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US Airways Rough Landing Not to Blame for Billy Mays' Death

June 29, 2009 at 12:23 PM | 0 Comments

It was a bad week to be a celebrity last week. We spent the weekend mourning Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon but it turns out we've still got some more mourning left to do. Famous pitchman Billy Mays, who you probably remember from the Oxiclean commercials, died at his home in Tampa, Fla. yesterday, hours after a rough landing at the Tampa airport where the US Airways plane he was on blew out a tire as it touched down.

Mays had told news reporters after he got off the plane that something had hit his head. He also complained about not feeling very well before going to bed later that night.

Tampa police initially said that any connection between his death and the landing was "purely speculation." Indeed, the results of an autopsy where just released moments ago and the Hillsborough County Coroner said heart disease, not the rough landing, was to blame for Mays' death. Either way, the world has lost its best "pitchman."

While Mays only had about 4,000 Twitter followers before his death, that number has jumped to 10,000 today. But we can't imagine US Airways is too happy about his last ever tweet which he wrote just after landing:

Just had a close call landing in Tampa. The tires blew out upon landing. Stuck in the plane on the runway. You can always count on US Air."

Related Stories:
· TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead in Florida home [Newsday]
· Us Airways coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: NY Daily News]

US Airways Says Aloha All The Way From Charlotte

June 22, 2009 at 12:47 PM | 0 Comments

Despite the slowdown in the travel industry and flight capacity cuts, US Airways is moving forward with a new route to Honolulu. Beginning on December 17—ideal timing for Christmas vacations—the airline will be sending a Boeing 767 all the way to Hawaii from Charlotte. This will be the airline’s longest nonstop flight from its North Carolina hub, with the 10-hour flight easily beating out trips to Europe.

Tickets are available now, and if you really want to get on the very first trip, it looks like it will set you back about $964. We’d look for a better deal, since there probably won’t be too much fanfare to celebrate this inaugural voyage. At least it leaves at 9:45am, so you’ll be able to kick-off your tropical trip when you arrive at 2:59 pm Hawaii time.

Our biggest concern with this new plan is that it’s a really lengthy flight on an airline not known for their in-flight amenities. Remember that they just recently reversed their position on charging for drinks. And a quick reference check of our handy dandy in-flight entertainment guide reveals that we’ll be struggling with an overhead movie and 10 channels of rad music—if we’re lucky.

At least once the plane lands in the Aloha State, all will be well with the world—until you fly home.

Related Stories:
· US Airways To Offer A Nonstop Flight To Hawaii [Charlotte Observer]
· Sip Pre-Flight Mai Tais Upstairs In Delta's Newish 747 To Hawaii [Jaunted]
· Airline News coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: John Creasey]

SeatGuru's Survey Says United's Flight Attendants Are The Worst

June 17, 2009 at 10:57 AM | 3 Comments

SeatGuru just released results of their latest survey on airline quality and airline everything else. We always take information like this with a grain of salt, but it’s still interesting to see what a bunch of random people think about what’s going on in the sky.

Apparently, people don’t like much when it comes to United. The airline scored the title of rudest flight attendants. Don’t worry United, American Airlines and US Airways weren’t too far behind for flight attendant friendliness. All three domestic carriers were neck and neck when it came to the quality of their in-flight dining: not good. The trio also didn’t do too well when it came to the coziness of seats. JetBlue’s gray leather topped the charts for the comfort of economy seats.

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2009 Airline In-Flight Entertainment Status Update

June 15, 2009 at 1:22 PM | 7 Comments

2009 has been the year when the US Domestic air carriers have really begun to step up their in-flight entertainment systems. We are no longer in the post-WWII era where airlines can cling to an occasional projector movie during longer flights. Furthermore, the CRT drop-down world is very close to extinction as well. These days seat back LCD screens and IFEC (c is for connectivity) are all the rage and most US airlines are expanding their offerings accordingly.

Of course, younger airlines with a smaller fleet have a built-in advantage here (fewer and newer planes), but that doesn't change the increasing demand from passengers for better, more reliable IFEC options. It could even be argued that customers are more likely to accept higher ancillary fees for things like extra luggage and pets if they can kick back with a killer IFEC on the flight.

