TheTripDoor Blogs

Charging Toward Phase II of TechStars

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:58:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
Techstars had our first “Founder’s Dinner” on Thursday to go over the initial weeks of the program. The official count (as of today):

Been here: 26 Days
Time left: approx 60 days (give or take a week or so for the BIG day)

This means we are already over a quarter of the way finished with the program! It also means we’re nearing the start of the Phase II, which is designated as the “hauling ass on your idea” phase. So eloquently put, David. Bravo.

I want to briefly recap our progress thus far and give a little update on what is to come. I think we’ve made incredible advancement in terms of refining our idea and proving that it can actually be done (sort of important, dontchyathink?) We’ve digested tons and tons of advice from a lot of people within the Boulder tech community and from other introductions made in Techstars. We’ve analyzed each bit of input and used it ultimately to get to where we are now. A lot has changed. A lot has stayed the same. In a nutshell, we are doing a lot more with a lot less. So instead of trying to solve every problem today in travel (a noble, yet stupid feat), we are trying to solve a few specific problems really well. And we are trying to do it pretty freaking fast.

So what’s ahead?
Well, we’ve identified our biggest potential problem: so much coding to be done…only one coder to do it—and have come up with a solid solution. Thanks to Nathan’s various connections in his past world, we have an extremely overqualified coder joining the team next week on a part-time basis with the potential to come on full-time. The two have worked together in the past and complement each other’s weaknesses so it should be a match made in Techstar Heaven. You will see them holding hands throughout the Bunker.

Engaging mentors is still at the forefront of our plans in July, particularly for us business types who aren’t coding all day (believe me, we wish we could). We’ve already engaged some pretty incredible mentors, but I think we could have even done better, so we’re pushing to talk to more people and maximize our exposure to those who want to be involved. I’m also trying to do a better job of keeping track of what we learn, so you will see blogs popping up about specific mentor meetings in my personal blog or here – depending on my mood.

The last update is regarding our new design. We will be launching the new domain name and design this week. Yeah! More news on that soon. There is still much tweaking to be had with the logo and some other design stuff, but it’s a good start.

In closing, we’ve got a new mantra we are repeating incessantly in our brains as we race into phase two of Techstars (a Brad Feld and David Cohen favorite): “Do or Do Not. There is No Try.” Amen sista.

Divide and Conquer

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:00 +0100

Posted by Elliot Sawyer
So nearly a month into TechStars we have decided that we all have jobs to do here. Not to sound obvious, but we have certainly learned our roles within the company and how to help each other out. We are aligning our focus, turning on hyperspeed, and according to our latest mantra, dividing and conquering (nothin' but love for ya Austin). We feel the need to move fast and in order to do so we must use our time effectively and not overlap each other's duties. As a startup you usually do not enjoy the privileges of working with your team day in and day out. TechStars has given us the divine opportunity to congregate each day and also to engage experts within the Boulder tech community. This has brought on a much-needed focus that has hit us like a ton of bricks. We feel the need to focus our attention on serving the unmet needs of frequent flyers on the web. This is gaining traction and a niche that is overlooked sometimes within the overpopulated online travel space. So, FF's here we come, we are going to divide and conquer to relieve your pain points.

iPhone Gets Wings!

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:39:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
If you are a Mac user and a United flyer (like me), I’ve got some reasonably good news for you today. United is the first U.S. airline to offer passengers iPod and iPhone connectivity within its in-flight entertainment system. This means you will be able access any content as well as watch videos you’ve downloaded on your personal 15.4 inch television, rather than having to rely on the extremely small iPhone/Pod screen.

United will be re-engineering their entire fleet of International aircraft to offer lie-flat seats, on-demand entertainment, and iPhone/iPod interconnectivity….the rub? You gotta be in business or first class to enjoy this perk.

Shameless self-promotion: our new site will help you track your flyer status and show you how to reach elite status level and get bumped into first and business class....

The Mystery Behind Keeping Track of Frequent Flyer Numbers

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:16:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
The TripDoor (dba Travelfli) had our weekly meeting with David Cohen yesterday and it went very well. He commended us on tightening our focus over the first three weeks of TechStars and surmised that focus will probably be one of our biggest challenges this summer (we concur). He also made some great points that we are taking into account as we develop the registration flow on the new site.

In order for our tools to work most effectively, we need a certain amount of information from our users (including mile program information and where they want to go). He suggested that people will probably be way more interested in giving us their “Wish Lists’ for places they want to go rather than providing us with all of the tedious information concerning their frequent flyer accounts. We need both.

His advice left us thinking about how we can create a very easy registration process that will also capture just enough information so we are able to demonstrate the value of our tools to our users, thus compelling them to give us additional information so we can help them use miles more effectively.

This brings me to the million dollar question: if you’re landing on my site, what would it take for you to provide me with even a single frequent flyer account number to start tracking in our tool? Have most people memorized at least one number? David has committed at least two numbers to memory (United and American) and will recite them freely when prompted. Likewise, we also ran into Jared Polis late night in the bunker, and he too could recite on the spot at least two of his major frequent flyer accounts. Is this normal or are these two just number guys? On the flip side, Brad Feld keeps a little card in his wallet that has all of his frequent flyer numbers jotted down on it. It seems like most people have some weird way of remembering their numbers – but of course they still don’t really know what to do with all of the miles they’re accumulating.

If remembering at least one number is commonplace, then we might consider asking for it during registration. If not, then we might make it optional and go straight to the fun question: where do you want to go?

Let us know how YOU remember your frequent flyer information!

U.S. Airways...the devil amongst us

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:28:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
I'm not even going to spend much time on this because it sucks so much --- but I feel the need to report the facts as they are released.

US Airways hit an all-time low today in the airline's fierce competition on who can screw the traveler the most. Here's the latest folks: they're charging $15 for first checked bag, $2 for a non-alcoholic beverage, and $25 to redeem a frequent flyer ticket for domestic flights and to Canada. Price goes up the further you travel --- Mexico & the Carribean cost you $35, while Hawaii and destinations outside of North America cost $50.

