Winging It

As a US Air customer and Dividend Miles member for well over 10 years, I must admit that I am ready to throw in the towel. Between the lack of flights available, being nickel and dimed or actually extorted for miles it all seems like a waste of time. My latest misadventure is I am trying to book flights from Phl-Barcelona in late Sept. Can you believe they have no seats left for club members for flights 7 months away. Of course, for double the points (100k per person) they can make seats appear. Bottom line is, maybe its time to switch airlines or simply go for the rock bottom prices and be done with it. Either way, I simply don't find this acceptable any longer. Regards,Ted

I’m a management consultant and expert witness for utilities or their customers in the US, Canada and the Caribbean. In the 1990s I was flying every week. In 2000 I just got tried of the wear and tear of air travel and decided that my time was worth more than fees from far away clients. I shifted my focus and built up work with clients from Foxboro, MA to Richmond, VA along the Amtrak corridor.

In 2002 I was approached by a client in California to purchase electricity for their apartment holdings in Texas. We were $2,000 apart on the consulting fee, so I suggested that I would not travel to CA for the initial meeting and then on to Texas for a site review. The only entity that lost out was USAir. I never shook my client’s hand or ever met face to face and continued to work for them until the properties were sold in 2007. The Internet allowed me to handle all the bidding and energy contracting without leaving my home office.

I can’t handle every client that way, but the reality is changing. I can land clients, perform all the studies required, draft and complete my testimony, all without traveling. I now travel for my witness assignments only to present my testimony and be cross-examined.

In 1998 I realized that both ends of the plane arrive at the same time. When over a third of the plane is occupied by “preferred or elite” members getting on early doesn’t guarantee a good seat or a place in the overhead.

I use the following “new rules” for both business travel and vacations with my wife. They work equally well for the US or Europe.

1. Pack light, never check a bag into PHL, shave weight from the laptop and briefcase
2. Take the train where possible
3. Book non-stop flights whenever and wherever possible.
4. PHL is just another alternative to EWR
5. No airline loyalty as the frequent flyer “points” are worth less each year
6. Choose a flight based on schedule, seat availability and comfort
7. Leave plenty of time in my schedule, take a good book
8. Web check in early
9. Eat before a flight or buy your food at the airport

Some examples:

1. When I had to support a friend on a consulting engagement in Bellevue, WA, I flew from EWR to get a non-stop rather than a connecting flight from PHL.
2. We are flying to Venice for a two week vacation. We have booked a limo from our home in Langhorne to JFK so that we can fly non-stop. The cost of the limo is less than parking for the two weeks.
3. The last time we used USAir frequent flier miles to Europe was in 2003. A transfer in Zurich to get there and transfers in Zurich and Montreal to return. We decided that paying for tickets was a better bargain.
4. I recently choose Southwest to Columbus, OH over USAir, just because the plane was bigger and more comfortable than a Regional Jet. Frequency of flights is no longer an attraction when they are flying full.
5. I’m 13 miles from the Trenton Train Station. I can always find covered parking. I get on Amtrak, have a meal from the café, plug in my laptop, use my cell phone and make money while I travel. And stretch my legs.

Not everyone has the flexibility that I have. I own my firm and most of my work is referrals so I can structure an engagement.

The next step I’m going to test is video across the Internet. I’ve used high speed video in the past with good results, now its time to try from my home office.

Every time USAir reduces the value of my “miles” to save fuel costs, I just laugh at their stupidity. I have miles on at least 10 airlines, but rarely look at anything until we are planning a vacation. When traveling we look to see if the miles have any value. We find that we have to use connecting flights, fly at midnight or other annoyances. So we book a paid flight that fits our schedule. We use our miles some other way.

Oh, PHL should get its act together. In CMH, PDW and other airports I can go on-line for free with access to electricity for the laptop. Philadelphia the “connected” city except at the airport?

If you have time to spare, fly USAir.