Everett Potter's Travel Report

The Interview: Dale Moss, OpenSkies

OpenSkies is an airline that offers two-class seating in 757's with a maximum of 64 passengers on board. It aims to succeed where other companies have failed in offering a less expensive way to fly transatlantic in business class. It's also a subsidiary of British Airways, which gives it deeper pockets than most. I asked Dale Moss, the managing director, about the viability of such an airline in this bleak economic environment.

What makes you confident that Open Skies will succeed when we've seen the demise of Eos, MaxJet, and Silverjet in the past year, airlines that offered exclusive transatlantic business class flights?

    There are many big differences between OpenSkies and these other companies.  To start, they flew to London.  British Airways already has a great business in London and was a formidable competitor to these startups. These companies were also flying one class of service, whereas we offer two options -- the business bed and business seat. Two of these players used 767s, which are a very heavy and fuel-inefficient aircraft for the all-business class mission. 
    EOS used a 757, like OpenSkies, but had significantly fewer seats on board.  This made their economics very challenging. Then, on top of it all, the oil price spike put huge pressure on companies that were flying 767s or had a very small number of seats on board. 
    An extremely important thing to keep in mind is that OpenSkies is backed by British Airways,  so we have the wonderful advantage of being able to combine the proven expertise of one of the world's biggest airlines with the passion and commitment of a start up.  We also have a code share agreement with BA which gives us even more exposure to their vast customer base, and we're part of the BA Executive Club frequent flier program.  Overall the BA relationship gives us many advantages in distribution and sales that these startups did not have. 

CARIBBEAN TIP: TAKE A NON-STOP

    One flight to the islands can save you money. So find out if an island has nonstop service from a major U.S. hub such as New York, Atlanta or Miami. If so, it's a reasonable bet that it ranks as an affordable paradise. After all, it's cheaper to pay for one flight to an island than two. For example, I recently flew to Puerto Rico for $325 round-trip on JetBlue; then I had to add on the price of my connecting flight to the BVI’s, an additional $234. Plus, nonstop service eliminates the potential hassles and delays of a connecting flight.

Smart Deals: Airfares to Europe

THE DEAL: Swiss International Air Lines SWISS Business Class Fares on Sale
THE DETAILS: Book now through February 6 , 2009, for round trip travel valid from February 2 through April 30, 2009 from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark and New York's JFK to Switzerland. SWISS claims these fares are a savings of more than 70 percent  off full fare prices. For example, New York to London $1,800 round trip; New York to Geneva $2,400 round trip; New York to Zurich $2,600 round trip
THE FINE PRINT: Fees, taxes and surcharges are not included in above fares. Outbound travel must commence no later than April 17, 2009. All travel must be completed by April 30, 2009.
 Last ticketing date is February 6. All bookings must be ticketed within 72 hours. Stopovers not permitted. A Saturday night stay is required. Book online at www.swiss.com

THE DEAL: British Airways'  "London for Free."
THE DETAILS: Two nights' free hotel in London. These accommodations are at select three and four star hotels in central London when purchasing round trip airfares between the U.S. and the U.K. Participating hotels include Royal National, Jurys Inn Chelsea, and Thistle Barbican. Round trip airfares begin at $312 between New York (JFK or Newark) and London. Comparable airfares are available from all 18 British Airways' US. cities.
THE FINE PRINT: Sale runs until Thursday midnight (EST), Jan. 29,
2009. Travel is valid from Jan. 27, 2009, through March 22, 2009. Book at www.BA.com/FreeLondon

The Seven Secrets of Flying to the Mountains

Getting to the mountains by air is usually the toughest part of any ski trip. A 10 minute lift line? A half-mile of double black diamond moguls? No sweat, compared to a snowstorm at LaGuardia, a missed connection in Minneapolis or a mechanical delay in Houston. But the good news is that armed with a little knowledge and some planning, you can avoid many of the most common problems that air travel poses. Here are seven ways to improve your next flight to the mountains this winter. (Photo credit John Clendenin)

1. TAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY

One of the last truisms left about the airlines is that the first flight of the day is the one least likely to be delayed. And you want to be on it. That's no doubt why early morning favorites like the 6:45 am Delta flight from JFK to Salt Lake City seem to be perpetually full. And if there are weather-related delays? Well, you've still got an entire day ahead of you to sort out the flying options. And the other benefit to being on the first flight of the day and getting up before the crack of dawn? The fact that it permits you to gate to the slopes earlier. That Delta flight gets in at 10:21, so grabbing you bags and a rental car and driving 45 minutes to click into your bindings at Alta by noon is a breeze.

TIP SHEET: Flying during the Holidays

 1. Shop Hard for Fares
    I've been watching Christmas week fares rising, falling, rising again and then slipping back, as the airlines use their yield management programs to fill aircraft during this economic free fall. Don't see a fare that you like? Wait 24 hours and check again, especially on the airline's own site, where many of the best fares seem to be turning up these days.

2. Be Flexible
    Now, more than ever, there can be hundreds of dollars worth of difference in an early morning departure versus mid-day, a measurable difference between traveling on one day versus another. If you have some play in your schedule, use it, and be rewarded with a lower fare.

3. Use Your Phone, Not Your Feet
    Stuck in the airport when your flight is canceled or severely delayed? Rather than stand in a long line, use your cell phone to reschedule a flight or to get wait-listed. And remember, if you are involuntarily bumped from a domestic flight, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires the airline to pay you a maximum of $400 in cash if you reach your destination within two hours of the original arrival time (within four hours for international flights). If you haven’t been rerouted by then, you’re eligible for up to $800.

4.  Ship Your Bags Ahead
    Had it with baggage fees, delays and loss? The most price-competitive way to ship your bags is FedEx Ground or UPS Ground, which take about four days to get a bag to your destination. If you can take your bags to a local office, the cost is around what the airlines will charge you -- but without the bag check lines at the terminal or the inevitable wait at the carousel.

5. Go To The TSA Website
    If you're dreading the wait time in an airport security line, find out what's in store by visiting  the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website (TSA.gov), which offers historical wait times at major airport security checkpoints for each hour of the day. If you're flying out of JFK at 8 a.m. next Friday, the TSA's site can reveal the average wait over the previous four weeks.

6. Know When Your Flight is Actually Departing
    Visit Flightstats.com and sign up for alerts on departure and gate changes, delivered via email or text message. Or sign up directly with your carrier.

The Interview: Rick Seaney, CEO, FareCompare.com

With the economy in free fall and airfares stratospheric, it seemed like a good time to talk to Rick Seaney. He’s one of the founders and the CEO of FareCompare.com, one of the most enlightened search engines on the web. FareCompare’s killer app is tracking down the cheapest fares faster than anyone else. And what seems to be his total immersion in the business of airfares has turned Seaney into one of the country’s leading experts on the airlines. As we head into 2009, I asked Rick a bunch of questions about the state of the airlines, cheap fares and whether we could expect any relief from high prices and crowded planes. And of course, about nailing that elusive business class seat without paying a small fortune. Biggest surprise? That flight to Europe may not cost as much as you think.

Okay, look into your crystal ball for a moment. What do you see for airfares in 2009?

Wow! Great question (and the first one at that) for someone whose companies’ software tracks millions of airfare price changes weekly -- one would think I would be a decent prognosticator. Is the DOW going to be at 7,000 or 12,000, is oil going to be at $60/barrel or $140/barrel -- those two answers would make my answer a bit easier. Given those very volatile unknowns here are the trends I see in airfare prices for 2009.

Airfare prices for International travel (especially premium cabins) and domestic business travelers are likely to come down next year

We had 21 attempted airfare hikes in the first half of 2008 (almost one a week) and none -- nada -- since July 4, this tells me that base airfare prices are close to being maxed out.