We're hoping that by providing you with a much easier way to manage and book frequent flyer tickets, that in the end it will offset some of the grievances the airlines are causing. I mean, we all gotta fly, right?

A better way to use your miles

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:04:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
I love Virgin Airways. Just as I'm starting to shed a few tears in response to U.S. Airways slapping all these nasty fees on top of seemingly 'free' frequent flyer bookings, I come across Virgin Atlantic's new Amex Card....which allows you to redeem miles for SPACE TRAVEL!!!! How cool is that?

In fact, one guy's already done it. A cardholder in the UK (where the card was released several years back) has cashed in all of his miles for one seat on the Virgin Galactic, date TBD.

So grab a card and start making crazy purchases on the B of A branded card, and you may be on your way to the best frequent flyer seat in the world.

Frequent Flyers receive special treatment...as they should.

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:31:00 +0100

Posted by Elliot Sawyer
The TSA has implemented regulations concerning long lines at the Security Checks in airports. There is now a tiered system in place for travelers to get placed into the particular security line that is reflective of the type of traveler they are.

The three different lines are:

Family/Special Assistance
Casual Traveler
Expert Traveler

IMHO, these regulations basically ask travelers the following question: "Are you stupid?" They are banking on the idea that a whole bunch of people are going VOLUNTEER to take their time in the lines to receive special, warm treatment, while others (i.e., "Experts") will want to breeze through. Call me crazy, but I don't oftentimes run into people who want to have a casual, leisurely airport experience. People pretty much want to get in and out.

They've also attached a ski metaphor to the whole idea - so expert travelers are gnarly black diamond skiers, while casual travelers can be found cruising down the blues.

I do, however, find some merit to the family line, and it looks like it's been the most effective part of the new program. Early reports say families enjoy feeling less pressure, especially when there is already enough stress associated with flying with kids.

Frequent flyers theoretically can now breeze through lines rather than analyzing every move of the inexperienced traveling klutz in front of them. The only caveat is that travel klutz's actually have to commit to their category.

If We Build It, Will You Pay?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:10:00 +0100

Posted by Krista Paul
The British Airways new airline, Open Skies, has introduced a concierge service initiative to complement their flights. It will be a free resource for those of you who fly with the airline. The service is available after you book your flight to help you plan for your trip, which may include finding a hotel, renting a car, etc. They’ve hired 10 people specifically to help them with this cause – and I’m pretty positive a hiring prerequisite had to do with the nature of your name…as Aurore, Chantal, Dominique, Freddy, Frédéric, Hichem, Karin, Petra, Sonja, and Stellan were their new hires.

That being said, it’s interesting to note that this airline, in particular, is taking a different approach to the grim present reality in the airline industry. Every day we read stories about airlines like American charging for first checked bags, planes flying slower to decrease fuel consumption, or the unilateral increase across the board for change fees. This airline has taken a different approach by providing ADDITIONAL VALUE to passengers in order to keep them happy and loyal, rather than nickel and diming them to death. I’ll have to say I commend the effort on their part and it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

The concierge concept, coincidentally, is something we have been tossing around within the company. Our new suite of online services will allow travelers to electronically manage and execute awards travel like never before. We will also be able to intelligently suggest travel opportunities to you depending on your mileage balances and the places you tell us you’d like to visit. For instance, if you are planning a trip to Boston and you’re tracking fares in our system, we can tell you what miles would be most effective for that flight. Oh, and btw – you’ve also got a large balance of Marriot Rewards that you haven’t touched in over a year (“Doh! I forgot I had those!”) So why pay for lodging on your trip when you can use reward points on our site to book a stay for free? While you’re at it, we might suggest that you grab a rental car with your balance of unused Avis miles, and so on and so forth. I’m sure you get the point. These services, however, provide real value to users and people are willing to pay for them. In fact, every meeting we’ve had with a TechStars mentor or visiting executive from a technology powerhouse out West ends with someone saying, “Heck, I’d definitely pay you to tell me how to use my miles.”

Our team firmly believes there should always be a free version, but as services grow more complex and useful, so do the costs of maintaining and enhancing them. The question I pose to you: would you pay to have somebody manage your miles, and if so, what would you pay for and how much?

A few days with the Big Dogs

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:00:00 +0100

Posted By Elliot Sawyer
The first three days of this week were crazily awesome. We had Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday designated for Google, Amazon, and Microsoft respectively. The days were packed with priceless technical advice. The representatives from each company were so helpful!

We spent Wednesday morning with the guys from Generation Think Tank as they were moving into their new offices (sick). We loved the story about microwaving Crocs and how these caught people's attention from a marketing standpoint (great idea Brett Jackson).

As we met with mentors and executives throughout the three days, they enjoyed the idea that we are now targeting frequent flyers...mainly, because they are all frequent flyers. Everyone has their pain points and/or one crazy story about being on the phone for hours on end with airline reps. So just to let everybody know---we feel your pain and we are bringing you the antidote. Our focus this summer is solely on relieving problems FF's deal with - day in and day out.

Summer Fun on the Web

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:52:00 +0100

Here's some new travel intelligence for those of you who care what role online travel will play this summer (TripDoor cares deeply). eMarketer released a report today stating that more than 7 out of 10 families planning travel this summer will book online!

Half of those surveyed relied on friends and family for recommendations on travel, while 21% said they used travel books. Three-quarters used the Internet for travel planning. These findings definitely support our argument that gone are the days when planning and researching travel is a one size fits all solution. People want a customized experience and they can always find it on the Internet (read: glad I'm not running Let's Go).

Despite high fuel costs, more than seven out of 10 of the respondents will take their summer vacations by car because it's still cheaper than airfare. Where will they go? Theme parks (30%) are the most popular trip category, followed by family visits (27%), road trips (22%), camping trips (21%) and trips to other US destinations (19%).

Lessons from Google

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:50:00 +0100

The TripDoor met with Google yesterday through TechStars. Although the conversation was predominately technical and more in line with the interests of our Technical Director, Nathan, there were quite a few key takeaways for us common folk who don’t have the faintest understanding of "Google Gears."

