Alaska TravelGram

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!!!!!! Continue Reading »

I got a nice note from Ellen in Anchorage asking about airlines. “Should I buy a ticket on a bankrupt airline–or pay more for another carrier?”

It’s a good question. The stigma about airlines in bankruptcy is gone, since all but a couple have taken a twirl through the doors of the Federal Bankruptcy Court.

This brings up an important point, though. More folks are pushing through the veil to act as their own travel expert. Sometimes the magic works. Sometimes it doesn’t. 

Face it: there are tricks to every trade. And your travel agent knows most of them. Remember travel agents? I know–so retro. But they can save you a ton of money. More importantly, they can save you time and aggravation trying to line up all the details of your trip.

Of course, there are good travel agents and bad ones. I use my friends at USTravel here in Anchorage. Call them: (907)561-2434 or toll-free (800)544-2217. Specifically, my agent is Laura. But Giovanni also is available in this office–and he’s getting great reviews from my readers. 

Laura and I talk all the time about great fares where there are no flights. About how airlines “batch” flights. About extra charges that are not disclosed in hotel prices, car prices or airline fares.

We also discuss the best destinations, the best cruises, the best vacation experiences–the whole banana. 

These days, your travel agent charges a fee for service–just like everyone else. That adds up to $38 for an airline ticket. But the aggravation of getting the right flight, the right seat, the right connections–heck, let your agent handle it.

I hear about all sorts of horror stories: booked flights that don’t exist, false claims from a hotel and prices that are nothing less than bait-and-switch.

Most travelers use the internet and the online options to research their vacations or business trip. But the travel environment is increasingly littered with land mines: cancellations, delays, up-charges, changes and surprises. 

Let our friends at USTravel help you plan your next trip. They’ve got offices in Anchorage, Kodiak (907)486-3232, Dutch Harbor (907)581-3133Prudhoe Bay, Juneau (907)463-5446, Ketchikan (907)228-8900 and Fairbanks (907)452-8992. Their sister company, Doug Fox Travel (800)368-4369, has offices throughout the Seattle-Tacoma area. Tell Laura or Giovanni or one of the other fine professionals that Scott sent you.