And some modern commercials, from Southwest

1 comment August 26th, 2009

How much have times changed? Now, instead of a commercial showing off hostesses in hot pants, Southwest Airlines is highlighting its lack of bag fees. As always, Southwest’s commercials are top notch. I particularly like the spot that’s been on local tv a lot, showing a baggage handler driving around while the narrator describes how other airlines “hate your bag”. I assume the baggage handler is an actual Southwest employee - he’s great!

I did some kicking around on Youtube and found a couple more ads from the “It’s On” campaign:

and

Finally, I also found this “behind the scenes” video by Southwest:

Great campaign. But I wonder, does Southwest’s “bags fly free” policy make  you more likely to use them? I usually don’t fly with checked baggage, opting for shorter trips where carry-ons suffice. So in that case, no, it doesn’t affect me. I do really like Southwest, but until they offer Milwaukee-LaGuardia flights, I’ll take other options to get to NYC. Here are some price comparisons for a weekend jaunt to New York in early December:

• Southwest, Midway to LGA - $219.20, including two bags
• Delta, Midway to LGA - $209.20, $224.20 for one bag, $249.20 for two bags
• United, O’Hare to LGA - $209.20, $224.20 for one bag, $249.20 for two bags
• American, O’Hare to LGA - $209.20, $229.20 for one bag, $259.20 for two bags
• AirTran or Midwest, Milwaukee to LGA - $217.70, $232.70 for one bag, $257.70 for two bags

If I was going without bags, I’d choose between the O’Hare and Milwaukee options, depending on if I needed to park. If I was lugging a bag, I might consider Southwest, but a $5 to $15 savings doesn’t seem worth it to go to Midway. Now, if I had kids, it might be a different story.

Personally, I tend to choose airline by price, convenience and amenites. If all things are relatively equal, I’ll choose AirTran out of Milwaukee since I am a rewards members there, find it an easier airport to travel in and the parking is cheaper. But if Southwest ever came to Rockford…

I don’t mind baggage fees. All it is is airlines raising fees more for those who bring heavier loads versus just jacking up the base fare for everyone in light of higher fuel costs. I’d rather have the choice of paying more for bags than paying more regardless. If baggage fees disappeared, you’d see it in the base fare  (notice how Southwerst’s base fare is higher than others … it’s a great deal if  you have bags, not as much if you don’t).

What about you? What affect do baggage fees have on your travel choices?

Old-school airline commercials

2 comments August 26th, 2009

Remember a time when flight attendants were called “stewardesses” or “hostesses” and wore revealing skirts (and sometimes hot pants?). Remember when you could smoke on a plane? Remember when fancy food was served on china (and flights were really expensive and generally for business travelers only)?

I don’t, though I did see a scene on “Mad Men” from that era. But the fine folks at Mental Floss have compiled a list of eight retro airline commercials that show, well, a different time.

My favorite is the Eastern Airlines one (and not just because I fondly remember the airline), with “dese guys” baggage handlers:

Anyone fly back in the era shown in these commercials? Was it really like they advertized? Was flying better then or now? My take is that it’s more affordable now, and thus the fancy amenties are gone. Airlines target families, not just business travelers (and business travelers are guided by corporate to choose based on cost more than … what is that in one commercial … lobster?).

Also, flight attendents are treated with more respect. Man, Don Draper would hate it.

A Raptor-ous time at AirFest

Add comment August 24th, 2009

I was one of a record 160,000-plus people at Rockford’s AirFest 2009, and it was definitely the best of the three I’ve been to. The perfect weather, packed schedule and same-as-ever prices all helped bring out the crowds. Judging by how many cameras were out for the F-22 Raptor, I think it single-handedly brought lots out.

Fellow blogger Georgette Braun is asking people if they got their money’s worth. I know my family and I did. Here are some of the best, and some of the needs-improvement, parts of AirFest:

Highlights:

• The performers lived up to the hype, particularly the Rapor and the Harrier Jump Jet. Both did things I’ve never seen aircraft do, and it was their abilities to basically stop in midair and turn on a dime that impresed me, more than the pure speed (which was also way cool). With all due respect to the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels, the Raptor was the best headliner yet. Oh, and seeing a B-1 Lancer in the air was great too.
• The layout. It’s great that the food vendors are scattered around the grounds, along with the static displays. You don’t have to walk across the whole fest to get food or to see something cool (though I did because I wanted to see as much as possible). Even if you didn’t spring for a flight-line seat, you could see things real well from almost anywhere.
• Getting to drive on the runway. Well, after the show. To accommodate all the vehicles leaving, they had one departure route that sent us through a gate, onto a taxiway and then on the runway for a bit, before escaping out the south end of the airport. What a thrill! My father-in-law, driving, said, “You think the Raptor was something … wait until you see what a Ford Taurus can do!”

The “hmm” moments (borrowing a phrase from My Last Bite):

• Granted, they maybe weren’t expecting such big crowds, but there need to be more port-o-potties and loudspeakers if you’re gonna attract so mant people. I counted only 28 port-o-potties for the general public, not counting those for the VIPs and chalets. Those lines were pretty insane, and given the jam-packed schedule, it was hard to “go” without missing something. I had to jump off line to catch the Jump Jet, then go back and try again. And those of us on the far end of the grounds could barely hear any of the announcements as the nearest loudspeaker was seemingly miles away. Something to consider as the show continues to grow.
• Long lines for the static displays. Anecdotally, I heard of several-hours-long waits to get in some of those planes (including my poor half-brother). It seemed like there was no time limit for hanging out inside some of the aircraft, and perhaps something could be done next year to keep things moving a bit.
• No B-2 Spirit Bomber fly-by Saturday. Unless it was so stealth we just didn’t see it.

One I’m not touching is traffic. Yeah, the delay was long coming south on Illinois 2 by the bypass, and maybe things could be done better next year. But it was pretty standard fare for such a big event (80,000 or so each day - a football game’s worth!) so it wasn’t too bad. Plus, we got to see the Navy Leap Frogs and a few planes perform at the opener from the comfort of our car. It’s been said that traffic is relative - people will complain if it’s more than they’re used to … but this wasn’t crazy for such a big event.

What were your highlights and suggestions for next year?

Allegiant unveils spring schedule, and it’s similar to this year

Add comment August 19th, 2009

Looks like it’ll be another strong spring next year at Chicago Rockford International Airport.

Allegiant Air, the largest carrier here, is now selling tickets through May on its Web site. It’s good news for RFD - it’s got as many or more flights as a year ago through January, and the peak schedule next spring is pretty comparable. It’s down 4 flights a week in March, but otherwise pretty much the same.

Considering last March was the airport’s second-best month ever, this spring will still be pretty strong. It really depends on what Direct Air does - they’re adding a third flight to Punta Gorda, Fla., this winter and spring, but no word on Myrtle Beach - and whether any other routes are added by other airlines.

How to avoid transaction fees while traveling abroad

Add comment August 19th, 2009

(Hat tip to airline industry vet Joel Chusid for the link)

Travel expert Rick Steves suggests ways to limit fees while getting cash abroad. Good stuff I’ll try to remember for my next trip. Not counting Canada, I’ve only been abroad twice (a summer in the Dominican Republic, including a weekend jaunt to Haiti, more than 10 years ago and a honeymoon in Ireland back in 2007). Hopefully we can go somewhere like England or elsewhere in Europe in 2011, when my vacation time expands a week. But I’m pretty clueless when it comes to international travel (not Clark Griswald clueless, but still). Fortunately, my wife is an expert - she probably knows all of Steves’ tips already.

RFD drops one spot in cargo rankings

Add comment August 5th, 2009

Not a surprise here. With high fuel prices and the start of the recession in 2008, Chicago Rockford International Airport saw a 4 percent drop in cargo volume. That sent it down one spot to 19th in the nation, according to preliminary rankings released by the Federal Aviation Administration last month. RFD was passed by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

It wasn’t a good year for cargo airports. More than half of the 121 cargo airports listed saw drops bigger than Rockford’s. Only 31 increased, and only three airports bigger than Rockford’s increased.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from 2008:

Up

1. Stockton, Calif +190.06 percent (but to be fair, it is the smallest airport on the list)
2. Knoxville, TN +28.5 percent
3. Grand Rapids. Mich. +10.8 percent
4. Harlingen, Texas +9.38 percent
5. Portsmouth, NH +9.36 percent
6. Seattle-Tacoma +8.03 percent
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa +7.77 percent
8. Lubbock, Texas +7.39 percent
9. Reno, Nev. +6.96 percent
10. Cincinnati +6.81 percent

Down

1. Jackson, Miss. -73.64 percent
2. Fort Wayne, Ind. -63.91 percent
3. Detroit-Willow Run -51.45 percent
4. Agana, Guam -36.90 percent
5. Lihue, Hawaii -33.73 percent
6. Baton Rouge, La. -31.52 percent
7. San Francisco -30.36 percent
8. Kahului, Hawaii -28.89 percent
9. Brownsviille, Texas -25.16 percent
10. Charlotte, NC -23.51 percent

Nice that Cincy, with its big drop in passenger numbers, saw an increase in cargo. I’m sure that’ll ease the pain.

Finally, here are Illinois’ three cargo airports, ranked in pounds of landed weight:

1. Chicago O’Hare  3,668,314,900   -16.66 percent
2. Rockford    1,415,944,932    -3.98 percent
3. Peoria        179,182,550    -13.31 percent

United moving operations center to downtown Chicago

Add comment August 5th, 2009

Courtesy of Today in the Sky, UAL is moving 2,800 workers from Elk Grove Township to the Tower Formerly Known as Sears. Good news for downtown Chicago. Obviously, a lot of incentives were given, and the price was right. Of course, as a coworker said, downtown’s gain is the suburb’s loss. It will be interesting to see if there are problems having its ops center farther from ORD…

RFD increases slightly on passenger ranking list

Add comment August 5th, 2009

Late last month, the FAA released its preliminary 2008 passenger rankings for U.S. airports. Chicago Rockford International Airport rose in the rankings for the sixth straight year, despite a slight drop in traffic. That’s because others fell worse than RFD did, thanks to high fuel prices and the start of the recession. The airport is now 213th in the nation, up from 215th at the end of 2007.

