Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
25/09/2008 – The Delta Airlines & Northwest Airlines Merger : The Shareholders Vote Today
By the time many of you read this Northwest Airlines' stockholders will have voted on the proposed merger with Delta Airlines in New York, and Delta Airlines' shareholders will have voted on the merger with Northwest Airlines in Atlanta.
The recent recalculations of the merger show a potential for the two airlines to save approximately US$2-billion. With the merger a hot topic in both Delta and Northwest Hub cities, the two airlines have promised to keep all their hubs operating if there is a merger, giving the 'new combined airline' a total of six hubs, as well as a number of significant 'focus cities' to maintain their operations.
review of the merger is pending, and will be released after the share holders vote to merge the two airlines. The merger of the to airlines will create one airline flying under the name "Delta Airlines" and the long storied history of Northwest Airlines and its bright red tails will fade into our memories.
This merger is supposed to create the world's largest airline, eclipsing American Airlines' parent company, AMR. AMR is currently the world's largest airline operating more than 900 aircraft. This information tends to look quite incorrect when you look at the actual 'in-service' fleet aircraft numbers. Even after the merger the combined Delta/Northwest fleet will still be quite a bit smaller than AMR in terms of post-merger 'Delta owned aircraft.'
Currently AMR's fleet consists of 922 aircraft. 635 are flown by American Airlines with an additional 287 operated by American Eagle. Going by the current fleet size numbers, a combined Delta Airlines & Northwest Airlines fleet will consist of 716 aircraft. Delta brings 452 aircraft to the merger and Northwest brings 264 to the merger.
So while the merger press sheets stress a larger fleet that AMR, even if you add in Delta's subsidiary carrier Comair's fleet of 138 aircraft, the total aircraft still remains at 854 aircraft for Delta and 922 for AMR.
If the shareholders vote in favour of the merger, there are many hurdles ahead for the two airlines merge. The huge hurdle is merging the combined pilots Unions. The pay rates are quite different between the carriers. The seniority between the two airlines is different. Even the aircraft and routes the airlines fly are quite different.
The different between airlines and routes is not only an issue for sorting out Union and Pay seniority; it also gets tricky when combining the fleets and route structures. Delta Airlines flies an all Boeing fleet, while Northwest flies a combined Boeing and Airbus fleet.
In creating parity between the two airlines Pilots' Unions, the 'best guess' is that a Delta 777 captain who flies long haul would be equal to a Northwest Airlines 747 captain who flies long haul. After that a Delta 767 captain who flies long haul would equal that of a Northwest A330 captain who flies long haul.......but wait....
Delta operates the 767-300 domestically and on long-haul international routes, as well as a 767-400 both domestically and internationally while Northwest Airlines only flies the A330 on long-haul international routes, including routes over the Pacific to service the Asia market. How will these line up?
In fact, the only common aircraft Delta and Northwest both operate is the Boeing 757-200 (Northwest also operates a 757 sub-fleet in Japan operating of their hub at Tokyo's Narita, as well as the Boeing 757-300).
Just to further complicate things, outside of the passenger fleet, Northwest Airlines also operates a complete fleet of 747 cargo aircraft.
The pilots Unions seem to be on-board with this merger, at least in public, so hopefully they can work these issues out.
On the operations side, Northwest Airlines has a long and intertwined history with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The history between these two airlines is so intertwined that they have often alternated aircraft on routes, chosen to fly compatible fleets over the years and designed a strikingly similar business class......that they both branded as "World Business Class."
What happens to this relationship? Will Northwest's hub in Amsterdam become Delta's hub in Amsterdam to continue to operate in complete harmony with KLM?
It is clear that the frequent flyer programs will merger and that Northwest Airlines' WorldPerks will be folded into Delta Airlines' SkyMiles program. Currently Delta's frequent flyer program offers status based only on flown miles, while Northwest's frequent flyer program operates on both flown miles and/or flown segments. With many Northwest elite’s having many short-haul 'segment elites,' will Delta adopt segments, or will Northwest elites be forced out of their status sending them to other airlines and programs?
As the two frequent flyers are merged what is to become of Northwest’s relationship with the Air France-KLM Flying Blue frequent flyer program? With reciprocal upgrades for flyers between the two programs, and Air France-KLM elites having access to the Northwest WorldClubs, will they now have access to Delta's Crown Room Club’s?
