I Am So Happy Right Now

I'm going to be completely selfish right now and talk about my beloved little airport - T.F. Green in Warwick, Rhode Island (typically sold as Providence).

Why, you ask?

Well, after years and years of waiting, the train station next to the airport is complete. For years and years, the airport has had an Amtrak line close by (in fact, one of the closest in the country), with trains just whizzing by, not stopping. But finally, it's becoming a reality.

By the end of this year, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will start a limited schedule with service to Providence and Boston. This will not only help those who are using the airport, but also provides Rhode Island residents with a new option for commuting to work. Amtrak, however, will not be stopping at the station. (There's hope that it will change, but I doubt it. If any Amtrak trains do stop, it will not be the high-speed Acela service, I predict.)

Either way - the airport now has a train link, and hopefully the schedule will be built up to become more attractive for travelers. And, the new facility includes a shiny-new rental car facility, which in my opinion looks like a significant improvement when compared to the old facility.

You can read more here.

Frontier Partners With New Parking Option in Denver

Yesterday, Frontier Airlines and Canopy Airport Parking in Denver announced a new partnership that I found very interesting. Canopy is a brand-new player at Denver International Airport (DIA), and as such needs to build up a customer base. So partnering with Frontier makes sense.

As part of the partnership, Frontier customers get access to cheaper parking rates at Canopy, and will also receive 100 miles in the airline's EarlyReturns frequent flier program.

But what I found more interesting is how this partnership adds even more value for Frontier's best customers - its Summit members, which are in the highest tier of EarlyReturns , and those who purchase Classic Plus tickets. These travelers will be upgraded (for free) to the next-highest level of parking at Canopy.

Meanwhile - Canopy looks like a very interesting parking concept because of its green attributes. For example, the facility uses steel from recycled cars, and it is powered with solar, wind, and geothermal energy. You can find out more about the garage here.

I LOVE JetBlue’s New Ads

Last week, JetBlue came out with a new brand promise, "you above all," which meshes pretty nicely with the company's goal of "bringing humanity back to air travel." But while I like the slogan, I think the ads that came along with it are even better.

Most of the ads are based on footage from hidden cameras. Basically, regular people in New York experience on the ground what they usually do on the air, whether it be not getting the whole can of soda, poor legroom, or my favorite - paying for bags:

You can catch all of the videos as part of the campaign on JetBlue's YouTube channel.

The Slater Saga – Finally Over

So, does everyone still remember Steven Slater? For those who already forgot, he's the (former) JetBlue flight attendant that is known for deciding to exit the Embraer 190 he was working on via the evacuation slide after it had arrived from Pittsburgh and parked at the gate.

Not shockingly, he was arrested soon after.

Well, fortunately, the saga has now ended. As part of his plea deal, Slater will not be serving any jail time if he successfully completes some court-ordered counseling. He will also face a year of probation, and will also have to pay JetBlue $10,000, the cost to replace the slide.

Hopefully the story ends here!

(Original story from NY1)

Virgin America, Gogo, and People.com

An interesting combination, to say the least, but it has interesting implications inflight internet-wise. (At least I think so!)

The three parties have launched a (trial) partnership this month, that will allow Virgin America passengers to view news from People.com for free on Gogo's wireless internet service.

There aren't many details being provided about the deal...but I'd have to think this would help Gogo revenue-wise, so they get something in addition to the users who are paying for Internet access.

But it will be interesting to see how the partnership develops - and if other websites do something similar with Gogo.

Either way, if you're onboard Virgin America - you no longer have to pay to get your celebrity news.

[Original Story]

Oneworld JV Gets Going

For years and years, oneworld has been trying to score anti-trust immunity over the Atlantic. You might be wondering how anti-rust immunity is different than a traditional codeshare/alliance partnership. Basically, it allows the airlines to work even closer, through setting fares and coordinating schedules.

But the big perk of the deal is something that American passengers have been waiting for - the ability to earn AAdvantage miles on British Airways transatlantic flights.

The joint venture's three big players are American, British Airways, and Iberia, though Finnair and Royal Jordanian are also part of the tie-up.

Some new routes also got announced this week. American will begin service from Chicago to Helsinki, Finnair's hub. Iberia will serve Los Angeles from Madrid, and British Airways will give London to San Diego service another whirl. American is also planning service from New York to Budapest. While that does connect them to the hub of their patner Malev - that airline is not part of the JV.

Anyway, this finally puts oneworld on an even playing field with Skyteam and Star Alliance. The partnership is still in its very early days sue there will certainly be more development to come.

United-Continental Merger Closes. Great. Now What?

Last week, the merger between United and Continental closed. So what does that mean for you? Not much at this point.

United and Continental have already been working together for about a year now, with Continental joining the Star Alliance and becoming a major codeshare partner of United in 2009. The airlines will now be getting to work in terms of integrating their networks, and a lot of decisions have to be made in terms of product. For example, United has its Economy Plus product, which is a normal coach seat with more legroom. Continental has nothing similar. Meanwhile, United has a three-class international configuration, while Continental's is two-class. So a lot of decisions have yet to be made.

But, from the get-go, here are a couple of positive changes for United fliers that puts them in line with Continental. It looks like Wi-Fi is now free for everyone in lounges, and United will also be offering some complimentary alcoholic beverages in its Red Carpet Clubs.

There are, however, plenty of more changes to come. But you can be sure that I'll be writing about them here!