Travel Industry Archive

Second quarter DOT numbers are out, and I was extremely surprised to see that the airline with the best operating margin in the US during the quarter was . . . Spirit? The airline’s 13.5% margin is stellar, and while sources like ATW are taking it at face value, it just doesn’t sound right. Let’s dig in. In Q2, Spirit’s operating revenues were $206 million, just...

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It wasn’t long ago that I praised Singapore Airlines for actually reducing fuel surcharges as oil prices declined.  Remember that?  Apparently, United didn’t get the memo, because while other airlines are adjusting downward, they keep adding charges in the name of fuel.  This time, they’ve doubled the price they charge to check a second bag. This makes United the only...

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My new favorite CEO is John Noel of AIG-Travel Guard (you know, the one I posted about last week?) for his upbeat, even optimistic view of his parent company’s dance on the edge of financial ruin. He released this statement to the Wausau Daily Herald, which I believe is tons better than the standard, boring company release: With respect to AIG and Travel Guard, I’m sure the questions in...

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We’ve already seen Aviation Partners Boeing winglets becomes a “must-have” on the next generation 737s, and the 757s aren’t far behind. Now that a 767 winglet has been developed, it seems to be gaining some traction as well. Hawaiian has announced it will put winglets on some of its 767 fleet. These monstrous 11-foot tall winglets may make a 767 look like an A330, but...

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San Diego businessman Doug Manchester decided to put his money where his politics are: $125,000 to support Prop. 8, a California initiative to ban same-sex marriage. The only problem was that Manchester is also owner of the Manchester Grand Hyatt and The Grand del Mar, both hotels catering to upscale travelers and conventions. So when gay and lesbian groups found out he was a supporter of...

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Railway travel is no longer a unique mode of transportation. California, long known as the car capital of the nation, boasts the highest number of people using Amtrak for both excursions and commuting. With the price of gasoline and airline tickets high, many are looking at alternatives. That’s why ridership on the passenger train service has climbed dramatically in recent months,...

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American Airlines will resume flights to Grenada on Nov. 20, and the Grenada Board of Tourism is taking its show on the road to reach U.S. travel agencies, other airlines and the media. The new air service service is an added leg on existing flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered by American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American. The Grenadan road show isn’t just a...

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I’ve been watching the situation in Vegas for some time, and it continues to get uglier by the minute. While some hotel construction projects have been halted, many more of them continue, adding thousands of rooms that need to be filled by someone. Meanwhile, the airlines have been slashing Vegas flights like there’s no tomorrow, hurting the ability of travelers to get to all...

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Portfolio is reporting that Starwood’s trendy brand, W, will be enlisting the help of singer/L.A.M.B. designer Gwen Stefani to design uniforms. Why? It turns out that W has a lounge at Fashion Week, and adding Stefani’s cachet to their brand would definitely be a return on investment. Stefani, a fashion icon and relevant performer for the last two decades, scores high...

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With airlines failing right and left, you’d think insurance companies would be queuing up to help passengers protect expensive travel investments should their air carriers go bust before — or even during — a holiday. You’d be wrong. This occurred to me when I took a trip last month to Northern Ireland. I carefully read the standard travel-insurance policy and found that...

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