Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum XII

Well, they may not be making a profit on ticket sales, but U.S. airlines are certainly raking in the dough thanks to ancillary fees initiated in 2008. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that the U.S. airline industry made $1.15 billion from baggage fees last year. Considering that baggage fees were only in effect for part of the year (major airlines started charging for a second checked bag in May, while American started the trend of charging for the first bag in June), and you can estimate that 2009 income from baggage fees may well double or triple.

According to the DOT, American Airlines made the most in baggage fees last year. AA made $278 million, while US Airways picked up $187 million. Delta rolled in $177 million, United made $133 million, and Northwest totaled $121 million.

Where to Get Information on International Travel Conditions

The spread of swine flu is the latest crisis to put travelers into panic mode. SARS, avian flu, terrorism, war, and tsunamis are among the events that have made the list in the past. If you are planning an international trip, there are several online resources that can help you determine if threats are serious enough to consider postponing your travel.

Your first stop for travel advice should be http://travel.state.gov (skip the www). Operated by the United States Department of State, this site contains a full list of Travel Alerts and Travel Warnings on a country-by-country basis. Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information about short-term conditions, generally within a particular country, that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations, and high-profile events such as international financial conferences are examples of conditions that might generate a Travel Alert. Swine flu is another such condition.

Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate. Among the countries currently on the list are Yemen, Pakistan, and Sudan, which are not exactly tourism hotspots.

Some have suggested that State's advice can be politically motivated. The criticism is that State sometimes cuts some slack when it comes to America's allies.

So, for a more complete picture, particularly when it comes to alerts that have political circumstances attached to them, you might want to check out a few "competing" sites. Canada's view of the world can be found at www.voyages.gc.ca/countries_pays/menu-eng-asp. The Australian government’s travel advisory service can be found at www.smarttraveller.gov.au. For more English language travel advice, the United Kingdom has www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas.

However, do remember that at times there may be threats that apply specifically to Americans. Such potential perils may only be listed at http://travel.state.gov. So do the appropriate homework.

Specifically for international health information, both The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are fine resources. At www.cdc.gov/travel, there is health information for more than 200 countries, including current outbreaks, necessary vaccines, suggested medications to bring along, and other health and safety tips. The World Health Organization also provides solid information for travelers at www.who.int/ith/en/.

Health Alerts

Let me start with a follow-up to yesterday’s post by saying I told you so. I mentioned with great certainty that there would be an outcry against the statement made by the European Union’s health commissioner against travel to the U.S. Well, everyone from the president to the head of the Centers for Disease Control to the chairmen of various travel industry associations have indeed expressed their displeasure with the comments.

In the meantime, Androulla Vassiliou, the health commissioner in question, did back-pedal a bit from her initial remarks. She pointed out that she was expressing her own opinion and that the European Union did not issue a formal travel advisory. Additionally, the EU health commissioner can only make recommendations to the 27 member countries. The countries themselves issue their own travel advisories and warnings. That said, Vassiliou noted, “Personally, I would try to avoid nonessential travel to the areas that are reported to be in the center of the cluster in order to minimize the personal risk and to reduce the potential risk to spread the infection to other people." Among the places on that list are Mexico City and those U.S. states where there have been outbreaks of swine flu.

Meanwhile, the following travel alert has been issued by the U.S. State Department:

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens of the health risks of travel to Mexico at this time due to an outbreak of H1N1 “swine flu.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an April 27 notice recommending that American citizens avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico at this time. CDC’s notice also suggests precautions that travelers and U.S. citizen residents in Mexico can take to reduce their risk of infection while in Mexico. CDC provides recommendations for those who must travel to an area that has reported cases of swine flu, and recommends measures to take following return from an area that has reported cases of swine flu. The complete CDC notice can be found at the following link: http://www.cdc.gov/travel. Please check this site frequently for updates. This Travel Alert expires on July 27, 2009.

