Tag Archives: Star Alliance

AFRICA: A different kind of Visa

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With a little imagination, a new Visa card being sponsored by an East African bank and Kenya’s national airline could serve as a model for promoting black American travel to Africa.

Kenya Airways Boeing 767

Kenya Airways Boeing 767

In Sunday’s IBIT Travel Digest, I mentioned the new Visa card from Kenya Airways, backed by Barclay’s Bank of Kenya.

That raises some intriguing possibilities.

On this side of the Atlantic, many black Americans would love to visit Africa if only they could afford it, and black-owned banks that could use an infusion of capital to invest in Black America.

On the other side, many of Africa’s 54 nations are eager to welcome black American visitors. There are credible African airlines that would love to bring us there. There also are some African banks that could benefit from building business relationships in North America.

What would happen if all these folks started talking to one another?

Maybe something wonderful.

Suppose those African airlines were to offer a credit card in this country, through a cooperative agreement between black-owned US banks and an African bank. The cardholder could choose between building mileage credit toward free flights on the sponsoring African airline, or a cash rebate.

But why stop there?

The airline could work with hoteliers and tour operators in the host country to put together an all-inclusive tour — lodging, meals, transport, tours, transfers to/from airports, everything.

Tours could be designed around different themes, keyed to a visitor’s interests:

  • EDUCATION — language, African history, Diaspora history and heritage, science, conservation
  • CULTURE — art, music, fashion, food, nightlife, religion
  • RECREATION — hiking, bicycling, boating, surfing, diving
  • BUSINESS — investment opportunities
  • NATURE — conservation, safaris

The possibilities are as varied as Africa itself.

But the card simply would be part of the bank’s package to its new customers. The principal feature of that package would be a savings account, to which you commit to making monthly deposits.

No minimum starting balance. Deposit as much or as little monthly as you want, as long as you deposit something. In effect, it would be a monthly bill, with one critical difference: You’re paying yourself.

Once you build up enough cash, you log onto the bank’s Web site and select your Africa tour package. Within seconds, your trip is paid for, your flights and hotels booked. Travel insurance would be included automatically as part of your credit card account &mdash just as it is with the Kenya Airways card.

The remaining money in your account becomes your spending money in Africa, cash you can withdraw from the ATM machines of the US bank’s partner in Africa.

Next stop: The Mother Continent.

Upon your trip, start saving for your next trip to Africa. Or South America. Or Europe. Or any other purpose. It’s your money.

Putting all this together definitely would be a challenge, and not just on the banking side.

Currently, only six Africa-based airlines make direct flights to the United States — Nigeria’s Arik Air, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Cape Verde Airlines, Egyptair and Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc. But all either have or are capable of making codeshare agreements with US or European airlines that fly between the US and Africa daily.

Ethiopian Airlines already is a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of codesharing airlines.

This could work. The key to making this work is saving.

Consider the amount of money annually estimated to be floating around in Black America, — currently about $1.1 trillion. How do financial experts describe all this money we collectively have? “Black wealth?…”Black economic strength?”

No and no. It’s invariably referred to as “black purchasing power.”

And brother, do we ever purchase. We spend money as if it were about to evaporate, caught up in a society that pushes us 24/7 to BUY! BUY! BUY! The word “bling” used to represent the sound of a bicycle bell — until we got hold of it.

Now look at China. The country pays some of the world’s lowest wages, and yet Chinese tourists are fanning out across the globe. The Chinese are known as the world’s most ferocious savers.

Coincidence? I think not.

Some, like this long-winded financial wonk, say it’s a matter of government policy. The Chinese themselves say it’s a cultural thing. Either way, they put their money away.

Imagine what we could achieve if we did the same with just 1 percent — one penny on every dollar — of that $1.1 trillion. That would put $11 billion into banks that we own, money to invest on homes, on creating businesses and jobs, paying for education. Paying for travel.

