Ryanair To Consider “Pay To Pee”

 

Ryanair on Take Off

Ok, this is the most ridiculous thing I have every heard. Ryanair, an Irish discount airline is considering a new way to make money. They already charge for everything extra on their flights, but now they want you to pay to pee! That’s right, you have to go, you have to pay! I never thought that anyone would have the nerve to charge you to go to the toilet on an airplane! 

So there you are at 35,000 feet and you have to go and you don’t have any change? What do you do? Do you wet your pants? Do you walk down the aisle and ask everyone for spare change so you can GO? 

Here is a quote from a Ryanair official. ”One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future,” This is just crazy! 

So if you are thinking of flying Ryanair in Europe, be sure to take some spare change. You never know when you may have to GO!

What Airlines Are Charging Extra For Today

 

O'Hare Airport on a typical day

Here is a rundown of what airlines are charging extra for. They have raised their fares and now they charge you extra for more and more things that use to be free.

US Airways  Charges extra for: 1st Checked Bag, 2nd Checked Bag, Advanced “Prime” Seats, Soft drinks on Board, Pollows & Blankets and Headsets.

United Airlines Charges extra for: 1st Checked Bag, 2nd Checked Bag, and Advanced “Prime” Seats.

Northwest Airlines Charges extra for: 1st Checked Bag, 2nd Checked Bag, Advanced “Prime” Seats, and headsets.

Continental Airlines Charges extra for: 1st Checked Bag, 2nd Checked Bag, and headsets.

Delta Airlines Charges extra for: 2nd Checked Bag.

American Airlines Charges extra for: 1st Checked Bag and 2nd Checked Bag.

JetBlue Charges extra for: 2nd Checked Bag, Advanced “Prime” Seats, Pollows & Blankets and Headsets.

AirTran Charges extra for:  2nd Checked Bag, and Advanced “Prime” Seats.

Frontier Airlines Charges extra for: 2nd Checked Bag.

Alaska Airlines Charges extra for: 2nd Checked Bag. 

US Airways wins the award for the most additional fees charged. I guess that is why in 2007 US Airways was ranked dead last as the worst airline for customer service by consumer reports.

Also in 2007, the Today/Zagat Airline Survey rated US Airways as the worst airline overall in the United States, ranking it 10/30 for comfort, 5/30 for food, 10/30 for service, and 15/30 for its online reservations system. On August 1, 2008, US Airways ceased providing their passengers with free drinks, including water. Passengers must now purchase bottled water or soda for $2 US, or $1 US for coffee and tea.

United TED, A Good Idea Gone Bad

 

The end of A Good Idea - TED by United

TED, was a great idea. Create an airline built on the Southwest model. One type of aircraft, one class of service. All crews can fly any flights as there is only one type of aircraft to be checked out on. Great Idea right! Wrong! United decided not to differentiate Ted and United and the public was confused. The passengers wanted to know what the difference was between the two airlines? Why should they fly TED? Unlike the Cruise industry, United did not keep the two brands separated, so there was no reason to fly TED instead of United. If United did their homework they would have made TED a separate airline and market it that way. But they didn’t and they drove it into the ground. I liked TED. It was a great idea, with friendly crews, clean late model planes and great fares. But just like the rest of the Higher UP’s in the executive offices at United, they just don’t understand how to run an airline let alone two airlines. I really hope that someday, someone with some business and customer service sense becomes the president of United. Until then, I guess we will just watch this once great airline implode piece by piece.

Update on United Customer Service Problem.

 

Sunrise over the west coast

Well, I tried to use my FREE denied boarding compensation voucher but it was just such a hassle to get it booked, that I just went ahead the next day and bought a full fare ticket to Las Vegas on the website. That way I did not have to speak to anyone at United. I cannot tell you how frustrated I was and still am at United Airlines. I could not get a reservation agent to help me book this ticket. How can anyone run a business that way. The airlines need all the happy customers they can get. But all they do is Piss People Off on a consistent basis. I will try to use the voucher on my next trip, when I am not working on a deadline and I don’t need to get some where on a particular time and day. But the next time I call United I really want to talk to a person that I can understand and that will not insult me on the phone. Get a Clue United! Hire people that care about your customers! I really liked flying United, I want to like United, but they keep kicking me in the head every time I try to book a flight!

When You “Got to Go!” There is Help…..

If you travel for business or pleasure, there comes a point in your day when you “Got to Go!” Yes that’s right, you have to find a toilet and you are in a strange city and you need one BAD! What do you do? Well fear not anymore, I found this great website that works on your mobile phone. It’s called MizPee and it will direct you to the closest toilet in the area. Just go to www.mizpee.com on your mobile browser, click on “Find toilet” then input your location and click “Find” and presto! a list of Toilets near your current location pops up. This can be a real life saver when you are on the GO! (no pun intended).

