Category Archives: Air
Gay Travel to Europe is more affordable than ever with airberlin
EUROPE! Great Deals with AirBerlin.
airberlin, Germany’s second largest airline, will launch a fare sale
that is too good to resist. Fares offered start as low as $729*
including all taxes
and surcharges for travel for example from New York to some of Europe’s
most fascinating destinations like Krakow or Warsaw, Poland.
kicks off on May 22nd and runs through June 4th.
In this period airberlin offers sale fares
not only from New York but also from its other US gateways such as
Chicago to Copenhagen from $799*, Miami to Zurich from $859* and Los
Angeles to Vienna from $849*. Other destinations featured in the sale
include Barcelona, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Milan and Rome.
From the airberlin gateways New York, Chicago and Miami the fares are
valid for travel from August 16th, 2013 through December 13th, 2013 and from Los Angeles from August 16th through October 29th, 2013.
In
addition to airberlin’s great fares guests will also enjoy newly
refurbished economy and business class cabins featuring on-demand
entertainment systems, complimentary beverage service
throughout the entire flight and superior culinary selections.
To book visit airberlin.com, contact the call center at 1-866-266-5588 or your travel agent.
*Fares
quoted are samples fares based on round trip travel and prices
vary depending on dates of travel and final destinations. Additional
service charges apply such as booking through the call center or online.
Fares are based on limited availability.
airberlin
is one of Europe’s leading airlines and flies to 150 destinations in 40
countries. The second largest airline in Germany carried
more than 33 million passengers in 2012. airberlin offers a global
route network through its strategic partnership with Etihad Airways,
which is a 29.21 per cent stakeholder, and membership in the
oneworld airline alliance. The airline with the award-winning
service operates codeshare flights worldwide with 14 airlines. The fleet
has an average age of five years and is among the most modern and
eco-efficient in Europe.
American Airlines Travel in Style with Boeing 777-300er
American
Airlines will launch service from New York’s John F. Kennedy
International Airport (JFK) to London Heathrow (LHR) on its Boeing
777-300ER (Extended Range) on Friday, March 15. The flight on American’s
new flagship aircraft marks another step in the company’s plan to have
the industry’s most modern, fuel-efficient fleet.
American is the first U.S. airline to order and take delivery of the
777-300ER, which departed on its inaugural flight between Dallas/Fort
Worth International Airport (DFW) and Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International
Airport (GRU) on Jan. 31, 2013. The aircraft was freshly painted with
American’s new look: a modern, new logo with the iconic eagle; silver
mica paint to maintain the “silver bird” heritage of American’s
aircraft; and stripes flying proudly on the tail as a reflection of the
airline’s origin and name.
The 777-300ER offers an elevated international premium class
experience including increased customer choices with new menu
selections, new china and flatware designs and industry-leading amenity
kits. Customers will see the product enhancements across all
international fleet types, providing a more consistent travel experience
for those flying American’s global network.
“Nose to tail, the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft reflects the new
American we are building with the customer at the center of everything
we do,” said Tim Ahern, American’s Vice President – New York and
International. “The trans-Atlantic route connecting New York and London
is one of the most important in the world, and we are excited that our
new flagship aircraft will serve that market.”
777-300ER Aircraft in New York
American plans to operate the 777-300ER from New York on future routes this year, including:
- New York Kennedy to Sao Paulo, beginning April 2, 2013
- An additional New York Kennedy to London Heathrow route, beginning May 9, 2013
777-300ER Features
The aircraft offers additional network flexibility and provides
increased efficiency, while delivering an unparalleled experience for
customers onboard. The 777-300ER introduces new enhancements to the
inflight experience, including:
- A walk-up bar for premium class customers, offering snacks and sweets
-
A
sophisticated entertainment system offering hundreds of hours of audio
and video programming options at every seat throughout the aircraft,
including up to 250 movies, more than 180 TV programs and more than 350
audio selections -
International
Wi-Fi. There will be complimentary inflight Internet access through
March on all flights operating the new 777-300ER aircraft -
Access
at every seat to universal 110-volt AC power outlets, accepting U.S.,
UK and European plugs, and USB jacks for charging personal electronic
devices - Main Cabin Extra seating for customers who prefer more legroom and priority boarding privileges
United New Baggage Delivery Service for a Fee
Tired of schlepping your over-packed bags?