EU Advises Against Travel to the US

In a case of what's good for the goose is good for the gander, the European Union has announced a travel advisory against visits to the United States.

Today, the EU health commissioner urged Europeans to postpone nonessential travel to the United States and to Mexico due to the swine flu outbreak. The move is sure to raise some hackles among those in the U.S. travel industry, one that is already suffering a huge decline from the European market thanks to unfavorable exchange rates and the worldwide economic crisis.

The United States State Department frequently issues travel advisories or warnings (at http://travel.state.gov) that are questioned by the countries affected. Sometimes the argument is that an advisory is political in nature, while at other times foreign governments argue the warnings are unneccessary, or are issued about matters that are confined to a small region. Methinks that the EU, by lumping the United States in with Mexico, is going to get a complaint or two from this side of the pond.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum XI

US Airways will begin charging an extra five dollars a bag for passengers who don’t go on-line to check-in and prepay for checked luggage. The fee will be in addition to the $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second that US Airways already charges. The extra per bag fee will be assessed to passengers who pay to check their bags at the airport beginning July 9.

Perhaps the new fee is being put into place to make up for the revenue lost from US Airways’ ill-advised foray into charging for non-alcoholic beverages. On March 1, the airline dropped its unpopular two dollar charge for soft drinks and one dollar charge for coffee and tea. As no other airline had copied the idea, US Airways realized that the fees had become a competitive disadvantage.

Not so incidentally, last week, the carrier posted a first-quarter net loss of $103 million, or 90 cents a share.

Hotel Rates Plummeting in the Big Apple

New York may still be the most expensive place in the country to stay overnight, but it's getting cheaper. Hotel prices in the Big Apple have been consistently dropping for the last six months. According to PKF Consulting, average room rates in Manhattan dropped 11.5 percent in January from the year before, while occupancy for the same month was down 16 percent. Anecdotal evidence suggests rates and occupancy are down for February and March as well.

With business travel slowing, international visitors staying away, and 38 new properties opening in Manhattan this year, the downward spiral is likely to continue.


Lodging Development Group's 2009 Manhattan Lodging Development Report notes that there are "17 properties comprising 3,074 rooms that are now in permitting or the final states of entitlement." This new supply is in addition to the 12 properties with 1,732 rooms that came on the market in 2008. Interestingly, the bulk of those hotels are midprice and limited-service brands like Hampton Inns & Suites, Four Points by Sheraton, and Hilton Garden Inn.

Rental Rants

If you plan to rent a car during your next trip, there are certain cities where renting off-airport will save you big bucks. That's because, in addition to federal and state sales taxes, many municipal governments also charge fees at airport car rental outlets to fund local development projects like stadiums or convention centers. And most airports charge rental agencies a concession fee, which is then passed along to the consumer.

According to the National Business Travel Association, the places where airport taxes and fees add the most to the car rental bill are Cleveland, Dallas and Phoenix. Cleveland’s airport charges add up to 27.08%. In Dallas, the number is 24.77%, while in Phoenix, it's 24.42%. Chicago, at 23.59%, and Charlotte, at 21.17% round out the top five. In terms of the airports where fees are lowest, St. Louis comes out on top at 7.83%. Detroit is second lowest at 8%, while Honolulu is third at 8.08%. Both Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers in Florida come in fourth, at 9.17%.

So what's a consumer to do? Consider renting elsewhere, particularly if you are in town for several days. Take a shuttle, public transportation, or a taxi to your hotel and then rent a car from a central location. Some hotels actually have car rental agencies located in the lobby. If your hotel is not convenient to a rental outlet, consider working with Enterprise or other companies that are willing to pick you up and drive you to their rental offices for free.

If you are only in town for a day or two, do weigh the inconvenience, the extra time, and the cost of additional transportation to get to another location against the cost of the ancillary rental fees charged at the airport.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum VIII

A new year, a new fee. US Airways, the only airline that serves up a fee with its soft drinks, is now charging $7 for a blanket and a pillow. Yes, US Airways has managed to become the only U.S. carrier to charge for the two things that miff passengers the most--soft drinks and blankets. Now it should be noted that, among the country's major carriers, JetBlue is also charging for blankets and pillows. But at least JetBlue serves its soft drinks for free. Plus, that airline gives its passengers access to a free in-flight satellite television system.