Check it out and let me know if it worked for you. It has worked for me, thank goodness!

US Airports with Free Wi-Fi

I travel extensively around the US and I carry my laptop with me. I am always looking for a fast broadband Wi-Fi connection. As a service to all the frequent Flyers out there, here is a list of US Airports that have Free WiFi broadband access. I hope everything is correct as things change so fast in this technology age. If you find that an airport is no longer offering free WiFi, please let me know so I can update the list.

Alabama
Birmingham International Airport – Birmingham
Huntsville Airport – Huntsville
Madison County Executive Airport – Huntsville
Montgomery Regional Airport – Montgomery
Northwest Alabama Regional Airport - Muscle Shoals

Alaska
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport – Anchorage

Arizona
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – Phoenix
Tucson International Airport – Tucson
Yuma International – Yuma

Arkansas
Fort Smith Regional Airport – Fort Smith
Little Rock National Airport - Little Rock
Texarkana Airport – Texarkana

California
Meadows Field, WM Thomas Terminal - Bakersfield
Chico Municipal Airport – Chico
Arcata/Eureka Airport – Eureka
Hayward Airport – Hayward
Livermore Airport – Livermore
Long Beach Airport – Long Beach
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – LAX
Modesto City-County Airport - Modesto
Redding Municipal Airport – Redding
BSAir at the Reedley Muni Airport – Reedley
Sacramento International Airport - Sacramento
Lindberg Field – San Diego
San Diego International Airport – San Diego
Mineta San Jose International Airport – San Jose
Santa Maria Airport - Santa Maria
Santa Ynez Airport - Santa Ynez

Colorado
Centennial Airport – Centennial
Colorado Springs Airport - Colorado Springs
Denver International Airport - Denver
Eagle (Vail) Airport

Connecticut
Bradley International Airport - Windsor Locks

Florida
Daytona Beach Airport – signal availability reported in Ticketing Area – Daytona Beach
Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport - all terminals – Ft. Lauderdale
Southwest Florida International Airport - Ft.Myers
Okaloosa Regional Airport - Fort Walton Beach
Gainesville Regional Airport – Gainesville
Jacksonville Airport – Jacksonville
LaBelle Municipal Airport – LaBelle
Melbourne International Airport - Melbourne
Orlando International Airport - all public areas and the “Cell Phone” parking lot – Orlando
Pensacola Int. Airport – Pensacola
Tallahassee Airport – Tallahassee
Tampa International - main building and both satellite terminals – Tampa
Palm Beach International Airport – West Palm Beach

Georgia
Augusta Regional Airport - Augusta
Brunswick Golden Isle Airport – Brunswick
Fulton County Airport (FTY) – Raytheon Aircraft Services Terminal

Hawaii
Honolulu Airport-Gate 13 – Honolulu

Idaho
Idaho Falls Airport – Idaho Falls
Nez Perce County Regional Airport – Lewiston

Illinois
Central Illinois Regional Airport - Bloomington/Normal
University of Illinois Willard Airport – Champaign/Urbana
Quad City International Airport - Moline
Peoria Regional Airport - Peoria
Rockford Airport - Rockford
Capital Airport – Springfield

Indiana
Fort Wayne International Airport – Fort Wayne (free Cat5/RJ45 access too)
Smith Field Airport – Fort Wayne
Montgomery Aviation – Indianapolis Executive Airport – Zionsville

Iowa
CY Aviation, Boone Airport – Boone
Eastern Iowa Regional Airport – Cedar Rapids
Dubuque Regional Airport - Dubuque
Sioux City Airport – business center and JetSun Aviation facility – Sioux City
Waterloo Airport - Waterloo

Kansas
Hays Regional Airport – Hays
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport – Wichita

Kentucky
CVG Airport - Hebron
Bluegrass Airport - Lexington

Louisiana
Lafayette Regional Airport – Lafayette
Lake Charles Airport – Lake Charles

Maryland
Hagerstown Municipal Airport – Hagerstown

Michigan
Gerald R. Ford International Airport- Grand Rapids
Ford Airport - Kingsford/Iron Mountain
Capital City Airport – Lansing
Sawyer International Airport - Marquette
Muskegon County Airport - Muskegon
Pellston Regional Airport - Pellston

Minnesota
Beltrami County Airport – Bemidji
Duluth Int. Airport – Duluth
Rochester International Airport – Rochester

Mississippi
Golden Triangle Regional Airport - Columbus
Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport
Hattiesburg-Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport - no commercial flights – Hattiesburg
Jackson Airport – Jackson
Tupelo Regional Airport – Tupelo

