Southwest Airlines has an ongoing Wanna Get Away sale through Jan. 19. One-way rates are $49-$99 when you travel on a Tuesday or Wednesday. (I checked out Phoenix and found $99 fare each way in April. Not bad.) The rest of the week, ticket prices are $59-$159 each way. It's a bit unusual for Southwest to have a sale that lasts nearly three weeks (it began Jan. 1), but it's an unusually slow time for airlines and travel, in general.

Of course, if the seats stay empty, another sale will be coming right up. Is it better to wait? I don't know. I've noticed gas prices ticking up a bit at the pump and the spring break/summer vacation season will be here before you can blink five times. But Tom Parsons, the editor of BestFares.com, says if you have a flexible schedule then you're better off waiting and not booking too far in advance. But he also says you have to watch the low fares pretty closely because they tend to come and go.

I like certainty, so I'm booking my spring trip to Arizona right now. If fares fall through the floor between now and April, I'll rebook at the lower price and save the credit for a future trip. That's my plan. What's yours?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

AirTran did the right thing today, issuing an apology to the Virginia family detained from a New Year's Day flight. In addition, the airline said it would refund the ticket price paid by the travelers when they had to take a USAirways flight to their destination after AirTran refused to rebook them. From AirTran's statement:

"We regret that the issue escalated to the heightened security level it did on New Year's Day, but we trust everyone understands that the security and the safety of our passengers is paramount and cannot be compromised."

"We apologize to all of the passengers - to the nine who had to undergo extensive interviews from the authorities and to the 95 who ultimately made the flight. Nobody on Flight 175 reached their destination on time on New Year's Day, and we regret it."

Regret or no, I smell a lawsuit.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

In what FBI agents describe as a "misunderstanding," a Virginia family was removed from a New Year's Day flight to Florida from Washington after other passengers heard them talking about the safest place to sit on a plane. The family, including 3 kids, were removed from the plane and questioned by officials. All 104 passengers were taken off the flight and re-screened before being allowed to board again. However, the nine family members were detained and eventually cleared, but AirTran refused to rebook them on another flight.

The passengers believe they were profiled because of how they look, according to a report in the Washington Post. Most of them were born in the U.S.A., but have traditional Muslim appearance, including headscarves. An AirTran spokesperson, defending the airline's actions, said "At the end of the day, people got on and made comments they shouldn't have made on the airplane and other people heard them...It just so happened that these people were of Muslim faith and appearance."

I don't know about that. I'm willing to bet that the appearance of the Musllm family mattered a whole lot. Maybe not to the airline, but to the other passengers for sure. Ever since 9/11, people pay attention to who gets on the plane. It's simply human nature. I notice when someone who appears to be Muslim gets on my flight. Do I freak out? No. Do I watch them more closely than the white couple in front of me? Probably. Is it fair? Absolutely not.

Was AirTran being fair? I don't know, the airline was most likely trying to calm some very anxious passengers but mob rule on planes is a bit scary. At the very least, it was very unfair to not help the Virginia family get to their destination. After the FBI cleared up the "misunderstanding," the Muslim family ended up paying more to get on a USAirways flight. AirTran says it likely won't reimburse them for the difference in airfare. That's definitely unfair.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

So Southwest is going to give up some gates at BWI. That's not really surprising since lots of airlines are cutting back on flights and capacity. Over the summer, Southwest announced it would fly about a dozen fewer flights from BWI beginning next year. Those reductions were only supposed to be for winter and a spokesperson said it was possible some of the flights might return in time for spring. But who knows?

At the same time, Southwest has gained entry to a few lucrative spots at LaGuardia in New York - well it's practically on Manhattan and popular for that reason. Southwest is picking up slack with slots from the bankrupt ATA Airline. There's a total of 14 = 7 takeoffs and 7 landings = 7 roundtrip flights a day. Any chance we'll gain a Baltimore to New York flight, instead of Long Island? Who knows!

I do know this: Southwest continues to have mojo in an industry that's struggling.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

With the euro falling since summertime, and those international fuel surcharges taking a slight dip, I'm sure some people have decided it's the perfect time to visit Europe. And it is. But you might want to skip Paris - at least for the next few days.

French pilots are set to go on strike tomorrow, likely resulting in cancellations, delays and general panic. Air France says they expect "significant flight disruptions." The airline normally flies some 800 flights, including 73 international flights from Paris daily, but expects to cancel half of those flights tomorrow. Air France will be posting daily flight schedules on its Web site at about 2 p.m. EST the day before.

So if you have any plans that involve Air France or their subsidiaries over the next 4-5 days, I'd call and get the lowdown. And in case you're wondering, the French pilots are protesting new rules that say they have to work until age 65. Join the crowd, mon amis. C'est la vie!

