresh sandwiches, salads, breakfast, snack boxes or snacks, depending on the length of flight and time of departure. They will also continue to enjoy complimentary beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails. We will evaluate the results and determine next steps by the end of the year.

It's also important to note that full meals will still be served on our p.s. transcontinental flights.

Thank you again for your feedback. We will continue to listen and make changes that enable us in this environment to provide you with the choices you value.

Sincerely,

Graham Atkinson
Chief Customer Officer

Ted's Revenge (or how United is making a HUGE mistake)

An upcoming major announcement by United leaked yesterday.  It comes from a flight attendant newsletter and details some major changes to United's on-board meal services.

You might think of it as the return of Ted.  Or at least Ted's Revenge.

No more hot meals in 3-cabin business class on domestic routes.  That means if you fly LAX-IAD-FCO-IAD-LAX in business class for ~10 grand you can look forward to the same buy-on-board box that the economy passangers can buy.  But you get your drinks for free.  So it's still good service.  Right?  :(

Speaking of service.  The other major thing you might not notice is that United is dropping their flight attendant staffing levels down to FAA minimums and/or other lower levels because of the reduced meal service because of the buy-on-board services.  Expect frustraited flight attendants and slower service.

They are also dropping free meals in economy on many international routes and charging more for the buy-on-board and other food offerings.

This screams of desperation by United.  And they are desperate.  All of the airlines are.  But this seems like a major tactical error by United.  So much for United's premium international service advertising campaign that they've been spending big bucks on during the Olympics.

I'm not alone.  Cranky Flier posts most of the leak on his blog and he just gave United a Cranky Jackass Award in response.  One Mile at a Time thinks this may be the end of United (at least if they can't get new management).  View from the Wing worries that Mileage Plus might be next.

Airlines are Wrong to Devalue Frequent Flyer Programs

US Airways stopped awarding a minimum of 500 miles on short flights in May.  United starts today.  Most of the airlines recently added, or are adding, new fees for booking award tickets.  US Airways shocked their elites a few weeks ago by announcing the end of the elite mileage bonuses that gave very frequent flyers double miles for all flights.

The airlines are making a mistake devaluing their loyalty programs.

Instead of alienating their frequent and loyal customers by removing benefits and resorting to nickel and diming the airlines should be using their frequent flyer programs to create new, and maximize existing, customer loyalty.

We all know the airlines are in trouble.  Their previous business plans do not work with $130+ oil.  Oil now costs more than most leisure travelers are used to spending for their entire tickets.  And don’t forget labor and overhead.  The airlines are bleeding to death with costs far exceeding their revenue.  They can not survive without change. 

Ticket prices need to go up, way up.  Route frequencies and capacity need to drop. 

Make people feel like they are getting more for their money through increased frequent flyer program benefits and the higher fares and reduced routes will be easier to swallow.  Keep cutting frequent flyer benefits and customers will not be able to continue justify paying a premium to stay loyal to their primary airline.

Can't We All Just Get Along? - Daily Travel Photo

At the San Diego Zoo.

Skywest Flight Attendants Rock

Skywest is my favorite regional carrier.  They provide regional service for United, Delta, and Midwest.  Their flight attendants consistently provide friendly and helpful service. I'm not saying every Skywest flight exceeds my expectations.  But they usually provide good to great service.  And sometimes they blow me away.  Like on two of my Skywest flights this last week:

1. On a completely full PHX-LAX flight (~1 hour) last week the flight attendant did two full drink cart runs in addition to a coffee run. 

2. On a 15 minute LAX-OXR flight the flight attendant announced:

"This is not a scheduled drink service flight but because there are only 6 of you I will be happy to offer you the beverage of your choice before we start our descent."

So I got a diet coke during the 3-4 minutes between the climb out of LAX and the descent to Oxnard:

United Gives Away Soda to Delayed Passengers

United's afternoon flight from SFO to JFK was delayed over three hours on Tuesday.  How did United treat their customers impacted by this delay?  The put buckets of ice and cases of soda on the gate counter for customers to take for free.  Contrast this with the announcement yesterday that US Airways will charge their customers $2 for a soda on the plane.  Good job United.  Little things like giving away soda during a delay helps keep people rational and also improves brand loyalty.

US Airways to Charge $2 for Water, Soda, Coffee, and Juice

US Airways just announced the end of free beverages on their flights:

After August 1, 2008, non-alcoholic beverages will cost $2 and alcoholic beverages will cost $7. Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided free of charge for unaccompanied minors. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be complimentary for all passengers on US Airways Shuttle and transatlantic flights.