Missouri
Taney County Airport – Branson
Columbia Regional Airport – Columbia
Joplin Regional Airport – ask ticket agent for access location – Joplin
Kansas City International Airport - Kansas City
Springfield-Branson Airport – Springfield

Montana
Bozeman Gallatin Airport – Bozeman
Great Falls International Airport – Great Falls
Helena Regional Airport – Helena
Missoula International Airport - Missoula

Nevada
Henderson Executive Airport - Henderson
McCarran Airport - Las Vegas
North Las Vegas Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport - Reno

New Hampshire
Manchester, Boston Regional Airport - Manchester

New Mexico
Albuquerque International Sunport/Airport – Albuquerque
Taos Municipal Airport – Taos

New York
Binghamton Airport – Binghamton
Elmira-Corning Regional Airport – Elmira
JetBlue Airways – Terminal 6 – JFK Airport – Jamaica, Queens
Tompkins County Regional Airport - Ithaca
Rochester Airport – Rochester
Syracuse International - Syracuse

North Carolina
Charlotte Douglas International Airport – ask at Info Desk for access area info – Charlotte
Asheville Regional Airport – Fletcher
Albert J. Ellis Airport - Jacksonville
Kinston Airport – Kinston
New Bern Airport – New Bern
Wilmington International Airport - Wilmington

North Dakota
Bismarck Municipal Airport – general aviation lounge – Bismarck
Hector International Airport - Fargo
Grand Forks Airport - Grand Forks

Ohio
Akron Airport – Akron
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – Concourse C, ticketing and baggage claim areas of Terminal 3, ticketing, baggage claim and holding areas of Terminal 2
Ohio State University Airport - Columbus
Port Columbus International Airport - Columbus
Dayton International Airport – Dayton
Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport - Vienna

Oklahoma
Will Rogers International Airport – Oklahoma City

Oregon
Eugene Airport – Eugene
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport – Medford
Southwest Oregon Regional Airport - North Bend
Portland International Airport - Main Level – Portland
Redmond Airport – Redmond

Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley International Airport – Allentown
Erie Airport – Erie
Harrisburg International Airport - Harrisburg
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport – Latrobe
Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport - Mt Pocono
Philadelphia International Airport – look for ATT WiFi – Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Airport - Pittsburgh
Brandywine Airport - West Chester
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

North Carolina
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport – Charlotte

South Carolina
Charleston Airport – Charleston
Columbia International Airport – Columbia
Florence Regional Airport – Florence
Greenville/Spartanburg Airport
Myrtle Beach Airport – Myrtle Beach

South Dakota
Rapid City Airport – Rapid City

Tennessee
Tri-Cities Regional Airport - Blountville
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport – Chattanooga
KnoxAir at TYS – McGee-Tyson Airport and DKX – Island Home Airport – Knoxville

Texas
Rick Husband Inernational Airport – Amarillo
Harrison Aviation – Arlington Municipal Airport – Arlington
Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport – Brownsville
Easterwood Airport - College Station
Admiral’s Clubs – DFW – Dallas/Ft.Worth
Valley International Airport – Harlingen
East Texas Regional Airport – Longview 
Lubbock International Airport - Lubbock
McAllen-Miller International Airport – McAllen
San Angelo Municipal Airport – San Angelo
San Antonio International Airport - San Antonio
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport – Tyler

Vermont
Burlington International Airport – South Burlington

Virginia
Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport - terminal area
Leesburg Executive Airport – Leesburg
Lynchburg Regional Airport – Lynchburg
Newport News/Williamsburg Airport – Newport News
Richmond Airport - Richmond
Roanoke Airport - Roanoke

Washington
Bellingham International Airport - Bellingham
Grant County Airport – Moses Lake
Tri-Cities Airport – Pasco
Pullman Moscow Airport- Pullman
Walla`Walla Regional Airport – Walla Walla
Pangborn Field Airport – Wenatchee

West Virginia
Yeager Airport – Charleston
Tri-State Airport - Huntington

Wisconsin
Gen. Mitchell Int. Airport – Milwaukee

Austin Straubel International Airport – Green Bay (Thanks to Tom for the Update!)
KOEO FBO’s – Top Dog Aviation (Northeast Hangar Base), Ward Aviation (Northeast Hangar Base), Terminal Building (South West Side) – Osceola

Wyoming
Natrona County International Airport - Casper
Cheyenne Regional Airport – Cheyenne

No Free Pillows for YOU! On Jet Blue..

 

Jet Blue aircraft on taxi

Well, here is the next thing that an airline has found to charge the traveling public for. Pillows and blankets, that’s right,  Jet Blue is selling a pillow-blanket kit for $7 on flights of 2 hours or more. What will those marketing geniuses come up with next!