You can do a lot with $11 billion.

Am I dreaming? Sure, but why not? Small dreams are a waste of sleep.

the IBIT TRAVEL DIGEST 4.4.2012

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The good, the bad and the bizarre from the world’s best travel media. ​

Bicycle parking lot, Amsterdam | ©IBIT G. Gross

TOURISTS: A BILLION SERVED?
Some of you out there (and you KNOW who you are) are old enough to remember when McDonald’s fast-food joints started running those “1 million served” slogans on the marquees they mounted in front of their trademark golden arches. The count has long since run into the billions, of course.

Well, it looks as if the world’s tourism industry may be catching up.

If the UN World Tourism Organization is right, some time this year, someone will step off a plane or a train or a cruise ship to become something the world has never seen before:

The One Billionth Tourist. That’s one billion in 2012 alone.

There’s a reason why tourism is one of the largest industries on Earth. Nothing, it seems, stops the world from traveling. Not recession, wars, or flight crews losing their minds.

If you’re interested in the breakdown by region, the Adventure Travel Trade Association has it for you here.

And now, here’s this week’s Digest:

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AIR
from Travel Daily News
The world’s largest airline alliance broadens its reach in the East. Star Alliance agrees to accept Taiwan’s Eva Air as a new member by mid-2013. China’s Shenzen Airlines joins Star this year. That will give Star eight airlines in the Asia-Pacific market.

from Travel Weekly
Pinnacle Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Never heard of them? There’s a good chance you’ve flown with them without knowing it. That regional shuttle or “puddle-jumper” flight you took with Delta, United or US Airways? In reality, it was these guys.
​
from Travel Weekly
The bad news: Southwest Airlines quietly raises its airfares. The worse news: Five of its rivals match Southwest increase for increase. You didn’t have to do that, guys. No, really, you didn’t.

LAND
from Smarter Travel
Truth or Consequences is one thing but — Elephant Butte, NM? Rabbit Hash? Leg O’Mutton? Crapstone? Some of wackiest town names you can find — including one Colorado town whose name is No Name. SLIDESHOW

from The Economist (United Kingdom)
Airlines aren’t the only ones looking to bypass online travel agencies like Expedia and Travelocity. A half-dozen hotel chains have joined forces to do the same thing.

from Smarter Travel
Shoes that fold up. Shirts that don’t smell. Jackets that double as pillows or even carry-ons. Clothing for the road warriors among you.

from Ethical Traveler
The world’s most ethical travel destinations among the world’s developing nations.

SEA
from the New York Times For every style of music, it seems, you can find a cruise for it, and rock-themed cruises are among the most popular.

from USA Today Another week, another cruise ship runs into mechanical troubles on the high seas. This time, it’s the Azamara Quest. Another engine room fire. Everyone’s safe.

from Der Spiegel (Germany)
Was the Costa Concordia disaster a tragedy waiting to happen? Der Spiegel talks to maritime experts who say yes, and say why.

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AFRICA
from Vanguard News (Nigeria) via allAfrica.com
A diplomatic showdown may be coming between the Nigerian government and British airlines over complaints that Nigerian passengers are being overcharged compared with passengers from other West African countries. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are the carriers most often cited by officials inthe capital, Abuja.

from The Star (Kenya) via allAfrica.com
Government urged to combat child sex tourism in Kenya. The laws forbidding it are not being enforced.

from The Star (Kenya) via allAfrica.com
Tourism investors in northern Kenya appeal to the media to start reporting more of the region’s positive aspects, including its track record as a film location.

from The New Vision (Uganda) via allAfrica.com
Should Uganda use the controversial Kony 2012 video to lure tourists to the country? These guys say yes. EDITORIAL

from Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Unlike many African countries, Uganda doesn’t have a national airline — and odd as it might sound, the country might have a better chance of boosting its tourism without one. EDITORIAL

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AMERICAS/CARIBBEAN
from theNew York Times
In New Orleans, they’re re-imagining the hotel bar. It’s not just for tourists anymore. Updated drinks, better food and good music are earning once-stodgy hotel bars a local following.

from the Los Angeles Times
Downtown (Las) Vegas, baby. The part of town that first made southern Nevada a major destination is renewing itself.
​
from the Los Angeles Times
Oakland is moving up in class as a destination. Yes, that Oakland.

