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Earn elite status on US Airways for 7,500 miles {Gadling}
Sep 21st 2009 1:27PM MalayCobra is right; elite status is becoming pretty widespread as a benefit.
With any airline, even my own beloved Continental, elite-level flyers don't stay with an airline because they're *told* that they're special. They stay because they are *treated* like they're special, and if that erodes through saturation, those passengers will look elsewhere.
That's why you see Delta making a new fourth level called Diamond, and lavishing special perks on the people who reach it.
Ironically, U.S. Airways already has a four-tiered system. But it's also the most fee-hungry and cut-focused of the airlines, so being elite in their program is basically just a fee waiver that brings a passenger back to parity with what was standard service two years ago.
Continental releases earnings, announces job cuts {BloggingStocks}
Jul 21st 2009 3:54PM Continental has tried for some time to hold the line on service offerings as a way of boosting profits. For instance, many people either forget or do not know that CAL is the only airline that still serves complimentary meals in Coach.
CAL is raising baggage fees because it initially kept them lower than competing carriers. Superior service has always done this airline a lot of good, but the fact is, only business travelers really notice or care. Time and again, leisure travelers have demonstrated that they'd rather flock to the cheapest tickets possible, and when they're the only ones flying, why take a loss to give them something that they ignore anyway?
US Airways, United charging fees on top of fees {WalletPop}
Jun 22nd 2009 2:19PM I agree with you, by and large. But customers also have themselves to blame. Fees didn't jump into existence overnight. Some airlines the held the line against certain fees--you observe, for instance, that JetBlue doesn't charge for baggage--did so expecting that angry passengers would shift their business to them. But instead, passengers got angry and continued to look only at the published fare price.
I'm a huge fan of Continental in large part because they still provide free meals to all passengers. The meals are nowhere near as impressive as they would have been twenty years ago, but when I get handed a turkey sandwich or a burger with a small salad and a Twix bar, it makes me smile. But let me ask, how many of the people who whine and whine about not getting meals on their flights have switched their flying to Continental? Not many.
Yes, airlines are charging a lot of fees. Yes, it's ridiculous. But it's the lazy, stupid customers, too set in their ways and shallow-minded to actually move their business to the best airlines and boycott the ones that are the most fee-crazed, that allow this downward spiral to continue.
Continental Airlines flies ten year old girl to the wrong airport {Gadling}
Jun 15th 2009 2:10PM I agree that this is a significant mistake, one that suggests there are too few controls in place for the unaccompanied minor program at Continental (and given the nature of cost cutting in the industry, probably at other airlines as well).
I am a bit mystified regarding the prior incident and a "large cup of coffee," as I wasn't aware that airlines offered different-size drinks. But that is neither here nor there. Bottom line is that Continental and all other U.S. airlines need to make sure that unaccompanied minors are given the attention that they deserve.
US Airways makes soda free again {WalletPop}
Feb 23rd 2009 12:00PM Yes, this has become the norm - though depending on the carrier, some waive the charge for top-level elite members. (Even that is no longer a given, amazingly.)
Can other airlines learn from Virgin America? {Gadling}
Feb 18th 2009 10:50AM I agree with you (mostly; I'm not particularly grossed out by breathing common air, seeing as how that happens in any enclosed space).
Virgin America really delivers when it comes to service. The "on-demand" beverage and food services, mood lighting, and Red entertainment system are all selling points. The friendly people are too -- though my wife actually found it a little unnerving that they were so casual.
What VX is missing is a strong partnership plan with other Virgin brands. Why is there no reciprocal earning between Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Blue, etc.?
BlackBerry Storm review {Engadget}
Dec 16th 2008 3:29PM "...and truck on some sweet, sweet EDGE here in the States..."?
Umm. I'm guessing you may have meant 3G? EDGE is far slower than EV-DO Rev. A... it's actually the main reason why I'm dumping T-Mobile and moving to Verizon!
Welfare 101: Starving students go on food stamps {WalletPop}
Aug 20th 2008 2:15PM StarvinMarvin,
You're in medical school, so presumably you're a smart person. Yet your response suggests that you know nothing of the nearly endless series of student loans available to help people in medical or other professional school programs get the money that they need.
Even aside from private loans, there are now Graduate PLUS loans that allow you to borrow enough to cover all of the expenses that your school will certify, including housing, food, transportation, books, and just about everything else. These loans are capped at 8.5% interest (for FFELP; 7.9% for direct-lending schools) and can be deferred while in school.
Yes, it's a loan. But if you're not confident that you can earn back enough from your educational investment to pay for the school, why should taxpayers or anyone else want to pick up the cost of that wasted time anyway?
-- Jamie
Welfare 101: Starving students go on food stamps {WalletPop}
Aug 20th 2008 2:11PM If you can't afford the university that you attend, the most sensible option would be the attend a different school. Here in the United States, we are blessed/cursed with more than five thousand accredited colleges and universities.
It's a cruel world - departing Continental Airlines CFO gets free airport parking for life {Gadling}
Jul 25th 2008 11:25AM Baron, maybe it's lost on you, but there's a distinction between free speech and libel. When you print factually incorrect information, as was the case here, it's not "expression."
