Every so often, I’ll introduce a new feature available through the More Than Points Personal Travel Assistant. This post introduces the flight status command. Using this command, you can see if you’ll be home on time. It also displays FAA-provided gate information in case you have an unexpected gate change. Since the MTP PTA lets you send commands through any jabber-compatible client (e.g. Google Talk) or any email client (like your BlackBerry), you can use it anywhere you have data service.
The flight command only requires the the two-digit airline code followed by the flight number:
Remember: To use the MTP PTA just send an instant message to morethanpoints@gmail.com OR send an email with NO SUBJECT and the command in the body of the email to the same email address. Why bother with pulling up a website when a simple email or IM will do the trick.
More Than Points is all about saving you time so you can spend it on yourself and your family. Enjoy the rest of your week.
Lifehacker.com has a decent article which captures a pre-flight checklist. In a nutshell it is broken down in the following categories:
- How to get cheap fares
- How to select the best seats
- How to pack
- Miscellaneous
As a frequent traveler, it provides limited value as several things didn’t apply (e.g. How to get cheap fares, how to pack, etc.) Our working schedules dictate our flights and we pack without giving it a second thought (or let our dry-cleaners do the packing for us). The best way to use it is to verify your current weekly process and look for improvements. If I authored the article, I would have titled the article “Pack like a Power Traveler”.
Nevertheless, it is well-written so I recommend giving it a quick read.
Frank Luntz is a road warrior with a serious flying resume (He is a 1K member on United, Executive Platinum on American, Platinum on Continental, Gold on Delta, and Gold on US Airways). I read his article at www.businessweek.com and I found the information useful enough to pass on.
His 5 tips in no particular order (with my comments):
- Know your airport. (I just make sure to get to the airport with at least an hour before the flight is scheduled for take-off if you have no check-in baggage. Even if the security line takes 20-25 minutes, you still have time make it to the gate.)
Big airports are as different as the cities they’re in. Las Vegas is by far the worst, with long security lines that often take 45 minutes, particularly at the newly expanded D Gates (serving American, United (UAUA), and Delta (DAL)). New York’s JFK is the toughest airport to navigate if you’re switching carriers because there are nine separate terminals.
Also, most airports let you check in and check luggage up to 30 minutes before takeoff. But don’t show up a mere half-hour early in Vegas or at LAX in Los Angeles. You’ll miss the 45-minute cutoff, and you won’t get a boarding pass. Denver and Miami also have a 45-minute pre-flight deadline to check luggage but require only 30 minutes if you just need a boarding pass.
- The shortest airport security line is not necessarily the fastest. (This is a good one - I use this subconsciously all the time. I spot the business travelers by their suits and laptop bags.)
Look at the type of people waiting in a line, not the number. A dozen businesspeople will move through security much faster than two families with young children or a tour group of senior citizens. Just remember this equation: One baby carriage equals four typical passengers.
Another tip for moving through security: Aim for the far left or far right scanner lanes. Most people just walk straight ahead and end up waiting longer as a result.
- Early boarding is not desirable. (I am not a fan of this tip - getting your carry-on into the overhead is CRITICAL to avoid having to check it in.)
On crowded flights, the big planes can take 40 minutes to fully board, forcing you to spend all that extra time in a cramped seat. Unless you’re afraid there won’t be room in the overhead bins for your carry-on, wait.
- Planes sometimes close the door to passengers before the posted departure time. (Remember - airlines CAN and will do this because flights are considered delayed if they are at the gate past their scheduled departure time. They can sit on the tarmac for 20 minutes after the scheduled departure time and not communicate the flight as “delayed”.)
Many carriers would rather have a flight pull away 10 minutes early and leave a customer or two behind than arrive at its destination 10 minutes late. Personally, I have missed more flights this way than for all other reasons combined. The worst offender: US Airways
- Frequent fliers get no preference when flights are canceled. (Call up your travel agency AS soon as you think your flight may be canceled. Your travel agent can hold a seat on another flight without making the reservation and release the hold if your original flight takes off.)
If you are a frequent flier with a particular airline, you’re supposed to have an advantage in getting on that carrier’s next flight. But it’s first come, first served, baby. The person who gets to any gate agent for the airline first, anywhere in the airport, snags the first empty seats. So if you’re standing in a long line at your assigned gate waiting for rebooking, look for an agent at an empty gate.
Here’s hoping travel in 2008 turns out better than 2007 for all road warriors and their families..
According to this Wall Street Journal article, FlightStats.com had the most accurate and up-to-date information. For those of you with a web-enabled cell phone, they also have a mobile-friendly website here. I’ve used FlightStats in the past and found the information very accurate – they even provide the gate number of your flight if it’s available.
I recommend skipping the airline websites, as their updates are flaky at best, and see if FlightStats.com works for you.
Happy flying and may you (almost) always get home on time.
I’m a big fan of data. The more data, the better. Data helps us make better decisions which usually saves time, money, or all of the above.
Data about the airlines help travelers, like myself, vote with our feet (and our money). As I grow increasingly more disillusioned about airline point programs (I’ll write about the ridiculous terms of point programs later), I have less issues with dropping a bad airlines, regardless of my status, and switching over to an entirely new one.
Currently, I’m booking one way flights on United to my destination, but flying back on Southwest. The return flight has become SO BAD with delays and cancellations on United it’s worth it for me to not have a reserved seat JUST so I can actually get home at a reasonable time. It actually angers me as a traveler with Premium Executive (missed 1K by a few segments last year) to deal with the same delayed flight every single %#!&! week. United doesn’t seem to care. Southwest is on-time every week. I can get home while it’s actually daylight outside. It’s wonderful.
Anyways, I digress. If you want to know if a flight will likely be delayed before you have to experience it, then check out The Aviation Consumer Protection website for detailed data on flights.
Here’s some interesting information for April 2007:
Percentage of On-time Arrivals (Top is better)
Reasons for Delay
Props to the Consumerist for highlighting this resource.
News from down in my neck of the woods – looks like the Chicago Transit Authority will be installing flight information displays at the Clark / Lake train station for both O’hare and Midway. That’s convenient. Hopefully this spurs other stations and cities to do the same.
Thanks for the tip, Nauman.