March 2006

First of all, dear readers, we apologize for all our sporadic posting over the last few days. Yesterday was the all-in date for our business blogging book and now that it’s done we can get back to posting like the hardcore bloggers we are.

So anyway, thanks a lot to Buzz Bruggeman of ActiveWords for sending us this wonderful list of the top WiFi hotels courtesy of HotelChatter.com.

At the top of the list was the Kimpton hotel chain. They actually have two (!) wireless networks at each hotel. One for the lobby and another one for the guest rooms, and it’s all FREE! Because like Steve and Byron say, “charging for WiFi in a hotel is like charging for hot and cold running water.”

Zagat, known for its ZagatSurvey® and the prolific publisher of dining guides for over 70 markets worldwide has recently released its latest Airline Survey with a few surprises, but mostly more of the same (especially in regards to Domestic carriers).

The largest decline in ratings came from the biggest (domestic) carriers—American, Delta, United and US Airways–with the category earning the lowest rating being food (no surprise). According to the survey, 55 percent of surveyors booked flights using the respective carriers web site, while only 14 percent used other travel websites such as Travelocity (a surprising disparity). Regarding websites: carriers consistently ’scored better for their Web sites than for any aspect of their performance in the air.’ Sad, but true for most domestic carriers.

Continental ranked first overall for both their domestic and international routes. And New York’s JFK airport was ranked worst domestic and international airport (ouch). As a side note, the survey offers some entertaining comments from surveyors, such as “airline food is an oxymoron”, “seats like bad lawn chairs”, “fares set by someone with a dart-board”, “gives whole new meaning to the word ‘Airbus’”, “This is why the pope kisses the ground every time he deplanes.”, ” and “Challenging log-in, difficult ticketing, rude gate agents, wretched food and contortionist seating – what’s not to like?”.

Enjoy the remaining comments (subscription required) here, or download a pdf for the survey results on International Airlines and U.S. Airlines, repectively.

During a recent stay in Las Vegas, the Hertz office at McCarran International offered (to my great surprise) to pay for my taxi fare from downtown to its rental office. While not a systemwide company policy, the Hertz personnel said they have been offering the reimbursement (credit towards a reserved rental) for a number of years. And the Audi A8 turned out to be a great ride as well…….

Pending government approval, Delta Airlines will start direct flights to the African continent by the end of 2006 or sooner. The daily flight routing would be between Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, with a fuel stop in Dakar, Senegal, making Delta the only U.S. carrier to serve the continent with direct service.

Domestic carriers are expanding their international route systems, as they discover that the yields are much higher on these flights and the competition typically much lower.

I rarely use my cellphone for internet access, primarily because very few sites are mobile ready (Yahoo! and Amazon are exceptions). An upstart group led by Neil Edwards, ex-VP at Verisign’s Network Solutions wants to change all that. They will soon start to promote a new ‘.mobi’ internet address suffix that was recently approved by ICANN (Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers). They will require registrants to agree to the new domain’s accessibility standards, which means most Web sites will need to rebuild their sites from the top down to make sure their web pages load faster and are easier to read on mobile phones.

While good intentioned, I have my doubts that this standard will catch on. There is nothing like the cache of having ‘.com’ after your address. If companies want to get a piece of the growing mobile data marketplace (soaring to $8.3 billion last year), I suggest they set up redirection commands on their site that can automatically send phone surfers to a lo-fi version (similar to Time Warner’s AOL.com).
Of course Nokia, Vodafone and Verizon are said to be backers of the new standard.

When we first blogged about [Snakes on a Plane](http://inflighthq.com/archives/2005/10/snakes_on_a_pla_1.htm) (SOAP), who knew the meme would grow even bigger and now even more snakier! We’ve written about it in our [blog book](http://blogbusinessbook.com/), there’s a [quote tracker](http://snakesonaplane.ning.com/index.php), [music contest and a trailer](http://tagworld.com/snakesonaplane).

So what is SOAP and a meme? See the [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_on_a_plane) and one of the [first posts on it](http://www.defamer.com/hollywood/samuel-l-jackson/dudesnakes-on-a-plane-117687.php). Some bloggers like [Steven F](http://stevenf.com/mt/2006/03/snakes_on_a_plane.php) think it’s going to be the last movie they ever need to see.

(I hope there’s a scene where a [cell-phone user](http://inflighthq.com/archives/2006/03/cell_phone_wars.htm) get’s a big ‘ol snake in the face.)

Writer Ben Stein promises war with any cell-phone user in the [NYTimes](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/business/yourmoney/26thrifty.html?ex=1301029200&en=72aa480b8ed6e63b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss). I know I’m going to go deeper into my personal cone of silence with my [in-ear headphones](http://inflighthq.com/archives/2005/12/shure_e2c_sound.htm). I suggest ordering up a batch up SHHH cards from [Coudal](http://www.coudal.com/shhh.php) and handing it to the “woman fighting with her boyfriend or a salesman speed-dialing his entire prospect list for concrete blocks.”