I know I am getting bogged down in the relatively minor details. The shareholders are interested in the stock swap values, the buy out packages, the executive structure and the cost reduction of combining overlapping routes...
............wait, I'm interested in the cost reduction of combining overlapping routes.
There are certain flights I have enjoyed on both airlines that are popular flights and that fly out generally full with high revenue passengers. Most of these flights are early or late morning trans-continental routes. These routes are between cities such as New York and San Francisco, and they are fiercely competitive between Delta, American, United, JetBlue and Virgin America. These flights will now be 'overlapping' when combined with a route with a stop in Minneapolis on the Northwest vs a non-stop on Delta. Other routes would be Northwest's extensive flights between North America and Asia, via Tokyo Japan. Will some of these routes, which are all high traffic routes, be eliminated to allow the combined airline to continue its daily non-stop from Delta's 'Fortress' in Atlanta?
The two airlines compliment each other well. Northwest Airlines dominates the Midwest in many markets and has a strong hold on the Pacific routes, while Delta has a strong presence along the east coast and transcontinental routes, along with a significant route structure for Europe and a growing presence in the Middle East.
Overall, while I'd love to see the airline remain independent, I fully understand the merger. In my opinion as an observer sitting on the sideline this is possibly the best matched merger of airlines we have seen in a very long time, ever since......well since Northwest Airlines merged with Republic Airlines.
.............so let's see what the shareholders say. Will we be seeing 747-400s painted up in Delta's livery in the future?
Happy Flying!
Showing posts with label american airlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american airlines. Show all posts
25 September 2008
24 September 2008
American Airlines Adds Perks For AAdvantage 'Elites'......just a few years behind all of their competitors
Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
24/09/2008 – American Airlines Adds Perks For AAdvantage 'Elites'......just a few years behind all of their competitors
Yesterday afternoon American Airlines made a bold announcement to the 'elite' members of their AAdvantage frequent flyer program and those who fly on full-fare and in premium cabin seats. The 'bold' announcement is called PriorityAAccess. What PriorityAAccess offers these flyers is a set of perks that have been enjoyed by 'elite' frequent flyers of more than 1/2 of a dozen other North American airlines for quite a few years now.
American Airlines' PriorityAAccess promises to make cruising through the airport easier and faster for 'elite' flyers and premium passengers. How does it plan on making the airport experience more streamlined? American Airlines will be opening up 'priority security lanes' for shorter lines at the TSA screening checkpoints at a number of airports. These lanes are generally available to all elite flyers of the airline and their OneWorld alliance partners.
American will be adding priority security screening at a number of airports including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD). It should be noted that American Airline's primary competitor, United Airlines (with whom they share their primary hub, ORD) has offered priority screening lanes at all of these airports for many years.
Another perk of PriorityAAccess is that 'elite' flyers and premium fare passengers will now be allowed priority when boarding flights. This means that they will be called separately, ahead of general boarding. This is a nice perk, and one that has been in place for many years with nearly every other 'legacy' airline in the United States......and one that seems to already be in place with American Airlines.
What confuses me about the new PriorityAAccess' boarding structure is that flights are generally already boarded in this order:
A) First//Business Class passengers
B) Executive Platinum / Platinum passengers
C) Gold passengers
Does this new lane just group all of these passengers into a single group of "PriorityAAccess?" if everyone is grouped together, won't certain routes, such as New York's LaGuardia (LGA) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) may end up with 65% of the plane boarding at the same time with PriorityAAccess?
PriorityAAccess appears to create a while new boarding lane at the gate. This new separate lane as a perk follows the lead of other airlines such as Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines, who even go so far as to have a separate boarding lane at the gate with a red carpet (actual Continental's is blue) welcoming these passengers on-board.
A few years ago American Airlines spent millions of dollars building an outstanding, state of the art and beautiful Admirals Club at Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT). This lounge while wonderful was constructed to service American Airlines' five flights per day from NRT (you read that correctly, only 5 flights per day).
Since American Airlines has always claimed to be focused on the business traveler, and proven so in some respects, such as in-seat power on all 'mainline aircraft' and reintroducing in-flight WiFi (as I had written about earlier this month here : 2/09/2008 – American Airlines Puts WiFi In The Sky), why did they think that building an Admiral's Club for five flights, when their passengers have access to the JAL Sakura Lounge at Narita, rather than offering more incentives to their 'elite' flyers? An airlines most frequent flyers, those who fly 50,000+ miles per year, those who purchase full-fare economy seats (Y-fare seats) and those who purchase business class and first class seats should see significant benefits from an airline. These 'premium passengers' are the ones putting the money in American Airlines' coffers.
