flights

If you are flying Continental Airlines this holiday season you can leave your cash in your wallet. The airline has announced that starting today, the flight crews will only accept credit and debit cards for on-board purchases (except duty-free purchases). The crew will have new hand-held devices meant to be more convenient for customers.

Continental says the change is a result of customer feedback from those tired of fumbling for money and making correct change. The hand-held devices read cards for purchases of alcoholic beverages and headsets but also provide sales information for the airline to help better manage product inventory. The new cashless system is be available on all Continental Airlines mainline flights, except for service to and from China as Continental is still working on a process for accepting that country's predominant credit card, The China Union Pay card. Cash is still being accepted on Continental Express, Continental Connection and Continental Micronesia flights but plans to switch to a cashless cabin on those flights in the first quarter of 2010.

As our sister blog Daily Finance recently reported, Delta has also switched to the cashless cabin. On the Daily Finance article there is a spirited debate going on in the comments about the legality of banning cash and about whether or not it really is more convenient for the business traveler to use a credit card. It seems likely that the cashless cabin is a trend that will only increase as time goes on. I'm just waiting for the airline iPhone app that lets you pay directly from your phone.

It was an idea that flopped phenomenally in the past (see Silverjet, MaxJet and EOS, three business-only London to NYC flight companies which all folded) but now British Airways is giving luxury all-business service between London and New York a shot. However the fact that the airline will fly just 32 passengers on an aircraft normally fitted for 100 people doesn't sit well with some environmental groups. The Guardian reports that environmental group Plane Stupid will stage a protest at London City Airport tomorrow as the maiden flight launches, angered by the fact that recently British Airways CEO Willie Walsh had pledged that the airline would do its part to fight climate change. The layout of the plane means that each passenger is basically responsible for three times the emissions of a regular flight.

British Airways will offer twice daily service on Airbus A318s with flat beds and access to the internet. Round-trip fares will start at around $3,00 but go up to nearly $8,000 for more flexible tickets. Flights leaving from London will be forced to make a brief refuelling stop at Shannon airport in the west of Ireland because the London City airport's runway is too short to handle an A318 aircraft with a full fuel load. In order to ease the journey, BA is arranging for passengers to use the Shannon stop to clear US customs and immigration.

JetBlue Airways is showing that they are sensitive to those suffering in this economy. They will be providing refunds to those who lost their jobs after they already planned trips. The Jet Blue Promise Program says JetBlue customers who book flights between February 1 and June 1 and then lose their jobs on or after February 17 could be eligible for a full refund. The travelers will have to request the refund at least two weeks ahead of the travel date. JetBlue is hoping that this will encourage those who may be on the fence about traveling due to job insecurity worries to make travel plans anyway.

[via Palm Beach Post]

Membership may have its privileges but, for the Platinum American Express cardholder, complimentary companion tickets on domestic flights won't be one of them anymore. Webflyer points out that effective Nov. 15, 2008, AmEx is discontinuing their Domestic Companion Airfare Program which let you book up to four complimentary companion tickets on qualifying domestic coach tickets. Cardmembers can still get complimentary companion tickets on full-fare international first or business class tickets when they are booked through the Platinum Travel Service. The card, which has a hefty annual fee of $450, still has a variety of beneifts including concierge service, airport lounge access and travel and hotel programs.

Back in March I reported on the fact that it seems that shuttle flights between cities on the East Coast like New York, Boston, and Washington haven't been faring too well in recent years. Joe Brancatelli who writes the Seat 2B column for Portfolio says that the recent news that Delta will add first-class cabins to its shuttle flights between New York, Boston, and Washington isn't a positive sign; it proves that the shuttles may well be on their way out. The shuttles have become less profitable and the shuttle aircraft which are equipped with standard first- and coach-class cabins can now be used on any flight path. In the 1980s large shuttles used to run every hour and promised no reservations needed. Now the remaining shuttles use smaller aircraft and fly less frequently especially on weekends and non-peak times.

Is this the last gasp of the shuttle flight? It certainly seems like it, the rise of technology, the high-speed Acela train, private jet charter services and even luxury bus lines have made shuttle flying less and less attractive. Like Joe Brancatelli, I'm a little nostalgic for the shuttles of my youth but in these days when it seems that hardly any flights go smoothly and airlines are struggling to stay afloat it seems like the shuttle is an idea whose time is long gone.

Use SeatGuru to search airplane layout charts before you select your flight seat so you'll never again be stuck with only partial reclining ability or in the back near the stale coffee. SeatGuru calls itself "the ultimate source for airplane seating, in-flight amenities and airline information" and it works -- I've used it. Even though the site is intuitive, there are directions right on the home page.

It's simple: Look up your airline. There's all kinds of info that you can navigate using the tabs that pop up, such as baggage rules, traveling with infants, policies regarding unaccompanied minors and travel with pets. Amenity info is listed, along with phone numbers that may be of use, all specific to your airline.

