Some Interesting SkyMiles Changes from Delta

There have been a bunch of interesting changes to Delta's SkyMiles loyalty program over the past couple of weeks, so let's take a look.

First off, the airline announced that SkyMiles would no longer expire. Honestly, this probably isn't a huge perk for even semi-frequent travelers who flew often enough to keep their accounts active, or those who earned miles in another way like through a Delta credit card. Nevertheless, it's still a nice benefit, especially for those who don't fly Delta that often.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta-based carrier better aligned the benefits of Gold Medallion status with other airlines. Benefits include lounge access when traveling internationally and priority baggage. Certainly a nice change!

Finally, Delta has finally unveiled an award chart! Yes, unlike many other airlines there wasn't one in the past. I'm not exactly a mileage expert, but fortunately Gary Leff of the View from the Wing blog is, and he shares a few thoughts.

Economy Plus is Here to Stay!

Elite members of United's Mileage Plus loyalty program breathed a large collective sigh of relief last week when United announced that Economy Plus is here to stay.

For those not familiar with the product, Economy Plus is basically a regular economy class cabin, except with a few extra inches of legroom. The product is currently available on all United mainline aircraft, along with larger United Express aircraft. United elites can access the seats for free, and the offering is also available to regular passengers for an additional fee that varies by flight distance.

The future of Economy Plus became uncertain when United and Continental announced their merger this past May, as Continental does not have a similar offering.

But, apparently, the management team of the new combined airline analyzed Economy Plus and concluded that it was worth keeping. Continental aircraft will begin receiving Economy Plus seating next year. The airline has yet to release any details about the seating configuration on Continental aircraft.

Some People Really Don’t Like Fees

As one who's constantly following travel news, it's easy to see that a great deal of the coverage on airline fees leans to the negative side of things. Many travelers might complain about the fee...but 99.9% of the time, it's kept pretty civil.

One recent Ryanair flight, however, was a very notable exception. A group of 100 students flying from Lanzrote (in the Canary Islands) to Burssels staged a mutiny/revolt/insert synonym for uprising here after some passengers were told that they would have to pay to check their carry-on luggage. (Ryanair charges for carry-ons that are overweight or larger than the airline permits.)

The situation got so bad  that local police had to get involved, and they required that everyone deplane. The group of students got rowdy again, and were not allowed to fly on the flight. Some of the group were allowed to fly on later flights, but some will not be allowed to fly, the airline said in a statement.

So, in the end, 100 students couldn't fly home...and 66 other passengers were delayed for three hours.

I realize that airline fees might not be pleasant, but there's a limit!

[found via Consumerist]

American/DFW Prepare for the Post-Game Rush

So, if you were under a rock for the past few hours, a certain large football game just finished up. Now, it's time for everyone to head home, and that means travel is going to be very hectic. In fact, tomorrow could be the busiest day in the history of Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. Fortunately, the airport and its largest tenant carrier, American Airlines, have made some changes to make the travel experience a bit simpler.

Fortunately, American says that its Terminals B and D will be open all night, while Terminals A and C will be opening at 3 AM. American recommends that travelers do as much at home as possible (like printing out boarding passes) to make the experience easier for everyone.

Good luck to everyone flying home!

Free Facebook on Gogo-Enabled Flights

According to Gogo, the largest provider of inflight Wi-Fi in the domestic market, Facebook is the most-visited site on its network. Fortunately, access to the website is free for the month thanks to a sponsorship deal with Ford.

I have to think this looks great from a Gogo perspective. For one, they get some guaranteed advertising revenue from Ford. But I wouldn't be surprised if this boosts sales a bit. When I'm on Facebook, I'm usually taking a look at links that are being shared with friends, and I wouldn't be able to do that onboard unless I pony up the fee.

Hopefully this works better than Google's free holiday Wi-Fi. I loved taking advantage of that promotion, but from what I've heard anecdotally some people had trouble with the service on very crowded flights.

Nevertheless, enjoy Facebook stalking for free. You can find Gogo service on all flights onboard AirTran and Virgin America. It can also be found on certain Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, United, and US Airways flights.