Frontier Airlines Throws Down the Gauntlet

The Associated Press is reporting this morning that Frontier Airlines is making a big play for consumers to book directly at the airline's own website. Those that attempt to book a Frontier flight through Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz or one of the many other online travel agencies will find themselves confronted with higher fees and awarded half as many miles as those who go direct. Advance seat assignments likewise will only be available to those who book on the Frontier website. In a related move, Frontier announced today that it will reduce by 5000 the number of loyalty miles one needs to get a free flight.

If I were an executive at Priceline, Expedia or one of the others, I'd be feeling a bit nervous right now.

Not because the amount of business a small airline like Frontier brings in can make or break any of those players. But it has found a way to get around the contracts that most of the airlines (Southwest is a notable exception) have with these massive travel agencies to not undercut the prices they post. Frontier won't posting lower prices on its site, but it will be giving consumers a strong incentive to go right to the source. And that helps the airline immensely, as it will decrease the hefty distribution fees Frontier pays; and give the carrier the opportunity to up-sell travelers with offers of car rentals, hotel rooms and the more.

To my mind, it's only a matter of time before the bigger carriers follow Frontier's creative lead. They certainly have incentive.

What does all of this mean for the consumer? A change of habits, perhaps. No longer will it be as easy to see all the flight options on the websites many travelers have come to rely on. Instead, they may have to turn to the aggregator sites (those that simply search travel information, but don't sell it); or head directly to the airline websites.

I'll finish up by pointing out that many airlines have already gotten around the price guarantees they have with the OTA's by emailing and tweeting discount codes right to the public. Those customers who've been able to jump on these flash sales usually get the best prices of all.

Frontier Breaks with Expedia

In yet another salvo in the ongoing war between air carriers and third party booking engines, Frontier Airlines announced today that it would no longer accept bookings through Expedia. Apparently, contract negotiations broke down, leading Frontier to go its own way.

Will it last? Well, when American Airlines decided it would no longer sell through Orbitz in 2010, that online travel agency retaliated and, due to a judge's order, American fares returned to the Orbitz site in 2011.

This is all part of a larger strategy, on the part of Frontier, to cut out the middle man (and his fees). In fall of 2012, the airline announced that only passengers who booked directly on the Frontier website would be allowed to choose their seats in advance (the airline also attached ugly, additional fees to change fees and other services, for those who didn't book direct). This latest move can be seen, I think, as the next move on the chess board.

Who's hurt in all this? Expedia, obviously (Frontier fares will still appear on Orbitz, Priceline and Travelocity). But  the consumer is also a loser here, as it will be more difficult for potential flyers to suss out what the costs should be on the routes Frontier flies.

Three New Routes for Frontier, Three New Sales For Us

At a time when most of the airlines are cutting flights and sending out smaller planes, little Frontier Airlines is bucking the trend. It just announced it will be adding three new routes and to publicize them, it'll be throwing a darn good sale. The routes are:

•  Kansas City-Orlando (flights now through April 15 only)
• Grand Rapids-Washington, DC (Reagan National Airport)
• Madison-Washington, DC (Reagan National Airport)

For the latter two routes, the sale price is a reasonable $79 each way. Those hoping to get to DisneyWorld (or escape it by fleeing to Kansas City) will pay $109 each. In the case of the routes from Kansas City to Orlando and Madison to DC, Frontier's itinerary is the only non-stop option available to travelers. In terms of savings, passengers are looking at shaving anywhere from $20 to $80 round-trip off the regular costs of these routes (not bad!).

For more, go to http://www.frontierairlines.com/ for more info; there are also gimmes for frequent flyers with this promotion.

Westerners and Midwesterners Take Note: Frontier Has Just Announced a Darn Good Sale

While the travel world was gaping at the news that Southwest and AirTran were likely soon to be one, still independent and still cheap Frontier Airlines threw a darn good sale for the upcoming months. Travel is for Tuesday and Wednesday flights only but if you can manage that small travel window, the discounts are steep. For example, a flight from Denver to Albuquerque, Tuscon or Salt Lake City is starting at just $39 each way; $49 buys a flight between Omaha and either Milwaukee or Denver.

To those base fares, add fees of about $18. Its still a good value.

To snag the deal, which covers flights through Dec. 15 (7-day advance purchase required), head to the Frontier Airlines website. Tickets must be booked by end of day on October 1. 

Photo by Lostinfog

More Airline Fees and Increased Trouble for the Online Travel Agencies

The ground is shifting. Or perhaps it's more correct to say there's been a change in the direction of the wind, as airline after airline rejiggers its fare and fee structures in time for 2013.