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Well, I guess AirTran couldn't hold out any longer. Yesterday they joined the rest of the pack in charging for that first checked bag. Beginning Dec. 5 - just in time for the holidays. What a gift! AirTran passengers will pay $15 each way for the first checked bag. Business class and A+ Rewards Elite travelers won't have to pay the baggage fees.

"We need all the revenue we can get," an AirTran spokesperson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. You don't say. AirTran also expects to generate a "significant amount of money" from the new fees. You don't say.

At this point, it's not surprising. Delta did the same last week, saying they were bringing their policies in line with that of newly minted merger partner Northwest Airlines. So now I think that's everybody among the major air carriers with the exception of the still beloved Southwest. (You can see an updated baggage fees chart for all airlines at airfarewatchdog.com)

I respect SWA too much to take bets on when they will cave. I'm thinking they still have a bit of rebel in them and don't want to do what everyone else is doing. At least I hope that's true.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

British Airways has roundtrip airfare from Baltimore to London starting at $436 (not including those dreaded fuel surcharges). Airfares to an additional 18 European cities, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Munich, Nice, Prague and Rome, are also on sale. If you book online, you save another $20.

I found a roundtrip BA flight from BWI to Madrid in December for less than $675. That fare was easily more than a grand over the summer.  And to top it all off, the airline is offering a 15% discount on hotels, car rentals, sightseeing and more. You must book your flight by Thursday at midnight for travel Nov. 18-Dec.17 or Dec. 24- March 22.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Yeah, yeah, another sale from Southwest. Great. $59 to Dayton. Terif. But, wait, don't be so jaded. This sale is different - it's a nationwide sale. That's right. Fly just about anywhere Southwest goes and save, save, save. Cheaper flights, $49-$109 one-way, are Mon-Thurs and Sat. Book your ticket by Thursday and travel Dec. 2- Feb.11.

I guess airlines are figuring out their planes are fuller when prices are lower. Or they're rolling in all that cheap oil. I don't know. The Los Angeles Times reported that American Airlines had nearly 800,000 fewer passengers in October than they did the same month last year.

Of course, if you don't have a job lower fares are not going to help. The economy has everyone tightening their spending, especially on luxuries like travel. And travel experts say holiday travelers who waited to get their plane tickets may find better bargains this winter. So here's to procrastination.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I love a good animal tale. And this one's a gem. Last week, a Delta flight from Oregon to Atlanta was carrying some spotty cargo: A pair of cheetahs from Wild Safari in Winston, Ore. As it turns out, one of the cheetahs got loose from its crate during transport and began roaming the cargo area of the 757 plane just as a ground worker opened the hatch to remove luggage. Probably took a few years off his life, but no one was hurt.

The cheetah, a frisky 1-year-old, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, was en route to the Memphis Zoo. But after a tranquilizer cocktail (the same combo I use to fly), the cheetah is having a layover in Atlanta until the Memphis folks can pick him up. I expect they'll take ground transportation this time. And I expect some passengers may experience a luggage delay.

Admittedly, this photo is not the cheetah from the plane, but this is what I imagine the baggage handler saw when he opened the cargo door. Photo by Associated Press.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

As airports go, BWI is pretty nice. And apparently, nice guys finish fifth. In a survey by SmarterTravel.com of travelers' favorite and least favorite airports, BWI Marshall Airport was ranked #5. The top ranked airport was Las Vegas, McCarran International, followed by Denver (really nice), Atlanta Hartsfield, Reagan and then yours truly, BWI.

The SmarterTravel.com 2008 Reader Choice Awards also named Southwest Airlines as the best airline ever with top rankings in baggage service, value, airfare prices, routes, on-time, cleanest cabin and best frequent flyer program. JetBlue beat out Southwest for comfort and onboard entertainment - guess those folks never heard the comedic riffs of some Southwest flight crews.

USAirways got props for having the dirtiest cabins. And the least favorite airport? You guessed it - it's almost cliche by now: Chicago O'Hare.

Photo courtesy of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

There are jumbo jets and then there are super jumbo jets. Qantas has one of the latter and the Australian airline landed it in Los Angeles yesterday. The Airbus A380 is the largest commercial passenger jet in the world and only three airlines operate it: Singapore, Emirates and now, Qantas. (You can see a photo gallery of the Emirates A380 here.)

The debut was a very big deal on the West Coast with star-studded welcome from pilot/actor John Travolta and Aussie native Olivia Newton John. But more importantly, Qantas is offering a bigger deal for those who want to be among the first to ride in its new super jumbo jet.

Some 10,000 seats are being offered at $380 each way from Los Angeles to Sydney. (Add $100 to fly from New York.) The special fares are only available until Oct. 31 for travel by Nov. 17 or anytime during May 2009. This is a pretty good deal and I'm sure it will sell out, but I called today and seats are still available. Tickets on the inaugural flight, according to the Los Angeles Daily News, ranged from $1,091 for a seat to $27, 655 for a first-class suite. So, hey, you'd be in good company.

