So what will the new schedule look like?

Two morning flights: 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Then, starting at 6:00 p.m., flights leave every half hour, through 11:30 p.m., albeit not necessarily from the same airport. The reconfigured schedule will be take effect in April 2011.

So is this much of a change? I’ve always been impressed, frankly, at the sheer number of flights between New York and London. Here’s the current schedule of New York (JFK and Newark) flights to Heathrow on American and British Airways (chosen for October 28, an arbitrary date in the near future). This list excludes BA002 and 004, which are all-business class flights to London-City Airport. And this obviously doesn’t even take other airlines’ service into account at all, such as Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Continental, Air India, or Kuwait Airways…

Again, this is the OLD schedule:

Pre-reconfiguration:
AA142 departs JFK at 8:30 a.m.
BA178 departs JFK at 8:40 a.m.
AA100 departs JFK at 6:15 p.m.
BA112 departs JFK at 6:20 p.m.
BA184 departs EWR at 6:25 p.m.
BA174 departs JFK at 6:50 p.m.
BA176 departs JFK at 7:35 p.m.
AA104 departs JFK at 8:20 p.m.
BA188 departs EWR at 8:50 p.m.
AA132 departs JFK at 9:25 p.m.
BA114 departs JFK at 9:35 p.m.
BA182 departs JFK at 10:40 p.m.
BA186 departs EWR at 10:55 p.m.
AA116 departs JFK at 11:50 p.m.


From where I sit, a move to flights on the half-hour is a tweak, not a radical shift, but it’s still an improvement in booking ease. It sure is a lot easier to remember your flight options this way. But it’s still the same number of total flights, at the end of the day.

If you’re going to cash in your AA miles for a flight on BA, though, you’re going to pay through the nose. BA slaps fuel surcharges onto the base airfare, which are payable even on frequent flier tickets. Those fuel surcharges can run as high as $500 for a roundtrip ticket in a premium cabin, on top of the miles you cash in. What would cost you $150 cash or so on an AA flight will cost you 5 times as much if booked on BA metal. This is completely and utterly lame.

The logic (and legality) of these fees has always escaped me. When I buy a plane ticket, I’m buying transportation from point A to point B, and the on-ground and in-flight services associated with that transportation. Fuel is part of that transportation equation.

By backing out the “fuel surcharge,” airlines act as if the consumer is just renting space on the plane. But last time I checked, I wasn’t just renting a chair. I also paid for the the movement of that chair across the oceans.

AA has posted an FAQ page related to the changes. It’s worth reviewing. See also Gary’s Friday post on the issue.

Maybe I’m seeing the glass half empty here. I’ve spent much of the weekend (and all of today) in bed, sick as a dog, so I’ve had had plenty to time to get crabby. Yes, this is better than before. Yes, other airlines and airline alliances play similar games. But these discrepancies within an alliance defeat the spirit of cooperation. They insult and dispirit customers, and they embolden the critics who argue that miles are “worthless” because of airline shenanigans.

I am glad they did something to improve the alliance. But I still hoped for better.

In the UK, some representatives of the union representing British Airways flight attendants have apparently lost their marbles:

While I recognize that the phrase “other duties as assigned” is not typically part of the contracted job description of a unionized employee, the labor union Unite is taking a particularly belligerent approach to defining specific work tasks in its ongoing squabbles. The union is essentially telling management that its employees shouldn’t do anything that’s not part of the safety routine. To wit: Flight attendants were advised by union leadership not to distribute hot towels to passengers premium economy on 747s.

And now, a published-and-then-repudiated memo portending to be union-issued has instructed its members to “politely refuse” to close windowshades. The airline had asked flight attendants to close the shades after passengers deplaned; closed shades keep plane interiors from heating up while the plane is parked at the gate, thereby reducing air conditioning (and fuel burn). But the memo argues that the task hasn’t been vetted for health and safety concerns. Seriously. The health and safety argument might have worked for the hot towels, but windowshades?

I empathize with flight attendants’ low pay and anger at losing benefits over the years. Really, I do. But the spat between the flight attendants and management over at BA has simply gotten ridiculous.

Speaking of empathy, I can certainly feel for this guy, too:

A JetBlue flight attendant, apparently upset with an uncooperative passenger on a just-landed flight, on Monday unleashed a profanity-laden tirade on the public address system, pulled the emergency-exit chute, slid off the plane and fled Kennedy International Airport, a law enforcement official said.

That’s a great opening for an article. And really, it just keeps right on going:

One passenger got out of his seat to fetch his belongings from the overhead compartment before the crew had given permission. [The flight attendant, Steven Slater] instructed the man to remain seated. The passenger defied him. Mr. Slater approached and reached the passenger just as he pulled down his luggage, which struck Mr. Slater in the head.