One quote in particular from the talk led by Kevin Marks and Dion Almaer really hit a chord for our business: “Before you plan your business model, make sure you have a pleasure model.”

Basically, this means making sure your business pleases your users first before you worry about making money. Don’t get me wrong, I think making money is a very important component of every business, and it’s a question we ask our team each time we analyze a new opportunity or feature on the site. But I agree with the notion posed by the visiting Googlers that it shouldn’t necessarily be our primary concern. The goal of any growing company should first be ensuring they are building a company that will provide a great deal of pleasure and value for users. In applying this to our business, I think some of the tough questions we’re tackling for frequent flyers will do just that---by providing them with a way to effectively manage their online travel while focusing mainly on the pain points associated with loyalty programs.

Another valuable lesson that came out of yesterday derived from a comment made by Rick Klau of Feedburner. He pointed out that while it is clear the airline industry isn’t going away, loyalty programs are currently an inefficient market...but it would help airlines if they weren’t. So it is important for us to not only think about providing value for our users, but also providing a specific and tangible offer for the airlines. I think it's a good opportunity for us to think of the airlines collectively as another prime user of our services and to succeed at building tools that will help them offer better loyalty programs to their customers (through improved communication and more efficient usage of miles).

Another one bites the dust

Sat, 31 May 2008 22:34:00 +0100

Silverjet, a British airline focused on low cost business travel, is the latest airline to go belly up. They are using the same story as all the others...high fuel costs, business travel down….blah blah blah. If you’ve booked a flight with them recently, it might be a good idea to give your credit card company a call.

Silverjet launched less than 18 months ago as one of the new carriers offering strictly business class flights. The two other competitors in the market, MaxJet and Eos, have also called it quits in recent months. As a last ditch effort, Silverjet tried to get funding to stay afloat but their Middle Eastern investors pulled out.

Note to anybody thinking about starting (of funding) a low cost all business class airline: It ain’t working.

The first week of TechStars

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The TripDoor is going to see some big changes over the summer. We’ve kicked off the TechStars program and embarked on a journey to grow the business and provide a better solution for frequent flyers. You will see a lot of exciting changes to the site over the summer, and we appreciate your feedback throughout the process.

Our blog has traditionally focused on bringing you the best travel news we come across on the web. This summer we are going to take a partial detour to begin blogging about our experiences in TechStars and throughout the evolution of our company. I will continue to blog about travel news as well as my experiences in the program, but you will also see some blogs popping up from other members of the team. I will let them introduce themselves…. ☺

As the first week of TechStars wraps up, I think it’s a good exercise to take a step back and briefly recap some of the most important “aha’s” that came out of the week. In no particular order…

1.    Everybody sucks at something. Actually, at several things. So deal with it.
2.    Establish a rhythm (this one really resonates).
3.    Focus on being tiny….and try to do a lot with a little.
4.    Be FASTER.
5.    Do one thing really well. Only then will you get permission from your users to do other things well.
6.    Engage the right mentors. Then listen.

Travel Green This Summer

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:20:00 +0100

The TripDoor is moving to Boulder, Colorado for the summer! Tto celebrate the environmentally conscious mindset that is ever-so-popular in the Boulder community, I want to highlight some ways you can become an eco-traveler this summer.

1. Volunteer with a sustainable travel company
Schedule a green vacation with a company like Earthwatch so you can couple exploration with giving back to the community. The company pairs you up with scientists who are studying different types of animals in their respective habitats. Unfortunately you still have to pay for the trip, and costs range from $950 to $2,650 (includes meals and showers) for trips ranging from 2-17 days.

2.Carbon offset your trip
Many green tour companies support a number of carbon offsetting projects. Carbon offsetting refers to the act of reducing the gas emissions that are produced from a travel activity such as driving or flying. You can essentially purchase an offset (such as funding solar and wind energy, supporting tree plantings, etc) to compensate for your emissions. Many sites have mileage calculators to help you figure out how much damage your trip is doing to the environment. Travelocity is the first major online travel company to offer such services.

3. Stay at a green hotel
Lots of hotels and resorts are placing an emphasis on the environment and 'going green.' This goes beyond their general recycling policies and may involve energy strategies, sourcing local products and labor, and overall carbon emissions. The Kimpton hotel group is probably the most well-known green hotel chain.

4. Take an eco trip
There are a bunch of companies, such as GAP Adventures, that specialize in providing a greener way to see places all over the world. These tours obviously take place on a bike or on foot, and usually focus on smaller groups (for less impact on the environment) and green lodging. They also provide a great way to learn about indigenous cultures and connect with the local cultures and people.

Boulder, here we come!!!!

Lonely Planet Author BS's guide information

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:17:00 +0100

Lonely Planet suffered a substantial blow to their credibility last week after one of their former writers admitted that he plagiarized, invented sections of guidebooks, wrote about places he'd never been, and oh....the clencher...dealt drugs to supplement his crappy income from Lonely Planet. Yikes.

Thomas Kohnstamm is the perpetrator, and has coincidentally written a book about his adventures in the Guidebook business, entitled "Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?" It is being released next week...nice promotional push, aye?

The 32-year old has worked on a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including the Guidebook for Columbia...where he's never actually been. Kohnstamm posets that many writers can't afford to visit all the places they are assigned to write about. "They didn't pay me enough," he was quoted in the Daily Telegraph. "I wrote the book in San Francisco. I got the information from a chick I was dating -- an intern in the Colombian Consulate."

Lonely Planet pooped their pants after reading about this lovely interview - and then swiftly went on the defense. An email from the company summed it up:

"If we find that the content has been compromised, we'll take urgent steps to fix it. Once we've got things right for travelers as quickly as we can, we'll look at what we do and how we do it to ensure as best we can that this type of thing never happens again."

All the more reason to get a second opinion when planning travel.....

Delta {hearts} Northwest

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:40:00 +0100

It's official: Delta and Northwest have officially gone to bed together.....