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ASIA/PACIFIC
​from Japan Australia
Like the idea of traveling Japan by train and want to save money, but you’re an expat, not a tourist? The Japan Rail Kanto Area Pass may be just your ticket.

from The Telegraph (London UK)
I’ve said it before: China likes to do big things. The world’s tallest bridge connecting two mountain tunnels? I’d say that qualifies. It’s 355 meters high. That’s 1,165 feet. You could fly a jumbo jet under that.

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EUROPE
from Rick Steves via SFGate.com
Europe’s not just about cathedrals and vineyards. If you’re into adventure travel, the Old World is ready to satisfy your need for an adrenaline rush.

from the New York Times
History may be the biggest draw in Cologne, the oldest city in Germany, but fresh shops, restaurants and hotels have Cologne thriving in the present.

from VisitBritain Shop
Better than a hall pass, especially in London — a Pub Pass. Pretty cheap for what you get, and good for a year.

from Hotel Chatter
How’s this for a memorable summer: Commute to the 2012 London Olympics…from Paris.

Edited by P.A.Rice

A Dreamliner of Africa

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Boeing 787 Dreamliner of Ethiopian Airlines

Image courtesy of Boeing

One of Africa’s premier airlines is the first on the Mother Continent to acquire Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner. The implications for African travel are enormous.

While US-based airlines wait to get their hands on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world’s newest jumbo jet is already changing the game in Africa.

Ethiopian Airlines is the first African carrier to put Boeing’s new state-of-the-art airplane into regular service on the Mother Continent. The first arrived last December and Ethiopian has nine more on order.

This comes as Ethiopian becomes the 26th member of the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance.

Both of these developments carry huge implications for American travelers with an interest in Africa.

Let’s start with Boeing’s shiny new toy. The Dreamliner is likely to have a much greater impact on African tourism than the Airbus A380 super-jumbo jet, at least in the near term.

Simply put, the 787 is more Africa-ready than the A380. Here’s why.

With the A380, Airbus took the position that “bigger is better,” creating the world’s first fully double-decked airliner, capable of flying as many as 800 travelers at a time.

Big plane equals more seats and (in theory, at least) cheaper seats.

Boeing chose range and fuel economy over size, limiting the Dreamliner to fewer than 300 passengers and marrying its two highly fuel-efficient engines to an aircraft made mostly of lightweight composites instead of metal.

That gives the Dreamliner a maximum range of nearly 9,500 miles, which puts virtually all of Africa within easy reach from virtually all of North America.

As an example, the 6,200 miles between Los Angeles and Dakar, Senegal would be nothing for this airplane.

This means that airlines like Ethiopian, Nigeria’s Arik Air and Kenya Airways, both of which have 787s on order, will be able to reach European and American destinations in one hop, without pilots nervously watching their fuel gauges.

Until more Africans start traveling by air, the 787′s extended range serves the Mother Continent better than the A380′s size. And with most of Africa’s international airports lacking the facilities or the runways to comfortably handle the massive A380, the Dreamliner literally is a better fit.

Where Africa-bound Americans are concerned, Ethiopian’s presence in the Star Alliance is just as important, especially if you happen to be a member of United Air Lines’ or US Airways’ frequent-flyer mileage program.

Star Alliance is now the only airline alliance in the world with three African airlines as members — Ethiopian, South African Airways and Egyptair. You now can put your United or USAir miles toward an Africa flight on any one of them.

Kenya Airways is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which means you can use your Delta frequent-flyer miles with them.

