The Flying Critic

USA - Canada Border - Daily Travel Photo

Video of Squirrel Monkeys at the PHX Zoo

The PHX Zoo's Monkey Village allows you get up close to the squirrel monkeys.

LSO Platform on the USS Midway - Daily Travel Photo

The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) Platform is where the LSO works to help guide planes in for landing on aircraft carriers.  You can tour the retired USS Midway in San Diego.

American Airlines To Charge New Fees to Upgrade With Miles

American Airlines sent the follow e-mail this morning announcing their new fees (aka co-pays) to upgrade one-way to business or first class with miles (upgrades using stickers or vips are still fee-free):

Effective October 1, 2008, Upgrade awards from most Discount Economy fares will change as follows:

• Upgrade within the continental U.S. and Canada, within and between the continental U.S. / Canada / Mexico / The Caribbean or between North America and Central America will require 15,000 miles plus a $50 co-payment.
• Upgrade between North America and Europe, Japan, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile or Uruguay will require 25,000 plus a $350 co-payment
• Upgrade between North America and India will require 40,000 miles plus a $350 co-payment

The current award structure will apply to members who request upgrade awards prior to October 1. For complete information regarding award changes, visit www.aa.com/awardchanges.

Gary from a View from the Wing speculates that United may be next:

Personally I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop on my program of choice, United, they still don’t have online minimum award booking fees, award fuel surcharges, upgrade cash co-pays, and it’s been a couple of years since they’ve increased mileage redemption levels.

Lake Oroville - Daily Travel Photo

Lake Oroville in Northern California is a critical reservoir for the California State Water Project.

Video of American Airlines Flight 81 Slide Evacuation at LAX

If you didn't hear, yesterday American Airlines Flight 81 from LAX to Honolulu made a U-turn back to LAX after detecting smoke in the cabin.  From reports the pilot reported an odor and possible haze in the cabin. 

The plane landed safely at LAX but they decided to do an emergency evacuation via the slides.  The LA Times has a great video showing the quick slide evacuation.

The Mendenhall Glacier - Daily Travel Photo

The Mendenhall Glacier is a short car or bus ride (~12 miles) from downtown Juneau, Alaska.

Seattle Space Needle - Daily Travel Photo

The Seattle skyline - or at least a very small part of it.

Dodger Stadium - Daily Travel Photo

Dodger Stadium before a game.

Do people actually buy this stuff? - Daily Travel Photo

At the Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Tucson.

Kayaking in Ketchikan - Daily Travel Photo

When in Ketchikan, Alaska, I spent the morning kayaking with Southeast Sea Kayaks.  They limit the number of guests per trip to Orca Cove to 6 which makes for a personal and peaceful experience.  If you find yourself in Ketchikan I suggest you look them up.

Bird at the San Diego Wild Animal Park - Daily Travel Photo

A bird at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.  This is an example of the utility of bringing along a telephoto lens.  Here is another shot of the same bird on the same tree:

Go! Adds $25 Fee For 2nd Checked Bag on Interisland Hawaii Flights

The Star Bulletin reports that Go! Adds $25 Fee For 2nd Checked Bag:

Mesa Air Group Inc., the parent of interisland carrier go!, said yesterday it will charge $25 for a second piece of checked luggage on all flights starting July 15.

According to Go!'s Baggage FAQ:

A $25 second-checked-bag fee takes effect for travel that begins on July 15, 2008. go!Express         customers exempt from paying the fee are:

• Corporate members;
• Customers traveling on government fares;
• Customers traveling on or after July 15, 2008 who purchased their tickets prior to June 25, 2008;
• go!Express passengers traveling from Kapalua, Maui; Kona, Big Island, Lana`i City, Lana`i and Ho`olehua, Moloka`i; and
• Customers flying on the same reservation as someone with exempt status (except for group bookings of 8 or more).

Customer checked-in items exempt from the bag fee are:

• Child car seats, carriers and strollers; and
• Wheelchairs, walkers and other personal assistive devices.

Customers are able to pay the second-checked-bag fee via the go! Reservations Department or at go! ticket counters.     Second-checked-bag fees paid via the go! Reservations Center are non-refundable.     Ticketed customers calling the go! Reservations Department to pay in advance for a second-checked-bag fee     will not be charged the $5 reservations call center fee.    

                      

 

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

At the San Diego Zoo.

Tunnel Between LAX Terminal 5 and Terminals 6, 7 and 8 - Travel Tip

Want to get between terminal 5 and terminals 6, 7 and 8 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) quickly and without needing to go through security?  Take the tunnel between terminal 5 and terminal 6.  Once you are in terminal 6 you can get to terminal 7 and 8 because they are connected.

I use the tunnel when flying United Airlines out of terminal 6 or 7 to walk over to the Delta Crown Room Club in terminal 5 to take a shower.  If you didn't know, the Delta Crown Room Club has two showers inside their LAX club.  One-visit passes are available for $30 if you don't already have access.

Here are the airlines in terminal 5, 6, 7 and 8:

Terminal 5
Aerolitoral
Aeromexico
Air Jamacia
Alitalia
Delta Air Lines

Terminal 6
Continental Airlines
Copa Airlines (Panama)
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines
Virgin America

Terminal 7
United Airlines

Terminal 8
United Express

How to find the tunnel in terminal 5

To find the tunnel in terminal 5 go to the middle of the terminal between gates 53 and 54.  Take the escalator next to the McDonald's:

How to find the tunnel in terminal 6

To find the tunnel in terminal 6 go to the middle of the terminal between gates 65 and 66 near the Hudson News and the Ruby's Diner:

The Tunnel

Take the escalator down to the tunnel level:

Walk to the other side of the long tunnel:

Follow the signs to terminal 5 or 6/7/8: