Airlines are even more late than the FAA thought

New York Times front page today

As if we didn't know

What to do if you are on a plane and the flight is cancelled

IMMEDIATELY, take out your cell phone and call the airline. DO NOT PASS GO, just start dialing. The airline would prefer that you rebook by phone and you will beat the pleading (always in vain) throngs at the gate when you are finally let off the plane.

NEXT STEP, call and find a hotel. If your flight is being cancelled for weather then most likely many other flights have also been cancelled. The huddled masses sleeping on airport floors that we see on TV are there, mostly, because savvy travelers beat them to a hotel room and all the hotels within 20 miles filled up. Make your own luck. Do not wait for the airline to help you. In the case of weather delays they will often not pay for the room either. Better to have a room in hand, even if you then decide to hang out and debate reimbursement policy with your airline.

Once you have taken care of these items, you now have time to harass your flight crew and burn airline ceo’s (in effigy)

I don’t believe in “faultless” flight delays and cancellations, I am paying the airlines and airports to deliver a service in the face of circumstances. Maintaining aircraft, needing adequate number of available seats and summer thunderstorms are not surprises out of the blue. If they fail to deliver then they should compensate me. Let me know if anyone gets a class action lawsuit going.

Midway Airport

Here I am at Chicago’s “we try harder” airport. I will skip the rant on the current state of the US air transport system that had me stay the night because my Delta flight to LGA was eventually cancelled because of thunderstorms in NYC. Let me just say that I am beginning to think that the penguins are actually the lucky ones in this global warming mess because, at least, they don’t fly.

Now for some news that you can use. Midway is a nice airport. The current terminal hub is very new and full of useful shops. I was picked up toiletries, socks, boxer shorts and a very stylish Calvin Klein shirt on my scramble from the plane to a hotel, racing to beat my fellow passengers to the taxi line after our plane returned to the gate last night.

The Airport will take about 1/3 less time and cost to taxi from downtown then to O’Hare and a little less hassle once you get to the airport. The flights are a little less crowded because, unlike O’Hare, it is not a hub. Your Chicago to New York plane is full of folks from Chicago not full of folks from everywhere that just happened to have to connect through Chicago.

What to do in Vegas...

I have been going to Vegas since the early '90's. Then it was for Comdex, and now because my parents retired there. Consider a few things if you are sick of the strip.

You can bowl, movie watch, play Bingo, eat decently and gamble more cheaply at the "local" casinos. The Sun Coast, in Somerlin, fifteen miles from the Strip, is a very functional suburban hotel with an excellent oyster bar and decent Peking duck in the main cafe. Even more, the tables have lower minimums, although the penny slots are all the rage. The rooms are twice as big as the one at Wynn's and have Plasma TVs. If you must have your fix of the Strip the Sun Coast offers a shuttle to/from Mandalay Bay.

I do have a soft spot for some of the paper mache themed mountains on the lower end of the strip. I think Luxor is a bunch of fun things and the Pharaoh's buffet is something to be proud of with very light lines. Hit the upstairs arcade to score with some Skee Ball.

Transit trains will scoot you to Excalibur and Mandalay Bay with the sharks.

My assault mid-strip focused on the newly expanded Forum shops at Caesars. The Venetian remains the classiest and the rooms are all suites.

Our broken airline system

Just back form a trip to Albuquerque and Las Vegas. Let me be the latest voice to emphasis the continuing unworkability of the current hub and spoke system. Check out the recent US News & World Report article for more details. The basic punch line is that flights will be more crowded and more frequently late.

Albuquerque is an exceptionally difficult place to fly into. You almost always have to connect through a hub. I thought luck had smiled on me when Continental started an 8 PM nonstop from Newark but the plane was stuck in Florida for 5 hours and the flight was cancelled.

Despite this anecdote, business travelers should do everything they can to stick to non-stops and avoid Dallas and Chicago, Thunderstorms in Texas as screwing up Houston as well as Dallas this summer.

A problem in any of the largest airports in the country ripples through the whole system. If only video conferencing worked better...