Meanwhile, Arik Air was accepted late last year as a member by the International Air Transport Association, which sets safety standards and represents most of the world’s airlines. That clears the way for Arik to join an alliance.

oneworld is now the only one of the Big Three alliances without an African partner. Arik Air membership in oneworld would enable travelers holding miles on American Airlines or British Airways to snag code-share flights to West Africa via Arik.

Don’t be surprised, then, if oneworld puts the moves on Arik Air to partner with them.

What’s more, international airlines can and do form code-sharing partnerships outside of the alliances. South African Airways, for instance, has already hooked up with JetBlue.

Expect to see more connections like this, and soon.

Without the 787′s ultra-long reach, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. With this new long-range airliner coming into African hands, a whole world of new opportunity now opens up for them — and for the world’s travelers who are increasingly turning their eyes to Africa.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
Know your alliance, Part 1 Part 2
New wings over Africa, Part 1 Part 2
Dreamliner sighting
Delta does Africa

MALAYSIA: Running with the big dogs

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Airbus A330 of Malaysia Airlines

The national flag air carrier for one of Asia’s up-and-coming nations helps the smallest of the three major airline alliances get a little bigger, and makes SE Asia travel a little easier.

No sooner do I finish writing about the current state of the Big Three airline alliances than the picture changes.

Malaysia Airlines is now on the fast track to become a member of oneworld, the smallest of the three. The chief executives of the alliance’s 12 member airlines voted unanimously to admit them.

MAS, as it’s is known for short, would be oneworld’s third Pacific member, joining Japan Air Lines and Australia’s Qantas. They’ve been around since 1963, operating a mix of Boeing and Airbus jumbo jets across Asia and the Pacific.

They were the national airline when Malaysia and Singapore became one nation back in 1963. But the unity didn’t last very long. It’s an ugly story, with racial overtones.

Singapore broke away to become its own city-state in 1965; the airlines split up a year later. And yes, the other half of that divorce is the Singapore Airlines you know today. Since then, Singapore Airlines has gone on to develop a worldwide reputation for spoiling its passengers.

What’s less well known on this side of the Pacific is that MAS has a similar “rep.”

Skytrax is a British outfit that annually rates airline quality, especially when it comes to passenger service. They are to airlines what the Michelin Guide and its stars are to the world’s restaurants.

Of the roughly 300 airlines around the world, Skytrax gave its highest 5-star rating this year to only seven. And no, none of them is based in the United States.

One of them, however, is Malaysia Airlines.

From here, it looks as if oneworld is going for quality over quantity. Once MAS comes on board, it would give oneworld two 5-star airlines in a stable of 13. (Cathay Pacific being the other).

The Star Alliance and its 27 airlines are more than twice oneworld’s size, but only has one 5-star airline — Singapore. SkyTeam, with its 14 airlines, has none.

Who wouldn’t want a 5-star airline in their lineup? And who wouldn’t love the chance to fly on one? If all you’ve ever known is US airlines and how they treat their passengers, you owe it to yourself, once before you die, to experience five stars in the air.

If you’re already a frequent flier with American Airlines or any of oneworld’s other airline partners, Your frequent-flier miles could land you a seat on what’s been judged one of the best airlines in the world, once MAS joins the oneworld family.

If it happens, that is. Unanimous welcome aside, it’s not a done deal.

An airline has to meet a lot of criteria to join an alliance. Come up short and the other airlines will kick you to the curb.

Just ask Air India.

They were invited four years ago to join Star Alliance. But after concluding that they had failed to measure up in multiple areas, including quality of service, Star Alliance put their admission on hold — indefinitely.

Ouch.

All this may look and sound like airline industry trivia, but it’s bigger than that. It’s a sign that Malaysia, a nation of only 32 million people, wants to become a major player in the Asian-Pacific travel scene, right up there with China and Thailand and all the rest.

