I’m not perfect, but I did predict 2009 would be “The Year of the Airline Ticket Sale” so at least I got that right.
Let’s see how good I am when it comes to 2010 predictions.
In my latest column for ABCNews.com, I say that airfares will be generally higher (though there will be some good sales — in fact, we’re seeing good airfare sales right now).
I also say we can expect a couple of “unusual” new airline fees: I’m going to be coy about exactly what to expect there, but possibilities include fees for carryons — and maybe fees related to cell phones. I don’t really expect cells on planes in 2010, though — we’ll have a debate first, then see them on planes in 2011.
I’ve got a few more predictions, and you can see all of them in the column. And, next January, we’ll find out how good a seer I was this year.
Both Delta and US Airways (and perhaps others airlines, by the time you read this) have issued special advisories due to Hurricane Ida.
Both airlines are allowing customers flying in or out of the Gulf region – which includes specific cities in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida – to make one-time change fees without a financial penalty. Not sure if you’re affected? Just contact your airline.
You can see the projected path of Hurriane Ida here, thanks to the National Hurricane Center.
In a ceremony in New York tomorrow, Continental Airlines will officially join the “Star Alliance” which will provide customers with “convenient connections to an expanded network of destinations”.
Star Alliance members include airlines from all over the world including “name” carriers like Singapore, Lufthansa, United and US Airways.
In the meantime, Continental has just opened up its pricing for late Winter/Early Spring international travel. FareCompare’s tracking shows that this is the first significant opening of international schedules at the cheaper prices (typically, airlines have only their “mid-tier” prices available for consumers who shop 6 months or more before departure).
Continental’s international airfare prices start around $600+ for travel through the end of May to cities that include Berlin, Dublin, London, Paris, Rome, and more.
Shopping Advice: If you plan to go to Europe in the spring, start kicking some tires now – checking the prices – but it is probably too early to buy, at least until all the airlines’ cheaper seats start coming into the marketplace.
There are thousands of apps out there – and I’ve seen figures that show another 500 to 1,000 new apps are released each week.
Apps, of course, is “applications” – simple tools, for the most part, that you can download for free or for just a few bucks, for use on your phone – such as Flashlight, which lights up your screen so you can navigate a darkened plane aisle or maybe a hotel corridor.
Yelp is very popular (according to Time.com) – it gives travelers all those great, local reviews of dining/drinking establishments, and uses the phone’s built in GPS to lead you to them.
Then there’s Stanza, which basically turns your phone into a Kindle, thanks to free book downloads – and now you have something to do on the plane. Hey, Fliers! What iPhone Apps Would You Most Like to See? Let’s Talk
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Ever been on a plane, and – it suddenly goes crazy?
I’m talking about what’s called “clear-air” and severe storm turbulence - the kind that seems to come-out-of-nowhere to swat a plane around in the sky. It’s scary – and can be dangerous.
The good news is, NASA is funding a prototype system to both predict and detect this kind of turbulence over remote areas of oceans – where pilots have little access to this kind of information.
This system would use data from satellites that give pilots “on select transoceanic routes” in effect, real-time turbulence updates – and give pilots and traffic controllers maps and graphics showing areas of “likely turbulence and storms”.
Flight tests using the system are set to begin sometime next year.
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UPDATE: More matching activity today by Delta/Northwest, Continental, and US Airways.
EARLIER: The first U.S. domestic system-wide airfare hike of the year was just two weeks ago, with all major legacy airlines participating – along with “low cost” Southwest Airlines.
Then, yesterday at 12:30pm EDT – we began tracking a significant change in American Airlines domestic airfare pricing: increases of $10 and $20 roundtrip on a significant number of U.S. routes. Historically airfare hikes have been initiated on Thursday evenings, but neither this hike attempt nor the one we had just two weeks ago is following the historical pattern.
Not surprisingly, matching activity began yesterday evening at 8:00pm EDT – when United began to significantly match this hike across the bulk of its domestic route system.
Oddly enough, yesterday was also the day United filed a small number of fire sale airfares to Hawaii, with flights ranging from $250 to $275 roundtrip to Honolulu from legacy competitor hubs including Dallas, Houston, Newark, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Salt Lake. Normally these tickets would be about three times as much.
But for the most part, the frenzied pace of domestic airfare sales has dried up recently.
I have been cautioning consumers for the past month that they procrastinate on purchasing airline tickets at their own risk – and these two airfare price hikes in the past few weeks is the strongest signal I have seen that the bottom is either here – or very near.
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The airlines really don’t need this, but as we all know, life isn’t fair.
For example – the airlines, already reeling from, let’s see – last year’s soaring oil prices, then the economic meltdown, followed by passenger drop-off – and lately, H1N1 virus.
Delta says the flu cost them $250 million in revenue in Latin America, Mexico and Asian markets. They have reduced capacity in those markets – however, they expect to add some of that back during the rest of the year.
The flu, of course is still around – but certainly the tone of hysteria we saw in early media reports about it is now (thankfully) gone – and people have learned how to cope with it.
For passengers, airline woes have meant bargains galore – but on the flipside, we do need a competitive airline industry…
I am sure the airlines are asking themselves, what could be next? Better days, I trust.
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It’s a pretty good question – especially in light of British Airways’ decision to ask all its employees to work for free – for a month.
But if the airlines get bailed out – why not hotels? They’re getting pretty desperate, too. And have you seen what’s happening to some of the grander palaces? Southern California’s St. Regis, for example, is facing foreclosure.
Of course, almost everyone involved in the travel industry is hurting: rental cars, restaurants, theme parks. Where does a bailout stop?
I’ve got plenty to say about it – in my latest weekly column for ABCNews.com – and plenty of folks are adding their 2-cents in the comments section, so please check it out. And add your comments, below.
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