Archive for June, 2008

You really cannot make this stuff up: charging $2 for water. OMG. I got a nice note from my friend Charlie McFadden. Charlie is a flight attendant for USAir and lives in Louisville, KY. She loves her job–commuting to the “hub” at PHL. Still, the whole “pay for services” strategy at USAir has her befuddled. “As you know, Scott, I’m Scots-Irish. That means I love to drink, but I hate to pay for it.”

When I suggested that USAir might hand out free cups to get a drink from the sink in the bathroom, she replied:

“I sure wouldn’t drink the stuff in the bathroom!!!  Yeah, it’s gonna be great….$1 for the crappy coffee, $5 for peanut butter cracker snack box, $2 for soda, etc. Now, USAirways charges $7 for the mini-meals (already 1/3 smaller than before). We cater in Philadelphia for the day, and so far the beer can remains the same size…for $7. Of course, it’s $8 if I have to open it for them…HAHA.

“I’m voting for a $2 fee every time pax ring the call button,  $3 if it’s by mistake!  Don’t make me walk over there!    

“Hey, the good news is we don’t have to inventory soda and water like the booze. We can use our own good judgment (Not kidding here!) to give water out free if someone needs to take a pill.  Give out orange juice free if they’re diabetic and passing out, or if they’re an unaccompanied minor or a seeing eye dog!  You just can’t make this stuff up! Philadelphia FREEDOM! 

“Some websites now advise passengers only to offer to pay with $20’s or higher, since we won’t be carrying change.  Shoot….if that diabetic’s gonna get orange juice, I’m throwing in the vodka too!  Take care, wish me luck!”

Thanks, Charlie. Here’s a shot of Charlie “a few years ago” at her first job, at Braniff. She’s third from left. Foxy!

Thanks to reader Van in Anchorage for the heads-up on Delta Air Lines. If you’re traveling on a free ticket with Delta after Aug. 15, the carrier will add a $25 fuel surcharge. Sure, you paid for the tickets to get the freebie, including their fuel surcharges. But that’s not enough–they’re going to sock it to you one more time.

For international tickets, the upcharge will be $50 per ticket. 

There’s always been a special place in my heart for Delta. I pretty much avoid the airline at all costs. Pity the poor, hapless travelers in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. 

At least Delta’s not charging $2 for water like the losers at USAir. Yet. 

These carriers do offer an important benefit: lower fares. For travelers to/from Anchorage, having Delta and USAir flights in the market depresses the air fares for everyone. 

So, let’s all play nice and remember: the enemy of my enemy is my friend, whether you’re talking about geopolitical strategy or a competitive airline environment. That said, one must call a spade a doggone shovel when it comes to this nickel-and-diming strategy by loser airlines like Delta and USAir. 

Clever, huh? I mean–two of us ate lunch. Get it? HA. 

OKOK…Had to be there. We were there, actually, at the new Embassy Suites in midtown Anchorage–the new PI Restaurant.

We did our best to conquer some of the signature dishes. Executive Chef Jeremy Fike brought out some Hawaiian Sliders to start. Whoo-boy.

Alicia Amberg takes a look at these little sandwiches–Kahlua Pork inside some lovely sweet rolls. Delicious.

That’s just for starters, of course. We indulged in some salt-and-pepper calamari, before moving on to the Crab Mac-n-Cheese. Jeez. It was delicious–and I had to bring some home for my CEO to try. 

Since this was “just lunch”, we did not have a chance to order the Pomgranate Patron Mojito. But it’s in the queue and we’ll be slurping it shortly.

PI–it’s our new sit-down favorite. Check it out at the Embassy Suites in Anchorage: 600 E. Benson Blvd. 

I love the whole nickel-and-dime strategy of some of the loser airlines. USAir’s plot to charge $2 for water is especially enticing. I wonder if they’ll provide a free cup so you can fill up at the sink in the bathroom? Otherwise–I guess you just use your hands?? E-e-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w. 

Our friends at SmarterTravel.com, AirfareWatchdog.com and Seatguru.com came up with a great guide to airline fees. Seating fees. Reservations fees. Meals and entertainment–the works. It’s a handy side-by-side comparison in PDF format. Here’s the post, where you can click and save the guide to your desktop. Handy!

Have you noticed? Fares are going up. So are extra fees. We’ve been working all night and all day to put together a comprehensive list of the lowest fares.

First–credit where credit is due. My consultant on this project is Giovanni Di Sarova over at USTravel. Call him: (907)561-2434 or (800)544-2217. We’ve been getting great reports on Giovanni from our readers. 

Second–all the fares I’ve listed are round-trip and they’re valid in either direction. In addition to the base fare, the prices I’ve listed include all the mandatory shake-downs. Ticketing fees are additional. I’ve got some words on that–later.

IMPORTANT: Fares are subject to change without notice. Please DON’T GET MAD if the listed fare is not available on the EXACT date you want to fly. Heck, some of these rates (not many) expire July 10. I’m one of those travelers that say: “Just get me the cheapest rate–I don’t care when I fly.” I know there are a bunch of us out there. I see you at the airport ALL THE TIME!!!!!! (more…)