Just this weekend we heard a JetBlue customer comment to her friend at baggage claim:

We sat on the tarmac for an hour at JFK, but by the time I watched three shows I was where I needed to be -- how can you beat that?

It seems in todays world, all delays might even be close to forgiven if you can get caught up on Jon and Kate Plus Eight while you wait.

Click here for our 2009 IFEC Chart and see how the airlines stack up against each other.

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US Airways Is Hoping For a Summer of European Love

May 26, 2009 at 3:32 PM | 0 Comments

It's too bad that for the next few months at least, US Airways will continue to be known as "the one that went into the Hudson River," or "the one that charges for pillows and blankets" when they've got so many other bits of good news to share.

In a time when other airlines are cutting routes, US Airways is spending 2009 expanding their trans-Atlantic service to some seriously intriguing destinations. Are you a Birmingham fan anxious to catch some footballer action in person? US Airways' direct to the UK city from Philadelphia began two weeks ago. Anyone for some lutefisk in Oslo, Norway? This route just took off at the end of last week.

Hopefully this spells the end of the staycation, as US Airways plans 23 transatlantic destinations for summer and a Tel Aviv direct within the next five weeks. La Chaim!

Related Stories:
· US Airways calls Philly-Oslo nonstop 'second phase' of trans-Atlantic expansion [Today in the Sky]
· US Airways [Official Site]
· US Airways Begs You to Go To Europe This Summer [Jaunted]

[Map: US Airways; Plane photo: mount_otz]

US Airways To Charge You for Checking Your Bags at the Airport

May 4, 2009 at 2:13 PM | 0 Comments

Obviously—and as a rule—we're against new airline fees. Our hatred is doubly strong for hidden airline fees. So normally this kind of "we're charging you because we can" nonsense from US Airways would make us go ballistic, but since we've long learned our lesson about checking baggage, we're indifferent. Here's the deal:

Beginning July 9, 2009, you'll be able to pay for checked bags when you check in online—$15 for your first checked bag and $25 for your second. For customers who choose to pay for checked bags at the airport, there will be an additional $5 service fee, so save a few when you check in online!

We've thought about this fee's origin and likely future. We've pondered it from the perspectives of egalitarian fairness and social equality. We've even paused to consider if maybe this is just another way for US Airways to screw with passengers. And after much back and forth disputation: eh.

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Lounging at The Airport: US Airways Club

April 30, 2009 at 9:56 AM | 0 Comments

Airport lounges promise respite from the sad public seating at the gates and the unhealthy diet offerings of the terminal food courts. But of course, at a premium price. All week long at Jaunted we will be detailing what it costs to lounge at the big domestic airline lounges. Got any suggestions or tips? Let us know.

US Airways Club
· How Much: $40 will get you access to the club for a day, but if you need a 90-day membership that's available for $120. Individual annual memberships are $390, and $590 for both you and your significant other.
· Internet Access: Wireless, high-speed internet access is available, but they don't specify if it's free. They use T-Mobile Hot Spots, but some clubs, like the ones in BOS and PHX, don't even list WiFi as an amenity. This is not the club for the tech-savvy.

Keep reading after the jump for more

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US Airways Begs You To Go To Europe This Summer

April 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM | 0 Comments

US Airways knows what you did last summer: Sat around bemoaning the soaring euro and toiled with the idea of going to Toronto just to be able to say you left the country. (No offense, Canada.) 2009, you vowed, would be different.

After enticing us with fare sales to the UK, Sully's favorite airline has widened the net to include other destinations like Dublin and Madrid. Eat your frites in Brussels or, and this has us intrigued, get 5,000 miles with your trip from Philly to Oslo. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some currency to change.

Related Stories:
· Five Airfare Sales To Get You Out of the Staycation Doldrums [Jaunted]
· US Airways Sale to UK: It Rules [Jaunted]
· Travel Deals coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: travelstar]

US Airways Sale To UK: It Rules

March 26, 2009 at 12:12 PM | 0 Comments

Summer is traditionally the season for budget-busting blockbuster movies, but also budget-busting European vacations. But while this summer's "X-Men: Origins," "Star Trek" and other major franchises might still break box-office records, visitors to London might be able to come in under budget thanks to US Airways' major peak-season sale to Jolly Olde.