2008 was not a great year for airports (and 2009 is even worse, though we won’t know how worse til next summer).  Of the 212 airports ahead of RFD, 157 of them had bigger declines. Only 47 airports bigger than RFD increased in 2008. Here are the biggest winners and losers:

Up

1. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. +381.87 percent
2. Boulder City, Nev. +146.26 percent
3. Grand Junction, Colo. +24.73 percent
4. Aquadillla, PR +22.58 percent
5. Bellingham, Wash. +16.27 percent
6. Fayetteville, NC +15.49 percent
7. Rapid City, SD +14.92 percent
8. Augusta, Ga. +13.85 percent
9. Bullhead City, Ariz. +12.90 percent
10. Jackson Hole, Wyo. +9.74 percent

Down

1. Nantucket, Mass. -48.62 percent
2. Toledo, Ohio -26.65 percent
3. Oakland, Calif. -22.14 percent
4. Hilo, Hawaii 19.33 percent
5. Juneau, Alaska -18.03 percent
6. Idaho Falls, Idaho -17.46 percent
7. Daytona Beach, Fla. -16.9 percent
8. San Luis, Calif. -16.52 percent
9. Cincinnati, Ohio -16.04 percent
10. Newburgh, NY -15.96 percent

I find it interesting that five of the top 10 growers are Allegiant Air airports (though I can’t confirm they all had Allegiant service in 2008, I just know they have it now). That makes sense as Allegiant targets smaller cities that don’t have other air service, and can thus make a big impact. I’ll follow up on some interesting Allegiant numbers later.

The decliners are all over the map - leisure destinations, business destinations (Well, Cincy at least), alternative airports with tough competition  … and poor Oakland.

Finally, here are the Illinois rankings.Passenger numbers are in enplanements, which are only boarding numbers, so it’s half of what we typically report:

1. Chicago O’Hare        33,668,545    -7.81 percent
2. Chicago Midway        8,019,338    -12.19 percent
3. Quad City    476,533        -1.05 percent
4. Peoria        278,426        +2.60 percent
5. Bloomington    262,840        -0.05 percent
6. Rockford    110,153        -0.62 percent
7. Champaign    98,243        -12.63 percent
8. Springfield    56,786        -8.61 percent
9. MidAmerica    26,958        -7.07 percent
10. Williamson County 3,607        -44 percent

Glad I flew Frontier while it’s still Frontier

Add comment August 5th, 2009

Just back from my vacation in Santa Fe, an amazing city with a much lusher climate than I expected from the southwest (the mile-plus altitude helps). It even hailed one day, though a shopkeeper said, “This almost never happens” while I resisted the $700 boots she was selling. (It wasn’t hard to resist).

Anyway, we flew from Midway to Denver, then drove down to Santa Fe. Mainly it was an excuse to fly for the first time on Frontier Airlines (and to catch a Rockies game and some excellent beer in Denver). I’m glad I flew Frontier - had an excellent couple of flights; moreover, Frontier as we know it may not be long for this world.

While I was gone, Southwest Airlines made a preliminary bid to buy Frontier. This is big news in Denver - Frontier is the second-biggest airline there and Southest in number three. Both are low-cost carriers, and the sense is there’s not enough room there for both. Cranky Flier, like others, expects Southwest to operate Frontier as a standalone subsidiary for a bit, then phase out its planes and gobble up some of its employees:

Ultimately, however, I think this is just about one thing. Southwest can eliminate a competitor for just over $100 million. They must believe that they can benefit by more than that by simply getting rid of Frontier. … There really isn’t much room for three carriers over in Denver, and this is a cheap way to fix that problem.

Cranky thinks it’s potentially good news for United, which will see a competitor disappear, another one shell out millions and cut competition at some non-Southwesty routes to Mexico and smaller western cities. Wall Street Journal is not so sure, while Airline Bulletin thinks United could make its own bid. This will be interesting to watch - Republic is still in the Frontier bidding, though for how much?

Anyway, the smart money is on Southwest getting what it wants and eventually ending Frontier as we know it. That would be sad, in that Frontier has a unique product - the in-seat DirectTV was worth the $6, I love the animal pictures on the tails and the prices are right. Had the smoothest landing I’ve ever had into Midway (though, to be fair, most of my landings were on old ATA planes so the bar wasn’t too hight). If I had an excuse to fly though Denver again, I might trek down to Midway for Frontier.

Though, if Southwest gobbles them up, it’s not the end of the world - Southwest also had a unique product that I enjoy as well. When it comes down to it, I’ll fly whichever airline gives me the best fare at the most convenient airports, though things like Frontier and JetBlue’s in-seat TVs and AirTran’s satellite radio are nice tie-breakers.

Thoughts on the changing airline landscape?