I wonder if it's any coincidence that US Airways quietly announced the new fee just days before its heroic Flight 1549 crew was to make its victory lap around the media. After all, what grinch is going to say bad things about the airline that is providing us with the feel-good story of the year? Still, despite having a CEO who keeps insisting that passengers just love these fees, I can't help feeling that US Airways is sullying its reputation by constantly being at the forefront of the in-flight fee fiesta.

Sky-High Wi-Fi

2009 will be known as the year that Wi-Fi went sky-high in the air over America.

Nowadays, more than 65 percent of business travelers and one third of all leisure travelers in the United States carry laptops with them when they fly. What’s more, about a third bring along Wi-Fi enabled phones and PDAs. And those numbers are increasing by the day. But until recently, said devices were unusable once a plane took off.

Although wireless Internet access availability in the wild blue yonder has been attempted before (in 2000, Boeing announced its Connexion for large airliners, but the system never took off), U.S. airlines are now truly getting on board with the concept. And this time, it’s likely to fly. That’s because, as airlines are looking for new services for which to charge fees, Wi-Fi is the perfect solution. It’s new, so customers won’t be enraged about paying for something that was previously free. It’s something customers want. And it’s something for which many a traveler (particularly those on expense accounts) will be happy to pay a premium. Some predictions say Wi-Fi will bring $1 billion in extra revenue to U.S. carriers by 2012.

Last August, American Airlines became the first domestic carrier to launch full wireless service on some of its flights. Customers traveling coast to coast can access broadband Wi-Fi services for $12.95 per flight, "enabling passengers to surf the Web, check any e-mail, instant message, access a corporate VPN and more," the carrier said in a statement. American is using the air-to-ground Gogo network of in-flight connectivity provider Aircell.

Delta is using the same system. Gogo is initially being introduced on Delta’s fleet of 133 MD88/90 aircraft and will expand to the rest of Delta’s domestic fleet through the first half of 2009. The airline expects to have 330 planes outfitted with Wi-Fi by the summer. Delta is following Aircell's pricing of $9.95 on flights shorter than three hours and $12.95 on longer flights, but "will look at package pricing and subscriptions," says Delta manager of global product development Chris Babb.

For techies, devices that communicate with the Gogo system include laptop computers with 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi capability, smart phones and other PDAs, and BlackBerry handheld devices. Coast-to-coast Gogo service is possible due to Aircell's national network of 92 transmitter sites.

Aircell is the first to bring full Internet capabilities to the in-flight domestic market, but other connectivity providers are securing deals with U.S. carriers and are ramping up their systems.

Aircell’s biggest competitor in the Wi-Fi wars is Row44, a satellite system designed for commercial aircraft. While Aircell’s is a ground-to-air system, Row44 is satellite-to-plane. The advantage to the latter--there is consistent connectivity, even over water.

The company demonstrated its system this past week during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Later this month, Row44 will have a free public trial on select Southwest and Alaska Airlines flights. Southwest is preliminarily installing the system on four of its jets, while Alaska is putting it on one.

Row44 CEO John Guidon says the price point will eventually be determined based on how the service is offered. “In some cases, the airlines will determine what the prices will be,” says Guidon. “But if the airline is not determining the price, then I think Row44 will be making a price in the $7.99 range for a domestic flight for a laptop. If you're on something like an iPhone or a PDA—and we can tell that, by the way—we'll charge you less, something like $5.99."