They’ve converted their economy from agriculture to one based on industry and tourism. And they’ve already shown they know how to grab the world’s attention, with projects like the Petronas Towers.

In short, Malaysia wants to run with the big dogs. And at first glance at them — and their national airline — it looks like they may have the wherewithall to do it.

Images courtesy of oneworld

ALSO CHECK OUT:
AIRLINES: Know your alliance, Part 1
AIRLINES: Know your alliance, Part 2

AIRLINES: Know your alliance, Part 2

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SECOND OF TWO PARTS

  • Star Alliance
    27 airlines, 4,000-plus aircraft, 1,160 destinations in 181 countries

  • SkyTeam
    14 airlines (plus 12 “member affiliate” and 13 “non-member affilate” airlines), approx. 3,500 aircraft, 960 destinations in 169 countries

  • oneworld
    12 airlines, 2,400-plus aircraft, 871 destinations 150 countries

At first blush, the airlines alliances may look like just a mechanism for the airlines to get around antitrust laws, a way of reducing their costs and artificially controlling ticket prices. But in a lot of ways, they help us out.

For one thing, they make it possible to use your frequent-flier miles from Airline A to book flights on Airline B, and rack up miles on one airline that you can apply to many others.

And there are some more subtle ways the alliances work in your favor. This from Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst for Forrester Research, an international market research firm in Cambridge, MA:

“Being able to check in once and get all your boarding passes, checking your baggage once an picking it up at the final destination, no matter how times to change planes or change airlines. Many of the alliance have antitrust immunity. That allows them to coordinate not only on prices, but also coordinate on schedules.

“Airlines in the same alliance will often try locating their flights close by to one another to make their connections easy.”

What’s more, the alliances have put together their own Web sites that allow you to book flights online. Feel intimidated trying to work out a potentially complex international routing? No worries. Star Alliance, SkyTeam and oneworld will gladly do it for you.

So how do you connect to these guys? There’s a good chance you already are, since there’s at least one major US-based airline in each alliance.

Which means that if you’re enrolled in United’s frequent flier program, you’re already a member of the Star Alliance. If you’re a frequent flier with Delta, you’re already connected to SkyTeam. And if you’re earning miles on American, you’re already hooked up with oneworld.

But that’s by default. How do you choose an alliance for yourself?

Unless, you’ve already hit the lottery, cost is an obvious first concern. But remember, airlines and alliances alike watch one another’s fares like the proverbial hawk, so don’t expect radical differences from one to another.

Other factors can vary a lot more. Here are some of them:

  1. The nature of your travel
    Where in the world do you do most of your international travel? Where do you anticipate doing a good amount of international travel in the future? Which alliances offers the best mix of airlines to the places you most want to go?

  2. Your flying experience
    Which alliance has the airlines you most prefer to fly? Which are the most convenient for you to use? Which are the most comfortable, offer the best service? Or to put it a another way, which ones make you the least miserable the most often?

  3. Safety
    Check out the safety records of the airlines in an alliance, especially the ones with which you are the least familiar. How many serious accidents have they had in the last year, the last five, the last ten? Is their fleet fairly new, modern, up-to-date — or are most of their planes significantly older than you are?

One alliance might be better for travel in and around Europe, another better for Asia or the Americas.

But remember, you’re not flying on an alliance. You’re still flying on an airline. And everyone has their likes and dislikes.

Take my own case. Star Alliance is by far the largest of the three, but because of my destinations up to now, I’ve done most of my fling on the smallest — oneworld.

But as my travels have broadened, the number of airlines I’ve flown on has grown. I now have a real fondness for Air France and KLM. Both are with SkyTeam.

The alliances may cover the Earth, but when it comes to Africa, the Mother Continent is largely out of the picture. Only three of the 53 airlines in the alliances are based there. Egyptair and South African Airways, are with Star Alliance, while Kenya Airways is hooked up with SkyTeam.

oneworld has no African airline members at all.

