Sky Talk

AA rolls out DealFinder

American is officially rolling out its "Ding killer," a software product called DealFinder. Readers may have seen a story about this a few weeks ago in the Star-Telegram - it's a program that sits on your computer and monitors specific fares that you're interested in. When they drop below a certain level, DealFinder alerts you, and directs you to the American web site if you want to buy the tickets.

The program has been available on a limited basis since June, but now it's being widely distributed, on American's site.

DealFinder attempts to out-do the popular Ding! software that's been distributed by Southwest for a few years now. While Ding! alerts users to low fares, DealFinder goes a step further by monitoring specific routes and times.

- Trebor

Business class upgrades easier to get

The Wall Street Journal's Middle Seat column reports that airlines are making it easier for travellers to snag seats in first and business class, without having elite frequent flier status or paying through the nose:

• Airlines have expanded their offers of upgrades at check-in kiosks, priced anywhere from $50 to $300, The Journal reports. They are also making it easier to find coach tickets that come with instant upgrades (known as Y-UP fares in industry jargon) on their Web sites. American Airlines launched a feature on aa.com a few weeks ago that lets users see Y-UP fares with one click (Hit "Search by Price & Schedule.")
• Even low-fare airlines are up-selling, The Journal reports. Starting next month, Virgin America will offer a new first-class option, pricing tickets for its first-class seats as low as $389 one-way for a New York-San Francisco trip. For that, you get a massage chair that almost fully reclines. Discounters such as AirTran are offering upgrades to their front-cabin seating for about $40 to $80 more than full-fare coach.
• Airlines have long had difficulty selling first-class seats on domestic flights, The Journal notes. Instead, they give most of the seats as a perk to their best customers -- elite-level frequent fliers. But under intense financial pressure during the past five years, they've looked for new ways to boost revenue and found selling upgrades to be lucrative. Customers have latched on as flights have gotten more crowded.
• American (biz class on one plane pictured above) says it incorporated Y-UP fares into its new online function. Before, Y-UP fares, also known as Q-UP and M-UP in airline jargon, were almost impossible to find on American's Web site (they don't show up under first-class tickets or unrestricted coach). But the fares, sold with coach-class ticket coding so they don't violate corporate travel policies if they prohibit domestic first-class tickets, have grown in popularity, hunted by smart travel agents, road warriors and savvy vacationers in particular. FareCompare.com, a ticket-searching site, has a search option specifically for Y-UP and Q-UP fares.
• US Airways has introduced non-refundable discounted first-class fares-priced lower than Y-UP fares, which US Airways also offers, because Y-UP fares are refundable, The Journal says. Some of the discounted first-class fares have a seven-day advance purchase requirement and some are offered at higher prices with no advance-purchase restrictions. On a New York-Los Angeles trip, for example, US Airways offers a full-price first-class one-way fare of $1,600. But there's also a nonrefundable fare of $760 one way for a first-class seat, with no advance-purchase requirements, and a $560 one-way nonrefundable first-class fare that must be bought at least seven days before departure. On usairways.com, you can also specifically search for "Instant Upgrade" fares with choices offered under advanced search choices. Web sites at US Airways, United Airlines and Continental Airlines all display the lowest coach and lowest first-class fare in their basic search functions when you ask for the cheapest coach ticket.
• Airlines are also selling more first-class seats at the airport, via check-in kiosks. US Airways was the first to sell upgrades at check-in a few years ago and the option has now been copied by most major airlines. US Airways sells the upgrades for $50, $100 or $150 per flight, depending on the length of the trip. The upgrades are offered to any customer, not just frequent fliers or high-fare patrons.

-- Scott

Airlines jab each other in race for China routes

American Airlines, in follow-up documents on its bid to launch Chicago-Beijing service in 2009, says it can't think of two airlines that are less-deserving of the new service than United and Northwest, which it calls "entrenched duopolists.''

-- Scott

United says it's been swamped by pilot applications

The airline, which has 100 openings for pilots, says it's received 10 times that many applications so far.

-- Scott

Watch your step

Escalators at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport have attracted a little bit of controversy lately.

But, more than 20 are up for replacement.

Staff members have an official request before the airport board to spend $411,700 to replace as many as 9 escalators in Terminal B and as many as 13 in Terminal E.

The escalators, which were there when the airport opened more than three decades ago, are getting so old that custom-made parts are required to maintain service on them.

We reported earlier this year on a couple travelers who had escalator problems in the B and E terminals.

The world's third-busiest airport had one of the highest number of escalator incidents reported to a state agency that oversees escalator safety. But that's also because it has some of the most escalators under one roof -- 237 throughout five terminals. It's also one of the most thorough for reporting escalator incidents.

-David

Shopping at the airport

As if you didn't have enough to carry on board with you, now Dallas/Fort Worth Airport wants to put another shopping bag in your hand this holiday season.

The specially designed bags would somehow emphasize DFW Concessions and "will increase passenger awareness of retail stores at DFW," according to a document that will be presented to the board this afternoon.

The airport's concessions management department is asking for board approval to spend $61,550 to buy 200,000 of these shopping bags.

The bags, which would be made by CFJ Manufacturing in Fort Worth, "are a component of the ongoing DFW Marketing Plan experience."

So, if you didn't know before that you could have a shopping experience at the airport, you apparently will now.

-David

A fresh look

Please pardon the dust. Manchu Wok is taking on a new look.

Manchu Wok will be remodeling its three restaurants over the next few months at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, and one will get Japanese cuisine added to its traditional Asian menu.

The owner of the stores, Manchu Wok USA Inc., renewed its contract with the airport for another five years. The company has been inside the terminals there since 1997.

For rent, the airport will get an annual payout of at least $272,000, or 13 percent of gross sales, whichever is greater. The stores are in terminals A, C and E.

The D/FW Airport board is expected to approve the new contract at Thursday's meeting.

-David

Calling all pilots...

Northwest Airlines, trying to shore up its flight system, is recalling all of its laid-off pilots. The airline, which left bankruptcy in May, also said Tuesday that it had a profit in the latest quarter.

-- Scott

AirTran, Midwest buyout talks are on

The Associated Press reports today: "Midwest Air Group said a committee of its board of directors will start discussions with AirTran Holdings Inc., a move that could give AirTran its long-desired buyout of the regional airline. Midwest, operator of Midwest Airlines, said the committee will also meet with other companies that have recently expressed interest in the airline. It did not name those companies Tuesday. Midwest shares soared on the news, rising $1.43, or 11.3 percent, to $14.04. The Milwaukee-based company said the five-member committee will explore all of Midwest’s options and make a recommendation to the full board. It cautioned that a buyout is not imminent, even though a $389 million offer from AirTran is already on the table."

-- Scott

Higher fuel prices set to sock airlines again

Here's the Forbes take on what airlines are saying about higher fuel costs in the third and fourth quarters.

-- Scott