Several weeks ago, I told you of Frontier's plan to bitch-slap passengers who didn't book directly at the airline's website (the punishments:  a combination of ugly fees and the inability to reserve specific seats in advance). Last week, American announced its new "bundling plans", which will divide American economy class pricing into three tiers, the top two carrying some interesting perks. And again, at least at this stage, American's new program can only be booked through the airline's website (or with a travel agent). Click here for the scoop on AA's new pricing policies.

Friday, Southwest, the airline that touts itself as fee-free (or nearly fee free) jumped with both wings in the ancillary revenue race with its announcement that it will be upping the fees it has (for priority boarding and overweight luggage) and adding a new one. Beloved for its no-change fee policy, the airline is now going to punish those who simply don't show up and then expect to be able to change their ticket later. A no-show fee is in the works, though  there's no word yet on how hefty that fee will be.

This last move doesn't hurt the big online travel agents (I'm talking Orbitz, Priceline, Travelocity, etc.) as much as the other moves have the potential to do, as Southwest never sold tickets through these third-party sites anyway. But American and Frontier's recent moves are big blows, and my guess is more are to follow.

The big agencies are also getting slammed on the hotel front, with the nation of Switzerland investigating alleged price fixing from several sources. This follows on the heels of similar investigations taking place in the US and the UK (scroll through this blog for more on that).

So what does all this mean for travelers? Frankly, I'm worried. With each byzantine fare structure added by the airlines, it will get harder for consumers like you and me to do a simple fare search. Not that everything was clear before, what with all the hidden fees. And these allegations about hotel price fixing certainly are disturbing (another reason to turn to vacation rentals when possible, I suppose).

Stay tuned!

Cyber Monday's Here! Some of the Best Sales So Far for Travel

Barbados (photo by David Blakie)

I have a feeling I'll be hovering over this blog all day, logging in the CyberMonday deals being announced via various methods. Three just crossed the Twitter transom, and they're so mouthwatering, I had to start early:

JetBlue's Top Secret Sale: Gotta love a deal where the cost of airfare and three nights' hotel stay comes to far less than the usual cost of airfare alone. So what that you don't know which hotel you're getting! At these prices, you can always switch hotels once in the area if you're really, really particular (my guess is the hotels will be just fine). JetBlue is selling air/hotel packages of three nights, to such far-flung destinations as Barbados, Las Vegas and Cancun from as little as $99 total (well, almost total: hotel taxes and fees are included, airline ones are not). The travel window is short (Dec 5-14), the booking window even shorter (by midnight tonight!). The $99 deals are to St. Lucia, Barbados, Las Vegas and Tampa from New York City and in some cases, Boston. Just $10 more buys Orlando or a beachfront property in Barbados. Cancun starts at $175. Click here to get full details or book.

Virgin America's Cyber Monday Sale: Not quite as impressive as JetBlue's, but likely a lot more doable. That's because though the sale's starting today it ends December 6, and covers flights all the way through May 11. The come-on price of $39 is for flights between San Francisco and either Los Angeles, San Diego or Las Vegas. But there are also impressive fares on much longer hops (such as cross-country flights starting at $109 between New York, Orlando or DC and Las Vegas, San Francisco or LA). Flights from Toronto to Los Angeles or San Francisco are being reduced to $129 on many dates. For full info, click here.

Frontier Airlines: With this one, fares start at less-than-most-bus-trips rate of $29 for flights between either Branson and Milwaukee, Kansas City and Columbus (OH) or Alburquerque or Colorado Springs and Denver. Salt Lake City, Appleton, Omaha, Flint, Grand Rapids, Madison, Green Bay, Austin, Durango, Phoenix and Indianapolis are also on the cut-rate flight roster. With all, travel must be completed by Feb 9 and Sunday flights aren't included in the sale. For full info, click here. Tickets must be purchased by end of day today, so move with all due speed.

A New Addition: Cruises

Online Vacation Center: Its prices are already among the lowest. Now Online Vacation Center is promising to pay all onboard gratuities, and pay for one meal at an on-board specialty restaurant for those customers who book a RCL cruise for anytime in 2011 by 8pm today. The cabin must be oceanview or higher. For more details, click here. 

Hurricane Earl: Best Resources for Travelers

I wasn't planning on traveling this weekend, but my 11-year-old daughter was supposed to be taking a short trip to Washington, DC with my mother. So like many on the East Coast, I'm on the alert, watching the web to see what the latest predictions are for where and when Earl will strike.