Mr. Slater asked for an apology. The passenger instead cursed at him. Mr. Slater got on the plane’s public address system and cursed out all aboard. Then he activated the inflatable evacuation slide at service exit R1; launched himself off the plane, an Embraer 190; ran to the employee parking lot; and left the airport in a car he had parked there.

Frankly, I feel for the guy. I wouldn’t want to be the enforcer of the bins, and who knows, I might reach the point of having a Howard Beale moment. But if it’s gotten so bad at work, that you’re taking the emergency slide to make an escape, it’s time to look for another job. Which Mr. Slater probably is doing right now.

Unless they let him slide. (rimshot)

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Upgraded: Odds of chip-and-PIN in the US
A month ago, I blogged about the United Nations Federal Credit Union bringing chip-and-PIN credit cards to its American customers. That isn’t a huge customer base to be pushing a new technology. But what if a bigger player made a push for the increasingly-globalized payment technology? What if that player were Wal-Mart?…

Upgraded: Demand for parked airliners
When air travel slowed with the recession, the airlines parked a number of their planes in the desert. According to Rockwell Collins, the recent increase in demand will lead to airlines recalling those planes and putting them back into service. This may be wishful thinking by Rockwell, which services planes and spruces them back up for action, but if true, it could mean some respite from jam-packed flights, with planes flying at record loads.

Upgraded: Opportunities for speaking your mind to the TSA director
John Pistole, the recently-appointed TSA director, wants to hear from you. The TSA has a new comment/complaint form, and you’re invited to use it.

Upgraded: The male of the species
British Airways has been forced to pay restitution to a male passenger who was forced to change seats by flight attendants because he was seated next to an unaccompanied minor. BA admitted to sex discrimination against the man and paid £2,161 in costs and £750 in damages. I understand that airlines are worried about children being molested by strangers, but please: not all male travelers are child molesters. By the same token, neither are all female travelers drug-addled nymphomaniacs seeking mile-high-club entry with 14-year old male travelers… like this woman. (Thanks for that latter link to Mike Maddaloni!) Kinda puts the whole discussion of unaccompanied minor fees in some perspective…

Upgraded: First-mover disadvantage
The new Conservative-led British government has halted plans to expand Heathrow Airport, and has preemptively banned additional runway construction at Gatwick and Stansted. While I appreciate the sentiment and intent of a move by the new British government to discourage “binge flying” on environmental grounds, I fear that the net carbon footprint of the aviation industry won’t change much: Since many flights are through the UK, and not to the UK, the traffic will simply shift to Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt.

Meet your new British Airways cabin crew!

But the disruptiveness of the strike isn’t limited to customers and staff at BA. Disrupted as well: Ryanair.

British Airways passengers turning up to Gatwick on Saturday for their 8:20am flight to Edinburgh are in for a slight surprise.

The aircraft waiting for them is scheduled to be one of three that BA has leased from its no-frills Irish rival, Ryanair, to help it cope with the impact of Saturday’s strike. Ryanair flight attendants, who must famously charge for everything from a cup of coffee to a sandwich, will also notice a change to their normal routine: they will have to serve food and drink free of charge.

“It will be BA service and BA catering,” said BA, adding that Ryanair cabin crew had been tutored in what this entailed earlier this week.

“Tutored”!

However, never missing an opportunity to take the low road, Ryanair management took a dig at their newest client:

“Never mind the coffee – being on time will be a new experience for these passengers,” said Stephen McNamara, a Ryanair spokesman.

The lack of legroom or windowshades may be a surprise for customers, too, big guy.

British Airways has leased aircraft from 11 different providers, not just Ryanair. But the odds are still good that operating flights will be operated by BA crew on a BA plane. Nearly 60% of BA crew apparently showed up for work, despite the strike.

Strikes are scheduled for March 20, 21, and 22 and 27, 28, 29, and 30, 2010. Strap in.

Upgraded: British Airways Visa Miles
In the spirit of the last item: In order to actually fly in BA’s first class, you’ll likely want to have a stash of BA frequent flier miles. To help toward that end, the BA mileage-earning Visa card giga-mega-uber-super-deal is back. 100,000 total bonus miles after only $2000 in spending. $75 annual fee. Details via Gary Leff.

Upgraded: Recycling
British Airways will partner with US-based Solena Group to build a plant in the UK to produce jet fuel from waste that would otherwise head to a landfill. The facility, scheduled to open in 2014, is intended to produce enough fuel to power only 2% of flights out of Heathrow.

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Downgraded: Traveling Value, Thanks to Fees
Delta upped its checked baggage fee again. $8 more for the first bag (now $23), and $7 for the second bag (now $32). And that’s if you pay your fees online. If you wait until you show up at the airport, add another $2 ($25 total) for the first bag and another $3 ($35 total) for the second. What I don’t understand is this: The policy is effective today, January 12, for anyone who purchased tickets on or after January 5. But the policy was only announced on the 11th. How is this legal, especially in light of the DOT “crackdown” on post-purchase changes to the contract of carriage? I smell a rat.