Now there is an upside to this. There has been a lot of talk about how airline pillows and blankets on the aircrafts harbor all types of germs. So with this sealed pillow-blanket kit, it is a one use deal and it is made from MicronOne fabric which blocks all micro-toxins larger than one micron in size, such as dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander. Oh, and you can take it home with you and bring it on your next flight.

So, if you don’t want to pay $7 for a pillow and blanket, you will have to bring your own from now on on Jet Blue. I am still waiting for the airlines to charge fifty cents to use the toilet!

US Air…Charging for Drinks Won’t Help

 

These airlines just don’t get it. US Air has now taken the entertainment units off all of their planes. What a great way to attract new customers. Then they decide to charge for soft drinks. What will they think of next? Maybe they will charge a dollar to use the rest room.

As I have said before, these airlines do not know how to run their business. The don’t understand that it’s all about the customer. Make your product uncomfortable and hard to use and people will stop using it. And that is where these airlines are going. 

The only airline out there that “Gets it” is Southwest. They don’t promise the world and they deliver a consistently good product that their passengers love. The rest of the industry could learn a lesson from Southwest. Thanks Herb Kelleher for showing the world how to run an airline.

A morning flight over Seattle WA

Open Letter to United Airlines CEO on Checked Baggage

                                                                            I sent this letter to Glenn Tilton, President and CEO of United Airlines. I guess the Airlines just don’t get it!

Dear Mr. Tilton,

I am a loyal fan of United Airlines. I just completed a wonderful flight from Seattle to Chicago on United. Everyone from the gate agent in Seattle to the flight crew on the aircraft, were just great. It was the best flying experience I have had in months and I want to thank you for that.

And now for the main reason for this letter. I just received an email regarding United’s new baggage policy. I have to tell you that I am appalled. This is no way to run an airline. I have been in the travel industry for 37 years and I am currently a consultant to the travel industry. I wrote a piece on American’s $15 baggage charge where I questioned the policy and wondered if in fact the management at American were trying to put the airline in bankruptcy. The cold hard fact is $15 for a checked bag is a way to nickel and dime your customers away from your airline. This does not address the real problem, which is the escalating cost of running an airline. Fuel is now a major concern, but $15 per bag is not the answer. You have to price your product correctly. Charge your passenger what it costs to transport them from point A to point B and include the costs associated with that transportation, which includes at least one checked bag. You understand that you are forcing more and more people to carry on more luggage. A carryon suitcase clobbered me 2 weeks ago by a passenger that did not want to check her bag. She hoisted it up into the overhead and then it fell out and hit me in the head. With this additional carryon luggage, the boarding process will be slowed and there will be gate delays. It just does not make sense.

 I will give you some free advice. Don’t implement your $15 baggage charge, just raise your fares to cover your costs and make a profit. You will then have a profitable airline and you will have happy passengers, happy employees and happy investors. People will pay the price for a “Great Product” so make your airline a great airline by delivering a great customer experience. Try it, it works.  If you don’t, you will drive your customers away from your airline and then everyone loses.

I really hope that you, Mr. Tilton reads this letter and not one of your assistants because I would like to hear back from you, as you are the driving force behind this airline. Looking forward to your reply.

If it has wheels, some people think it’s a carry-on

I guess this is my rant for this week. I just returned from a flight on American Airlines from Las Vegas. I was in boarding group 4, I don’t know how I always get in boarding group 4. I check in at home 24 hour in advance and I still get boarding group 4. But anyway, I board the plane and get to my seat, an aisle seat on a 757 and sit down. Within 30 seconds, this women comes down the aisle dragging this huge suitcase and bumping into everyone that has an aisle seat. She gets to my row, row 21 and stops. Now mind you, there are maybe 15 people behind her and now she is standing in the middle of the aisle with this suitcase (yes it has wheels) that should have been checked. I have no Idea how she got it through security. Now everyone is backed up out the door of the plane waiting for her to hoist this boulder into the overhead rack. So she tries to lift this thing by herself into the overhead rack. After the first try, it fell on an empty seat. The second try it fell on the passenger in row 20. I get up to try to help her and it falls on me. There was no way that the suitcase was going to fit into the over head rack the way it was packed. So she starts taking things out of this suitcase and putting it in her carryon bag. Well, to make a long story short, the flight attendant was able to finally cram that thing into the overhead after she emptied about 2 pounds of stuff into her carry on bag but now there was no space for any ones carryons except hers.

So, please the next time you fly. Be respectful to your fellow passengers and bring a small carryon that will fit without any problem in the overhead rack. And remember, just because it has wheels, does not make it a CARRYON!

Ok, I feel better now.