O N S I T E

FrequentFlier Forum Topics
==========================

As always, there's plenty of activity on the Forum...

Steve is looking for the best miles-for-long-distance deals. Rick wants to top off his SkyMiles account. Grant wants to do the same for his Mileage Plus account. Tracey is wondering about mileage transfer. And TomBrew has discovered mileage-earning opportunities when purchasing software and window blinds.

Do you have questions? Do you have answers? Post them to the Forum!

>> More - The FrequentFlier Forum

Planetfeedback Holiday Results
==========================

As you've probably noticed, we've partnered with Planetfeedback to give FrequentFlier.com visitors a quick and easy way to communicate with travel suppliers. (The Planetfeedback form is on the homepage.)

Planetfeedback recently shared with us the results of airline feedback received via FrequentFlier.com and other participating websites, and we thought some of our readers might be interested.

The following table shows the change in airline complaint ratios (complaints as a % of total feedback) from the pre-holiday period and the holiday season. So, for example, TWA's 72% means that 72 out of every 100 feedback notes were complaints prior to the holiday season, which decreased 2 points to 70% during the holidays.

M I L E S

American WILL Honor TWA Miles
===============================

American on Wednesday announced in no uncertain terms that Aviators miles will be safeguarded if and when they successfully acquire TWA.

Longtime AA marketing chief Mike Gunn put it thusly: "Once we have the necessary court and governmental approvals to proceed, Aviators members will receive AAdvantage miles for the full balances in their TWA portfolios. The value of Aviators miles will grow dramatically as part of the AAdvantage program, so we encourage TWA customers to continue earning Aviators miles on all their travels as we work through the approvals required to credit their new AAdvantage accounts. Then, the entire world of AAdvantage will be opened up to them."

While some questions remain (conversion process, status of Aviators elite members, deadline for redeeming under Aviators award chart), Aviators members can at least rest assured that their miles will be safe.

Assuming, that is, the American buyout proceeds (see below)...

Whither TWA...?
===========================

Just as Aviators members were seeing light at the end of the mileage tunnel (see above), another element of uncertainty crept into the TWA picture this week with the news that Carl Ichan is considering his own bid to acquire TWA. And that news was followed by a report that Continental may also be interested in bidding for some of TWA's assets.

While Continental's interest would be limited to specific routes and gates, and therefore wouldn't affect the disposition of Aviators miles, an Ichan-led buyout, if it trumped American's acquisition effort, would again cast doubt on the future status of your hard-earned miles.

Air Canada Adds Thrifty to Aeroplan Partner Roster
====================================

To promote its participation in Air Canada's Aeroplan, Thrifty Car Rental is offering double miles to Aeroplan members beginning February 6, 2001.

Aeroplan members who rent for 2 days or more will receive double miles of 1,000 miles per qualifying rental transaction (twice the normal 500 miles per rental) through March 31, 2001, at all Canada and U.S. Thrifty locations.

After March 31, 2001, Aeroplan members will receive 500 miles per qualifying transaction when renting from Thrifty locations worldwide.

Radisson Offers Triple Points for Winter Stays
================================================

Radisson's "See Triple" winter promotion rewards Gold Rewards members with triple miles after the first qualifying stay.

Members earn the standard 2,000 Gold Points for the first stay, then triple points -- 6,000 Gold Points -- for every stay thereafter between January 1 and March 31, 2001. Offer is valid for stays at Radisson; hotels in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

> More - Radisson

Hilton Adds Camino Real Hotels to HHonors
===================================

Beginning April 1, members of Hilton's HHonors program can earn points and take awards at Camino Real hotels.

Hoteles Camino Real is a Mexican hotel chain with 14 hotels and resorts in Mexico and Texas.

ClickRewards Offers Valentine's Day Doubles
==================================

Purchases at 2 participating ClickRewards merchants before February 15 earn double the normal ClickMiles.

Earn 4 ClickMiles for every dollar spent at CatalogCity.com, an online "catalog of catalogs," or 500 ClickMiles for purchases at FTD.COM rather than the normal 250.

S T E A L S & D E A L S

Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
=================================

This week's hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...

Savings on Travel to/from the Midwest and West Through September
-------------------------------
US Airways has posted a sale on travel from the Eastern U.S. to select destinations in the Midwest and West. Midwest Express has released a similar sale with lower fares on many routes.

For more details, go here.

Ski Savings from America West
--------------------------------
America West is offering a five percent discount on travel to/from select ski destinations in the Western U.S. Travel between January 22 and February 15. Purchase tickets no later than Sunday, January 21.

For more details, go here.

I N D U S T R Y N E W S B I T E S

Europe Says "Yes" to UA-US Merger
======================================

The European Union has given its blessing to the proposed United-US Airways merger.

In order to address the EU's concerns regarding competition on routes between Germany and Philadelphia, Charlotte and Pittsburgh, United has committed to making slots at Frankfurt and Munich airports available to other carriers.

DOT Studies Warn Against Threats to Competition
======================================

While not specifically directed at the pending UA-US merger, the several papers published by the DOT earlier this week warned that U.S. airlines have both motive and means to stifle competition, and can be expected to do so in the absence of vigorous oversight by the Departments of Transportation and Justice.

Coming as it does in the final days of the Clinton administration's term, I interpret the DOT's remarks as a warning and a plea to the incoming Bush appointees to maintain vigilance against anti-competitive activity in the airline industry. In particular, given the DOT/DOJ's likely agenda in the next few months (including, notably, a ruling on UA's proposal to acquire US), the remarks seem to be an indirect suggestion that the UA-US merger be nixed.

The documents are posted on the DOT website.

R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S

US Baggage Templates
====================================

Just a note to point out that in the Jan 11th issue story on United's baggage sizers, it was stated that "United has sizers in place at other airports, including Chicago, San Francisco and Denver, but they don't share security checkpoints with Continental at those airports."

In Denver, every passenger goes through security before boarding the trains that head to the gates. Continental's (and everyone else's) customers go through the same procedures that United's do.

Also, just for the record, I think it's a great idea. The regulations are in place to help speed up the travel process for everyone. If you didn't read the rules, or just chose to ingnore them, as so many do, too bad for you when the sizer catches you at security. It just saved someone else a headache.

- James

Heritage Foundation on Deregulation
====================================

While Heritage Foundation's assessment of deregulation at http://www.heritage.org/library/backgrounder/bg1173es.html
is a different perspective, I respectfully beg to disagree with your assertion that it is "internally consistent".

Their "fact" number one claims that ticket prices are 40% lower since deregulation. However, in their "fact" number two, they break down the price decrease by groups of community size, and the largest fare decrease is 11%. How can a series of numbers less than 11% average 40%?

In "facts" two, three, and four, they claim airline accident rates have dropped since deregulation. So have automobile accident rates and fatalities from construction accidents. None have any relationship to airline deregulation.

The decrease in accident rates has everything to do with *increased* regulation of safety standards and procedures, combined with improved technology, and nothing to do with deregulation of airline competition.

Finally, I find no logical support in their "facts" for the recommendations in their conclusion to "improving airline competition". In their facts, they make absolutely no reference to airport infrastructure, the air traffic control system, or airline fees and taxes, yet they conclude with recommendations on all.

I find their opinion little more than a series of unrelated statistics taken out of context, followed by a series of unsupported recommendations.

- Stephen

Until next week...