Looking at PriorityAAccess vs Narita's Admiral's Club, it is much less expensive to offset the costs of maintaining priority security lanes at a handful of airports than it was to construct a redundant OneWorld lounge at NRT, especially with all the OneWorld Airlines residing in Terminal 2. How did American Airlines not view the perk of elite and premium passengers boarding flights first? Priority boarding costs the American Airlines NOTHING when compared to the operational costs of maintaining a lounge that services only five flights per day (and generally less than 500 passengers per day, with only 265 premium class seats departing from NRT daily if all the first and business seats are occupied).
I'd like to commend American Airlines for offering its elite and premium passenger’s added perks for their loyalty. Many airlines are stripping out the perks offered to their best flyers. I'm just curious why American Airlines is touting these new perks when they are nearly a decade behind their competition (if not longer in some cases).
Happy Flying!
24/09/2008 – American Airlines Adds Perks For AAdvantage 'Elites'......just a few years behind all of their competitors
Yesterday afternoon American Airlines made a bold announcement to the 'elite' members of their AAdvantage frequent flyer program and those who fly on full-fare and in premium cabin seats. The 'bold' announcement is called PriorityAAccess. What PriorityAAccess offers these flyers is a set of perks that have been enjoyed by 'elite' frequent flyers of more than 1/2 of a dozen other North American airlines for quite a few years now.
American Airlines' PriorityAAccess promises to make cruising through the airport easier and faster for 'elite' flyers and premium passengers. How does it plan on making the airport experience more streamlined? American Airlines will be opening up 'priority security lanes' for shorter lines at the TSA screening checkpoints at a number of airports. These lanes are generally available to all elite flyers of the airline and their OneWorld alliance partners.
American will be adding priority security screening at a number of airports including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD). It should be noted that American Airline's primary competitor, United Airlines (with whom they share their primary hub, ORD) has offered priority screening lanes at all of these airports for many years.
Another perk of PriorityAAccess is that 'elite' flyers and premium fare passengers will now be allowed priority when boarding flights. This means that they will be called separately, ahead of general boarding. This is a nice perk, and one that has been in place for many years with nearly every other 'legacy' airline in the United States......and one that seems to already be in place with American Airlines.
What confuses me about the new PriorityAAccess' boarding structure is that flights are generally already boarded in this order:
A) First//Business Class passengers
B) Executive Platinum / Platinum passengers
C) Gold passengers
Does this new lane just group all of these passengers into a single group of "PriorityAAccess?" if everyone is grouped together, won't certain routes, such as New York's LaGuardia (LGA) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) may end up with 65% of the plane boarding at the same time with PriorityAAccess?
PriorityAAccess appears to create a while new boarding lane at the gate. This new separate lane as a perk follows the lead of other airlines such as Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines, who even go so far as to have a separate boarding lane at the gate with a red carpet (actual Continental's is blue) welcoming these passengers on-board.
A few years ago American Airlines spent millions of dollars building an outstanding, state of the art and beautiful Admirals Club at Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT). This lounge while wonderful was constructed to service American Airlines' five flights per day from NRT (you read that correctly, only 5 flights per day).
Since American Airlines has always claimed to be focused on the business traveler, and proven so in some respects, such as in-seat power on all 'mainline aircraft' and reintroducing in-flight WiFi (as I had written about earlier this month here : 2/09/2008 – American Airlines Puts WiFi In The Sky), why did they think that building an Admiral's Club for five flights, when their passengers have access to the JAL Sakura Lounge at Narita, rather than offering more incentives to their 'elite' flyers? An airlines most frequent flyers, those who fly 50,000+ miles per year, those who purchase full-fare economy seats (Y-fare seats) and those who purchase business class and first class seats should see significant benefits from an airline. These 'premium passengers' are the ones putting the money in American Airlines' coffers.
Looking at PriorityAAccess vs Narita's Admiral's Club, it is much less expensive to offset the costs of maintaining priority security lanes at a handful of airports than it was to construct a redundant OneWorld lounge at NRT, especially with all the OneWorld Airlines residing in Terminal 2. How did American Airlines not view the perk of elite and premium passengers boarding flights first? Priority boarding costs the American Airlines NOTHING when compared to the operational costs of maintaining a lounge that services only five flights per day (and generally less than 500 passengers per day, with only 265 premium class seats departing from NRT daily if all the first and business seats are occupied).