A NASA Photo of Hurricane Earl

I've also been monitoring the changes in travel schedules. For those who need to do the same, here's a short list of helpful links:

• Amtrak.com: Amtrak is taking some of its trains going from Virginia out of service. Go to its alert to learn details.
• CruiseCritic.com: A number of cruise itineraries are being affected by the storm. The folks at CruiseCritic seem to be doing the most effective job of keeping up with all the changes in a timely fashion. If you're supposed to cruise in the next few days, or have a loved one aboard a ship, head there for information.
• Airline websites: There seems to be no central source for updates on airline cancellations across the nation. The best course of action is to surf to the website of the carrier you're supposed to be flying. USAToday reports that AirTran, Continental, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, United, USAirways and Southwest have already posted updated policies on their websites for fliers needing to rebook or cancel travel.

Good luck to us all in the upcoming days!

Its Not Too Late to Get In On These Leap Year Sales

Just a few hours left, but some of the prices are so good I thought I should post about them:

Frontier Airlines: Book by end of day today (11:59 ET), fly by May 5 and you'll snag seats for as little as $60 (between such gateways as Kansas City and Milwaukee or Denver and Albuquerque).

Trump Hotels: Is gold your color? Then you'll be right at home at these determinately swanky hotels. And if you book today, you'll get 29% off (get it?) your room rate for stays between April 1 and June 30. (I just took a look at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, and the rooms are actually darn nice, with such thoughtful amenities as mini-kitchens in each room, and unlimited bottled water. The Trumpster also has properties in NYC, Hawaii, Toronto and more).


Kimpton in the Capital: DC-area only deals for this quirky yet elegant chain of hotels. Use the code LEAPYR to snag discounts that drop prices for the three properties to as little as $113 per night for stays between March 1 and April 15.


Southwest Airlines: Discounts on Tuesday and Wednesday travel from March 13 through June 6. Fares start at $69 between such places as Denver and Salt Lake City or Houston and Little Rock.

Virgin America: $54 is the boffo lead price on this sale, applying to flights between San Francisco and Las Vegas. Its one of many discounts applying to flights between April 4 and June 7. Hurry and book!

As always, read the fine print before booking! The nice thing about these sales is that they all include taxes (thanks to the new law).

Messier and Messier: The Latest on Airline Bookings and Ancillary Fees

When did booking an airfare become as complicated as trying to get reimbursed by your insurance company? Mazes upon corporate mazes, fees tumbling after fees, products that used to be part of the experience of flying now separated out in a fashion that confuses even travel agents. It's a mess, and it looks like it will only get worse, before it gets better.

Today, the Associated Press has an excellent piece on the titanic struggle going on between the Obama Administration, the airline lobby and consumer groups over how to regulate the ways consumers pay for airfares. Amidst the mess is a court case wending its way through the system to try and overturn the Department of Transportation logical rule (implemented earlier in 2012) that taxes be advertised as part of the final airfare. Southwest, Spirit Airlines and Frontier are calling fowl on that one.

To read the complete piece, click here.

Travel Weekly is also tackling the issue today, with a story detailing the wacky ways "premium seats" are sold (on one airline, the price for them changes by the time of day of the flight!), the fact that customers often have to get deeply into the booking process before discovering what all the ancillary fees will be.

Together the two pieces paint quite an ugly picture of the airline industry today. Take a read. 

What Will the US Airways/American Merger Mean to You?

Appropriately enough, American and US Air have until Valentine's Day to decide whether they'll be wed. On April 15, the agreement between the two carrier allowing them to share information, during merger talks, expires.

Sure it can be extended (and who doesn't like more foreplay?), but it seems clear that the two will soon be one. Which would leave the United States with four super-carriers operating 80% of the flights around the United States.

Remember "too big to fail" in the banking world? Meet its skyborn equivalent.

Merger fatigue has set in among the pundits, and most are saying that this latest consolidation will have little to no effect on consumers.

Um, really?

Sure prices haven't skyrocketed since the last merger. But there's been a steady creep upward. And many more changes are on the horizon.

Significant changes, actually. American and Frontier both have introduced "bundling" schemes which tie all sorts of extras (luggage fees, priority boarding, cancellation fee waivers, etc.) to the base cost . Click on my links for details on how those programs will befuddle the consumer and hogtie such flight search engines as Kayak and Momondo. In short, it's going to be very, very difficult in the near future to compare one flight to the next, since each will be customized based on your past flying history. The ultimate result? When the ability to compare flight prices evaporates (and it may soon) and consumers are given even fewer options of airlines, I have no doubt the cost of flying will surge upward in 2013.

And let's not forget about the corrallary airline fees, which just keep morphing and increasing. According to a recent study, 36 airline fees were increased in 2006 and another 16 redefined. While there seems to be less of a direct causation between the mergers and that trend, well, who the heck knows.

Remember: less choice is...well, LESS CHOICE!

Finally, did you hear that Pope Benedict will become the first Pope to resign since 1415? I blame Delta Airlines.