As for other U.S. carriers, Virgin America introduced Gogo Wi-Fi last November. By the second quarter of 2009, the airline expects to offer Wi-Fi on its entire fleet of planes. JetBlue has had limited Internet capabilities through LiveTV since the end of 2007. The free service enables connectivity through its seatback televisions, BlackBerrys and laptops. Yet, it can only access a limited number of services, including Yahoo! mail and instant messaging, Gmail, AOL, and Windows Live, which includes Hotmail and MSN e-mail accounts. Continental Airlines plans to use LiveTV to make in-flight Wi-Fi available early this year.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: Part VII

As you book your tickets for the holidays this month, don't forget about those darned fees. If you are going to be traveling with gifts (which I recommend you don't do), you may need to carry extra baggage. But remember, in most cases, every additional piece of luggage is going to cost you.

Of course, all fees are not created equal. Therefore, even if the actual ticket charge is less on Airline A than Airline B, Airline A's higher baggage fees may render the cost differential meaningless.

Let's do some comparison shopping among real airlines.

American: First bag is $15. Second bag is $25. Third bag is $100. Oversized bags are $150 each.

United: First bag is $15. Second bag is $25. Third bag is $125. Oversized are $175.

Delta and Northwest: First bag is $15. Second bag is $25. Third bag is $125. Oversized are $175.

Continental and US Airways: First bag is $15. Second bag is $25. Third is $100. Oversized are $100.

Southwest: Free for first and second bag. Third bag is $25. Oversized are $50. And the tickets are usually cheaper to boot. This is your best deal.

JetBlue: Free for first bag. Second bag is $20. Third bag is $75. Oversized are $75.
AirTran. First bag is $15. Second bag is $25. Third bag is $50. Oversized are $39.

For those prices, it really makes more sense to ship gifts ahead of time. Better yet, order on-line at sites offering free delivery anywhere in the country. That way, you can arrive at your holiday destination lighter, richer and less stressed.

Obamaboom

The election of Barack Obama is causing a tourism boomlet in such diverse places as Indonesia, Kenya, Japan (home of a town called Obama), and the United States. In conjunction with Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2009, the Illinois Bureau of Tourism is launching a three-day presidential tour route. Details are still being finalized, but it's guaranteed the tour will take in Chicago's Hyde Park, home of the new "Western White House."

Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, despite sky-high prices, hotels are almost completely sold out for the Inauguration festivities. Among the few things still available are the most undemocratic high-end packages being offered by the city's five-star hotels. But those will be going soon.

For Obamaniacs still looking for a place to stay in the DC area, there's always CraigsList. But even there, "hosts" are driving hard bargains. One owner of a one-bedroom condo in the suburbs (albeit near a Metro station) wants $1500 a night. Don't do it, readers. Meantime, the owner of a two-bedroom house in a toney DC neighborhood wants to trade a three-night stay at his house during Inauguration Week for a two-week stay at a European villa this summer. Meanwhile, a ranch owner in Wyoming is asking for a four-day Inauguration stay in DC in return for a two-week summer vacation for a family on his spread.

I'll keep you posted on what's being offered on CraigsList, and will offer other insider tips on visiting DC during the Inaugural. Stay tuned.

Batter Up!

Talk about home field advantage. While members of the Philadelphia Phillies weathered a 40-hour World Series rain delay (which started Monday night) in the comforts of their homes, the Tampa Bay Rays were booted out of their hotel on Tuesday morning and relocated to another state. Because no Philadelphia hotel worthy of hosting the American League champions had 85 rooms available on Tuesday night, the Rays had to move 25 miles out of town. Of course, they did get to stay at the historic Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware. But the upheaval obviously didn't help, as the Phillies quickly disposed of their Florida foes when play resumed on Wednesday.

Europe's on Sale (and so is Australia)

In a previous post, I discussed the growing strength of the U.S. dollar against the Icelandic krona. Well, the greenback is also gaining ground in other countries. So, between off peak rates and the strengthening dollar, this winter will be the cheapest time to travel overseas in quite awhile.

