As airline fees come and rarely go, I ponder what charge will be accessed next? It seems nothing is sacred in the realm of fees, and the included-in-price perk of a seat assignment may be the next casualty of the complimentary. 

This week British Airways announced it would begin charging a fee for travelers wishing to reserve a seat at time of booking. Up until October 7, travelers will be able to (as in the past) reserve seats 24 hours prior to departure without a fee associated. After that date, pre-reserved one-way seats will run from $16 for economy flights within Europe to $96 for business class long-haul seating to $80 for an exit row on a long-haul flight.

What's next? If I was a betting man, I'd have to say a rental charge for the the seatback tray. 

PS: My apologies for the title, as it may have you humming, How much is that doggy in the window?

Posted by Tom at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Business travel makes me hungry; come to think of it, breathing makes me hungry. So the next time you're trotting the globe and the pangs of hunger consume you, consider the following list from The Observer: The 50 best things to eat in the world and where to eat them.

I think a business trip to Spain is in order (that would be the business of eating well); one should always know where to find the best steak, prawns, ham, tapas and fried potatoes. 

Posted by Tom at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's a soon-to-be iPhone application that may just get me to donate my tracfone and 67 remaining minutes of air time to charity. It's called WorkSnug, and the app incorporates the wonderful world of Augmented Reality (a place I spend a lot of time) to show great places to work when you're on the town or on the road.

Augmented Reality is technology that allows the iPhone user to see the world around them with relevant information superimposed over the image. So you point your iPhone at the coffee shop and the ap highlights the good, the bad and the ugly of said coffee shop and if it's a suitable place to set up shop and finish that expense report (or not).

Posted by Tom at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We had a little debate going around the office about traveling abroad with your iphone. When I shared an article about the high costs associated with an iPhone's international roaming charges, some responded smugly that this was not news, contending, "Oh everyone knows that."

I'm here to tell you that this is not the case as a friend of mine found out just how high roaming charges can be on a recent trip to Europe.  She subsequently sent me the following article as proof that if could have been a lot worse.

Chicago Tribune: Don't dare take your iPhone abroad before reading this

Posted by Tom at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just received a notice from United about a way to accelerate a traveler's qualification for elite status. And while I would have to travel from now until Oktoberfest to qualify, there are road warriors aplenty who may benefit from knowing about this offer.  

Here's the scoop from United Airlines

The Mileage Plus® Fall Double EQM or EQS promotion: Now through December 15, 2009, and only on www.united.com/doubleeqms  Travelers may register to earn double Elite Qualifying Miles* (EQM) or double Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS) for paid travel on United and United Express. 

This is a special opportunity to help travelers retain elite status or earn a higher level. Earn a choice of either double Elite Qualifying Miles* (EQM) or double Elite Qualifying Segments (EQS) on qualifying United® or United Express® flights.

Posted by Tom at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Currently rebranded as the H1N1 flu, swine flu is the topic of the hour for most travelers. Whether on a city bus, cross-country flight or island cruise, what should you know about staying healthy during the flu season? And while am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, I am a master of the search engine and found the following tips and advice from the experts.

Hopefully these links are good place to begin:

• CDC: H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
• Latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• WebMD: Swine Flu and Travel: 6 Tips
• Should You Cancel Your Travel Plans? What If You Get Sick? Find Out What to Do.
• MSNBC: H1N1 and travel health: swine flu, round two?
• For travelers, preparedness, not panic, is the best prescription.

Safe travels, and stay healthy!

Posted by Tom at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)