A new airline fee!?

I am disgusted by Allegiant Airlines. This week they announced they are lowering the weight of a bag before overweight from 50lbs to 40lbs and increased checked bag fees. If you remember, this is also the airline that is charging for carry-on's! Now they have really outdone even themselves. They proposed to the DOT that passenger's get two fares to chose from; a higher fare that will not change or a lower fare that could change with their cost of business.... specifically fuel. (Read into this lower fare that they would expect it to only go UP). Are passengers now supervising airlines on fuel hedging and distribution costs? The moment they employee me to make their purchasing decisions, I will take the risk of the costs.

Trusted Traveler Program Could Eliminate Baggage Fees

A new U.S. Travel Association proposal could eliminate security bottlenecks and checked baggage fees. The USTA's proposal includes a recommendation forcing airlines to allow passengers one free piece of checked luggage. Fewer carry-on bags would require less screening and TSA security officials would be able to focus more closely on security procedures.

Another way to ease security that is also included in the proposal - introducing a trusted traveler program. The trusted traveler program would be run by the Transportation Security Administration and would require travelers to share biometric and biographical information and pass in-depth background checks to become "trusted travelers." Travelers with this status pass through an alternative security area.

Not everyone is a fan of the proposal. The Air Transport Association released a statement: "Consumers have been the big winners from a quasi deregulated, highly competitive airline industry, and government taking a huge step backward and dictating how airlines deliver and price their products and services, as the USTA suggests, diminishes customer choice and competitive differentiation among carriers." I totally disagree with this statement and think that the government does need more regulation control of the airlines. They are a vital part of our economy.

The proposal goes on to recommend added training for all TSA officials. Do you think they will eliminate security concerns? How about profiling or sacrificing religious freedom for safety & security of the population?

Visa waiver agreements with Brasil

The European Council concluded two agreements between the EU and Brazil which allow their citizens to travel to the other territory without a visa for stays of up to three months during a six-month period. One agreement concerns holders of ordinary passports (13712/10), while the other concerns holders of diplomatic, service or official passports (13708/10).

The two agreements mark the end of negotiations started in April 2008. They do not replace, but supplement existing bilateral agreements between several EU member states and Brazil. The United Kingdom and Ireland are not bound by the agreements. For citizens from these two countries, the respective bilateral agreements continue to apply.

Now, hopefully the US is next as the visa requirements between the US and Brasil are non sense.

24 hour hotels!

I am amazed and delighted.
Airport area hotels are starting to rethink their business model and allowing their room to be rented on a 24hour basis instead of the "check in at 3pm, check out at 11am".... request any deviation and you're subject to some 18 year old working the desk deciding your convenience. The Four Points LAX is rolloing out this 24hour room rental plan and I hope it becomes viral! There are a few requirements but they are reasonable; room rate must exceed $99/night or you give 48 hours notice of the booking times.
Bravo!

Japan Airlines ends an era

On March 1st, Japan Airlines (JAL) Group's last two Boeing 747-400s made their final touchdown at Tokyo (Narita) from Honolulu at 12:52pm and from Okinawa at 13:07pm as JAL's commercial flights, closing a significant chapter of the airline's extensive use of the Boeing 747 aircraft spanning four decades.

JAL has been a long-time operator of the 747 and also once the owner of the most number of these four-engine jumbo jets. The first of a total of 112 Boeing 747s that JAL would come to own in the last 41 years, was a 747-100 delivered in 1970. JAL later incorporated other versions of the 747 Classics (-100, -200 and -300 series) into its fleet and finally received the 747-400 - differentiated from its preceding generations by its 2-man flight crew compared to the 3-man crew of the Classics, in 1990.

The Group is downsizing its fleet and operating more small and medium aircraft such as Boeing 767, 777 and soon the highly-anticipated 787 Dreamliner, as well as regional jets like the Embraer 170, to improve efficiency and profitability. With the final landing of the two flights today, JAL has completed the retirement of all of its 747-400 aircraft.

Facts and figures:

Total number of 747s (including -100, -200, -300) owned from 1970 to 2011 = 112

Total number of 747-400s owned from 1990 to 2011 = 44 (International use = 34, domestic use = 8, freighters = 2)

JAL's first 747-400 arrived in Tokyo (Narita) on February 14, 1990

Inaugural routes of JAL's first 747-400 were Tokyo (Narita)-Seoul (Gimpo), Tokyo (Haneda)-Fukuoka and Okinawa (Naha)

A domestic variation 747-400D was delivered to JAL on October 1991 with a seating capacity of 568