I'd like to commend American Airlines for offering its elite and premium passenger’s added perks for their loyalty. Many airlines are stripping out the perks offered to their best flyers. I'm just curious why American Airlines is touting these new perks when they are nearly a decade behind their competition (if not longer in some cases).
Happy Flying!
16 July 2008
Airline Missile Defense System Takes Flight With First Commercial Passenger Flight
Web: www.fishfoto.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
16/07/2008 – Airline Missile Defense System Takes Flight With First Commercial Passenger Flight
This morning an American Airlines (AA) Boeing 767-223 (762), departing New York's JFK International Airport (JFK), for it's 5-hour 34-minute flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The AA 762 slowly pushed back from Terminal 8's Gate #4, it made it's way to taxi-way 'Whiskey' then rolled to taxi-way 'Bravo' and then wound it's way to it's departure runway, it powered up its engines and lifted off into the sky................
What made this routine daily flight between JFK-to-LAX different than all others? This flight was the first ever U.S. passenger plane to complete a passenger flight with the BAE Systems created JetEye Infrared Missile-Defense System. The JetEye system detects a heat-seaking missile, and defends the aircraft by firing it's own laser that diverts the in-bound missile away from the aircraft.
With security experts fearing the use of a shoulder-launched heat seeking missile, such as those used in attacks on commercial aircraft in Baghdad and Kenya, this system can thwart potential attacks, if installed on 'high-probibilty-target' aircraft. It is unclear what determines a 'high-probibility-target' aircraft, however that is an entirely different subject to cover.
While the installing of the JetEye is not intended to be mandatory on commercial aircraft in the United States, American Airlines will be installing the system on two additional 762 aircraft. These 762 aircraft, like the one that flew today, will fly domestically only on daily trans-continental routes. These commercial passenger flights will be used by BAE Systems engineers to test the reliability and maintainability of the system.
Over the past few months tests of the JetEye system has been evaluated on an ABX Air aircraft 767-232F, as well as eleven FedEx MD-10F and MD-11F. The FedEx test aircraft have been flying with the JetEye system for over a year and logged more than 4,500 flights.
Of all the press literature release regarding the maiden commercial passenger flights, I think by far the best quote from an American Airlines spokesperson is this: "No missiles will be fired at these flights."
This quote leaves me with two questions
1) Who in their right mind would fire missiles at a flight full of passengers to test a weapons defense system?
2) If no missiles are being fired at these aircraft (not that missiles should be fired at the AA,ABX or FedEx aircraft) how does BAE Systems know that the system is reliable and maintainable?
A third question does come to mind.....if the missiles are diverted away from the aircraft, where is the missile redirected to?
The JetEye Infrared Missile-Defense System is the final phase of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 'Counter-Man-Portable Air Defense System' (C-MANPADS). This program was established to test the sustainability of a commercial aircraft missile protection systems. The testing of these systems should run for a minimum of 7,000 flight hours.
Happy Flying!
16/07/2008 – Airline Missile Defense System Takes Flight With First Commercial Passenger Flight
This morning an American Airlines (AA) Boeing 767-223 (762), departing New York's JFK International Airport (JFK), for it's 5-hour 34-minute flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The AA 762 slowly pushed back from Terminal 8's Gate #4, it made it's way to taxi-way 'Whiskey' then rolled to taxi-way 'Bravo' and then wound it's way to it's departure runway, it powered up its engines and lifted off into the sky................
What made this routine daily flight between JFK-to-LAX different than all others? This flight was the first ever U.S. passenger plane to complete a passenger flight with the BAE Systems created JetEye Infrared Missile-Defense System. The JetEye system detects a heat-seaking missile, and defends the aircraft by firing it's own laser that diverts the in-bound missile away from the aircraft.
With security experts fearing the use of a shoulder-launched heat seeking missile, such as those used in attacks on commercial aircraft in Baghdad and Kenya, this system can thwart potential attacks, if installed on 'high-probibilty-target' aircraft. It is unclear what determines a 'high-probibility-target' aircraft, however that is an entirely different subject to cover.
While the installing of the JetEye is not intended to be mandatory on commercial aircraft in the United States, American Airlines will be installing the system on two additional 762 aircraft. These 762 aircraft, like the one that flew today, will fly domestically only on daily trans-continental routes. These commercial passenger flights will be used by BAE Systems engineers to test the reliability and maintainability of the system.