Slowly, that may be changing. Kenya Airways already is a member of SkyTeam, and Ethiopian Airlines may be a full partner in the Star Alliance by the end of September.

Further, Ethiopian already has its own reciprocal agreements with a dozen different airlines in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

But just because an alliance has few airlines or even none in Africa, that doesn’t mean they can’t get you there.

oneworld may be the smallest alliance, but one of their principal members, British Airways, has 16 African destinations on its route map. Air France, a major member of SkyTeam, has nearly 40. The Star Alliance weighs in with South African Airways and their 29.

Reaching most of those destinations will mean connecting through Europe. If you’re looking for direct flights from the United States, especially to sub-Saharan Africa, even the massive Star Alliance takes a back seat to SkyTeam.

The reason: Delta. They have more direct US-Africa flights than any other airline, period.

Bottom line: You know what you like. You know where you’re going. With those factors in mind, you choose your alliance the same way you choose your airlines.

Carefully.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
AIRLINES: Know your alliance, Part 1

AIRLINES: Know your alliance, Part 1

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FIRST OF TWO PARTS

© Eric Broder Van Dyke | Dreamstime.com

When it comes to international flights, the alliance to which your airline belongs may soon matter more than the airline itself — if it doesn’t already.

Quietly and gradually, the world of airlines may be turning upside down before our eyes. That point was driven home to me recently when I got a glimpse of a jumbo jet taxiing out to take off from London’s Heathrow airport.

The name “oneworld” was painted on the sides in big, bold letters that took up almost half the fuselage.

“Oneworld Airlines? Who are those guys?” you ask. “Never heard of ‘em!”

And for good reason: No such airline exists.

Oneworld is an airline alliance. The jet actually belonged to British Airways, whose name also was painted on the side of the plane — but much smaller.

© photo360 | Dreamstime.com

Nor is it just oneworld doing this.

Look above at that United Air Lines Boeing 747 in San Francisco. You have to look twice, maybe three times, to tell that it even belongs to United.

You have no such problem discerning that it’s a member of Star Alliance, do you? Even that big logo on the tail is representing the alliance, not the airline.

A QUESTION OF IDENTITY
These companies have worked very hard for a long time to burn their brand identities into the minds of us consumers and keep them there. Fly the friendly skies. The ONLY way to fly. Hot pants on stewardesses. Singapore Girl. Painting a Boeing 737 to look like Shamu. Ding!

So when you see these same airlines visually suppressing their own identities — on their own airplanes — to hype the alliance to which they belong, you have to wonder, what’s going on here?

Airline alliances, groups of different airlines that share routes, bookings and frequent-flier mileage programs, have been with us since the late 1990s. In addition to Star Alliance and oneworld, the third of the major alliances is called SkyTeam.

Up to now, they’ve largely been out of sight and out of mind where the air passenger is concerned. Clearly, somebody wants to change that.

And just as well.

This gang of three alliances doesn’t own a single airplane, doesn’t employ a single pilot, flight attendant or mechanic. But between them, they fly more than 1.4 billion passengers a year to nearly 3,000 destinations, which translates to more than three-quarters of all the airline traffic in the world.

They even have their own Web sites on which you can plan trips and book flights online to any region on the planet.

WHO’S CALLING THE SHOTS?
These alliances actually sound a bit sinister in some respects, like an attempt by the big airline corporations to get around government rules that limit mergers and block the creation of monopolies.

“They either add a lot more convenience or they inhibit competition,” says Henry Harteveldt, the travel industry analyst for Forrester Research, an international market research firm in Cambridge, MA.

“From my perspective, they do both.”

So is the alliance tail is starting to wag the airline dog?

Mr. Harteveldt doesn’t think so:

“When you’re buying a ticket, you’re buying it from an airline and not an alliance. This is just a way to increase traveler awareness of the alliance. Frankly, it gets the airline geeks excited because they’ll take pics of the livery. The airlines are all very proud and also very different.