and arriving at select U.S. airports, so you can skip the wait at the
baggage carousel and go straight from your arrival airport to your
actual destination. This service provides you with the convenient option
of having your baggage delivered right to your home, hotel or
office.
flight’s arrival if your destination is located within 40 miles from the
airport. If your destination is located between 41 and 100 miles from
the airport, you’ll receive your baggage within six hours after the
arrival of your flight.
Gay Travel to Maui – Airfare Prices Drop
AIRFARE TO MAUI
CONTINUES TO PLUMMET!
You Can Now Fly Roundtrip from the West Coast for $500 bucks OR LESS!!!!
As you may know, earlier this year, the major airlines were charging outrageous fares to Hawaii.
We could not believe
roundtrip airfare from LAX to OGG (Kahului, Maui) for mid-week flights
in July, 2012 ranged from $950 up to an outrageous $1,400 roundtrip in
economy class.
Then we got the great news,
the three major airlines (United, American and Delta) all cut their
fares from the West coast cities down substantially down to about
$600-700.
Well now Hawaiian and Alaska Air have undercut the major airlines, forcing them to cut again.
We just went online and here are some sample fares for these cities for travel in the fall (8/21 to 11/14):
LAX to OGG $462 Roundtrip
SJC to OGG $499 Roundtrip
OAK to OGG $519 Roundtrip
SFO to OGG $439 Roundtrip
SAN to OGG $509 Roundtrip
SEA to OGG $478 Roundtrip
PDX to OGG $475 Roundtrip
Be sure to book your room at the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort at our already low rates for the fall!!
Albuquerque New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Festival Oct. 6-14, 2012
Is this an amazing feast for the eyes, or what?!
Since 1972, The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly festival of hot air balloons that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA during early October. The balloon fiesta is a nine day event, and has around 750 balloons. The event is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world.
Buy the amazing and breathtaking book!
The World Comes to Albuquerque
Gay Travel with HELLO KITTY
I personally LOVE Hello Kitty. It is so bright and gay and happy!
EVA Air has recently announced the transformation of two of its
Airbus A330-300 airplanes into airborne tributes to Japanese icon Hello Kitty. I’m pretty sure this proves there is nowhere to hide from the magic of Hello Kitty.
The adorable kitten created by Sanrio, in 1974, has become a
powerhouse brand in Asia, worth billion of big dollars. Everybody seems
to love Hello Kitty so Taiwanese airline EVA Air decided to associate
itself with it in an attempt to boost their struggling sector.
Analysts
say there is no risk in the move, and that despite having to pay Sanrio a
HUGE sum of money for licensing , the company has a high chance of reaching
its goal. After all, this is their third Hello Kitty plane, so they must
have had some success with the previous two.
Photos: REUTERS
Just in case you were wondering what other things bare the Hello
Kitty logo, the answer is simple: EVERYTHING! The world already has Hello Kitty theme-park, a Hello Kitty Castle, Hello Kitty cars, and even Hello Kitty themed weapons. If you’re looking for more, just check out Hello Kitty Hell, and you’ll realize there’s just no escaping the pussy. Um, kitty I mean.
Get a peak!
see also Hello Kitty Hotel in Japan
Do Gay Travelers Have A Lot Of Baggage? Don’t Fly Spirit
OK, you have seen the travelers trying to avoid the checked baggage fee and cramming 7 days of clothes into a carry on that has to be SHOVED into the overhead!
Spirit Airlines’
new $100 fee for a carry-on bag may be the most recent irritant for
fliers, but other airlines also have quietly raised their fees.