Over the past few months tests of the JetEye system has been evaluated on an ABX Air aircraft 767-232F, as well as eleven FedEx MD-10F and MD-11F. The FedEx test aircraft have been flying with the JetEye system for over a year and logged more than 4,500 flights.
Of all the press literature release regarding the maiden commercial passenger flights, I think by far the best quote from an American Airlines spokesperson is this: "No missiles will be fired at these flights."
This quote leaves me with two questions
1) Who in their right mind would fire missiles at a flight full of passengers to test a weapons defense system?
2) If no missiles are being fired at these aircraft (not that missiles should be fired at the AA,ABX or FedEx aircraft) how does BAE Systems know that the system is reliable and maintainable?
A third question does come to mind.....if the missiles are diverted away from the aircraft, where is the missile redirected to?
The JetEye Infrared Missile-Defense System is the final phase of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 'Counter-Man-Portable Air Defense System' (C-MANPADS). This program was established to test the sustainability of a commercial aircraft missile protection systems. The testing of these systems should run for a minimum of 7,000 flight hours.
Happy Flying!
10 July 2008
Mountainsmith Bag Giveaway Deadline Is Rapidly Approaching!!!
Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
10/07/2008 - Mountainsmith Bag Giveaway Deadline Is Rapidly Approaching!!!
Come on, you know you want to win a Mountainsmith bag to load up your gear and go! Many travelers are procrastinators. Many photographers are worse procrastinators than travelers, so here is a friendly reminder that 'The Great Mountainsmith Bag Give Away From Flying With Fish' deadline is just a few days away !!
The deadline is the 14th of July at Midnight New York time.
Why New York time? Because it is the center of the universe! Yep, that's right, it is home to three incredibly important airports. New York is home to some of the most congested airspace on the planet. You can fly nearly anywhere from New York (often non-stop!) . The World tunes in to watch 'the new year' begin in Times Square. New York is was home to the first airline lounge (the American Airlines Admirals Club at Glenn H. Curtiss Airport , now known as LaGuardia Airport). Most importantly, New York is the place of my birth ..................... oh yea, and I happen to live outside New York in the GMT-5 time-zone (but that answer is really boring).
What do you have to do to win one of three great Mountainsmith bags? Well to win a Mountainsmith Parallax, Mountainsmith Day or Mountainsmith Cyber II, you need to tell the 'worst case scenario' you have experienced on the road and how you overcame it!
Your ordeal and triumph must be 400 words or less. I need the details of what and where your worst case scenario happened and I need the details of how you overcame the situation to keep on going (FYI: telling me you ended up in jail is not a solution to overcoming a travel problem).
Any stories that seem a little far-fetched will be verified; also I have read the "worse case scenario" series of books, so no lifting material from there; I also read Flyer Talk and can search the archives so no ripping off material!
Once you have correctly recalled the details of your ordeal and triumph send me an e-mail of 400 words or less! The e-mail address your entry should go to is : traveltips@flyingwithfish.com
Remember, 12:00 midnight, July 14th ....... New York Standard Time (or Eastern Standard Time, or GMT-5, or Zulu-5, etc etc etc). Late entries will end up in the trash.
Happy Flying!
10/07/2008 - Mountainsmith Bag Giveaway Deadline Is Rapidly Approaching!!!
Come on, you know you want to win a Mountainsmith bag to load up your gear and go! Many travelers are procrastinators. Many photographers are worse procrastinators than travelers, so here is a friendly reminder that 'The Great Mountainsmith Bag Give Away From Flying With Fish' deadline is just a few days away !!
The deadline is the 14th of July at Midnight New York time.
Why New York time? Because it is the center of the universe! Yep, that's right, it is home to three incredibly important airports. New York is home to some of the most congested airspace on the planet. You can fly nearly anywhere from New York (often non-stop!) . The World tunes in to watch 'the new year' begin in Times Square. New York is was home to the first airline lounge (the American Airlines Admirals Club at Glenn H. Curtiss Airport , now known as LaGuardia Airport). Most importantly, New York is the place of my birth ..................... oh yea, and I happen to live outside New York in the GMT-5 time-zone (but that answer is really boring).
What do you have to do to win one of three great Mountainsmith bags? Well to win a Mountainsmith Parallax, Mountainsmith Day or Mountainsmith Cyber II, you need to tell the 'worst case scenario' you have experienced on the road and how you overcame it!
