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Upgraded: Electric power at JFK Airport
More power, Scotty! Through an agreement with the Port Authority, Samsung will be installing electrical charging stations in each terminal of New York’s JFK Airport. Each of the 50 8.5-foot poles will have four separate outlets, suitable for charging your laptop or cellphone. (via NewYorkology)

Downgraded: Hilton Suites Phoenix
Opera soprano Alison Trainer is suing Hilton Hotels for subjecting her to a week of bedbugs at the Hilton Suites in Phoenix. “She looks like a piece of wood that has been attacked by termites,” said Trainer’s attorney, Kenneth J. Glassman. But why would she stay in the hotel — or even in the room — for a full week once she started noticing she had multiple bites in the morning?

Ms. Trainer’s roommate at the Hilton Suites Phoenix

Downgraded: Loyalty card kickbacks
Ron Lieber of the Wall Street Journal runs the numbers for his 2006 spending and loyalty point earnings. He values his rewards at $4,850. And that’s DOWN 78% from his previous year’s earnings? Yowza, nice work! But the takeaway: In the past year, it’s gotten harder to get a solid “return” on your credit cards, with banks less and less likely to give 5% rebates on everyday purchases.

Upgraded, I guess: Palmdale, California
Palmdale, 70 miles from Los Angeles, it has added “LA” to its airport name. I always think this renaming of airports to employ the big city’s name amounts to deceptive practice. (”Chicago Rockford International Airport”? Sorry, folks, Rockford isn’t Chicago. It’s 90 miles away.) But the plan seems to have worked, if the goal was to attract airline service and/or reduce load on LAX. (See here for a skeptical account of Palmdale’s chances.) Delta and United are both hoping to start service to the airport.

Upgraded: Avis rental cars; Downgraded: Private time
Avis is working with Autonet Mobile to create in-car mobile wireless hotspots. For $10.95 a day, a unit in the car creates a local hotspot for use with regular wi-fi cards. The signal, in turn, is transmitted along a cellular network to hit the big pipes on the internet. It’s a nice service, if you’re going to be using your laptop from your car. But jeez, do we really need to be THAT accessible?

Downgraded: Snowglobes
Sure, liquids are prohibited. But don’t forget, that includes snowglobes. Sigh.

Downgraded: Flour, sugar, eggs, Philadelphia
Hot tip: If you really need to transport flour through airports, don’t carry it in a condom. But if you DO arrest someone for carrying flour through an airport in condoms, don’t keep her in jail for three weeks, like Philadelphia did. The flour “mule” will sue. And you’ll pay her handsomely. (Thanks to Benet Wilson)

Upgraded: This blog?
Voting for the Bloggies is open. Vote early and often for your favorite blogs, as long as you vote by January 10. Shameless self-promotion aside: May the best blogs win!

Reader Steven writes in:

I know that so called y-up fares can be a good way to sit in first class for cheap, but I can’t find them for flights to Europe or Asia. Can you help?

The reason you can’t find them, Steven, is because there are none by that name. International long-haul discount first (and business) class fares go by different names than their domestic equivalents.

Y-UP fares and their ilk are limited to North American flights, and generally refer to an upgrade from coach to first on two-class planes. See here for background on Y-UP fares, and see FareCompare’s Y-UP search tool to find these fares on routes you travel.

For Europe or Asia, you’re generally going to be looking for Z-fares. But there’s no handy-dandy search tool (yet) for Z-fares like there is for Y-UPs. (Neil and Rick, consider this a challenge!…)

Z-fares crop up from time to time, but aren’t available on every route. Traveling in summer or the December holiday season maximizes your chances of finding such a fare.

For international premium class travel, be sure to also consider the startup airlines like Maxjet, Silverjet, Eos Airlines, MiMa, and L’Avion. These offer all-business class flights to London, Milan, or Paris.

Related:
- First class for less than coach?
- More tips on finding discounted first class fares (Y-UP, Q-UP, etc.)
- Update/Correction re: discounted first class fares (Y-UP, Q-UP, etc.)
- Y-UP and Q-UP first class fares apparently not enough: Welcome M-UP and B-UP fares
- More trans-Atlantic flights, but lower prices?