Spirit says that beginning Nov. 6 it will charge $100 for fliers who pay
for a carry-on bag at the boarding gate. That’s a big jump from the $45
the airline is charging now at airport gates and means it could cost
$200 round-trip to carry a bag on board.
Most airlines don’t charge to
carry on a bag, but last month Allegiant Air began charging up to $35, depending on the route.
Bag fees on other airlines also have been rising since USA TODAY surveyed all fees in September:
•Delta
Air Lines’ highest fee then for a second checked bag was $75 for some
international flights. Now the airline charges $80 for fliers paying
online and $100 at the airport for flights between the USA and Europe or
North Africa.
•American Airlines’
highest fee in September for a second checked bag was $60 on some
international flights. Now the price is $70 for flights between the USA
and South America (excluding Brazil).
•JetBlue
increased its fee for a second checked bag from $35 to $40 in February.
Unlike most competitors, though, the airline doesn’t charge to check a
first bag.
BACK TO SPIRIT – It’s been 24 hours of turbulence for Spirit Airlines chief executive Ben
Baldanza since he waved off his airline’s “irrelevant” industry-worst
customer complaint record in an exclusive interview with FoxNews.com.
Gay Family Treated Like Second Class Citizens at London Heathrow
Two gay dads traveling with their children claim they were
humiliated by border officials who refused to believe they were BOTH
parents.
Seething civil partners Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow
said “horrendous homophobia” confronted them when they landed with three
of their five kids at Heathrow.
Businessman Tony, 47, said
yesterday: “The woman asked who I was. When I told her I was their
father, she asked who ‘he’ was, looking at Barrie.
“When I said he
was my civil partner and also the children’s father, she sneered and
said it was ‘biologically impossible’ for us to be their parents.
“It was horrendous – it made my blood boil. We travel abroad a lot and this has never happened.
“We’ve faced homophobia before but it was like going back in time.”
Tony
and Barrie, 42, made history in 2000 after they traveled to the US and
used donated eggs and a surrogate mother to have twins.
Saffron and Aspen became the first children in Britain to be registered with two dads and no mother after a court ruling.
American Airlines and US Airways Possible Merger Today
Later today American Airlines is supposed to make a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. Employees we talked to to AA say they expect to hear about the rumored merger with US Airways.
It is believed that 2 will merge – but will remain separate entities for a period of seven years. The current board at AA would be fired and AA would now play by US Airways rules and guidelines. The merger could yield $1.5 Billion per year in revenue and savings.
New Customs Rule Would Affect Gay LGBT Couples
A proposed federal rule change would expand the definition of “family”
and allow non-married couples and others who live in one household and
are traveling abroad together to reenter the United States with a single
U.S. Customs declaration.
This would mean a gay couple could go through together, as a “family”.
Nowhere does the proposed rule change mention gay or lesbian partners.
The wording specifies “two adult individuals in a committed relationship
wherein the partners share financial assets and obligations,” not
including “roommates or other cohabitants.”
Customs estimates an annual savings of 72,600 “burden hours” under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The government believes the change
would effect more than a million travelers a year or four minutes per
response.
At present, gay couples traveling together must each go through Customs separately.
Read more at Steve Rothaus / Miami Herald.
American Airlines Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. and AMR
Eagle Holding Corporation (American Eagle), announced yesterday that it
filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
American Airlines passengers should not expect any near-term changes, but the bankruptcy filing may affect their future plans.
The Chapter 11 reorganization of American
Airlines and its parent company AMR Corp could lead to a shakeup in
prices, fewer flights and an altered flying experience.
American sent a letter on Tuesday to its frequent
flyers saying, “We want to assure you that your AAdvantage miles are
secure,” and noting its intent to honor existing program awards.
Airlines tend to protect their mileage programs
throughout bankruptcy, he said, because they make money selling miles to
credit card issuers, and even passengers trading in miles fill seats
and spend money.