Let's play the exchange game. The dollar has strengthened nearly 50 percent against the Icelandic krona since a year ago. It's gone up nearly 20 percent against the British pound during the same time period. In Romania, the dollar will buy you 15 percent more lei than a year ago. Most European countries, of course, are in the Euro zone. Since last October, the dollar has increased 10 percent in value against the Euro.

While the dollar will buy more in Europe this winter, it's still cold on the Continent. If you are hankering for a bit of sun and fun, head to Australia, where December through March is summertime. The U.S. dollar is 20 percent stronger against the Aussie dollar than one year ago, so it might be a fine time to go Down Under.

One other factor in the winter traveler's favor this winter--soft demand. Airlines, cruise operators and hotels are predicting low numbers for the upcoming quarter. To entice travelers, plenty of good deals on overseas airfares and tour packages are likely to be on offer.

Sky High Fuel Surcharges Mean Profits for Airlines

If anyone doubts that the airlines are making money on fuel surcharges, take a gander at an article on international travel in the October 3 issue of USA Today's Money section.

The article quotes aviation consultant Michael Boyd, who says at $94 a barrel, about $80,000 of fuel is consumed on a one-way flight on a Boeing 777 from Newark to Shanghai. Now, given that a 777 can carry around 400 passengers, a $200 per passenger fee would completely cover the cost of filling up. So how can a carrier possibly justify a fee upwards of $200? And why should passengers cover the entire "tankful", anyway? After all, fuel surcharges were designed to have passengers cover the extra cost of fuel, given recent price increases. So, in reality, the fee shouldn't cover the entire fuel bill--just the additional expense created during this last year of price increases.

Fuel surcharges vary (randomly) by destination. FareCompare.com has compiled a chart of average international fuel surcharges based on data from nearly 620,000 round-trip airfares between the USA and foreign cities.

According to FareCompare.com, the highest average round-trip fuel charge from the U.S. to an international destination is $500 to Tel Aviv, Israel. Next on the list is Tokyo ($474), Hong Kong ($465), Sydney ($448), Dubai ($440) and Beijing ($409). Fuel surcharges for most European destinations fall within the $330 to $360 range.

Given the discrepancies in fuel surcharges among international carriers (American's fuel surcharges vary on each route depending on flight length and competition, while Air France has a standard $165 fee and Lufthansa has a standard $105 fee on one-way flights to the U.S.), it's important to consider more than the base fee when comparing the cost of international tickets.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum Part VII

Oh, Canada. American airlines could learn so much from you. Here's why.

As of this week, Canada's two major airlines have adjusted their baggage fees and fuel surcharges to reflect the recent drop in oil prices. Air Canada has dropped its $25 fee to check a second bag on North American flights (there was never a charge for a first bag). Canada's largest carrier has also reduced its excess baggage fees for oversized and overweight pieces.

Meantime, West Jet has stopped assessing fuel surcharges on its North American flights. Those fees had ranged between $20 and $45 for a one-way flight.

How very Canadian to be fair about all of this. After all, there's logic in the idea that if airlines impose surcharges when costs go up, they should drop them when costs go down. But somehow, I doubt American carriers will take a cue from their Northern neighbors. Instead, after having used the fuel price increases of the summer as an excuse to tack on extra fees, the U.S. airlines will somehow find justification in continuing those fees, even after fuel prices have dropped.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: Part VI

United Airlines has a very special present for its passengers, right in time for the holiday travel season. Just when people are most likely to be loaded down with baggage, the airline is doubling its fee for checking a second bag. The $50 one-way charge kicks in November 10. The fee applies to coach passengers traveling within the U.S. or to Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers who purchased tickets prior to September 15 may be exempt from the charge.

But here's some good news for United customers. The airline has decided that feeding the masses is a good idea after all. The airline has backed off of its much-criticized plan to stop serving free meals for transatlantic coach passengers. But United continues to tinker with its onboard menu. Starting October 1, business class customers flying on any of the airline's domestic routes with three-cabin service will find there's no longer a free hot meal. Instead, business class customers will be treated with a tasty box lunch. Upgrading to a hot meal, even for a price, will not be an option. As for those in the back of the bus, cold box lunches will be available only for those willing to pay cold cash.