(Photo: Getty Images) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The good news: Gas prices are down just about everywhere. The auto club says the national average is now $2.92/gallon. I filled up in Timonium over the weekend for $2.78. Never been so happy to pump gas. But the bad news is that this certainly won't last since the OPEC countries are planning to cut back on production. That whole supply and demand thing.

For a moment, though, I was hoping that airlines would cut back on those fuel surcharges for trips to Europe and maybe even on some of those add-on fees that were supposed to pay for higher fuel costs. The airlines are surely benefiting from the recent lower fuel costs, so why shouldn't the passengers? Some fliers are, according to Tom Parsons over at BestFares.com. His site says that airlines have dropped fuel surcharges about 18% on flights to London from many U.S. cities. The exception: major East Coast cities, like ours, where the charges remain the same. The New York Times reports that a New Jersey congressman sent a letter to U.S. airlines asking when their fees would reflect the changes in jet fuel prices - down to $2.34 a gallon from $4.33 back in July.

Sorry sir, but I'm not holding my breath on this one. The airlines like what the fees do for their bottom line and passengers have become accustomed to the usual and customary charges. Plus holiday travel time is coming up. And with OPEC on the case, who knows where fuel prices will be in a couple months?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I don't typically report a lot about the business side of travel industry - but I had to post this sad little tidbit. For the first time in 17 years, Southwest Airlines has posted a quarterly loss. Yep. The airline blames it on some one-time special charges related to its fuel contracts. Without those losses, overall revenue was up.

We'll just hope it's a blip on the radar because otherwise Southwest will have to look for more ways to increase their cash flow. And we know where most airlines look for that - in the passengers' pockets.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 8:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

AirTran is launching weekend, nonstop flights from Baltimore to Cancun beginning in March 2009 - just in time for spring break. The airline plans two flights each on Saturday and Sunday, coming and going, to the popular Mexican resort city. Several airlines have flights to Cancun from BWI, but right now only USA3000 offers nonstop trips, while many of the others involve a change of plane.

Up until last year, Mexicana Airlines had direct service from BWI to Mexico City. But Mexicana suspended those flights after less than two years of service. So if you prefer to keep ups and downs to a minimum, like me, AirTran may be just the ticket. But I'm guessing USA3000 won't exactly put out the welcome mat. I've never flown USA3000, but theboth airlines have similar new aircraft and amenities. What do you think? AirTran vs. USA3000 in a smackdown at 35,000 feet- who wins?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 6:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Buy a United Airlines ticket for travel after Nov. 10 and when you check a second bag, you get to donate an additional $50 to their fuel fund. Yippee. Count me in. Or just count me disgusted.

I've stopped blogging about the bag fees because they've become so commonplace. But since United today will double its fee for the second bag from $25 to $50, I thought I'd mention it. Unfortunately, they're not alone. In July Delta did the same thing. So if you check two bags when flying either of these airlines, you'll pay an extra $65 for the privilege ($130 roundtrip). There are some exceptions for first-class travelers and military folks.

United says the money will help offset a 50% hike in fuel prices since last year. But oil prices have fallen recently, so not sure why they're doing this now. One thing I do know is that as a holiday traveler, I plan to skip the toys for my nieces and nephews and go for the gift cards. I can carry those in my pocket.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Southwest Airlines celebrates 15 years of parking their planes at BWI Marshall Airport. The airline began service at Baltimore on Sept. 15, 1993 with only eight daily flights - three to Cleveland and five to Chicago.

But my, how big our little toddler is now! 

Today, Southwest is the leading airline serving Baltimore with 162 nonstop daily flights to 38 destinations, according to BWI, which is the airline's largest operation on the East coast. Last year, Southwest served some 11 million passengers at BWI. Now that's what we call a growth spurt.

So, here's a cupcake to you, Southwest (couldn't find a candle!) May you stay sweet just a little longer with low fares and free checked baggage.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

If you were planning to fly down to Houston this weekend for the Ravens v. Texans game, Ike has thrown a wrench in those plans. The game has been rescheduled for Monday and most flights to Houston will be ending around noon today. No flights are scheduled for Saturday.

Airlines, including Southwest and AirTran, are offering standby options and the chance to rebook without penalty. Depending upon where the hurricane makes landfall, a number of airports may be affected, including Houston, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Hopefully, the storm won't get any stronger and won't cause too much widespread damage allowing airports to reopen fairly quickly. (If the game has to be moved to Atlanta won't be good for Southwest ticketholders since the airline does not fly there from Baltimore.)

It still may be tricky to get into Houston in time for Monday's game. Normally I would suggest perhaps flying to an airport in another part of the state and then driving to Houston, but considering the number of people that were evacuated and the potential for debris, you don't want to be on the roads anytime soon. So check with the airline frequently to see when flights resume and maybe you can be one of the first to score a seat.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:49 PM | Permalink |