Delta, United and US Airways are now alerting qualified passengers to their PreCheck status with a “TSA PreCheck” alert on mobile and paper boarding passes. That’s because passengers eligible for TSA’s PreCheck program offering expedited security screening at 40 airports are sometimes unaware of their status and unsure of which checkpoint line to join.

After all, what good is privilege if you don’t use it?“All TSA PreCheck participants are vetted for

eligibility each time they fly,” said TSA spokesman David Castelveter. And knowing their status prior to arriving at airport “helps passengers effectively route themselves to available TSA PreCheck lanes,” he said.

While much appreciated by eligible travelers who can leave shoes and light jackets on and laptops and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in their bags, the system still has a few wrinkles.

Only some airlines in the PreCheck program currently add the alerts to boarding passes and not all boarding pass systems support the PreCheck notification feature.

Delta and US Airways passengers will see “TSA PreCheck” on printed boarding passes and, by the end of next week, the TSA PreCheck logo will be on those airlines’ mobile boarding passes. United announced May 3, that the TSA PreCheck logo will appear on boarding passes issued online, through

mobile devices, or from most airport kiosks. The airline indicated that boarding passes printed by an agent will not display the notification at this time, but is expected at a later date.

Even if the status indicator is provided, TSA reminds participants that no passenger is ever guaranteed expedited screening, as TSA will continue to incorporate random, unpredictable screening measures to ensure the safety of passengers.

Travelers who have been granted access to use U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry Program not only qualify for expedited customs and immigration screening when returning to the U.S., but it also provides participants with access to expedited security screening through the

TSA’s PreCheck program.Another issue: because neither TSA nor the airlines

filter by airport, “the TSA PreCheck pre-notification indicator will continue to appear on those selected customers’ boarding passes whether the airport has a TSA PreCheck screening lane or not,” Delta Air Lines spokesperson Michael Thomas told NBC News.

To solve that problem, TSA encourages passengers to bookmark and check the list of participating airports and checkpoint locations on the PreCheck chart and the TSA mobile application.

More details on the PreCheck program and eligibility are on the TSA website.

May 2013 Newsletter

Your Ticket Now Says if You can Speed Through TSA Security

Inside this issue:Speed Through TSA . . . . . . . . . Page 1Fliers Chase Low Fares . . . . . . Page 2Bus Travel Spend Rises . . . . . . Page 3TSA No to Pocketknives . . . . . . Page 4

British New Fist Class Fares . . Page 4United Debuts 200th Aircraft . . Page 4Pack Like a Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5Southwest: No Bag Fees . . . . . Page 6

Frontier Urges Booking Direct . . Page 6Forget to Turn Off Devices? . . . . Page 7Unsued Frequent-Flier Miles . . Page 8

IN focusfocusMay 2013 Newsletter

As Fliers Chase Low Fares, Fees for the Extras Add Up

You couldn’t hear the American Airlines gate agent mumbling into his tiny microphone about yet another delay at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport because he was being drowned out by the voice of the woman who makes those annoying security announcements.

That didn’t matter, though, since my plane was not going anywhere for another couple of hours early Friday evening, as the air travel system lurched through the final days of systemwide delays caused by the furloughs of air traffic controllers.

Late that night, as we finally approached New York, the captain made a cheery announcement, which I hoped was also accurate. “Well, the worst part of the day is behind us,” he said.

And on Sunday, flying back home to Tucson from New York with a connection in Dallas, all delay-free, it appeared that the latest air travel crisis had abated.

So welcome back to the old normal — to long flights without food in coach, to overstuffed overhead storage bins, to cramped planes filled to capacity on every flight, to a general annoyance that is perhaps illustrated by my deep resentment of that large man in the row ahead of me with a head the size of a pumpkin who cranked his seat all the way back, reducing my personal space to about nine inches.

One big aspect of the old normal is airline fees, of course. Airlines cannot get enough of them. Last week, for example, US Airways, currently navigating a merger with American Airlines that will ultimately leave USAir in charge, announced that it would follow the lead of United Airlines and raise the penalty fees

for changing most coach tickets to $200 from $150, and to $300 from $250 for some international flights.

