Booking On Short Notice With Miles To Europe

I was approved to attend the EBACE13 conference in Geneva as media five weeks before the event. My challenge was to book a trip to three countries using only points and miles. When I first searched for hotels, there was nothing available in Geneva for less than $1,300 a night.  My goal on this trip was to not spend a fortune or stay at a hostel. 

Departures Board in Frankfurt

My first step was to hop on United.com and find flights with miles.  Only coach was available and I would have to depart Friday (Saturday and Sunday were preferred).  I was also able to get a free stopover in Stockholm.  This was an easy process compared with finding hotels in Geneva.

There are four Priority Club properties around Geneva, a Holiday Inn in France for 15,000 points, and an Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn Express in Geneva, all 35,000 points.  My goal was five nights in the Intercontinental, and when I first looked nights 1, 2, and 5 were available, while night 3 was only at the Holiday Inn and there was no availability for night 4 anywhere.  I booked what was available and then set a link to my night 4 search in my web browser favorites bar so I could quickly and frequently check for an opening.  I had a feeling there would be a cancellation; I just needed to be the first to find it.  To be safe I made a refundable reservation at an Accor hotel in France. 

United Airlines 757's in Houston

For the next three weeks, I checked dozens of times a day for availability.  One morning though a room opened up on points (or $1,500 in cash) and I booked it.  Later that week, another room opened for the second date I needed.  I really didn’t want to change hotels in Geneva, so I was contemplating cancelling the trip if something didn’t free up.  I’m glad space became available because I had a great time.

Lufthansa 747-400 in Denver

I was also interested in better flights to Geneva.  I originally booked DEN-MSP-IAD-GVA and would spend all day Friday travelling.  I noticed that Lufthansa opened up availability on their DEN-FRA 747 about 15 days in advance, so I waited patiently and like clockwork, coach seats were available 15 days in advance.  I called United to rebook and just had to pay the difference in taxes (1K’s have change fees and close in booking fees waived on mileage tickets).  After 10 minutes, I was set with a single stop in Frankfurt.  Also, Lufthansa opens up the seat map exactly 48 hours before departure, so log on and grab an exit row or window seat if you are stuck in a middle seat.

United Still Doesn't Understand The Power of Brands

United is still missing the mark with their Star Alliance promotions. As discussed earlier, United seems to have a difficult time finding images of their aircraft in Star Alliance colors.  The example below is from the United.com home page and has the Star Alliance logo backwards (they took a mirror of the original image) and on an airplane that is not United's.  There is a beautiful United 747 in Star Alliance colors and several other examples they can use.  Another miss by United.

The Star Alliance Logo Is Backwards & That Is Not A United Airlines Aircraft

SWISS Star Alliance Avro RJ100

Checking Firearms In Baggage With United Airlines

I checked a handgun on a trip recently and was initially confused because how little United explains the process of checking firearms on their website.  Since I didn't know exactly what would be required at the airport, I showed up over two hours before my flight.  My unloaded firearm was packed in a hard sided case and the case was locked (with a not TSA approved lock).  I was not traveling with ammunition.  At the airport counter, I checked in as normal and said I was checking a firearm.  I was given an orange United Firearm(s) Declaration tag to read and sign. It reads as follows:

McDonald Douglas Jets at LAS

United Firearm(s) Declaration Tag:

• I understand that the carriage of a loaded weapon is a violation of federal regulations and that United Airlines reserves the right to inspect my firearms prior to check in.
• I am completing one declaration tag for each container holding a firearm(s).
• I declare as required by Federal Air Regulation 108.11 that all firearm(s) in this bag/container are NOT loaded and my luggage contains no more than eleven pounds of ammunition.
• All ammunition I am carrying is in the original manufacture’s packaging or in a container designed for ammunition.
• I acknowledge that my Gun Case or Baggage may be subject to further inspection by the TSA.
• I release United Airlines from any liability which may result from the discharge of my declared firearm(s). The luggage containing the declared firearm(s) is locked and I alone am in possession of the key or combination.

CUSTOMER MUST PLACE TAG INSIDE CASE AND ASSURE THAT IT IS LOCKED.

Take Off in CLT

After reading and signing the form, the passenger needs to open the case and place the form inside (so don't zip tie or shrink wrap your case before arriving at the airport). Then the United agent tags the bag and calls one of the AirServe dolts with a cart to take the case to a TSA X-Ray machine.  The passenger needs to accompany the Airserve dolt with the keys should the TSA want to open it up.  The dolt pushed the cart very very slowly.  Once at the TSA X-Ray station, a TSA agent scans the bag, places a sticker on the bag clam tag and gives it back to the dolt to push to the United counter for the bag to be sent off with other checked bags.  The additional time was about 30 minutes, 15 if the dolt walked at a normal pace.  After that is over, the passenger can walk through security to their flight.

Fun Video From Lufthansa Cargo

I found this video by Lufthansa Cargo and really enjoyed the imagery; I hope you enjoy it too.

Lufthansa Cargo will take delivery of the first of five 777F this year and they have an engaging web page devoted to the aircraft.

EBACE13 Closing Thoughts

The EBACE13 conference is an amazing production.  Almost 700 exhibitors attended with displays ranging from small to gigantic. There seemed to be a large corporate entertainment aspect to the event, the show was much more than a venue for buyers and sellers to mingle. I frequently thought about how to calculate the ROI on an event like this, it seemed like a roll of the dice because in some cases one sale would make it all worth while. It was a very impressive event for a depressed industry, I can't wait to see what it will be like when economic conditions improve.

BBJ Display

Crowd for John Travolta at Bombardier

Embraer Business Jet Family

Eurocopter New Model

747-800 Model For Head of State Customers

Nicest CRJ's Ever

Bombardier's business jets have the same cabin width and height as the CRJ family they also produce.  The Challenger 850 is the same aircraft as a CRJ-200, just with a different interior (and the 850 is the long one).  Even though 50 seat jets are falling out of favor with airlines, these aircraft are growing in popularity as business jets. A used and perfectly functional CRJ-200 in desert storage can cost $2-4 million.  New owners just have to replace the interior and they have a large cabin business jet for about a tenth of the cost and three years sooner than a new Gulfstream G650 (more detail on CRJ-200 conversions).  So what can your CRJ-200 be like if it were set up for 10 to 14 people rather than 50?

Global 6000 Cabin

Rear of Global 6000 Cabin

Global 6000 - Full Shower

Bombardier Challenger 300 Cabin

Bombardier Challenger 605 Cabin

EBACE13 Static Display

United Next gen 737’s New Winglets

Not all the news from EBACE13 is specific to business aviation.  United Airlines will be installing additional winglets on their NextGen 737’s.  The additions will have at least a 2.5% improvement in fuel efficiency (some customers have reported a 9% savings).  This will be a winglet retrofit that will start in the near future, but no definite timeline is set.  Aviation Partners provides the technology and is the company behind most Boeing winglet retrofits in the skies.  The winglets look somewhat like the new 737MAX winglets, but are more curved than angular.

Aviation Partners Provided Rendering