This $17.7 billion merger will effectively create the world's largest airline (if approved). The new airline will remain headquartered in Atlanta and will operate under the Delta name.

Some people are expressing concern that the merger will reduce competition and lead to higher fares on overlapping routes. That being said, it looks as though there is little overlap between the two systems, so the merger may not change ticket prices too much.

The bigger worry stems from the fact that this merger could influence other mergers (i.e. Continental + United) which could mean that down the road, several large players control most of the air traffic....and coincidentally, how much it costs to fly.

The Biggest worry for Frequent flyer program members may be concerning their points. It has been reported that points from both airlines will be combined into one single account. Technically this means you will have more points to spend with Delta, but it is important to note that the new airline will not be increasing the amount of reward seats available on the airline. So even if you have more points, so will everybody else and competition is likely to grow fierce for those elusive reward seats.

On the bright side (since we all love the bright side), the combined route networks means more opportunities for travelers to earn and redeem miles.

So that's that. Let's wait and see if this whole crazy thing gets approved.....

Declaring Chapter 11 is the new black

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:25:00 +0100

Frontier Airlines is the fourth airline to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the last couple of weeks. The three remaining airlines include Aloha, ATA and Skybus. Frontier says operations will go on unaffected as they work through the reorganization. The latter have completely suspended operations until further notice...if there is such a thing.

Steadily rising fuel costs have tripled the cost of jet fuel compared to just three years back. Delta says it's fuel costs will jump by $2 billion this year alone. Many of the airlines are dipping into cash reserves (or declaring bankruptcy) to offset the costs. Others are finding other creative sources of revenue; many of which are passed onto their passengers.

Be prepared for increased ticket prices, fuel surcharges, a la carte pricing, and additional charges for extra bags and/or additional leg room. On the bright side, I'm pretty sure Frontier is still giving away in-flight earphones...so stock up while you still can.

Travel April Fools' Day Jokes

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:07:00 +0100

Happy April Fools’ Day! Rather than dream up some original scam to post on our blog, I am just going to take the easy/lazy way out and highlight some of the best (in my opinion) travel-specific April Fools' Day jokes on the web today.

Many of the largest companies on the Internet go the extra mile on this glorious day to launch elaborate plans of trickery. This year the grand prize undeniably goes to those creative Googlers out of Mountain View, California. Their trick focused on a particular type of travel that could really only be accomplished by a company of their size....space travel. But more specifically, they conjured a business that gives select users the chance to relocate to MARS with the launch of Virgle, the "Adventure of Many Lifetimes." Google decided to pal up with Virgin Air to pull off this outlandish prank that proposed a permanent colony on Mars. In their official press release (yes, they thought of everything), Page explains, "We feel that ensuring the survival of the human race by helping it colonize a new planet is both a moral good in and of itself and also the most likely method of ensuring the survival of our best – okay, fine, only -- base of web search volume and advertising inventory. So, you know, it's, like, win-win."

Ha ha ha. Take a couple of minutes to walk through the spoof site and go through the questionnaire...it's well worth the trip.

WestJet is the runner-up for the best travel April Fools’ Day joke. They issued a press release today introducing a new spin on overhead storage bins. Their existing fleet of 73 Boeing 737 aircrafts will apparently now be outfitted with overhead sleeper cabins that can be booked on existing flights for the nominal fee of $12! Executive Vice-President Bob Cummings sums it up quite eloquently: "Our leather seats and live satellite television are a great part of WestJet's guest experience. However, by offering our existing overhead bins as sleeper cabins, guests will now have the opportunity to lie down for a period of time and arrive at their destination refreshed, rested and ready to go.”

Ryanair receives an honorable mention for their racy AFD joke introducing a new market the airline is tapping into…pornography. The launch of Ryanbare.com guarantees the sexiest in-flight entertainment, including x-rated RyanAir calendars, pics, and screensavers. “Ryanair gambling has already boosted our ancillary revenue by tapping into the internet’s second favourite activity, so our next natural step is to tap into the most popular internet activity of all. The launch of Ryanbare.com offers the ultimate in-flight service, with a range of products to satisfy even the most hardcore aerosexual," explains the fictional head of Ryanbare.com, Pussy Galore.

Way to go guys. And here I am still contemplating whether or not I should line the toilets with saran wrap. Boooooooring.

P.S. On a side note, I also must give kudos to my friend Kasia for weaving a remarkably believable personal April Fools' Day joke that involved her dog, boats, and a crazy new job. Very nice work.

It's time to say Aloha to Aloha

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:58:00 +0100

On March 20th, Aloha Airlines declared bankruptcy and filed for Chapter 11 protection. According to reports, it claimed an inability to generate sufficient revenues from its inter island passenger business due to 'predatory pricing' by Mesa Air Group's go! airline.

Aloha is no stranger to Chapter 11, this being the second time it has declared bankruptcy. This being said, there is reason to believe that it may be the true beginning of the end for this Hawaiian airline. Soooo, if you have already purchased a flight with the airline, you should be good to go. BUT, if you are one of those lucky people who has accumulated a substantial number of points in the AlohaPass frequent flyer program, you better get spending.

While there is a chance that some other airline may effectively buy their miles program just for the member database, there is a good chance that it will be an unattractive buy because the program is so much smaller than the norm and centered predominately on the Hawaiian market.

If you're not feeling lucky and would prefer to cash out before Aloha goes under, check out the various ways to redeem your miles with the airline. If you aren't planning a trip to Hawaii in the near future, most of the redemption choices will be virtually useless. But as a last ditch effort, you could stock up on an assortment of Aloha Airlines paraphernalia and hope there's a market for the schwag on ebay after they tank.

Poseidon Mystery Island....hotel under the sea

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:12:00 +0100

The Poseidon Mystery Island, the world's first large scale resort at the bottom of the ocean, is scheduled to open in September, 2008. Bruce Jones, the 50-year old president of U.S. Submarines, is in charge of the project, and has received $105 million from private investors and the American Merchant Bank to build the resort.