Read Me

Greetings one and all. It's back to school time. For me, it's back in print time.

Check out my special Going Green section in The Washington Post on September 3. It's filled with interesting eco-information and all sorts of ways you can save money on energy bills while reducing your carbon footprint.

In the October issue of National Geographic Traveler, look for my brief on Albania.

And if you are in the mood for a chuckle, check out the Jane Air archives at www.wyndhamworldwide.com/women_on-their_way/jane-air/archives. The most recent post deals with how hotel guests can green their stay. Sense a theme here?

Apropos of Nothing But Skinny Politicians

The Wall Street Journal recently graced its front page with an article asking if Senator Barack Obama is too skinny to be president. Actually, the premise was that Joe and Jody American, who are likely to be out of shape or hefty (the article notes a statistic that 66% of the voting-age population is overweight), are unlikely to vote for a beanpole. Anecdotal evidence might suggest, absurd as it may seem, that the article isn't far off the mark. After all, the last rail-thin dude to be elected president was one Abraham Lincoln, circa 1860.

But I wonder what would happen if the politician running to be leader of the pack were a woman? Would tall and skinny, the hallmark of success in Hollywood, work? Well, judging from the bulk of the females who are world leaders these days, when it comes to politics, there is not a gender double-standard when it comes to weight. Tall and skinny--definitely not in vogue among men or women politicians.

Being in vogue when it comes to fashion is also not stylish among female politicians. Look at Germany's Angela Merkel, who, when it comes to fashion, could be dubbed Fraulein Frumpy. IMHO, even though they've been made over, Hillary Clinton and Condolezza Rice lack in sartorial splendor. The president of Finland, Tarja Halonen, is best known in this country for being the doppelganger of Conan O'Brien, complete with a similar hair-do. Not the stuff of high fashion.


W. recently published a piece about stylish women in politics. Other than a few Italian and French (naturally) parliamentary ministers, the writer was hard-pressed to find chic politicians. He ended up citing French First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy, who is Italian by birth and a supermodel by trade. So of course she's stylish. But she's not a politician. She's just married to one. And certainly, there is no shortage when it comes to fashionable first ladies. Look at Jordan, where Queen Rania follows in the fashionable footsteps of her predecessor, Queen Noor. The wife of Russian president Dmitry Medvedev is heavily involved in fashion, promoting Russian designers around the world. Potential first ladies Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama are both striking women.

Why is it that being stylish and/or tall and skinny is fine for a first lady, but is anathema for a politician? Would it be impossible for a modelesque woman to become a successful politician? Underneath it all, do we believe that someone who can do style surely must lack substance? Please weigh in with your thoughts.

Laura's Getting Around

And I'm not talking about my month in Europe, which I will report on in upcoming posts. No, the title of this entry refers to recent appearances all around the media landscape.

Radio: For everything you ever wanted to know about Albania, listen to my report on Around the World Radio. The program aired live in California on June 19. But you can listen to it in perpetuity at www.aroundtheworldradio.com. Click on Archives and go to the June 19 show.

Magazines: Head's up. In the June/July issue of Destinations , I write about brewery tours across America. If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive theme for a summer vacation (and you are older than 18), this article might get you hopping.

Online Columns: More than 10 years ago, I was one of the first travel bloggers. Under the name of Jane Air, I wrote a weekly column for the Women on Their Way website. I am happy to report that, after a lengthy hiatus, Jane is back. Read her humorous take on travel at www.wyndhamworld.com/women_on_their_way/jane-air/archives

E-Zines: Here's a link to Pink, which recently quoted me in a story about reading while traveling. www.pinkmagazine/exclusives/julyaugust2008/airport_amenities.html


Television: Stay tuned. I'm scheduled for some on-air appearances in the Washington, DC area in July.