This is a new one for me: Several airlines are refusing to fly into Bristol because they’ve lost faith in the safety of the runway. They’re afraid their planes will slip off the newly repaved surface in the lightest rain. After several days of boycott, the airport decided to close.

EasyJet was the first to cancel its flights. XL Airways was next, and British Airways followed suit shortly thereafter. Others joined in later.

Four planes have experienced “incidences on that runway in wet weather.” One aircraft skidded off the runway. The affected airlines are offering to reroute passengers through other airports, until Bristol’s runway is re-grooved.

But perhaps most interestingly: Not every airline refused to land at Bristol before the airport managers threw in the towel. For example, Continental’s Newark-Bristol flights were still on the schedule today. And European carriers like Ryanair and flyBe never stopped flying into the airport.

So why were these few airlines willing to take their chances? Why, when so many other carriers cut their schedules short?…

(For the latest status, click here for the Bristol Airport website.)

(Update 1/8/06: The airport has reopened following overnight work to add drainage grooves to the runway. How nice.)

More and more airlines are downsizing the planes they fly across the Atlantic. Whether it’s service to new cities on smaller routes, or just a downgrade for existing service, Boeing’s 757 has gotten a new lease on life, despite no longer being produced since 2005.

The latest international route in a 757 is US Airways, which last week announced new 757 service from Philadelphia to Brussels. The airline will be installing winglets on its planes to maximize fuel efficiency (and thereby increase the aircraft’s range).

From a business perspective, this certainly makes sense. Some routes simply aren’t profitable with an Airbus 330/340 or a Boeing 747/767/777. The 757 is the compromise.

757s internationally aren’t new. American Airlines was flying 757s to and from Ireland for a while, without even bothering to upgrade the cabin to an international configuration. Icelandair relies on the 757 for the core of their operations. It was Continental that really got things started, though, by adding the winglets to their existing 757s, putting international business class seats up front, and flying the planes from Newark to smaller European markets like Edinburgh, Bristol, Oslo, and Cologne.

Not my idea of a good time

All well and good. But as a customer, I just don’t like this single-aisle plane on long routes. Sure, it can provide point-to-point service for smaller cities, and there’s definitely a benefit in having that convenience. But the comfort just isn’t there on a 757, unless you’re upgraded. A single aisle means more blocked aisles, and less room to get up and stretch. Arguably the ride over the North Atlantic is bumpier than in the widebodies, too.

The seats themselves are no great shakes, either. While every airline configures their seat pitch differently, the 757’s economy-class seats are consistently a narrow 17.2 inches. I have yet to sit in any 757 coach seat — on any airline — that I would truly describe as “comfortable.” These planes are fine for domestic runs, but international service needs a little more space.

8 hours on such a flight? No thanks.

Disagree? Prefer the 8-hour nonstop flight in a single aisle to a one-stop in a widebody? Hit the comments!

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The TSA is taking a page from airlines like Ryanair or US Airways, which offer advertising opportunities on everything from tray table tops to barf bags.

Yes, the TSA is soliciting proposals to slap advertisements inside those gray bins you put your laptop, keys, baby, etc., into. I guess my earlier post “TSA: Not cash-flow positive yet, but working on it” was more prescient than I thought…

Hat tip to Benet Wilson’s recent blogging and reporting on the subject.

The fact that a government agency is whoring itself out like this is pretty sad. But who would really want to advertise inside a TSA bin? Considering that the moment when you’re unpacking your stuff into/out of bins is 1) relatively short, and 2) not the happiest time in your life, is that really a place an advertiser would want to be?

Begin speculating on potential bin advertisers in comments!