The hotel will be sunk in 40 feet of water in a 5,000 acre coral lagoon located in the Northern Lau group, in the northeastern section of Fiji. Each suite will measure 550 square feet with a 270 degree view of the tropical wildlife under the sea. Fish feeders will blast food into the water to attract wildlife and a high-powered window cleaning system will keep the views from being ridden with barnacles, algae, etc.

Guests will be able to access scuba diving from the hotel's airlock, which allows them to exit the hotel without flooding the place. They can also cruise around the lagoon in a 16-person submarine or learn to drive a three-person triton sub, which can reach as low as 1,000 feet.

The hotel will also feature a library, restaurant, and of course - a wedding chapel. So for all you rich aquatic lovers, forget about Vegas for your next wedding. Postpone it until late 2008, and get married under the sea - Poseidon style.

Jet Blue is flying high with WI-FI

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Jet Blue has announced plans to provide FREE Yahoo IM and email to passengers that have Wi-Fi-enabled electronic devices. They're calling the test run "BetaBlue" and hosting it on domestic flights in the Airbus A320.

If you own a Crackberry, you'll also be able to feed your addiction thanks to a partnership between JetBlue and RIM.

LiveTV is providing the bandwidth - the same guys that give us access to DirectTV and XM radio channels while on board. If all goes well (and we hope it does), JetBlue will expand the WiFi to other aircrafts and provide access to additional service providers aside from Yahoo (Google, please).

I can't wait for the day when long flights become productive. Who wants to take a nap or read a book? Give me the Internet all day, every day. 24/7 baby.

Side Note ---
American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines will begin offering in-flight Web service over the next few months for approximately $10 per flight.

Spirit Airlines Launches M.I.L.F Sale. As Homor would say...D'oh!

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Spirit Airlines recently introduced a "M.I.L.F" (Many Islands, Low Fares) sale on their website. A few flights to Bahamas are as low as $9, while most of them are somewhere in the $69-$89 price range.

Of course, MILF also stands for "Mother I'd Like to F****" so naturally many people were up in arms about this very obvious reference to an obscene acronym. A bunch of news stations and bloggers sprang into action and pitched stories on the campaign. Spirit Airlines professed their innocence and explained it as an unfortunate overlook on their part...and then sat back and watched the dollars roll in.

Who thinks they did it on purpose? I do. I think it's a brilliant campaign, and it clearly got the job done. The Internet was on fire with commentary surrounding this sale, and the tickets were snatched up in no time.

If I haven't convinced you yet, the landing page on the site featured a flash picture of the islands, that for a quick moment resembled a cougar (another obscene reference to an attractive, older woman). That doesn't look like an island to me?????

Dumping the dead at Disney

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:08:00 +0100

Disney officials had no choice but to shut down the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride after they were informed that a woman was dumping human remains into the water. This fact is clearly disturbing in it's own right, but what's worse is that sources say this ash dumping behavior is a growing 'trend' at Disney World; known to many as the happiest place on earth.

Some Disney watchers say the trend originated in the Haunted Mansion, however the Pirates Ride is currently the flavor of the week. Predictably, Disney officials deny the allegations and explain that there is really no way to determine whether or not the woman was spreading ashes on the ride.

Spreading ashes of the deceased is a customary practice in the United States. People tend to spread them in the places their loved ones enjoyed most...and everybody loves Disney. The problem here is that while a great number of people may believe that Disney World is the appropriate place for their eternal rest, there are only a finite number of rides in the parks. At some point in time, the ashes will outweigh the availability of water. And who wants to be reminded of their dead Auntie Lynn as they boat over to Tom Sawyer's island?

Flight lost your bags? Buy it back at Unclaimed Baggage

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:16:00 +0100

The holidays are upon us in the United States, and you have probably started your Thanksgiving cooking...or perhaps you have initiated your Thanksgiving vigil in front of the TV...watching hour after hour of football.

On the other hand, you may still be EN ROUTE to your holiday destination....and if you're like me - you're desperately hoping your bags make it there with you. Airports are notoriously busy around this time of year, and accompanying all of those extra bodies is a lot of missing luggage. You know, meaningless stuff like the ring your great grandmother gave you before she passed, or the designer suit you flew all the way to Thailand for?

We hope you're not that guy. Regardless, have you ever stopped to think about what actually happens to all the stuff that doesn't get claimed at various airports around the world? Don't worry, I haven't either. But there is actually a very good answer to that question. After about 90 days of extensive tracking, airlines eventually declare the baggage unclaimed. Then they sell it through an exclusive contract to the Unclaimed Baggage Center just outside of Huntsville, Alabama.

Over a million items pass through the store annually, and it looks like you can get some screaming deals if you aren't opposed to paying for other people's losses. For instance, a Gap ladies yoga jacket set somebody back $4, while a Ralph Lauren Sweater (new) went for $25. Want a peak at some of the bizarro things they uncover while unpacking all those bags? Here's a few to get you started:

A full suit of armor was found in a bag. It's a real replica of a 19th century original!
Egyptian artifacts, including a mummified falcon and a shrunken head (yuck!) was found amidst scraps of paper in an old Gucci suitcase.
A staff member found a live rattle snake in a piece of luggage. TSA, can you please tell me why this traveler wasn't stopped?

The next time I cruise through Alabama, I am clearly making a stop at this hidden gem.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and think again before you throw the pet rabbit in with your luggage because you can't bare to leave home without him......

No Sex in the Singapore Room

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:22:00 +0100

A few weeks ago Singapore Airlines introduced a new "super first class" section aboard their A380 double decker. Twelve private suits equipped with beds (that can be converted into double beds for couples) are available for their highest paying customers.

However, on October 28th, the company announced one teensy weensy little condition for couples who wish to co-habitate in their uber expensive suites... NO SEX IN THE SINGAPORE ROOMS!

Stephen Forshaw, a Singapore Airline official, explained, “If couples used our double beds to engage in inappropriate activity, we would politely ask them to desist. There are things that are acceptable on an aircraft and things that aren’t, and the rules for behavior in our double beds are the same ones that apply throughout the aircraft.”

