Indispensable News Source: Global Entry Has a New Benefit and Buy an A380-Capable European Airport for $10,000

by Gary Leff

I subscribe to feeds for over 250 websites, participate in several industry e-mail discussion lists and also several online forums. That keeps me up to speed on what’s going on in travel and miles and points. Some of the things I read are eclectic, like Airport Revenue News.

This morning I went through the latest issue of Airport Policy and Aviation Security News and it included the following interesting tidbits:

  • Spain’s Ciudad Real Airport cost a billion euros to build about a decade ago. It did not attract any scheduled air service, perhaps because Ciudad Real has just 75,000 residents. It was built with a runway that can accommodate Airbus A380 operations. It’s been sold for 10,000 euros to Chinese consortium Tzaneen International which plans to develop cargo business.

  • Mexico has launched a trusted traveler program similar to TSA PreCheck. It’s called Programa Viajero Confiable and is open to US Global Entry members.

  • Greece is privatizing several airports. London City airport is for sale. It turns out that so is France — Lyon and Nice airports. The US, incidentally, doesn’t have any such plans.

The lead piece includes a discussion (that I don’t entirely agree with) on the battle between airports and airlines over whether Congress ought to permit increases in airport ticket taxes which brings an interesting perspective to the battle between stakeholders.

And under ‘quotable quotes’ we’ve got Gordon Bethune:

“I believe the Federal Air Marshal program is one of the least effective and most expensive security programs in the Transportation Security Administration. They provide very little additional security at an enormous cost. They remain another good example of a knee-jerk reaction to our security issues out of 9/11.”

—Gordon Bethune, former CEO, Continental Airlines, email to Robert Poole summarizing his June 11th comments on NBC News

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Unless things have recently changed, Mexico’s programme is not a “GE benefit.” You have to apply separately, pay a fee, and appear for an interview at a Mexican airport. Also children <12 are ineligible. So a poor cousin to GE, though perhaps better than nothing.
    On the plus side, VC can save you an hour of waiting time if your flight lands during the rush at SJD, as there was nobody using the VC machines.

  2. So what does Gordo suggest instead of the TSA?
    and who could manage it?
    Jeff Smicheck is looking for a job.I can see him speaking now
    ” Those overly entitled TSA passengers expecting to go through Pre check without an additional charge” 🙂

  3. Quick points:
    Maybe we should sell LGA and use the profits to build a good airport.
    I like the Air Marshall program. They fact that it cost too much is most likely due to the way it’s run. I think it’s just rogue enough to help scare possible terrorist folks, or well drunk passengers at least.

  4. Gary, how do you have time to read all these emails, feeds, magazines, etc and still have time to work your regular full time job, write this blog, manage your booking service, and still have time to sleep?

Comments are closed.