“The airlines involved will never ever, as some have hypothesized, put their identity in a secondary role to an alliance. The pride (of the individual airlines) is too great and the confusion would be too large.”

I take a slightly different view. Mr. Harteveldt is probably right when he says the alliances may not hold sway over the individual airlines — for now. But it may not stay that way.

The combination of economic pressures and the eternal desires of corporations to get around government antitrust rules could change that, and sooner than anyone expects.

But what does any of this have to do with your, the airline consumer? If you do all your flying within the United States, probably not a lot. If you fly internationally, however, it’s a very different story.

Bottom line: We need to be as careful in choosing our alliances as we are in choosing our airlines.

So how do you set about selecting one?

We’ll look at that next.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
Lounge or languish?
IBIT on The Cheap: AIRFARES, Part 2

the SUNDAY TRAVEL DIGEST

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The good, the bad and the bizarre from the best of the world’s travel media

CROCS ON A PLANE…
Next time you think airport security is getting just a little too anal-retentive, remember this story.

Back in August, a small commercial flight crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing 20 people. The first thought was that the aircraft had run out of fuel in mid-flight.

Not until investigators could talk to the sole survivor did they find out what really brought down the plane, however.

It was a crocodile.

Don’t wait for the punchline. There isn’t one.

Somebody had smuggled the animal in a sports bag on board the Flair Let 410, apparently intending to sell it somewhere. The creature got loose. The panicked passengers stampeded and threw the airplane, now unbalanced, into a spin that its British pilot could not control.

The plane crashed into a house.

You can read the entire story here.

Airline folks will tell you: Left to their own devices, there is virtually nothing passengers won’t try to bring on a plane with them — and not just in Africa. Never mind fitting under your seat or in the overhead bin. If it fits through the door, they don’t see a problem.

Virtually anyone who’s ever worked a boarding gate longer than six months can tell you stories straight out of the Twilight Zone.

Now, you know why the powers that be at the airport can seem a little unreasonable when it comes to what you can bring aboard an airplane — and why pilots want you stay in your seat until the plane has come to a safe stop back on the ground.

…AND A CROCK AT THE GATE
Bad news if you’re flying out of Los Angeles International Airport these days: They’re cracking down on carry-ons.

Remember those ridiculously small guides that your carry-on is supposed to fit in before they let you on the plane with it? You know, the ones that both you and the airlines themselves routinely ignore? Well, the word from Johnny Jet is that the gate agents are not ignoring them anymore. If it doesn’t fit, you’ll have to check it — and pay for it.

And no, they don’t care if they let you on the plane with it the last 15 times. That was then, this is now.

Consider yourself warned.

And now, here’s this week’s Digest:

from the New York Times
“Traveling While Fat.” It can be a challenge — and not just fitting into these new and painfully narrow airline seats in Coach. The NYT’s Rob Goldstone leads you through the ins and outs.

from Travel+Leisure via Yahoo! Travel
Where in the world are the views to die for? The T+L crew has their list of 10 favorites, including one in Arizona that literally might be impossible to top.

AFRICA
from USA Today
Ethiopia is raising its global profile as a tourist destination, including its own airline with a reputation as one of the best in the developing world. And starting next year, if you’re a frequent flier on one of the 30 Star Alliance airlines, you may be able to use your miles to get there.

from Trondheim Travel Guide
My Norwegian friend gives you her take on good places to stay in Capetown, South Africa.

AMERICAS
from Karikuy
Welcome to the jungle. Peru’s got fun and games. And monkeys. And two different shades of crocodiles.

ASIA/PACIFIC
from Luxury Travel
Livin’ large in Tuscany, a region that seems to have been custom made for livin’ large.

from the New York Times
In London, they’re turning unused space under railway arches into trendy shopping stops.