It was not apparent on Monday whether Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were planning to match these increases. But change penalties are big revenue producers for airlines, which collected $2.4 billion in such penalties in 2011. The total rose about 7 percent for the first three quarters of last year, the most recent period for which data has been reported by the Transportation Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The airlines justify the rising fees — for changing flights, checking bags and a host of other services like better (or less awful) seats in the coach cabins — as a necessity if they are to remain profitable in the face of intractable passenger demand for the lowest competitive fares. “We can continue to offer low fares by segmenting customer demand,” said Scott Kirby, the president of USAir, at the airline’s annual media day.

Increasingly sophisticated pricing is behind that segmenting of demand.

By JOE SHARKEYUSA TODAY

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

IN focusfocus

Business Travel Spending Gains Momentum as Economy Improves

May 2013 Newsletter

An improving economic outlook with business and consumer confidence on the rise is expected to boost business travel in 2013, leading the Global Business Travel Association to upgrade its forecast for the year. Stronger corporate profits, increasing job development and improvements in key export markets are fueling business travel spending after a sluggish fourth quarter that was dampened by political uncertainty due to the “fiscal cliff” debate.

According to the GBTA BTI™ Outlook – United States 2013 Q1, a report from the Global Business

Travel Association sponsored by Visa, Inc., U.S. business travel is now expected to rise 5.1% in 2013 to $268.5 billion, which is an upgrade from the 4.6% growth to $266.7 billion that GBTA predicted last quarter and a substantial increase from 1.8% growth in 2012.

GBTA’s forecast upgrade will be driven in part by stronger growth in group spending, which is now expected to increase 6.0% to $115.9 billion – up from 5.2% growth forecast in Q4.

GBTA’s outlook for trip volume remains essentially the same from last quarter – a slight decline of

-1.1% to 431.7 million person-trips.“Business confidence is up and

the need to compete in the global economy is driving companies to invest in business travel,” said Michael W. McCormick , GBTA executive director and COO. “Despite continued political uncertainty in the U.S. and around the world, businesses are beginning to break out of their holding pattern and seek growth more aggressively. While there are still many factors that could hamper the economy again, from

Here is an example from my flight from Tucson to New York over the weekend on American Airlines. The round-trip coach fare, booked by a corporate travel office for last-minute travel, was $916.66 When I checked in, my assigned seat on both legs was 29E — a middle seat, one of the worst possible in the rear of an MD-80 aircraft. All the aisle or window seats in the dreaded back of the plane were shown as unavailable.

Ah, but I did have options. For an extra $36, I was able to choose a less-awful aisle seat. On the return trip, the surcharges for better aisle coach seats ranged up to $106. Yet on both trips, I saw that a few aisle seats in the back of the plane (which I would have opted for without paying a charge) were actually unoccupied. A spokesman for American said that those seats are often kept open for traveling employees and families that want to sit together, and not to encourage

others to pay extra for better seats.These are the realities as the

airline industry consolidates globally. With ever more numerous layers of fees, airlines have essentially figured out a way to raise fares from business travelers, who are far more likely to choose to pay a little extra for a little less discomfort. Corporate travel managers are increasingly inclined to approve such extra charges on expense accounts, Derek Kerr, the US Airways chief financial officer, told me last week.

As it merges with American (the merger is expected to formally close this fall), US Airways’ management, which will run what it calls the “new American,” will be operating a giant global airline with more than 1,500 aircraft making 6,700 daily flights to 336 destinations in 56 countries. Under the American AAdvantage brand, its combined frequent-flier program will have more than 100 million members.

Given the enormous complexity of the merger, USAir officials say they are not contemplating introducing a lot of basic changes. But fees for new levels of service will certainly become more common.

At its corporate event in Scottsdale, Ariz., last week, US Airways had a display of one of its new products, called DineFresh. It’s a premium boxed meal with a small bottle of wine, available as an upgrade from the free coach meals on international flights to Europe, the Middle East and South America. The meals looked enticing enough to pay extra for, from a chilled charcuterie with salad and cheesecake to a vegetarian orzo with portobello mushrooms. But the price was bracing.

I caught Doug Parker, the chief executive of USAir, as he passed by. “Doug,” I said, “great-looking choices — but $21.99 for a meal in coach?”