Stay away from journey-out.com

I toured with them in Italy and I thought they made too many mistakes for the money. They have a great attitude but need more competence. They got lost between two tourist destinations in Tuscany doubling the travel time. Another day, we arrived in Pisa without enough time to climb the tower. They booked us in a hotel in Rome that they already knew had many problems. The picture is demonstrating the 5 foot ceiling in our room.

BTW, if you want a fabulous hotel in Rome (and are willing to pay) I can't recommend the Aleph Hotel strongly enough.

We discovered Pimmm's and Lemonade

We lunched at the Kings hotel, which I recommend, in Chipping Campden. We chatted up the bartender who introduced us to the classic, if not cliche, British spirit – Pimm's #1. He suggested we try it with Lemonade and of course, we deferred. He promptly began chopping up some strawberries, peaches, mint and CUCUMBERS which he added to our little cocktail. I am always thrilled to see drinks made with fresh ingredients. It was a sad day when they started using Rose's Lime Juice instead of fresh limes in Kamikazes.

The drink was fabulous and a great substitute for a margarita in the summer. We picked up a few bottles at Heathrow duty free.

Must do Wine Touring in Italy

Italy is wonderful for wine adventures. They have 30 different grapes growing in one backyard. It has not be over analyzed and incorporated like France. Claudio of La Dolce vita tours is my hero.

He is the pied piper. You follow him down the hall and into the field and he reveals the magic. We spent an afternoon wallowing in Barolos, Barberas and Barbarescos as well as uncovering the wonder of home brewed muscato and the hair removing gappa. Join a set tour or, better yet, hire him as your muse for a day or two. We have already reserved him for a day of Amarone tastings in September!

traveling the time zones

If you are flying more than four time zones you should seriously consider Ambien. It has revolutionized international business travel. Of course, talk to your doctor first. Take the pill as soon as you board an overnight flight to Europe and save one for that first night. You will be amazed.

For a good night sleep consider flying to Milan or Frankfort as your European hub. NYC to London is a bit short.

london early June - theater

I am a huge fan on theater all over the world. So London is my equivalent of Disneyland. A few thoughts.

Big thumbs up: Billy Elliott, Equus
Small thumbs up: Lady from Dubuque
Small thumbs down: we will rock you

Special mention; Merchant of Venice at the globe theater. This the replica of Shakespeare's original open air Elizabethan theater. It is a wonderful place to watch a show. Merchant is an engaging play with all sorts of problems. The production was simple and sincere. Overall a great evening!

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/

SHakespeare fans who want to go to Stratford upon Avon for their fix should be warned that tickets arevery hard to find and few hotels have air conditioning.

London - "bespoke suits"

If you can hold your nose and deal with the weak dollar , there is still much fun and maazement to be had buying a custom suit on Saville road. I love Richard James. They measure you and then await your return to London for the first fitting. The tailors came to my hotel to do it.

http://www.richardjames.co.uk

london early June - rental cars

For all of us who are not citizens of the empire, keep a few things in mind. Driving on the left side of the road is pretty easy. "Managing" half a car to your left is what is really hard. TIP: Get the insurance option just in case. Driving in the English countryside is the scariest part: roads are two-way, too narrow, and everyone is driving really fast. Bring a passenger to warn you if you are getting too close to the curb.

Explicitly ask for an automatic and air conditioning. I found Avis to have the best deals. Most rental centers are closed on Sunday but you can usually drop off your car during off hours. Avis and Hertz have sites off Oxford street in London.

london early June - One Adwych hotel

This is an amazing hotel. It is pricey but some has to discount it somewhere. Anyone hear anything? BEST ROOM SERVICE I have ever found. It keeps me coming back. love the duck spring rolls,Halibut,creme brulee. TIP: Make sure you ask for the Axis and Indigo restaurant menus.

http://www.onealdwych.com/

Concierge staff is awesome. TIP: call them before you arrive and haven them get your show tickets and/or restaurant reservations.