Someone needs to remind US Airways that the reason people are okay with the European low cost carriers charging for water and soda is that they actually sell their tickets for a low cost. 

 

A Comfortable Delay on United Airlines Because of a Great Crew

United just exceeded my expectations on how an airline should handle delays.  Other airlines (and even other United employees) should take note.

Yesterday I flew on a morning flight from JFK to LAX on United's p.s. (Premium Service) in business class.  The weather in JFK was bad.  We were 40 in line for takeoff. 

As soon as we got on a non-active taxi lane where many other airplanes were waiting with their engines off the captain announced our position in line, turned off the engines, fully explained the delay, and told us that we should expect to wait about an hour.

Then he went the extra mile to try and make the best out of the delay.

He told people it was okay to use their phones and electronics and also to go to the lavatory.

The flight attendants started a movie.

And the captain opened the cockpit door and invited everyone to visit the cockpit and chat during the wait until we had to get moving again.

I chatted with the captain and first officer for a few minutes and they were very friendly and eager to show me around the flight deck and discuss the industry and their job.  They were a class act.  True ambassadors for United Airlines and pilots in general.

Sure the delay was inconvenient.  But this United Airlines crew went the extra mile to make their customers comfortable.  Just a little extra effort by the crew made a big difference.  They deserve a big thumbs up (and recognition here at The Flying Critic).  Thank you!

Travel Tip: Learn the local customs and etiquette of foreign countries before you go

You don't want to embarrass yourself or ruin a deal in a foreign country because you made the wrong gesture or broke an important social custom.

The Eclectic Rebel Travel Blog and Directory just posted an informative article on International Body Language, Gestures & Manners:

Knowing what gestures and body language mean in foreign countries can mean the difference between making friends and getting beaten up and it’s all too easy to make mistakes.

And a good starting point for useful tips on business customs and etiquette for many countries is the Executive Planet Wiki.   Spending a few minutes reviewing the social and business customs before travel is time well spent.

Aloha Airlines Cargo shuts down - Hawaii loses 85% of its interisland air cargo capacity

Yesterday, bankrupt Aloha Airlines abruptly shutdown its interisland air cargo business. The air cargo business was profitable but GMCA Commercial Finance cut off Aloha's financing which triggered the shutdown.  Aloha Airlines cargo business transported 85% of the air freight between the different airlines. The Honolulu Advertiser said:

The shutdown means the loss of 300 jobs and the end of a business that handled more than 100 million pounds of cargo each year — about 85 percent of all goods flown between O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands.

That is a huge loss in capacity.  Why would GMAC pull the financing if it was a profitable operation?  Take your pick: high fuel or the current credit environment.  Or both. 

Regardless of the reason, I think this is too much of a loss of capacity on a profitable business for someone to not step in and add a new cargo service between the islands.  Let's hope for our Hawaiian friends that this massive drop in capacity is replaced quickly and doesn't hurt local businesses too bad.

Daily Travel Photo: The devil face taxi receipt from an angry cab driver in Las Vegas

During a visit to Las Vegas last year my cab driver was in a pissy mood.  I asked him why and he said his last fare gave him a 30 cent tip on a $9.70 meter to make an even $10 and then asked for a receipt.  So he wrote her a receipt.  On a napkin.  With a frowning devil face. He said she threw it back at him.  He cheered up a bit after I asked if I could take a picture of it:

Updates on the Lonely Planet controversy: was it really one at all?

Gadling, where a few Lonely Planet authors blog, has been following the Lonely Planet controversy.  It's starting to look like this was just a publicity stunt for the unethical authors new book.  Boo on him.

See also Lonely Planet's updated response on the issue.  It's hard to know if this is just damage control or if the author is just trying to drum up business for his book at the expense of Lonely Planet's reputation. But assuming this statement by Lonely Planet is true, I'm tending to believe Lonely Planet:

Thomas has claimed  that he was not paid enough to travel to Colombia when he was employed as an  author on our Colombia guide. The fact is that Thomas was not employed as an on-the-ground author on that guidebook. This means that he did not write any reviews - of places or establishments - in this book. His contribution was to the introductory chapter     covering history, culture, food and drink and environment. Two on-the-ground authors wrote the reviews for the Colombia guide.

My recommendation: don't waste your money buying this guy's book.

How much to tip? - A UK perspective

Here is a post from fool.co.uk (The Motley Fool UK) providing tipping advice for several popular countries.