“Heh-heh,” Mr. Parker said.

LOW FARES CONTINUED

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

IN focusfocus

British Airwaysintroduces new first class fare levels

United Introduces 200th Aircraftwith Live Television

The TSA Says No to Pocketknives on Airplanes After All

British Airways and American Airlines have today introduced two new transatlantic First class fare levels from select US and Canadian gateway cities to the UK.

The fares, booked in “A” class inventor, represent a signifcant discount from the current First class levels and will offer an attractive sell-up option for both yourbusiness and leisure clients. Some restrictions do apply.

United has equipped its 200th aircraft with live television, offering customers more than 100 channels of live programing while in-flight. United operates more live television-equipped aircraft than any other airline in the world.

United currently offers live television on most Boeing 737 aircraft and on many of its Boeing 757-300 aircraft. In addition to

live news, sports and family entertainment, customers may enjoy up to eight newly released movies a month. The service is complimentary for customers in United First and available for purchase in United Economy starting at $5.99 and varying depending on the length of flight.

Live television-equipped aircraft also feature power outlets in United First and United Economy Plus, enabling customers to charge their cell phones, laptops, e-readers and other mobile devices.

When Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole moved last month to lift restrictions on bringing small pocketknives, hockey sticks, and baseball bats on airplanes, he was deluged with criticism. Pistole argued that small knives could not be used to bring

down an airliner—and pointed out that the TSA already allows small scissors and screwdrivers on board.

But airline executives and flight attendants protested that it would put crews and passengers in danger. And the airport screeners union complained that the new rules, which permit knives shorter than 2.36 inches, would be the subject of endless squabbling from passengers, leading to even longer airport delays.

Unlike other agency heads, who are legally bound to get public input or congressional approval before making big rule changes, Pistole had the authority to make the change and said he wasn’t going to

back down.He backed down. According to

my colleague Jeff Plungis, Pistole announced in an internal e-mail circulated to TSA staff on Monday that he was delaying the plan, which was set to go into effect on April 25. The TSA chief said he needed “to further consult with the airline industry” before making the change.

Pistole didn’t say how long he’d take to make up his mind. For the time being, passengers who don’t want to get into hassles with the TSA should leave pocketknives and baseball bats in their checked luggage—or at home.

the impact of sequestration to rising energy prices, business travel spending is heading in the right direction so far in 2013.”

“As corporate and consumer

spending confidence rises, the business travel forecast in the United States is starting to brighten,” said Tad Fordyce , head of global commercial solutions at Visa Inc. “While the report shows

the trip volume among business travelers will remain steady, we remain optimistic that stronger spending will help 2013 business travel exceed its pre-recession high.”

CORPORATE TRAVEL CONTINUED

By ELIZABETH DWOSKIN BUSINESSWEEK

May 2013 Newsletter

IN focusfocus

5 Tips to Pack Like a Travel Pro & Save Some Dough

You might be a frequent flyer, but flight attendants and travel editors are in the air even more than you, and they have tips to make business travel more painless.

We’ve come a long way from the days of breezy security, cheerful staff and plentiful free drinks on planes. Maybe flying used to be fun, but these days your only goal when getting on a plane is likely to be escaping with the minimum annoyance possible.

If your business compels you to fly frequently, this certainly isn’t news, and you probably already have strategies for packing so as to minimize the hassle of travel. But according to industry insiders such as travel editors and flight attendants, there are probably some professional-grade tricks you’re not yet using. What are they?

Never Neglect the BasicsYou probably already know

this but it’s so essential, it bears repeating. The team behind travel site Fathom recently called these the golden rules: Carry-on instead of checking so that you can exit the airport immediately after reaching your destination. Check in online 24 hours before a flight, not only to save time at the airport but also to get a better seat.

Roll, Don’t FoldTo achieve an all carry-on trip,

you’ll need to save space. So how can you get more clothes in your limited luggage and not wind up with creases on arrival? Forget folding, says a New York Times article rounding up airline staff’s travel tips:

To make room for these new

travel necessities, many flight attendants roll their clothes rather than fold them to save space. Nerea Gomez-Cambronero, an attendant with Air Europa Líneas Aéreas in Majorca, Spain, has taught friends and relatives to roll-pack clothes. “The rolling-your-clothes tip is the basis of my entire company,” said Don Chernoff, an engineer and frequent traveler, whose www.skyroll.com offers a line of luggage that encourages rolling rather than folding. “It’s a more efficient use of the space.”