Your ordeal and triumph must be 400 words or less. I need the details of what and where your worst case scenario happened and I need the details of how you overcame the situation to keep on going (FYI: telling me you ended up in jail is not a solution to overcoming a travel problem).
Any stories that seem a little far-fetched will be verified; also I have read the "worse case scenario" series of books, so no lifting material from there; I also read Flyer Talk and can search the archives so no ripping off material!
Once you have correctly recalled the details of your ordeal and triumph send me an e-mail of 400 words or less! The e-mail address your entry should go to is : traveltips@flyingwithfish.com
Remember, 12:00 midnight, July 14th ....... New York Standard Time (or Eastern Standard Time, or GMT-5, or Zulu-5, etc etc etc). Late entries will end up in the trash.
Happy Flying!
23 May 2008
23/05/2008-Weekly Roundup: Safer Airline Seats? Flying With Fish Airs On TV!, Navigating Airport Security, American Airlines Nickel-&-Diming Bags
Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
23/05/2008-Weekly Roundup: Safer Airline Seats? Flying With Fish Airs On TV!, Navigating Airport Security, American Airlines Nickel-&-Diming Bags
This week’s Weekly Round Up is being written from Hong Kong International Airport's Terminal 2 (HKG), with a slightly stiff neck and semi-sore lower back, after 18 hours traveling from New York's JFK Airport (JFK) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) , and Beijing to Hong Kong in the back of the plane.
Some people have accused me of losing touch with the "real flying experience," however this is not so. I fly all economy airlines, such as Southwest Airlines and United Airlines's "Ted" often, and fly many of my back-to-back North American transcontinental flights in 'the back.' This weekend I will fly more than 16,000 miles round-trip in 70 hours, while working for 18 hours during my brief time on the ground, and do all my flying in Air China's economy class. I have logged hundreds of thousands of miles cramped into narrow economy class seats on regional jets, turbo-props (my 'home' airport only flies turbo-props) and flown many long-haul flights in barely padded seats with no legroom.
When I say I feel your pain...trust me, I feel the pain of the "real flying experience."
This past week on Flying With Fish I addressed a question of choosing airline seats based on 'safety." In my opinion, all seats are equally as prone to risks should there be a "situation." One reader of Flying With Fish quoted an MSN/Best Life article on seat safety that lists seats specifically by row/seat according to different aircraft types. This article (which can be found in the comments section of my post) lists it's information is written by a well-known travel writer, who bases his opinions on "personal experience", not evidence. I have to wonder how many airliner crashes this person has been in for "personal experience." What makes the MSN/Best Life article even more confusing for potential flyers is that it lists rows/seats that are only in relation to a specific airline and it's seat configuration on one-type of aircraft. Some airlines have multiple seating configurations for the same aircraft, which makes the entire article's information not only baseless but also useless. You can read up on this subject at: 19/05/2008 - Are Some Seats On The Plane Safer Than Others?
This week I introduced the readers of Flying With Fish to a "Month In The Life." This look back at my last month of travel was posted on the same day I appeared on Good Morning America (I hope to have a clip on YouTube shortly, but you can read it here www.FishOnGMA.notlong.com), and takes you through 32,000+ miles traveled, 7 countries and 11 cities (well 10 cities and me sleeping in 1 city). One reader questioned this last photo in a "Month In The Life," asking how I can preach security yet leave a camera out on a timer. The answer is simple, my bags were all locked and secured to bar on the floor a few inches in front of the bench I was laying on. The camera I used to shoot me sleeping was placed inside a locked PacSafe 55. This camera, inside the PacSafe 55 was locked inside an open public locker at Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport. This is how I can preach securing your bags, and property, and still create these types of images with my gear being secured. You can see the photos and read up on my "Month In The Life" here:
20/05/2008 - A Month In The Life Of A Flying Fish
I am frequently asked to detail step-for-step my procedure for securing my property, while maintaining my ability to quickly get through a TSA checkpoint. Having sent off a detailed response to more than 400 people since the start of the year I thought it might be time just to post it on Flying With Fish. So, for my detailed step by step procedures for getting through security checkpoints hassle free and problem free read this:
21/05/2008 - Airport Security Screening System : Get Through Security With Ease & Safety
This week on Flying With Fish ended with American Airlines announcing it would begin charging $15 for the first single checked bag on all US Domestic routes, with increasing charges after the first bag. This is not acceptable for an airline that often has some of the most expensive fares in the sky. American Airlines, a 'Legacy Carrier,' currently the largest airline in the United States, is now employing tactics not even used by Low Cost Carriers (except Spirit Airline in the U.S.). American Airlines' new baggage policy takes he top position in the Nickle-and-Diming of flyers, hands down. To read more about American Airlines is further blurring the lines between 'Legacy Carriers' and 'Low Cost Carriers' please check here: 22/05/2008 - American Airlines' New Baggage Policy: Is There A Line Between Legacy Airlines & Low Cost Carriers Anymore?
