May 19, 2012

The 30,000 foot Virgin

virgin_america

Your Nomad-in-Chief is no longer a virgin. No longer a Virgin virgin, that is. I am writing this high in the sky in a return flight from SFO to BOS aboard Virgin America. I have heard fellow Nomads raving about Virgin for years and so I decided to skip the chance for more miles on United or JetBlue to give the hip alternative a try. So here's … [Read more...]

Ransoming Seats at American Airlines?

jet airplane taking off

Here's a tale of woe and intrigue from a fellow Nomad who had to fly cross country. The westbound flight on Alaska Airlines was no problem at all. The return flight was booked on American.When I asked her about her trip her first words were, "I'm never flying American again and neither should you." I wanted details. Our traveler was unable to … [Read more...]

American’s Folly

plane sunset

It has been interesting to watch the skirmish between American Airlines and the on-line booking sites Expedia and Orbitz. American has withdrawn from these sites and so its fares no longer appear alongside their competitors on these sites. According to a report on NPR, they are envious of Southwest, which achieves higher margins by requiring … [Read more...]

The Welcome Home We Nomads Crave

arrivals-CHE04360d

It's been a long flight. The only available seat was in the middle -- between a snorer and a talker.  The plane was stuck on the tarmac for 45 minutes. Waaaaahhhhh! This is the kind of welcome home that can chase all of that away. If only I had arrived at Heathrow on 27 October. I love flash mobs (even more when there is no commercial … [Read more...]

Full Body Scam?

Human spine in xray

Terminal A at Boston's Logan Airport features the new full body scanners at security and I took my second trip through about a half-an-hour ago. I don't know if they make us any safer (and I wish the TSA would at least buy me a drink before examining my full anatomy) but the certainly make security slower and more cumbersome. My belt and … [Read more...]

Does It Cost More if I Wear Pants?

Businessman no pants

As a frequent business traveler, I'm always conscious of the airline fees that can drive a "cheap" ticket into something much more expensive -- and more of pain. Spirit Airlines announcement yesterday that they are starting to charge for carry-on bags that won't fit under the seat brought fees to a new low, er, high. They had lots of good … [Read more...]

Take Your Seat

Cuddle-Class-794790

If there is one topic guaranteed to spur spirited debate among business travelers it is airline seats -- which are bearable and which are not, which rows are preferable on which aircraft, and how best to get a coveted upgrade and the extra leg room that comes with it. If New Zealand is on your itinerary (and I sorely wish that it was on mine), … [Read more...]

In-flight Wifi — A First Take

Airplane computer

I've bemoaned the arrival of wifi in the sky -- the plane cabin is one of the last places where one could be blisfully untethered from e-mail -- but felt obliged to try it today out of professional curiosity. I'm currently flying to Atlanta on Delta, blogging live from 10,000+ feet. Delta's service is provided by GoGo. I found the log-in process … [Read more...]

Up in the Air 2010

upinthe-air_full

As we head toward a new year it is a good time to look at what lies ahead when we head to the airport. In a phrase, it isn't pretty. The thwarted on-board bombing on a Northwest flight headed from Amsterdam to Detroit portends increased airport security with the attendant longer lines and waits. I'm all for proper security though it is frustrating … [Read more...]

Airline Seat Fees Becoming More Widespread

plane seats

If you find yourself sitting in coach more often these days, and who among us has not had tighter restrictions put on travel, you likely know the "pleasure" of having your knees wedged into a seat back as you fly. Increasingly, there are options -- if you are willing to pay for them, according to the New York Times. More and more airlines are … [Read more...]