If you have creased trousers, fear not. Butler Bureau has a video explaining how classically trained household staff keep them crisp, which entertainingly features the sort of unflappable British accent you always imagined for your fictional butler.

Even Better, Bag ItIf you’re still space challenged

even after employing the rolling trick, then Fathom has another idea. “Air-compression packing bags are miraculous, squeezing air out of clothes, giving you more room in the suitcase. Giant Ziploc bags work, too. Just roll them tight,” suggests the post. The Huffington Post’s SmarterTravel blog recommends Eagle Creek compression bags.

Dodge the Liquids HassleUnder current safety rules,

toiletries cause tons of hassle. “Attempt to bring a large bottle of shampoo or a full-size gel deodorant through the security line and the TSA will likely confiscate your stuff,” SmarterTravel reminds flyers.

The solution, according to Fathom, may seem like a luxury, but the blog claims this technique pays off in the

long run: “Give up squeezing your favorite face wash into tiny tubes. Buying travel-size items of your favorite products — and laundry detergent — and keeping them at the ready in a Ziploc under your sink might seem indulgent, but it will save time, product, frustration, and your skin. 3Fl.Oz. is our favorite source for these.”Take a Cue From Carrie Bradshaw

You may be more of a hoodie and jeans type than a fashionista like the protagonist of Sex and the City, but in the case of packing, take a lesson from Carrie—accessories count, especially shoes. “Select shoes, then coordinate outfits around them. Three pairs should be the maximum,” one Los Angeles-based flight attendant told the New York Times. Save more space, and keep your shoes shaped, by shoving rolled socks inside your selected footwear.

Fathom also agrees that clever accessories are key to packing light (but well), as is thinking through your outfits from top to toes. “Check that you’ve packed everything you need by mentally dressing yourself from shoes and socks up to goggles and hats,” suggests the site, which also urges business travelers to “pack something small that can make any outfit smarter. You never know when you’ll need to look sharp. For men, an uncreasable silk knotted tie. For women, a fancy scarf.”

Looking to upgrade your travel expertise even more? Fathom has a whopping two dozen tips in total, while the UK’s Telegraph newspaper outdoes itself with 50, covering just about every aspect of managing your journey, and your suitcase.

By JESSICA STILLMAN,INC.COM

May 2013 Newsletter

IN focusfocus

Adding bag fees now would cost Southwest $1 billion, says CEO

If customers don’t book direct, Frontier to charge for overhead bin

Ancillary fees are nirvana for most airlines today — but not Southwest. CEO Gary Kelly actually said charging for bags now would harm the airline’s bottom line.

Southwest’s research shows that implementing baggage fees would cost the airline $1 billion in the form of defecting customers, Kelly said Thursday during Southwest’s call to discuss the airline’s first-quarter results.

Gary Kelly “I don’t think ancillary revenues in today’s environment are the answer to hitting our earnings

target,” said Kelly.Southwest’s secret sauce for

the near future: optimize its route network. That means eliminating underperforming routes, redeploying aircraft and managing capacity.

“That will dwarf any ancillary fee benefit,” said Kelly.

Kelly did not rule out fees in the future.

“For all we know , customers will say three years from we want you to separate out bag fees,” he said.

However, for United Airlines, the time for ancillaries is now.

During its first-quarter call on

Thursday, United said ancillary revenue increased 13% in the first quarter. Sales of Economy Plus seats were up 40%.

The airline’s goal is to increase ancillary sales by at least 9% in 2013, said Jim Compton, United’s chief revenue officer.

Compton credited the revenue increase to an increase in more direct bookings, either on United’s website or its mobile apps.

He added that direct bookings are United’s lowest-cost distribution channel.

Frontier Airlines will start charging customers anywhere from $25 to $100 to stow a carry-on bag in the overhead bin, if they purchase economy fares from travel agents or online agencies.

Use of the overhead bin will continue to be free for customers who book and check in at Frontier’s website.