I'm going to wrap up this Weekly Round Up with a photo I shot around 11:00pm (GMT+8), I'm guessing I was somewhere over (or around) Shenzhen, between Beijing and Hong Kong. We had a lightening storm shortly after the wheels went up, it was bumpy, but beautiful, followed by a big beautiful moon shining in my window in seat 29A for the flight...I know the photo does not do the view justice, but it made me smile.
Happy Flying!
--Click Image To Enlarge It--
23/05/2008-Weekly Roundup: Safer Airline Seats? Flying With Fish Airs On TV!, Navigating Airport Security, American Airlines Nickel-&-Diming Bags
This week’s Weekly Round Up is being written from Hong Kong International Airport's Terminal 2 (HKG), with a slightly stiff neck and semi-sore lower back, after 18 hours traveling from New York's JFK Airport (JFK) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) , and Beijing to Hong Kong in the back of the plane.
Some people have accused me of losing touch with the "real flying experience," however this is not so. I fly all economy airlines, such as Southwest Airlines and United Airlines's "Ted" often, and fly many of my back-to-back North American transcontinental flights in 'the back.' This weekend I will fly more than 16,000 miles round-trip in 70 hours, while working for 18 hours during my brief time on the ground, and do all my flying in Air China's economy class. I have logged hundreds of thousands of miles cramped into narrow economy class seats on regional jets, turbo-props (my 'home' airport only flies turbo-props) and flown many long-haul flights in barely padded seats with no legroom.
When I say I feel your pain...trust me, I feel the pain of the "real flying experience."
This past week on Flying With Fish I addressed a question of choosing airline seats based on 'safety." In my opinion, all seats are equally as prone to risks should there be a "situation." One reader of Flying With Fish quoted an MSN/Best Life article on seat safety that lists seats specifically by row/seat according to different aircraft types. This article (which can be found in the comments section of my post) lists it's information is written by a well-known travel writer, who bases his opinions on "personal experience", not evidence. I have to wonder how many airliner crashes this person has been in for "personal experience." What makes the MSN/Best Life article even more confusing for potential flyers is that it lists rows/seats that are only in relation to a specific airline and it's seat configuration on one-type of aircraft. Some airlines have multiple seating configurations for the same aircraft, which makes the entire article's information not only baseless but also useless. You can read up on this subject at: 19/05/2008 - Are Some Seats On The Plane Safer Than Others?
This week I introduced the readers of Flying With Fish to a "Month In The Life." This look back at my last month of travel was posted on the same day I appeared on Good Morning America (I hope to have a clip on YouTube shortly, but you can read it here www.FishOnGMA.notlong.com), and takes you through 32,000+ miles traveled, 7 countries and 11 cities (well 10 cities and me sleeping in 1 city). One reader questioned this last photo in a "Month In The Life," asking how I can preach security yet leave a camera out on a timer. The answer is simple, my bags were all locked and secured to bar on the floor a few inches in front of the bench I was laying on. The camera I used to shoot me sleeping was placed inside a locked PacSafe 55. This camera, inside the PacSafe 55 was locked inside an open public locker at Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport. This is how I can preach securing your bags, and property, and still create these types of images with my gear being secured. You can see the photos and read up on my "Month In The Life" here:
20/05/2008 - A Month In The Life Of A Flying Fish
I am frequently asked to detail step-for-step my procedure for securing my property, while maintaining my ability to quickly get through a TSA checkpoint. Having sent off a detailed response to more than 400 people since the start of the year I thought it might be time just to post it on Flying With Fish. So, for my detailed step by step procedures for getting through security checkpoints hassle free and problem free read this:
21/05/2008 - Airport Security Screening System : Get Through Security With Ease & Safety
This week on Flying With Fish ended with American Airlines announcing it would begin charging $15 for the first single checked bag on all US Domestic routes, with increasing charges after the first bag. This is not acceptable for an airline that often has some of the most expensive fares in the sky. American Airlines, a 'Legacy Carrier,' currently the largest airline in the United States, is now employing tactics not even used by Low Cost Carriers (except Spirit Airline in the U.S.). American Airlines' new baggage policy takes he top position in the Nickle-and-Diming of flyers, hands down. To read more about American Airlines is further blurring the lines between 'Legacy Carriers' and 'Low Cost Carriers' please check here: 22/05/2008 - American Airlines' New Baggage Policy: Is There A Line Between Legacy Airlines & Low Cost Carriers Anymore?