'Politely ask them to desist.' That is hilarious. And if they don't? Are you going to kick them off the plane or just send them both to time out? (in separate areas of the plane, of course).

The first couple to fly in the new suites didn't get a chance to do the nasty — but questioned the policy, nonetheless. “So they’ll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne — and then say you can’t do what comes naturally?” asked Tony, from Perth, Australia, who flew with his wife, Julie. “Seems a bit strange.”

Good luck enforcing those policies, Singapore Air. Perhaps you would get better press if instead, you promoted SAFE sex on your airlines. Champagne? Condoms? Anyone?

Could be a bomb...could be an art project.

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:39:00 +0100

Leave it to those nerdy MIT students to design 'art' projects that resemble bombs. Star Simpson, an MIT electronics and robotics expert was arrested at gunpoint (submachine gunpoint, mind you), at Logan International airport for sporting a computer circuit board, wiring, and a battery on her sweatshirt. To make matters worse, she happened to have a lump of play-doh in her hands (why not?); which troopers believed to be some type of bomb-making material.

She was arrested at about 8 a.m. outside of Terminal C after a staffer manning an information booth tipped off officers. The staffer had twice asked Simpson what was on her shirt, and finally received a curt "it's art." Simpson began wandering around the terminal and finally went outside. She made it no further than the center island of the street before several officers armed with submachine guns confronted her.

"She was immediately told to stop, to raise her hands and not to make any movement, so we could observe all her movements to see if she was trying to trip any type of device," Pare said. "Had she not followed the protocol, we might have used deadly force."

Simpson was charged with disturbing the peace and possessing a hoax device. She's also been commissioned by several art collectors to design pieces of "art" for their galleries. You can check out her latest work at www.osamabinart.com.

Air New Zealand is flying the gay-friendly skies

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:21:00 +0100

Air New Zealand has just announced a one-time "Pink Flight" from San Francisco to to Sydney, Australia for the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival in February, '08. The flight plans to have gay-friendly movies and contests on board, as well as fruity cocktails, drag queens, and even a cabaret performed by their flight crew.

ANZ will hit off the weekend with a "Get-Onboard-Girlfriend" party for their passengers, who will pay, on average, $1,000 for the round trip flight.

Aside from all of the festivities, ANZ is also sensitive to the fact that people will need some rest and relaxation to prepare for the weekend. Jodi Williams, an ANZ Marketing Director, explained, "We had to think about keeping people entertained while knowing they will want their beauty sleep."

How to SHUT UP the annoying airplane neighbor

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

I can't take credit for the following idea, but I think we can all agree that sometimes you will do almost anything to stun the person sitting next to you on a flight into blissful silence. You try it all: not making eye contact, refusing to respond directly to questions, turning on your iPod, or even feigning sleep. And they just keep talking.

Well, not anymore. Joe Sharkey dug up a tool that will virtually guarantee you a silent neighbor for the duration of the ride (or until you are removed from the flight entirely).

If you are sitting next to someone who irritates you on a plane, follow these instructions:

Quietly and calmly open up your laptop case.
Remove your laptop.
Power it on.
Make sure the guy who is annoying you can clearly see the screen.
Close your eyes and tilt your head up to the sky.

Then hit this link: http://boortz.com/mp3/archive/countdown.swf

Southwest Air almost gives Hooters girl the BOOT!

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 07:29:00 +0100

"Since when did Southwest Airlines become my dad?" I bet that's what Kyla Ebbert was asking herself when a male flight attendant asked her to come to the front of the plane and told her that she would have to take a later flight because her clothing was too revealing and they were a "family" airline.

Ebbert, a 23 year old co-ed who also works at Hooters, was wearing the same outfit you see in this picture (you can see why she works at Hooters.) Anywhooooo, she explained to the attendant that she had to stay on the flight because she was on her way to a doctors appointment, and she couldn't change clothes because she hadn't packed a bag because it was a one-day round-trip flight.

Then to appease the airline, she offered to pull the green sweater tight over her breasts and pull down the white mini skirt as far as possible to cover her legs. After one long look at her breasts, I mean, her outfit, the flight attendant accepted her compromise.

Ebbert has since appeared on the Tonight Show to talk about how embarrassing the experience was for her and of course, to flaunt her outfit in front of millions of viewers (why not?) Southwest, in the meantime, is standing by their decision and may consider meddling further into personal fashion choices, such as the way passengers style their hair...

"Is that a mullet you're sporting? I'm going to have to ask you to exit the plane. You are offending the other passengers."

Is that a monkey in your ponytail...or are you just happy to see me?????

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:16:00 +0100

I've never flown Spirit Airlines, but if you can bring monkeys on board... I'M IN.

This was the case on an airline from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to New York, LaGuardia on Tuesday. A passenger who had originally departed from Lima, Peru, actually had the nerve to HIDE A MONKEY in his hat while he boarded the plane. What's even more funny is that he got away with it!!! That is, until Mr. Monkey got bored, hot, and bothered, and proceeded to craw l out from under his hat (mind you, he'd probably been hanging out for 7-8 hours prior his unveiling).

Passengers quickly spotted the cute furry thing ("What the F... is that?") and notified staff. Staff quickly notified the Port Authority Police Guard because I bet they didn't have a clue what to do. "Yeah, I've never been briefed on what to do in this type of situation. I must have missed that day in airport security training."

Officials met the monkey and the man at the gate and took them away to monkey jail. Security adamantly denies that the monkey was ever loose in the airport, as originally reported. Ok, so what? Explain to me how he got through security and onto the plane.

Not a Virgin anymore....

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:39:00 +0100

Starting today you can rock it out Virgin style all across the US of A's friendly skies!!!!!! This is great news for my fellow yanks who appreciate a good flying experience. Richard Branson and his team has clearly figured out what is important to PEOPLE LIKE ME in the air: food to order whenever you want from your screen, electrical outlets at every seat (no more dead laptops), a boat load of music and TV options, IM'ing with other passengers, and mood lighting (why not?)