The change will take effect in summer 2013, with the start date to be announced later this spring, Frontier said.

Also, Frontier will start charging

more for bags checked at airport. Frontier will charge $25 at the airport and $20 if customers check the bag at Frontier’s website. The policy will be in effect for all tickets purchased on or after June 1, for travel on or after July 11.

By KATE RICETRAVELWEEKLY

By GAY NAGLE MYERSTRAVELWEEKLY

May 2013 Newsletter

IN focusfocus

Nearly a third of jet passengers “accidentally” leave electronics on

Despite rules requiring US flyers to turn off their phones and other electronic devices, many people leave them on, a survey shows.

The survey released by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and the Consumer Electronics Association on Thursday suggests US regulators could ease the ban, which assumes that electronic devices could interfere with navigation equipment.

The survey found 30 per cent of passengers accidentally left an electronic device turned on during a flight, even though they are required to turn them off during takeoff and landing.

When asked to turn off the devices, 59 per cent said they always turn their devices completely off, 21 per cent of passengers said they switch their devices to “airplane mode,” and five per cent say they sometimes turn their devices completely off.

Of those passengers who accidentally left a portable device turned on in-flight, 61 per cent said it was a smartphone.

Last year, the head of the US agency that regulates telecommunications called for an easing of the ban on using mobile phones and other electronic devices on airplanes.

The FFA has begun a review of the rules.

The Federal Communications Commission studied the question

several years ago but found insufficient evidence to support lifting the ban at the time.

There have been several high profile incidents on flights involving passengers failing to switch off their phones. In December 2011, actor Alec Baldwin made headlines after he was ordered off an American Airlines flight for refusing to switch off his smartphone.

The FAA has said in the past that there are “too many unknowns” about radio signals that mobile electronic devices give off. While some have said more research is needed, others have questioned why millions should be spent on research when passengers can just switch off for a short period of time.

By BENNY EVANGELISTASAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

May 2013 Newsletter

IN focusfocus

Two-thirds of Americans collect reward miles and points for travel, but the vast majority of us don’t know how many we have. And even worse is that more than 25 percent of us are letting frequent-flier miles expire.

Your lost miles are a win for the airlines, said Brian Kelly, world traveler and founder of ThePointsGuy.com, the web site that conducted the research. “It’s in the financial interest of the airlines for you to let your miles expire. They make money when you don’t maximize miles.”

Outstanding miles are a liability to the airlines, Kelly said. “All those miles have to be accounted for,” he said. “That can affect their quarterly results.”

Delta recently changed its SkyMiles program. Now, when a person dies, their miles die with them. They’re the first airline to do so.

The airline also said earlier this year

it would require a spending minimum in addition to distance flown to earn miles, making it harder for travelers on a budget to accumulate miles in the first place.

Kelly just returned from Brazil. He flew first-class and paid $2.50 for his ticket. Safe to say he keeps track of all his points.

But he flies 150,000 miles a year. Most travelers don’t fly anywhere near that much. Most don’t even fly enough in a year to rack up enough miles for a free flight.

It’s those people, Kelly said, who are leaving “orphaned miles all over the place.” But he said you don’t necessarily need to be a frequent flier to earn miles.

“If you’re going to shop at Walmart anyway,” he said, “why not go through the airline portal to earns miles for your purchases?”

Members of Delta’s SkyMiles, for example, can go to skymilesshopping.

com and earn a mile for every dollar they spend at Walmart. Lesser-known brands offer up to 4 miles for every dollar spent.

“Travelers are sitting on hidden treasure. You need to treat your miles like money,” Kelly said. “Even if you only have 4,000 miles, use it to buy magazines, something.”

He acknowledges that it can be difficult to keep track of miles and points and recommends travelers keep all their information in one place. He uses AwardWallet.com and Tripit. Tripit, he said, will send an email when miles are getting close to their expiration date.

And because travelers love to hate the airlines, isn’t the best revenge to use their own programs to your advantage? Kelly thinks so.

“It takes a little time to figure out,” he said. “but once they’re all in one place, it doesn’t have to be a full-time job.”

Unused Frequent-Flier Miles ‘Hidden Treasure’ for PassengersBy GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN

ABC NEWS

May 2013 Newsletter