Man, I’m on a roll today with [the blogosphere](http://blogbusinesssummit.com/2006/03/the_blogosphere_1.htm)! It’s not often that I find material for a cross post between inFlightHQ and [Pug Blog](http://pugblog.com) and today we got [Mutt Muffs](http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/), which offer hearing protection for dogs in the cockpit. The site also offers [flying safety tips](http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/page/page/2816297.htm) for your dog.

PC world just posted Gadgets to Go: The Latest in Tech Travel Toys, and here are just a few of highlights. These products will be shipping soon.

The BH-900 Bluetooth headset. Promises 8 hours of talk time and has noise cancellation and echo reduction.

Lexar’s JumpDrive Mercury in 1GB and 2GB versions has a built-in gauge that indicates how much free space is available.

eMagin’s Eyebud 800 headset plugs into any video-capable iPod the eyepiece creates a visual similar to 105-inch screen from a distance of 12 feet.

While arbitration panel chair Richard Bloch was busy scolding both Delta and its pilots’ union for their failure thus far to reach an agreement that would save the airline, Delta’s executives were busy making a move that has baffled some.

Delta announced today that it would begin commercial flights to and from a small Delaware airport less than half an hour’s drive from Philadelphia International. The facility, New Castle County Airport, hasn’t seen commercial air traffic since 2000.

One theory is that the airline is trying to market itself as the only carrier that serves all fifty states, but is a marketing gimmick really worth the investment? Particularly for an airline that may not survive to see its jets take off from Delaware tarmac?

Only time, and the pilots’ union will tell.

UPDATE: March 29, 2006, 2:20 p.m. It appears that the marketing gimmick angle has won out. Delta is trying to turn around its image from bankrupt airline to thriving company by announcing that it is the first airline to serve all 50 states.

Bruce Schneier thinks so. In an article for Wired, he says:

“In tests between November 2001 and February 2002, screeners missed 70 percent of knives, 30 percent of guns and 60 percent of (fake) bombs. And recently, testers were able to smuggle bomb-making parts through airport security in 21 of 21 attempts. It makes you wonder why we’re all putting our laptops in a separate bin and taking off our shoes.”



Schneier thinks that humans brains aren’t as well suited as computers for the repetitive work of looking at X rayed luggage and would be better at noticing anomalies and threats that may have been disassembled and distributed across multiple suitcases.

Forbes magazine introduced a new four-part series called the ‘Smart Business Owners Travel Guide’. In part one of the series, they share some of their ’secrets’ of getting there cheaply. While most of the ideas were either nothing new or just impractical….a few were, if nothing else, unique. So here is my take on the 15 tips they mention.

Become A Professional Mourner.
Bereavement Fares. If the airline even offers one (most no longer have such fares), it is very difficult to fake–most carriers require thorough documentation to support your request. However,many airlines are happy to nullify any extra charges or cancellation fees that a last minute fare might require.

Befriend Someone With A Private Jet.
Easier said than done….
And of course your friend with the jet will be jetting off to the same destination that you are.

Buy Your Plane Tickets in Local Currency.
Good tip–If you want to take the chance on buying a one-way ticket to your destination- hoping that the return fare will result in a significant savings. The only time I have done this is when my return ticket can be refunded without much of a fee. It can make a little more sense for international commuters.

Find A Good Travel Agent.
Never hurts. I have received lots of great assistance from Professional Travel Agents over the years, and I believe they can still be of great help—but not necessarily to save money. Suffice it to say, the internet has empowered every low budget traveler out there.

Frequent Flier Miles.
Da. Nothing new here. They did mention a site called FrequentFlier.com as a ‘comprehensive guide to the best reward programs’.

Get An ISIC Card.
International Student Identity Card. This is a nice tip–if you’re a student. www.myisic.com

Marry A Flight Attendant.
Supposedly for ‘free travel’. It doesn’t always work so easily. The key word here is ’space-available’. Load factors on flights are higher than ever–clearly minimizing this perk.

Milk Your Credit Card.
We all know about earning miles by using a credit card tied to an affinity program. Forbes suggests going to www.cardoffers.com for ‘comprehensive directory of the benefits and services currently available from hundreds of cards from 15 issuers.’ OK.

Moonlight As A Journalist.
The gist here is start a travel website and then go begging for free accommodations from those exotic resorts because you promise to write a review of their property. Easy….if you happen to write for Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Purchase Packages.
Vacation consolidation. In other words, buy the hotel, airfare and rental car in one fell swoop and you can save some dollars. Always a good idea if the hotel offered is your property of choice and the dates that are available match up to your needs.