20,000 leagues under the Hyatt
Forget cookie-cutter hotels. Demand a hotel that reminds you more of the “Undersea Kingdom” in Jaws 3D. The Hydropolis is planned for a late 2007 opening in Dubai (of course) and will feature 220 suites, 60 meters under water. If it succeeds, a chain of underwater hotels is already in the works. The idea seems James-Bond-villain crazy to me, not to mention a potential ecological disaster.
(via Neatorama)

What’s the adult equivalent of “Country Bear Jamboree”?
South Korea’s “Love Land,” a sculpture theme park devoted to a celebration of carnal passions, is open for business on the “honeymoon isle” of Jeju. (Not entirely safe for work; the image at right is the tamest I could find.) Be sure to visit Sex Ed Island within the park. Bring the kids! (Yes, they’re welcome — and admission is free! — if they’re over 12 and accompanied by an adult.)
(via Jaunted)

Cold War tourism is hot!
If you’ve always wanted to turn the launch key for an intercontinental ballistic missile, then the Titan Missile Museum in Sahuarita, Arizona is where you want to be. Or peruse the New York Times’ roundup of nuclear weapons-themed tourist sites in the American Southwest. The reviews are glowing! (groan)

Remember the difficulties which blog readers (and I) shared regarding the use of American credit cards overseas, when the only way to complete a transaction was using “chip-and-PIN” technology?

The argument for the chip-and-PIN technology has always been enhanced security. Signatures were too easily faked (or ignored), the argument goes, and protection of having an embedded chip containing the card data, plus a numeric PIN, overrode the inconvenience caused to those (often international) customers whose cards didn’t have the requisite chip.

Chip-and-PIN terminals were supposedly tamper-proof, and the multiple-layers of security allegedly decreased risk to both the customer and the retailer.

Until now.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have hacked a chip-and-PIN box, and in a demonstration of the machine’s weakness, reprogrammed it to play Tetris. A less jesterlike hacker might hack a box and use the terminal to capture card numbers and PINs. So much for a better mousetrap. See here. Be sure to scroll down to watch the video.

Think this new evidence will cause European credit card issuers to make it easier to use a non-chip card when making purchases? Don’t bank on it.

Related:
- Update: How to beat the chip and PIN credit card requirement?
- Rotten in Denmark: Credit cards with mandatory PIN
- “We prefer Visa cards” — just not yours

(via boingboing)

Update: From recent comments, it seems that this offer has been pulled. Sorry to those who missed out.

United Airlines is playing Santa a little late. (Or maybe they’re tipping their hat to the Orthodox calendar?) United is making it ridiculously easy to obtain elite status.

For some time, American Airlines has offered their so-called “challenges,” whereby you obtain elite status for a full year by flying a fraction of those miles within 90 days. Most airlines have been loath to offer such shortcuts to elite status. (American’s challenges measure qualifying points, not just miles, so be sure to understand the rules. A basic overview is here. An old but generally still correct primer on the subject of AA challenges is here.)

Now United is following American’s lead and offering a similar program. This is different from United’s earlier “pre-paid” status. Last year, and perhaps earlier, United offered prepaid “gift cards” for $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000, that came with Premier, Premier Executive, or 1K benefits, respectively. But the airline’s adoption of fast-track challenges is new.

According to this thread on FlyerTalk, you’ll need to call the United Mileage Plus (1-800-421-4655) and ask to participate in the challenge. Mention offer code MPP557.

The terms: Pay $100 to participate. Then earn 6,250 elite-qualifying miles within 90 days of registering to earn Premier status. Earn 12,500 elite-qualifying miles on United within 90 days of registering to earn Premier Executive status (which gives Star Alliance Gold status). All paid United tickets qualify, and higher fare classes and premium cabins give a bonus. Only United/United Express/Ted flights count, so no codeshares or alliance flights. If you want to go all the way to 1K, however, there are two caveats: 1) You need to have been 1K in 2006 and failed to requalify for 2007, and 2) only tickets booked in the more expensive fare classes (F, A, P, C, D, Z, Y or B) will count for the challenge.

Status obtained through such a challenge will last through February 2008. Thereafter, you’ll have to earn it the hard way. Unless, of course, another challenge crops up…

If you’re going to be flying anyway, and you don’t already have the elite mojo, this might be worth your while. A mileage run (flying for the sake of miles) might be worth it, too, if the price is right. 12,500 elite-qualifying miles aren’t really that hard to obtain, and this is a really cheap route to elite status.

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Though Delta Air Lines recently cut the lifespan of its miles by a full year for inactive accounts, they’ve made a positive move to the SkyMiles program by introducing mix-and-match awards.

The new policy means that you can book a first-class ticket on the outbound flight, and coach on the return. Or a “saver” award on the outbound, and an “anytime” award for the return.

