News and notes from around the interweb:
- Check out the new Miles to Go podcast hosted by Edward Pizzarello. Several of your favorite travel bloggers are on the early episodes, and I lead off the first one.
- The Onion: Each passenger has own theory about how guy got into first class
- United is no longer listing ‘optional’ available items on their printed menus. Most customers won’t know to ask for gel pillows and mattress pads.
Based on my general estimation that the Polaris soft product investment is too good for United I agree with Lucky, “They’ll load fewer of these, and then eventually they’ll no doubt cut these ‘due to customer feedback and lack of demand.'”
- Etihad first class now gets free wifi.
First Class passengers now have more opportunities to stay connected, with free WiFi available on-board. https://t.co/upwIBv2zZp pic.twitter.com/yhdlMf03wQ
— Etihad Airways (@EtihadAirways) March 10, 2018
- The reason a map on the ground of the Austin airport near baggage claim misspells the names of streets
- Delta’s new video discouraging ramp agents and cargo employees from unionizing.
Gary, it is interesting to note that the trend to toward included WiFi for premium passengers is not new. Turkish Air has had this for business class passengers for a few years. I can say the captive portal experience logging in can be quite puzzling and, based on my last experience, spews errors that don’t make sense in English and once connected is sluggish. But then again, what airplane wifi is not? At any rate, I give Turkish Air props for including this service. While I might not make heavy use of amenity kits or premium alcohol, included Wifi delivers value to me. I appreciate and would encourage more airlines based in the US to add the same for their premium passengers.
I think the gel pillows stay as an unofficial crew amenity. They stash them out of sight of passengers and then whisk them back to crew rest, often using multiple at a time.
Thank you for the podcast link. I miss hearing you on Upgrd.