I'm going to wrap up this Weekly Round Up with a photo I shot around 11:00pm (GMT+8), I'm guessing I was somewhere over (or around) Shenzhen, between Beijing and Hong Kong. We had a lightening storm shortly after the wheels went up, it was bumpy, but beautiful, followed by a big beautiful moon shining in my window in seat 29A for the flight...I know the photo does not do the view justice, but it made me smile.
Happy Flying!
--Click Image To Enlarge It--
02 May 2008
2/05/2008 - Weekly Roundup: Foreign Currency Exchange Tips; London Heathrow Isn't That Bad; Resources For Traveling Photogs
Web: www.fishfotoworldwide.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
2/05/2008 - Weekly Roundup: Foreign Currency Exchange Tips; London Heathrow Isn't That Bad; Resources For Traveling Photogs
This week's weekly round up is being written from the Air France Arrivals Lounge at Paris's Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), in Terminal 2C. I always love the way each terminal at CDG is named, there is a Terminal 1 and a Terminal 3, however there are also Terminals 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F. Each is it's own free standing terminal.....yet they are all numbered "2." I love checking in for a flight online and at times it will simply say "Terminal 2" which narrows it down to six potential terminals. Easy, eh?
Enough about CDG and onto the week in review. This week was a light week, but here goes the quick recap.
For those of you traveling internationally, you can learn how to maximize your currency exchange in this past Monday's post : 28/04/2008 - Foreign Currency Exchange : Get The Most Value For Your Money
At the start of the week an American Airline's European customer service chief, Don Langford, stated that London Heathrow (LHR) is the worst airport in Europe, and referred to this popular international hub as a 'bit of a dump.' While I agree with some of what Mr. Langford is saying, I also respectfully disagree and actually enjoy LHR. You can read my comments on Mr. Langford's statement here: 29/04/2008 - London Heathrow Branded As "Worst Airport In Europe," I Think Not!
Finally I rounded out the light week with some information that can help a photographer on the road. In fact most of the information in Thursday's entry on Flying With Fish will help any traveler on he road, not just the photographers. You can see some of my most used resources in this entry: 1/05/2008 - Resources For The Traveling Photographer : Some Quick Links
I am off to shoot an assignment in the City of Lights for the next three days.
Happy Flying!
2/05/2008 - Weekly Roundup: Foreign Currency Exchange Tips; London Heathrow Isn't That Bad; Resources For Traveling Photogs
This week's weekly round up is being written from the Air France Arrivals Lounge at Paris's Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), in Terminal 2C. I always love the way each terminal at CDG is named, there is a Terminal 1 and a Terminal 3, however there are also Terminals 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F. Each is it's own free standing terminal.....yet they are all numbered "2." I love checking in for a flight online and at times it will simply say "Terminal 2" which narrows it down to six potential terminals. Easy, eh?
Enough about CDG and onto the week in review. This week was a light week, but here goes the quick recap.
For those of you traveling internationally, you can learn how to maximize your currency exchange in this past Monday's post : 28/04/2008 - Foreign Currency Exchange : Get The Most Value For Your Money
At the start of the week an American Airline's European customer service chief, Don Langford, stated that London Heathrow (LHR) is the worst airport in Europe, and referred to this popular international hub as a 'bit of a dump.' While I agree with some of what Mr. Langford is saying, I also respectfully disagree and actually enjoy LHR. You can read my comments on Mr. Langford's statement here: 29/04/2008 - London Heathrow Branded As "Worst Airport In Europe," I Think Not!
Finally I rounded out the light week with some information that can help a photographer on the road. In fact most of the information in Thursday's entry on Flying With Fish will help any traveler on he road, not just the photographers. You can see some of my most used resources in this entry: 1/05/2008 - Resources For The Traveling Photographer : Some Quick Links
I am off to shoot an assignment in the City of Lights for the next three days.
Happy Flying!
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