Airfare Watchdog initially zoomed in on fares from Ohio to the U.K. via London's Gatwick Airport, but how about $620 round-trip from Denver? Or $549 from Seattle? It remains to be seen if the pound will cooperate, of course, but with a cheap flight you'll be able to pinch some pence.

We wonder if London mayor Boris Johnson might be sending a thank-you card to US Airways for their cooperation. Johnson just announced the city was pouring £2 million into a new tourism campaign with the slogan "Only in London" for British Tourism Week. Savvy travelers who buy this week won't be the only ones in London this summer, but at least they'll know they did it for less.

Related Stories:
· Major Peak Summer London Sale on US Airways [Airfare Watchdog]
· Only in London Tourism Campaign Announced [Holidaylettings.co.uk]
· London coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: mount_otz]

The Saga of the Crew of Flight 1549 Continues

March 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM | 1 Comment

There are no losers in the story of US Airways Flight 1549, except for maybe AIG, who was the insurer of the plane. We all know of Captain "Sully" Sullenberger's honors and invites, and even his recent traitor turn to flying Virgin America, but on Wednesday at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, the stream of awards flowed on to his co-pilot, Jeffrey Skiles, the LaGuardia air traffic controllers who handled the situation, and the rest of the flight crew.

At the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Skiles accepted awards for himself and Sully, and for Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh and Sheila Dail--the flight attendants who kept their cool during the ordeal. It was the account of chief LaGuardia air traffic controller Bill McLoughlin, however, which really brought on the waterworks and gave us another angle for marveling at the series of events:

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Passengers Drink Free on US Airways, Again

February 23, 2009 at 2:17 PM | 2 Comments

Score one point for registering complaints with airlines! US Airways has just announced that they will be lifting the charge for non-alcoholic drinks served in-flight, which isn't exactly earth-shattering but we'll take it.

The free beverage service begins on March 1, and is the airline's second major recent passenger-favoring announcement after returning mileage perks to frequent fliers. So why start giving it away for free now? It could be the lower fuel prices, or if US Airways CEO Doug Parker is right, then it's just a result of low sales combined with passenger pressure:

"He did say at the time that was not selling as many drinks as it expected to sell, but called that a good thing because it meant the aisles weren't constantly clogged with beverage carts and it freed up flight attendants' time for more important matters. US Airways President Scott Kirby went so far as to say the airlines' flight attendants, who initially came out against the beverage fees because they would bear the brunt of customers' wrath, would "riot" if the airline reversed its decision."

With all that has happened, US Airways has sure been getting a beatdown these first few months of 2009. Somehow we doubt that the flight attendants will riot, however, so let the free orange juice flow and we'll have another club soda, please.

Related Stories:
· US Airways to End Fees for Non-Alcoholic Drinks [Today in the Sky]
· US Airways to Charge for Beverages [USA Today]
· Airline Fees coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Cubbie_n_Vegas]

Thousands to Get the Shaft from Limping Airlines

February 13, 2009 at 2:46 PM | 0 Comments

Just as United announced that they would be getting rid of their India complaint call center in favor of keeping the jobs here in the States, other airlines have spoiled the fun by adding to the economic blow with more layoffs of their own.

According to the travel man himself, Peter Greenberg, the impact is widespread and includes US Airways, British Airways, American Airlines, United, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and even SAS Scandinavian Airlines. Joining the rest of us in the unemployment line will sadly be 233 from US Airways, 1,000 at United, 600 at Virgin and 800 at RyanAir, and a scarily hefty exodus of 3,000 from SAS.

There go our fantasies of being a flight attendant. In fact, who knows how this will affect the flight crew and reservation agents with seniority, as they often reap the nice paychecks that the airlines are looking to keep. Since deeper flight discounts only mean more trouble for the airlines, even though they put paying flyers into empty seats, the trend will obviously be going nowhere but downward.

Related Stories:
· US Airways, Virgin, Other Airlines Laying Off Thousands [Peter Greenberg]
· United Will No Longer Listen to Your Phone Rants [Jaunted]
· Airline News coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Cubbie_n_Vegas]