Travel

Consumer World Celebrates 30 Years: 1995 - 2025  
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American Airlines AAdvantage: Miles to Expire in 18 Months

American AAdvantageThe nation’s oldest and largest frequent flier program quietly announced on June 1 that anyone who does not earn or redeem miles at least once every 18 months will lose all the banked miles in their accounts. Previously, the time limit was three years.

The American Airlines’ AAdvantage Program now comes in line those of US Airways and United Airlines that cut their inactivity period to 18 months at the beginning of 2007.

*MOUSE PRINT:

AA chart

Translation: While the change doesn’t go into effect until December 15, 2007, it is retroactive. So, miles that you earned as recently as June 15, 2006 could expire this December rather than in 2009, if you have had no account activity since then. Here is the new policy.

An easy way to earn miles (and keep your account alive) is to buy something online at a store that gives AA miles with every purchase, or donate a minimum of 250 miles to certain charities.

If you lose all your miles, American Airlines will generously allow you to buy them back for $50 per 5000 miles, plus a $30 processing fee.

No doubt, AA’s new policy will AAnger many travelers.

Consumer World Celebrates 30 Years: 1995 - 2025  
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Skybus: Airfares as Low as $10*

Skybus

In a few weeks, a new low-cost airline called Skybus will start flying from east and west coast cities to Columbus, Ohio.

The big lure will be $10 airfares.

Skybus is trying to pattern itself after some very low cost European carriers like Ryanair. The company says, “We’ve developed a very simple operating model that produces a dramatically lower cost structure to fly people safely and reliably from where they are to where they want to go.”

What are their secrets for cutting costs?

*MOUSE PRINT:

1. They have no phone number! 

“Seriously. We’d love to chat, but those phone banks are expensive.”

2. They charge you for everything (except using the toilet):

– “The first two [checked] bags are 5 bucks apiece.”

– “That also goes for blankets and pillows–which, by the way, you get to keep if you buy.”

– Want a good seat?  “You can pay 10 bucks extra to board our brand-new A319 airplanes before anyone else.”

3. You must buy their food if you want to eat:  

“Hungry? Thirsty? Bring cash. Oh, and don’t sneak food onboard unless you brought enough for the whole plane.”

4. Don’t expect many employees:

 “… to keep our costs low, at most airports our agents serve “double duty”, moving from the check in counter to the gate when it’s time to board a flight. This means that if you arrive at the airport less than 30 minutes from your scheduled flight, there may not be agents available at the ticket counter to assist you.”

5. You won’t find Skybus at some of your favorite airports: They use less crowded, cheaper, and less convenient airports such as Portsmouth, NH (instead of Boston), and Bellingham (instead of Seattle).

6. Got a complaint?

“We can’t guarantee a personal response to your message…”

7. Fares “from” $10:

They may only have as few as 10 seats at that low price.

Despite these quirks and unexpected “features”, Skybus may revolutionize low-cost air travel in the US, and put pressure on other airlines to lower fares.

 

Consumer World Celebrates 30 Years: 1995 - 2025  
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JetBlue’s Customer Bill of Rights: The Big Loophole

jet blue rightsThe past two weeks have been a publicity disaster for Jet Blue and a travel nightmare for passengers after hundreds of flights were still being cancelled days after a snowstorm passed.

To its credit, the company quickly admitted its errors and embarrassment, and pledged to do better in the future. Rather than a hollow promise to improve, the company put its money where its mouth is, and unveiled a “Customer Bill of Rights.”  It will pay people rather generously for their inconvenience when flights are delayed or cancelled — up to the price they paid for their ticket. Compensation increases as the time of the delay increases.

However, the airline will generally only provide these benefits when the cancellation or departure delay is a result of a “controllable irregularity.”  Nowhere in the policy is that term defined. So, our trusty mouse went to work, and ferretted out the definition from the company:

*MOUSE PRINT:

“A controllable irregularity is something that is within the control of JetBlue, such as staffing issues, technology issues, maintenance issues, etc. It essentially includes most everything except weather, air traffic control constraints, or airport conditions beyond the control of JetBlue.”

So, potentially the thousands of passengers stranded in airport lobbies around the country over Presidents Day weekend would not have been compensated a penny had the new policy been in effect at that time. No doubt arguments would have broken out over whether the problem was the weather or mismanagement.

Only passengers held captive on airplanes on the runway would clearly be covered because the “controllable irregularity” language does not apply to the “ground delays” section of the policy.