Previously, if you could snag a saver ticket for one flight but not the other, you’d still be stuck paying twice the miles at the “SkyChoice” tier, or not using miles at all. Obviously, getting the lower rate remains the best option, but if that fails, this new flexibility is a good option to have.

Continental has already offered such an feature for some time. Offhand, I’m not aware of any other airlines that do. (Please correct me in comments if I’m missing someone.) Come on, United, American, etc… Step up!

Bottom line: Delta flyers have more redemption options, and that’s a very good thing.

So many posts that “got away” in the last week of limited posting… Here goes, taking a crack at the backlog!

U.S. exports miserable regional jet experience to China
This won’t bring balance to the trade deficit, but American regional jet powerhouse Mesa Airlines is starting an airline in China. (Mesa must be feeling confident, after starting up the all-Canadair “go!” inter-island airline in Hawaii.) Like its American operations as a contractor to the major airlines, the Chinese subsidiary will feed larger airlines with traffic from smaller cities, using 50-seat regional jets. Maybe they’ll have better on-time arrivals and baggage handling than they do in the U.S. Mesa’s performance (not to mention in-flight non-comfort) stinks, so the bar isn’t set very high.

Early start: British Airways’ summer business class fare sale
It’s only January, and British Airways is already discounting summer airfares between the U.S. and Europe… in business class. The roundtrip fare is okay, not great (starting at around $2500 roundtrip, including taxes). Travel between July 1 and September 2, 2007. See here.

Free taxi rides in New York City
But don’t get your hopes up. There are a grand total of five free cabs in New York. They’re easily identifiable, though: They’re decorated in (fake) cowhide to promote a bull-riding event. Good luck wrangling one.

New life for Connexion inflight internet?
Connexion by Boeing, the short-lived but generally well-liked global inflight internet service, might get a second lease on life. Lufthansa leads a consortium of airlines and tech companies trying to bring the service back up. Here’s hoping they get it going!

Hammertime! Blunt instruments defend your personal information
New U.S. passports will include RFID chips that contains your personal information, in addition to the printed/scannable inside page. The problem: The RFID chip can potentially be read by identity thieves using a scanner. So what’s the best way to disable the RFID without otherwise mangling your passport? A hammer.

Spell-check is your friend
If you’re traveling across two oceans to visit your girlfriend in Sydney, Australia, be sure you spell “Sydney” correctly. You don’t want to end up on a flight to Sidney, Montana.

“He had a bad night last night.” His morning won’t be any better.
Passenger gets drunk and unruly, and slaps a fellow passenger. Turns out the recipient of the slap is a federal air marshal. Jackpot!

Trip insurance, eBay style
If you got dumped right before a trip — a trip you planned as a romantic setting during which you would propose to your love — but you had already prepaid the travel, what would you do? If you’re Adam Croot, you go on the trip, but you auction off your ex’s share of the trip on eBay, in hopes of finding a new traveling companion.

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We’ve all left things behind in a hotel. A razor, a shirt, etc. But Rudy Giuliani, or an obviously senior member of his staff, lost the former New York mayor’s campaign playbook for his upcoming run for the Republican nomination to the presidency. The book, full of information like fundraising plans, as well as an honest assessment of candidate weaknesses and shortcomings, was left in a hotel, and somehow made its way into an opponent’s hands. The New York Daily News has the full story.

But putting all the political hijinx and tabloid spectacle aside, which hotel sold out their guest like this?

I’ve left stuff behind at hotels before, even though I semi-obsessively give the room a once-over before checking out, and I’ve been lucky enough to get the meaningful stuff back. My wife once left a change of clothes behind in a hotel, and the staff of the hotel mailed the clothes home to us. From Barbados. (The Sandpiper, fyi. Hats off to them for the service.)

Granted, a pair of pants doesn’t carry a lot of cachet on the black market, while presidential candidacy plans can be pretty valuable. But a hotel failing to return documents to its guests is unacceptable. So which hotel was it??

Sorry, folks, but a particularly tenacious hacker has the upgradetravelbetter.com servers hamstrung again. The site was down for hours, and it’s working sporadically right now. This is really ticking me off, as you can imagine. Hopefully back to normal posting soon.