Oh, and did I mention they're cheap too? The first route goes from SFO to JFK and LAX. SF to LA is $44 for coach and $149 for first class. NYC to LA is $129 for coach and $389 for first class.

They've got an aggressive expansion plan to include over 30 cities within the next five years. NYC to LA will launch at the end of August, and D.C., Vegas, and San Diego follow suit this fall.

18-D....u r cute. what r u doing? ttyl.

Boozin' it...Amtrak Style

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:23:00 +0100

Amtrak is trying to promote their high-end sleeper car service by offering passengers $100 of free drinks on some overnight trains (in addition to the free wine they already get with dinner). This is GREAT NEWS for those of us who like nothing more than to overindulge while traveling. The service will be available to members of Amtrak's guest rewards program (kind of like a railroad frequent flier program). The promo runs from Nov to Jan on trains going from Chicago to SF, Chicago to Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. and Miami or Orlando.

Drinks are pretty reasonably priced at about $6 for a house wine and $7 for a top shelf liquor. That's about 12 drinks if you include tip. That should give you a nice, solid buzz.

All I can say is that I would definitely need a sleeper car if I put that offer to work. And perhaps a toilet, some Asprin, and a ride home from the train station...

Your Miles May Expire Soon! Find Out Why...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Keeping track of expiring miles is quite frankly a task I'm not good at keeping up with. And it just got tougher. By year's end, most of the airlines will have reduced the amount of months in which inactive mileage accounts expire. These airlines historically adopted a three year (36 month) rule for expiring miles. Recently US Airways dropped to 18 months, Delta to 24, and American and United to 18.

The airlines are also trying to get these pesky inactive miles off their balance sheets to improve their numbers. For instance, United alone had over 508.8 billion unused miles at the end of 2006. They estimate that 870.5 billion will go unused and expire under the new policies. In terms that matter to us, that's nearly 3 million (at 25,000 miles per ticket) free domestic U.S. flights!

Keeping this in mind, it's important to keep those accounts active and save your miles. It only takes SOME SORT of program activity within the 18 (or 24 in Delta's case) months to keep the account from disappearing. Here are some good ideas:

Take a paid flight on the carrier or an alliance partner of the carrier
Redeem those miles! Heck, even if it's for a magazine subscription...
Use a credit card that awards frequent flier points - even purchasing a pack of gum will suffice
Use miles at a hotel stay
Rent a car and have the miles credited to your program (be prepared for an additional fee for some carriers)
Download the Mile Manager tool in our "Tools" section to help manage your programs.

Pimp my ride...to the tune of $475 million

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Next time you find yourself cramped between two people in economy seating, chew on this thought for a minute: a mystery billionaire is paying $475 million to create a custom fying fortress inside the biggest passenger plane ever made. The double decker Airbus A-380 can carry up to 800 passengers with normal seating arrangements. This private version will only carry 82.

The price tag on the plane is $300 million, and the individual is paying a designer $150 million to pimp out the interior. Here are the sickening highlights:

A grand lounge with sleeper seats and sofa's that are bolted to the floor
A king size bed that has water sensors that will detect the jet's angle and reposition the bed on the fly to keep it stable
2 person whirlpool bath that can automatically drain into a 60 gallon drain in the cargo area to prevent explosion in the case of cabin decompression
Office and guest suites with 42 inch flat screens
Massive dining area that seats 14 with swivel, pop-up flats screens on each side and a 70-inch LCD at the end

YouTube Video Demonstrates Agony of Delta's 7 Hour Delay on Tarmac

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Airplane delays are the worst thing ever...but it's rare that someone captures the agony quite like the video below. What's worse, after a 7 hour delay on the tarmac of JFK airport, there was no public apology from Delta. Jet Blue experienced a similar screw up just a few months ago and issued a public apology via video in which David Nielman, CEO of Jet Blue, apologized and talked about what changes they were making to prevent something like that from happening again. Good job Jet Blue. Fight fire with fire.

There is no mention of Delta's boo boo on their news site or anywhere on the web. Yikes.

Gabbing on your cellphone in-flight may be a reality

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

There is a pretty good chance U.S. Airlines may start offering cellphone service on their flights in the not-so-far future. Although the Federal Communications Commission recently voted to sustain a ban on airline cellphone use, industry experts say it is only a matter of time before passengers will be able to gab in the air.

Several Airlines in Europe and the Middle East are currently working on outfitting their airlines with cellphone capabilities and will launch their services later this year. If they succeed at making this a profitable business model, then U.S. Airlines may pressure the FCC to drop its ban so they can remain competitive in the International markets.

In the meantime, U.S. Airlines will incorporate WIFI hotspots into their cabins by early next year. AirCell, a privately held firm out of Colorado, paid $31.3 billion to take over the radio frequencies previously used for air-phone services and repurpose them for the Internet and cellphone usage. They estimate that it will cost about $100,000 to outfit a single carrier, and only take about a day to do so. Aircell will charge no more than $10 per day for passengers to access the network and the airlines will benefit from a rev share.

The current technology does have some limitations. Only 14 calls can be made per flight, and after that point, a user will get a "No Service" indication. Airline crews will also be able to turn off the system durking takeoff and landing, which could interrupt conversations.

All the same, I think it's a pretty cool advancement for airlines. Now they need to figure out how to salvage the peace of mind for all the passengers on the flight who aren't on their phones. Earphones, anybody?

If You're Skinny, Fly Frontier

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Frontier Airlines announced that their passengers, on average, are 17 pounds lighter than the average American. Frontier's senior vice president of operations Chris Collins explained, "there's a lot of healthy people in Denver. I think that's been proven. So we went out and did our own survey."

As a past and current Denver resident, I can't not report on those findings. But I do find it pretty funny that Frontier issues these types of surveys....lots of free time, I suppose.

