Category — Flights
Traveling By Air? Be prepared to wait.
Flying, it seems, is becoming less a question of convenience and more a question of patience and good nerves. U.S. airline delays have apparently soared up to a 13-year high, according to a New York Times report. And things are expected to get worse. According to data provided by the Department of Transportation, U.S. Airlines’ on-time arrival rate for June was just above 68 percent, compared with June 2006’s 72.8 percent and May 2007’s 77.9 percent. As the agency reported further, nearly 25 percent of flights on the 20 largest carriers have not arrived on time so far in 2007. At the same time, there has been an increase in the mishandled baggage rate, while the number of filed consumer complaints about the airline service is higher than the number of complaints received in June 2007 and May 2006.
There are several reasons behind the worrying data. Firstly, the demand for air travel is rising, both on major airlines and smaller regional carriers. Rather than flying bigger planes, airlines tend to rely on small 40- to 80-seats jets that fill up more easily, hence fly with fewer empty seats and are more profitable. This strategy, however, puts additional pressure on already crowded skies and runways. As a result, the number of delayed flights increases. Also, the increase can partially be attributed to bad weather conditions. According to government agencies, weather-related delays in June were up seven percent in a year.
Furthermore, the airline industry puts the blame on an outdated radar-based system. With a modern satellite-based air traffic control system, they claim, flight passengers could see some improvement in the present situation. In the meantime, however, the technological upgrade has been suspended due to a pending decision on the lawmakers’ part as to who should cover the related costs. Before it becomes clear whether it is the big airlines or the users of smaller aircraft who should be responsible for paying the money, the delays might get worse.
August 16, 2007 No Comments
Best Winter Vacations
The winter so far has been mild this year in the Northeastern United States and most other places. Things still could change though and winter vacation season will sound a lot more appealing. Maybe the weather is reducing demand because the airfare prices are pretty low.
I looked at fare to these warm places on kayak.com for February:
If your city is not on the list, judging by the above fares you can bet that Florida will be among the most affordable. If you are one of our international readers, feel free to give suggestions for winter vacations and we’ll do a post about those. Email imcafee[at]gocurrency.com.
January 5, 2007 No Comments
Spirit Air Specials
I just noticed this page on Spirit Air when checking into a flight I have tomorrow. The special they announced seemed to be popular because their site was down and they said it was due to the special. The special is good, particularly if you are traveling for the holidays and are still trying to find a ticket now. There’s $29 to $79 flight each way and plus tax, but still fairly decently priced for a short notice holiday ticket if you need one. Here’s the link.
December 21, 2006 No Comments
Transportation: Top 20 Airlines for 2006
Now that we know the top hotels and airports from around the world, the next question is, “How do I get there?” Well, you have a couple different options: flying, boating, or for the more adventurous, driving to your destination. For most of us, flying is the primary choice as it is the quickest and most convenient way to travel. When it comes to airlines, the United States consistently fall behind their international counterparts in almost every category. This year’s airlines are rated by
- Cabin Comfort
- Cabin Service
- Entertainment Options
- Food/Beverages
- Ticketing/Ground Services
Singapore Airlines is the only carrier to earn a rating over 90, with high marks in Cabin Service (94.5) and Food (89.1). Domestically, JetBlue takes top seat for the fifth straight year boosted by high marks in entertainment (79.1).
Top 10 International Airlines
- Singapore Airlines 90.2
- Emirates 80.5
- Cathay Pacific 79.5
- Virgin Atlantic 75.3
- Air New Zealand 71.5
- Thai Airways 70.4
- Quantas 69.9
- Malaysia Airlines 69.0
- Eva Air 68.2
- ANA 64.8
Top 10 Domestic Airlines
- JetBlue 68.3
- Midwest 64.7
- Hawaiian 45.8
- Frontier 44.9
- Alaska Airlines 44.0
- Sun Country Airlines 40.7
- Aloha 40.3
- Continental 39.3
- American 33.4
- AirTran 33.3
December 4, 2006 No Comments
Asian Airports – Best in the World
After surfing the web, I noticed that many travelers are turning to Asia upon late. This isn’t surprising, since the new emerging markets throughout China, Korea, and Singapore, just to mention a few, are booming. Along with their impressive economic growth, many tourist opportunities have opened up, and a lot of people are recognizing it, thinking of their exotic, Eastern appeal.