To get to the good part, the seating chart, break it down further by type of plane. A cool, color-coded chart assists you in picking the best seats for your needs (long legs, near the bathroom, not near the bathroom, etc.). First-class is included. Here's an example.

Thanks to my experienced travel buddy Laura for this tip.

When I was young and used to travel from Cape Cod to visit my aunt in New York, I remember vividly taking the Eastern shuttle from Boston to New York. No advance reservation, you just bought a paper ticket and off you went (teenage me in awe of the female execs with their foulard bows and monster shoulder pads). These days even the shuttle flights which should be an easy hop from city to city, are plagued with long security lines and delays causing some to wonder if the shuttle is even worth the effort/expense anymore.

The NY Times reports on the modern age of the shuttle flight on the East Coast which competes with both mainline flights and with high-speed train service such as Amtrak's Acela line. The Acela takes longer, especially on the Washington, DC to Boston route but it costs about half as much as the air fare would. Shuttles have advantages over regular flights, passengers often get free wine and beer, snacks, and lounges and work areas at the airport. Part of the appeal of the shuttle too is that because it is business travelers on short flights they generally have less luggage and are overall a quieter crowd. The shuttle is meant to be a more luxurious and civilized experience and it is, if your flight isn't delayed or canceled, if you don't get bumped, if you don't spend hours at the airport tangled in long lines.

Another hot topic in the world of flights is the creation of reliever airports designed to take some of the pressure off the congested big city airports. Scott McCartney who writes "The Middle Seat" column for the Wall Street Journal reports on the plans to turn the Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y. into a discount destination hub for New York to ease the congestion at La Guardia and JFK. Skybus Airlines, AirTrans, JetBlue and others are all now flying to Stewart. The airline companies hope to use the lower prices for these flights to encourage people to go to Stewart and deal with a ride to New York City that could take two hours. Chicago has been looking at creating a third airport in Peotone, Ill., and in Los Angeles the Palmdale airport was seen as a potential reliever but neither of these proposals have met with great success.

The airline situation isn't getting any better, in January nearly one-third of commercial flights in the U.S. arrived late or were canceled and in December of last year almost 40 percent of flights by the nation's 20 largest carriers were delayed or canceled. It seems to matter less and less what times of new advances are made on airplanes if we can't seem to get them from point A to point B in a reliable manner.

If you fly then you have probably seen the SkyMall catalog, that oddly curated assemblage of items from other catalogs designed to make sure that even while in flight you can contemplate purchases. Now you can actually buy the items while in flight. SkyMall and a company called GuestLogix have partnered to deliver a new on-board shopping service. Passengers will be able to buy products inflight using a handheld electronic device from GuestLogix that can accept the swipe of a credit card or scan a barcode to complete the purchase.

The Southeast has a new air taxi service. Imagine Air flies Cirrus SR22s out of Georgia to over 600 airports in the Southeast. Flight costs are based on scheduled mileage and there are no penalties for last minute bookings. They also sell pre-paid flight cards: Platinum for $50,000 that guarantees 20% off all flight, Gold for $20,000 that gives 15% off all flights, Silver for $8,000 with 10% off all flights and Bronze for $3,000 that offers 5% off all flights. You are charged only for the mileage in which you occupy the aircraft and every time you fly, the flight cost is deducted from your FlightCard balance. They also have a leaseback program if you are interested in plane ownership.The company plans to add Eclipse 500 planes in 2008.

[via General Aviation News]

Just a few years ago weightless flights were a rarity. Now they have become so commonplace that they are being sold through the Sharper Image catalog. Sharper Image now sells the Zero-G weighless flight through Zero Gravity, the first FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights. Reservations can be made at a Sharper Image store, through the catalog or online. Since September 2004, the company has provided around 100 weightless flights for more than 2,500 passengers. The flights depart from Las Vegas and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The experience includes a brief training session followed by a 90-minute flight aboard G-Force One, a Boeing 727. The controlled ascent and descent of the plane lets flyers to experience apparent Martian gravity (1/3 Earth's gravity), Lunar gravity (1/6 Earth's gravity), and true weightlessness. The flight costs $3,500.

[via General Aviation News]

For owners of private planes, the lure of being able to fly home is a powerful one. Mike Ciochetti, a race car driver and pilot is developing Heaven's Landing, a development on a mountaintop in Georgia. The development has a 5,069-foot concrete runway, the world's only two-story hangar and a clubhouse which will have a lounge, dining room and fitness center. There will also be tennis and equestrian area as well as a swimming pool. Homesites start at $125,000 and homes are priced from $500,000 to $3 million. Homes must be at least 2500 square feet and be reviewed by a committee for design approval.

General Aviation News covers Ciochetti's story. He broke his shoulder in 1999 during a race at Talladega Superspeedway putting an end to his NASCAR dreams. After that event, Ciochetti decided to turn the land at Heaven's Landing, which he had procured for a private estate, into a development for those looking for a fly-in home. Heaven's Landing is three miles from the city of Clayton and will be a second home for some while others plan to use it as a primary residence. Up next is a plan to but condos on top of the attached hangars.