But in their defense, skinny passengers = lower fuel costs and those savings ARE important. In fact, Collins estimates that by applying those lower-weight standards to its flight-planning system, they will enjoy a savings of about $3.5 million in fuel! Go Frontier.

United States becomes a Virgin

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Virgin Group has officially announced the approval of their new "Virgin American Airlines" by the Department of Transportation.

Flights will officially commence this summer and will initially fly out of San Francisco International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Within 12 months the airline plans to expand to San Diego, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport.

Get a massage on your next flight

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

That is, if your next flight is on Emirates, the Dubai based International airline. They announced today that they will spend hundreds of millions of dirhams (somebody tell me how many dollars that is) to retrofit, expand, upgrade, and generally speaking, pimp out their plane interiors.

First class will include extended floor space and a larger personal wardrobe area, flat beds with in-seat massage, dine-on-demand room service, in-suite personal mini bar and private sliding doors. Ooh la la.

Business class can also enjoy the massage seats that recline into a 78-inch long bed.

The rif raf in economy class (that's me, by the way) will appreciate additional space, an adjustable winged headrest, footrest, and the industry's largest personal TV screens.

The airline is currently ranked the eighth largest International airline by traffic. Who knows what will happen after they add mini bars and massage beds?

Canada's Seven Wonders...a Canoe?

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Canada has long been overdue for their own Seven Wonders. Sure, why not?

So after 20,000 nominations and over one million votes over the internet and phone, the finalists are in. And they include the igloo, the canoe, and the prairie skies. I'm not kidding. Now I don't want to poke fun at our lovely Northern neighbors, but you all have to agree, this is pretty funny. One blogger proposed that perhaps if mother nature balanced a canoe on top of an igloo, than maybe you've got something to talk about...

The following criteria were used by the judges in the evaluation:

Essential "Canadian-ness" — historically significant, character filled, valued
Originality/uniqueness of the pitch and place
Spectacular physical site or amazing human creation
Ability to inspire
Range within the final seven — diversity of location, type of wonder
Results of online votes

I am going to start using the word "Canadian-ness" on a very regular basis.

All humor aside, I do think this was a valuable exercise, and Canada obviously has so many beautiful landmarks that deserve recognition. Here are the four other wonders:

Niagra Falls
Old Quebec City
Pier 21, Halifax
Rockies

Wait, what about Canadiannnnness top soil?

Getting Married on 7/7/07? Get in line.

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:15:00 +0100

If you're planning to tie the knot on 7/7/07....good luck.

Already, over 31,000 couples have signed up on theknot.com, saying they are getting married that weekend. That is triple any other Saturday of the month. Vegas is feeling it too. Reservations for that weekend are roughly six times greater than those over the prior weekend. Furthermore, The Ritz Carlton Chain will host at least one wedding or more at 65% of it's hotels that day....and people keep calling.

“We’re getting between three and six calls a week specifically asking for this date,” said Michelle O’Neill, director of catering sales for the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev.

Couples just seem to think that the lucky number 7 is going to help their marriage. Forget love...let's focus on LUCK.

My advice to you before you roll the die and place all bets on triple sevens is to consult your local numerologist I'm not kidding.

According to Daniel Hardt, a numbers guy out of Indianapolis, “The triple 7 can lead to miscommunication. Interactions between the partners is likely to be strained.” Marriage is difficult enough to sustain without the added burden of a potentially troublesome anniversary date, he said. “Sorry to be so negative about this unique date,” he added, “but I read the numbers, I don’t create them. "

So there.

All Aboard. Going to the North Pole...

Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

I'm not kidding. The first flight to the North Pole successfully returned to the Dusseldorf Airport in Germany yesterday. 213 passengers of 13 different nationalities celebrated the approach to the North Pole with champagne toasts. The passengers were able to view the pole through their windows and also from watching seven cameras that were installed in the cockpit to offer hi-def live shots into the cabin.
The flight left Dusseldorf and flew across Denmark, Central Norway and the Norwegian coast to the Spitsbergen Archipelago. From there it was a straight shot north 90 degrees to the Pole. The captain Josef Moser proceeded to orchestrate a little jaunt around the world...passing all degrees of longitude and the international date line in just a few minutes.

The North Pole apparently lived up to the hype because due to very positive feedback from passengers, "Polarflug" is planning another trip this September. Just in time to pay a quick visit to Mr Clause to hit him up right before Xmas '08.

Go to www.polarflug.de to buy tickets.....

One $10 flight, please

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

If you are lucky enough to live in Columbus Ohio, $10.00 flights are in your very near future.

Skybus, a new low cost airline, will offer promotional $10 flights starting on May 22nd out of Columbus, Ohio. This price doesn't include taxes or fees....but WHO CARES??? These guys have made flying on the cheap in the U.S a reality and hopefully they will pressure other airlines to reduce their prices as well. I mean, $10.00???? This is good stuff.

They have some interesting strategies that will enable them to continue offering such low prices, including charging for premium space, luggage, and carry-ons, and selling ad space on the inside and outside of their plans.

I will stare at ads all day long if my flight costs less than a tank of gas.

Folks, this is your pilot. I am too tired to fly today.

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

I always have trouble sleeping on flights. Oftentimes I look around me to gauge the other passengers for their ability (or inability) to sleep. I envy those who are blissfully sleeping while I sit fidgeting in my seat for the duration of the flight.

That being said, it's never occurred to me that I should really be concerned about my PILOT’S ability to stay awake on the flight.

Recent news begged me to reconsider: a British Airways flight from New Delhi to London slated to leave at 2:10 AM was delayed for 12 hours because their pilot and crew were too tired to fly the plane. Apparently the hotel they stayed at the night before was full of partying cricket fans, and the disturbance prevented them from getting an adequate amount of shut eye.

To make matters worse, there were no alternative flights, so passengers (225 on flight) were sent to a hotel for the night. Then they were paired up with RANDOMS in shared double beds because there wasn't enough space in the hotel! I would lose my mind.

Note to self: when stopping at Starbucks for a quick coffee pre-board, grab one for your pilot. It could save you a long delay…or your life.