Sign Up With AAA.
Fine idea if you were already planning to join because of their Emergency road service that they provide (worth every penny). Membership can sometimes give you up to a 10% discount at some hotel chains or rental car agencies. Try asking for the discount–and then never worry about membership–I’ve never been asked to provide proof of membership at my destination.

Ride The LimoLiner.
A luxury bus with a New York to Boston routing. Advance seat selection, power outlets, reclining leather seats–and most importantly–wireless internet access. Sounds great, if you have the time. And you want to go from New York to Boston. $79. www.limoliner.com.

Take The Train.
Too many schedule and destination limitations for me. Might as well take Greyhound.

Travel As A Courier.
Personally deliver packages for companies. What they didn’t tell you is that you need to be available for a flight with (usually) very little notice and you are typically limited to little or no carry on luggage. And you travel on their schedule–often returning on the same day. Learn more at www.aircourier.org.

Widen Your (Web) Horizons.
Try aggregator travel sites such as Kayak or Sidestep instead of Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia. Good advice.

For the full text article, go here.

Even if you have a mind like a steel trap, there’s something about business travel that turns your brains to mush. I have many stories that prove this.

Once at Hartsfield-Jackson, I left my wheelie bag in the overhead bin as I dashed to make my connection, only to remember halfway down the terminal walkway that I needed my clothes. Another time, I left my credit card at the bagel shop and would have lost it altogether were it not for a kindly employee who called Delta, found out what flight I was on, and hand-delivered it to the gate agent for me. (By the way, the bagel shop in question is in the Delta terminal at SeaTac airport and makes an excellent Lox and Schmear.)

Considering how forgetful I become when traveling, I was excited to read in Gear Live about this handy little credit card holder that yells at you when you’ve forgotten to put your card back in your wallet. That way, if your bagel woman isn’t as nice as mine was, you still won’t take off without your credit card.

Now if only they made something similar for wheelie bags…

Law.com ran an interesting piece today about the possibility of Delta going out of business and the impact it would have on Atlanta’s economy, both inside and outside the airport.

Delta bases 475 planes at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and in the event that the airline went out of business due to a protracted strike, the airport and the surrounding areas would suffer economically. Also profoundly affected would be the nearly 300,000 people who fly through the airport each day. No other airline even approaches Delta’s level of involvement at Hartsfield-Jackson. The second largest airline at the airport, AirTran Airways, has only 106 airplanes based there.

I’m curious to hear from our readers for whom Atlanta is a regular stop on their travels. What are your plans in the event that Delta folds?

United Airlines has announced that it will soon have a channel on the mobile internet service AvantGo. Users will have access to destination weather reports, travel guides and real-time travel information, ‘further enhancing (passengers) overall travel experience’, according to Kenneth Feldman, United’s vice president of loyalty and e-commerce.

A free service that delivers thousands of mobile websites to consumers on their PDA’s and smartphones, AvantGo provides content from thousands of companies–making them the world’s largest mobile internet service. I have used AvantGo for a number of years with no problems. It’s a great service and is easily updated with a quick sync of my Palm…..however, filtering thru the numerous ads can be a bit tedious at times.

The Houston Chronicle reports that in today’s arbitration session the pilots’ union tried to show today that Delta is in better financial shape than it claims.

The airline has claimed that it needs $350 million in pay concessions from its pilots and has requested that the three-member panel void the pilots’ contracts so that it can impose those pay cuts unilaterally.

The pilots have said they will strike in that eventuality, and the airline has said that a strike would put it out of business.

If you’re away on business a lot, chances are that you have a plan to keep your home from being burglarized. You probably have a burglar alarm. A friendly neighbor may pick up your mail and your newspaper, or maybe you have delivery stopped during the time you’re away. You probably have one of those gadgets that turns lights on and off in your house at different times.

And if you’re away for especially long periods of time, the aforementioned friendly neighbor may even move your car around every so often so it looks like you’ve been home.

Now it’s possible for you to keep an eye on your front door from any Web-enabled device. Make has the details.

The Lobby has an interesting post about the Google toolbar that will allow you to send SMS messages for free from your computer.

For the record, there are also a number of Dashboard widgets for Mac OSX that achieve the same thing.

Note: This comic is not for children or those who don’t appreciate swearing.

Byron’s original post about Snakes on a Plane! can be found here.

You can’t blame the insurance companies for getting skittish, but what’s a traveler to do with a Delta ticket if insurance can’t be had and a strike looms?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - get a paper ticket. Apparently, an e-ticket can’t be used for discounted travel on other airlines in the event of a strike, leaving you (or your boss) out the cost of two plane tickets.