Upgraded: Travel for People with Nut Allergies
Travelers with nut allergies may soon find a nut-free-zone on Canadian airlines. Complaints filed against Air Canada yielded the ruling, which requires the airline to create a buffer zone within 30 days of the early-January ruling. What other cordoned-off areas will we see on planes now?…

Downgraded: The One-Way Ticket Myth
Mythbusting on the details: Umar Abdulmutallab, the crotch bomber, did not travel to Detroit on Christmas Day on a one-way ticket, despite nearly every major news organization’s reports to the contrary. He might have set off a thousand other warning flags if the data mining and information sharing within the US security community were up to full speed, but a one-way ticket was not one of those flags.

Upgraded: Jokes about TSA drug use
Jimmy Fallon: “Four TSA workers at LAX were videotaped snorting drugs. It was the first time people had ever seen lines go that fast at the airport.” Hey-ohhhh…

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The court ruled that the strike was illegal, on the basis of “balloting errors” in the union’s voting.

But the problems aren’t over for British Airways, and a new strike is quite likely in February if labor and management can’t come to an agreement. Once the holidays are over, the real fun begins. British Airways customers should be aware of that strike risk, going forward.

So where does this leave the passengers who canceled, rebooked, or otherwise changed their holiday travel plans because of the strike? Many passengers opted for a refund rather than a rebooking, and ended up buying new tickets on other carriers. The Guardian has a good summary of the options. One of the key takeaways is in this quote:

The airline will not be offering any special terms to those who thought they would be hit by the strike. A spokeswoman said: “We made it clear from the outset that the option we were offering ahead of any cancellation was the ability to rebook to a different date on another BA flight. As we did not make any cancellations, we did not rebook customers on other carriers. We did not encourage people to rebook on other carriers.”

I understand that position, legally, but it’s not going to go over well, from a PR perspective. The airline’s troubles will have already created a great deal of anxiety (and I’m not optimistic that the cabin crew will be at the top of their game during the next few weeks…) This just gives the flying public another reason to grumble. Smooth move, guys.

If you changed your flight to an alternative date, you might be able to switch your dates back to the holidays, if that’s your fancy. The December and January flights should be safe. If anything, they’re probably safer than any others on the BA schedule right now.

Good luck.

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The airline’s FAQ for rebookings gives some options, but they’re not really great:

Customers who are booked to travel between 22 December 2009 and 2 January 2010 and for 48 hours on either side of those dates who would like to take their flight at a different time can change to another BA flight departing in the next twelve months at no charge.

If a customer’s flight is actually cancelled because of industrial action, we will offer them the option to refund their ticket, rebook on to a different flight or reroute their journey on another BA flight.

Note that they’re not offering to reroute the ticket on an alternate carrier. But alas, the BA contract of carriage doesn’t mention reroutings on other carriers as an option, at all.

If you’re affected by the strike, you’ll need to contact the airline or agency who sold you the tickets. That may be a codeshare partner — British Airways belongs to the oneworld alliance, so flights may have been sold under airline codes such as American Airlines, Qantas, JAL, Cathay Pacific, or other members. If you bought from an agency, start there. If you bought from an airline, call them.

Depending on the terms of the selling airline’s contract of carriage, you might be able to negotiate a rerouting (that avoids London…), so go online, Google your airline’s contract, and look for the text on delays and cancellations. Then find alternate flight options to suggest to the agent. (I like ITA Software’s search engine or Kayak for this purpose.) Print it all out or have it on-screen, then call the seller.

Fight for it. Ask for alternatives. Don’t wait for them to offer. And do it soon. You’re going to be in line with thousands of others, who are all in the same boat. Stop reading this. Get going.

The rates vary by class and distance: £10 per person for European economy, £20 on long-haul economy or short flights in business class, emergency exit row will cost £50 (bookable between 10 and four days before departure), and £60 for long haul trips in business class. No charge for first-class cabins on three-class aircraft.

This isn’t just the “preferred seating” reservation charge that many US airlines offer. It’s indeed more in line with a discount carrier like Spirit or Easyjet.

Mind you, British Airways hasn’t been very friendly in the realm of seating assignments for some time. Back in 2006, I posted about how they limited the window when you could select seats to 24 hour hours before the flight. The new policy opens that window, but at a price.

In the LA Times’ blog, Jane Engle calls out the British Airways PR spin on the fee:

Here’s how British Airways described the new fees in their e-mail to agents: “Effective Oct. 7, 2009, your British Airways customers will have more control over their seating, with our new paid seating option.” I kid you not.

That’s not far from the same language they used in 2006: The ban at the time (of all seat pre-reservations) was “designed to simplify the process of choosing a seat and give all customers more transparency and control of the seating options available on their flight.” Simpler for whom?

British Airways tried to piss on you and tell you it was raining in 2006, and they’re doing it again now. Lufthansa is looking better and better.

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