My sense is that oil is more likely to hit $60/barrel than the $200/barrel predicted by Goldman Sachs earlier this year. International airlines have already begun dropping fuel surcharges and I expect U.S. airlines to follow suit albeit at a much slower pace as they struggle to repair their balance sheets.

Do You Still Believe in These 15 Travel Myths?

Like old wives' tales, the great travel myths seem to have a life of their own. Changing times and technology have rendered them obsolete, but still, they endure. So once and for all, let's put 15 of the most stubborn myths to rest.

1. YOU CAN NEVER FIND AN AIRFARE DEAL TO HAWAII

Unless, of course, you fly between late September and early December. That's low season, and Hawaii tends to be a bit cloudier, but it's also the sweet spot for airfare deals. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that while summer airfares from LAX to Hawaii were rarely less than $500, they dipped to as low as $317 come the fall months. The price of package deals is lower then as well.

Surviving The Unfriendly Skies

It's hardly news that flying is no fun anymore. Blame it on cramped seats, disgruntled airline workers and fellow passengers on the verge of air rage. Airports are jammed, security lines are lengthy, and onboard service is rudimentary at best. Chances are you'll spend longer than ever on your flight these days. Only 73% of flights arrived on time in the 12 months ending July 2007, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). Four airlines -- ATA, Aloha Airlines, Skybus, and Oasis -- have recently stopped flying, while Frontier Airlines just filed for bankruptcy protection. Then there were the hundreds of flights canceled by American Airlines and other carriers this past week. But you don't need statistics to tell you that there's turmoil up in the skies, do you?

Flying these days is all about survival. And that means planning carefully, from choosing the right seat and creating your own comfort zone to knowing how to improve a bad situation. It's also about cultivating a little patience, because there will be times when there's nothing you can do except stay calm.

Vacations Go Green

There's no hotter travel topic, if you'll pardon the expression, than green vacations. With global warming weighing on everyone's mind, many travelers are suddenly examining how their habits affect the earth. But what is green travel? It's more than just renting a hybrid car the next time you go on a trip or choosing an eco-lodge over a Hyatt. It can be about offsetting the carbon dioxide generated by the airplane that flies you to Thailand or Italy, as well as the energy a San Diego hotel is expending to keep you comfortable. Still, in a field that's in its infancy, there are prophets, nonprofits and profiteers, all ready to take advantage of your good intentions. Which means that it's buyer beware in a movement that seems to be growing and changing by the minute. So here's a look at how to navigate this fast-evolving world.

(Photo: Hotel Terra, Jackson Hole, WY)

Dispatches: The World's Best Bargain Airlines

Anyone asked to name a low-cost airline five years ago might have said JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Song or Ted. But they wouldn't name any of those airlines today. Not when JetBlue charged more than $450 for the two-and-a-half-hour flight from LaGuardia to West Palm Beach this winter. And with Southwest asking $339 from Salt Lake City to Orlando, that airline can no longer be described as consistently low cost. As for Song, it doesn't exist, having been folded back into parent Delta Airlines. Ted continues flying, but everyone knows it is just United Airlines wearing bargain clothing and charging whatever the market will bear.
    In fact, the real low-cost action is taking place not in the U.S. but in Europe, where there's a whole new generation of carriers with quizzical names such as Flybe, TUIfly, Air-Berlin and Transavia. These are among the airlines responsible for a startling statistic: 25% of the flights in Europe are made on low-cost carriers. Meanwhile, other bargain airlines have taken to the skies, offering values to travelers in Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.
    Assuming you live in the United States, why should you care? Simply put, if you're flying to multiple destinations within Europe, Asia or the South Pacific, it's often considerably cheaper to travel on a low-cost carrier within a continent rather than on your U.S.-based carrier or a major international airline. I mean big savings of 50% to 80% or more off the fares you might pay on well-established airlines. So here's a look at how to find and book low-cost carriers, as well as a few tips on their advantages and disadvantages.