Lufthansa 747-800 Picture

The 747 is a great looking aircraft, the 800 version is no exception.

Lufthansa 747-8

Rabble Rabble Rabble

Unfortunately United is following Delta's lead and including a minimum spend requirement as part of status qualification.  The spending requirement is only met with United ticket purchases (016 start to your ticket number), so partner flights booked through the partner airline only count for segments and miles.  This new requirement will thin out the elite ranks, especially of low cost per mile flyers like me (I could buy 1K for less than $5,000 if I tried).  This is a win for high fare corporate flyers who can meet $10,000 spending on 10 to 20 domestic trips. The new monetary requirement, along with US Airways going oneworld, will make status, especially 1K, much more difficult to attain.  

New United Award Chart

US Airways American Merger - Credit Card Update

When US Airways completes their acquisition of American Airlines, the new airline will use the Citi issued American Airlines card.  Now is the time to get the The US Airways Premier World MasterCard® while you still can.  The miles you earn will transfer when the airlines combine and you can still get the American card at a later date.  There's a good sign up bonus too.

Not Much Longer Until These Need New Paint

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.