Triangle Trip

A follow up to my earlier post, Continental Airlines has succumbed to the pressure from United and American by offering double Elite Qualifying Miles (EQM) today. Here’s the link to register if you’re interested. Continental is upping the ante by not requiring a ticket be booked during the promotion period. You just need to be onboard during the promotional period which is now until June 30, 2009.

Since all these EQM promotions wont’ take affect (credited into your frequent flyer account) until after the promotion, we will have a bunch of fliers with “cheater” status come July 1, 2009. For the record, it was USAir (US-Scare) that started all this… For those of you who hasn’t registered for US Air’s double EQM promotion, here’s the link. You’ll have until the end of March to get your double EQM offer.

So … will ghetto Delta be next to join this pack?  I am hoping for a better offer than what I have seen so far. The Sky Team needs to step it.

I was the first person on the plane and noticed there were quit a few pillows and blankets in overhead bins. I also heard the flight attendants making multiple announcements telling passengers to help themselves to the pillows and blankets. After 3/4 of the plane have boarded and we were running out of overhead space, I saw flight attendants rearranging the bags in the overhead bins. I noticed pillows and blankets were taking up half of one bin. The flight attendant was walking around offering pillows and blankets to passengers and there were no takers.

With all the airlines nickle and diming passengers on the smallest stuff, they failed to see that pillows and blankets is an area they should can cost and may make passengers happier. I am not sure how much of the budget goes to pillows and blankets but I am sure there’s a cost. Airlines have to buy the pillows and blankets then clean them on every flight. I’m sure passengers would give up free blankets and pillows in exchange for a can of soda vs a tiny cup filled with ice.

Pillows and blankets takes up overhead space. Experienced and business travelers will not use pillows or blankets as they’re usually prepared. I saw 10% of the plane with the neck pillows which I am not sure if they work. Other travelers who needs pillows and blankets can easily use their jackets. If you don’t have a jacket because you heading to Hawaii and coming from a warm place like southern California? Well, that’s too bad. You should always travel with a light jacket.

Airlines can get rid of pillows and blankets to save money or use the proceeds to offer better services. Why offer a service to customers when only 10% would value or even use it? If the airline believes the the 10% of passengers would like the pillows and blankets, they can sell it to those passengers to make more money and pass the cost savings to other customers like me who never use it. Perhaps US Scare has got it right for once. USAir began charging for pillows and blankets back in Feburary 2009. I am sure US-Scare’s pillows and blankets annoucement did not get too much slack compared to charging $1 for coffee and $2 for a soda.

I just got an email from USAir [US-Scare] telling me that they are bringing back free soft drinks starting March 1, 2009. I was going to write a post blasting US-Scare late last year for charging me $2 for an orange juice that came from a can. I also saw the flight attendant charging another passenger for water. I was on a 5 hour flight (JFK to PHX). Holding your customers hostage on a 5+ hour flight to get another $2 to $4 (some may need two drinks) does not make business sense.

I am not sure who is running marketing at US-Scare but Doug Parker (the CEO) better start to look for a new head of marketing. Fernand Fernandez was the signer of the email but I am sure Fernand reports to another old guy in the industry who needs to be replaced. Emails like “We’re bringing back free drinks” will not work unless drinks mean Glenlivet 25!