Something I found more interesting while searching, however, was the prominence of Asian airports. Nearly all of the airport rating groups, editorials, and related articles laude these cities as the best for travelers, both vacationers and businesspeople alike. They’re ranked in this order:
1. Hong Kong International – China
2. Singapore Changji International – Singapore
3. Incheon International – Korea
4. Kansai International – Japan
5. Kuala Lumpur International – Malaysia
All of these locations are praised for their modern, comfortable, plush, and accommodating features. Most have many activities for travelers to entertain themselves as they wait for their flights. Beyond large shopping complexes and luxurious restaurants and bars, some have pools, beauty salons, and attached five-star hotels.
Some of the other best airports include those at Copenhagen, Sydney, and Munich. These are also excellent and worth checking out!
December 1, 2006 No Comments
Buying Alcohol at the Airport Duty-Free Shop?… BEWARE!
This message is a warning to all of you thinking you’re getting a good deal when you go to the duty-free shop in an airport.
Do not buy any bottles of alcohol before going on the plane! You have to check it (meaning you have to go back through security and re-check a bag). If you don’t re-check it, they take it away from you at the gate.
Quick story. A friend of mine was traveling to see his family this Thanksgiving. For the ease of storytelling, we’ll call this friend Jimbo. Jimbo bought his father a bottle of Johnnie Walker: Blue Label. This is most expensive bottle of scotch whiskey in the store and cost over $100. When he got to the gate, the bottle was sealed and still in the shopping bag from the duty-free shop. The gate attendants told Jimbo he couldn’t take it on board and had to leave it with them. He was late for the flight and couldn’t return it. Jimbo proceeded to empty out the entire bottle in the garbage so that the airport employees didn’t go home with a free bottle of Blue Label.
Consider yourself warned.
Tip: You can still buy alcohol, but do it after you land
Additional Info for Smokers: You might want to check the local prices of cigarettes where you are going, to see if it’s worth getting some before you get to your destination.
November 29, 2006 No Comments
How to Make the Most of Your 15-Hour Flight
Traveling overseas can be stressful. Beyond the meticulous packing and the currency exchange, the most discouraging part to many is the long, almost never-ending, flight. However, below are a few suggestions for making your flight feel like therapeutic treatment before and after a long trip.
- Dress Comfortable – Bring slippers, sweatpants, or pajamas (if you can). What you wear on your flight will definitely affect your mood. Dress-down and relaxing clothing will make you more comfortable on your flight.
- Sleeping pills – If you have trouble sleeping on airplanes, it might be best to try taking sleeping pills. Only do this for long flights. Take the pills upon take off and next thing you know it, you’re landing. Some examples are Ambien, Rozerum, Sonata, and Lunesta. Consult your doctor about this.
- No Coffee! – It is extremely important that you do not drink coffee before your long flight. It will keep you awake and make you antsy while everyone around you will be comfortably asleep. If you need a drink in the morning to wake you up, try orange juice from the airport stands
- COC (Carry-On if Can) – A rule among many travelers, it is always best to carry-on your luggage. It relieves the stress of worrying about your checked luggage and gets you in your seat quicker
[Read more →]
October 30, 2006 No Comments
Fly to Poland
Getting to and from Poland will now be a little easier. Centralwings is offering new flights from the United Kingdom and Ireland to various cities in Poland. Check our their special offers page. I just priced out a flight from Edinburgh to Warsaw for about 67 GBP ( $125 ).
Full article from travelmole:
23 October, 2006
Centralwings expands Polish destinations
Polish low-cost airline Centralwings is to serve Wroclaw from Gatwick with four flights a week from October 29.
The carrier is to start its first service from Stansted on December 15 with three flights a week to Warsaw.
Twice-weekly Shannon-Gdansk and twice-weekly links from Cork to Krakow and Wroclaw start on October 30 and October 31 respectively.
The airline already operates routes from Gatwick to Warsaw and Krakow; Edinburgh to Warsaw, Gdansk and Katowice; Shannon to Warsaw; and Dublin to Wroclaw, Gdansk and Katowice.
Report by Phil Davies
October 23, 2006 No Comments
Make your Money Go Further
Our monthly reports tell you what countries and currencies offer the best deals. Travel and buy smart!