IBIT on The Cheap: AIRFARES, Part 2

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Kaua'i parrot

Kaua'i parrot | © Greg Gross

I feel sorry for anyone trying to search out a good airfare online these days. So many Web sites, so many options, so little candor. Not only are airlines pricing structures downright Byzantine, but airfares are so volatile, it’s insane.

During a 5-hour train trip once on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Santa Barbara to San Diego, my wife and I considered a December flight from LAX to Paris.

We leave Santa Barbara at 7:01 a.m.

9:40 a.m.: I break out the laptop and start scanning airfares. The Air France round-trip coach fare for two is about $2,500. Too steep. I then check Expedia. Same airline, same flights: $2,300. Better, but not better enough.

10:12 a.m.: I check out Kayak, which simultaneously scans multiple airlines and even other reservation sites. Air Tahiti Nui has the same Paris flights for $2,100.

10:23 a.m.: I jump on the Air Tahiti Nui site (always check the airline site as well as the other reservation sites). Their Paris fare: $1,800. Nice. But a hunch leads me back to Expedia.

10:32 a.m.: On Expedia, I find the same Air Tahiti Nui flights, same days, same everything…$1,685. I don’t understand why this is, and I don’t care.

11:12 a.m.: We pull out the plastic and pull the trigger. We have our tickets, at a rate almost $900 less than Air France.

The train arrives at our station at 11:49 a.m. We’re home by 12:15 p.m. I jump on the Web and check Expedia again to admire the bargain price that we found.

The fare is now just over $2,400.

In five hours, the fare for the same trip had gone down nearly $900 and back up almost the same amount. In the four months between the time we booked and the day of departure, it will oscillate up and down, but never again fall below $2,000.

This is not a tout for Expedia. We just as easily might’ve found that fare on Travelocity, Orbitz, Vayama or any of a thousand other sites. The point is, when we found it, we moved on it.

MORAL: Search carefully, search thoroughly, but when you find a fare that’s comfortable, don’t second-guess yourself. He who hesitates can lose a ton of money.

That’s one tip. Here’s another: Don’t think airline. Think alliance.

Nowadays, brand loyalty to a single airline may be overrated.

A few years ago, American Airlines made a big deal out of removing seats from their planes to create more legroom in Coach. Being 6’3,” I couldn’t wait to enroll in their frequent-flier program. I figured I’d found my airline for life.

A few years later, they put them all back in, but I still didn’t have enough miles to go anywhere. I was stuck. In the end, though, it’s all worked out. Why?

Many of the world’s major airlines have banded together in operational marriages-of-convenience called alliances. They divvy up routes, reservation systems, even passengers, among themselves. It’s called code-sharing.

They also accept one another’s frequent-flier miles — and that’s a good thing.

What does all this airlinespeak mean to you? It means that if you book a flight from Chicago to London on United, you may find yourself on a Lufthansa jet instead.

The three biggest alliances, in order, are Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld.

My principal alliance is Oneworld. Among its 11 members are the airlines I either know best or fly to my most desired destinations — American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Air Lines and LAN. They’ll be joined in two years by Air Berlin, a fairly new airline that looks really promising for decent airfares into the heart of Europe.

Check out the alliance sites. Not only will they tell you who their individual member airlines are, but you can even plan itineraries and book flight through the alliance sites.

Find an alliance you can stick with. Enroll in the frequent-flier mileage program of the airline in that alliance that you use most often. But just to cover yourself, sign up for frequent-flier mikes with an airline in the other major alliances, as well!

Another thing about frequent-flier miles: They’re good for more than just flights. You also might be able to use them to buy access into those cushy airline lounges, the ones reserved for First and Business Class passengers. Not just one, but any lounge in the alliance. Comfortable chairs. Free food and drinks. A little peace and serenity before that 11-hour killer over the ocean.

Just sayin’.


NEXT TIME: When it comes to travel costs, what is real — and how to find out!