American may cut prices to keep planes full
and nervous passengers buying tickets for a slow January and February,
but those are typical sale periods for the airlines.
“As
always we will remain competitive with fares in the marketplace,” said
Tim Smith, an American spokesman. Parsons said he expects American to
price aggressively over the winter, perhaps adding extra miles rewards
and the like, to keep up customer confidence.
But the longer-term impact of an airline
bankruptcy is higher ticket prices, not lower ones. As American uses
this reorganization to get rid of many big, pricey, old planes, it may
cut their routes. “With fewer planes in the sky and fewer seats, you may
be forced to pay more,” said Parsons.
Once
American emerges from bankruptcy, it will be less likely to price
aggressively, said Morningstar’s Alukos. “Future ticket prices should be
higher.”
#gaytravel
Warsaw Poland Plane Lands with no Wheels! Everyone is safe
A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767 from Newark to Warsaw carrying 230 passengers was forced to make a wheels-up emergency landing after its landing gear failed. The plane circled Warsaw for more than an hour burning off fuel. Thankfully, someone experienced was at the helm: “The pilot, identified as Tadeusz Wrona, had 20 years of flight experience on Boeings in addition to his background as a flight planner.” It is amazing how smooth the landing was, with no wheels!
Watch the video of the safe landing.
Boeings 787 Dreamliner Delivers More Comfortable Rides
Nobody really likes flying… right?
It’s uncomfortable and cramped. Unless of course you are lucky enough to travel in First Class.
However, Boeing has found a way to actually reduce passenger fatigue and increase passenger comfort in flight. How? The strength of the carbon composite exteriors allows for lower cabin pressure and higher humidity levels, which has been shown to dramatically increase passenger comfort. Higher ceilings and larger, auto-dimming windows have also been added.
Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner has arrived! While not everyone can afford a private jet for their next vacation, thanks to Boeing’s technology using new plastic-reinforced carbon composite materials passengers can travel in luxury without the additional costs.
Additionally, the airplane’s reduced weight reduces fuel consumption by 20 percent compared to traditional aluminum planes! Boeing is relying on high performance plastics to revolutionize air travel.
Will American Airlines Announce Bankruptcy Plan Oct.14th?
If you buy a ticket with a credit card, then you won’t be on the hook if your airline goes under. In fact, when airlines start to find themselves in financial trouble, credit card processors hold back a larger and larger percentage of the money until the flight occurs.
Shares of American Airlines parent AMR lost a big chunk of their value last week after numerous reports that the company was facing a threat of bankruptcy.
Rumors have been swirling all week, but on October 14th, “A big announcement” is coming, AA employees tell me.
Even though the company has $5 billion in the bank – the have not posted any profits this year.
There is no reason to avoid booking with AA. Just use a credit card. (Not debit) Which most of us do anyways.
That way, if the airline doesn’t perform, the credit card company still has your money and can give it right back to you.
PAN AM 60’s Airline Comes to ABC tv
to the airwaves, that is.
Pan American Airways, the giant airline that virtually defined air travel from 1927 until its demise in 1991, will get a “Mad Men”-like treatment on a TV show set to debut on ABC in the fall. The “Pan Am” show, which is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. on Sundays and stars Christina Ricci, will follow the lives of stewardesses circa 1963 and their bouts with “passion, jealousy and espionage” at 30,000 feet, according to the show’s Facebook page.
Drama aside, it likely will be the glamour of the golden age of air travel and those snug blue Pan Am uniforms that will seduce viewers to tune in — again, taking a page from AMC’s “Mad Men’s” fashion-driven portrayal of Madison Avenue in the same period.
Back then, stewardesses generally couldn’t be married or have children and had to meet strict weight standards.
full story at LA Times.
American Airlines Leads the Way to Give Customers Better Choices
The whole thing sounded odd and New Information comes out today!
It iseems American Airlines is moving to use new technology for selling flights, and is running into resistance from companies using outdated systems. The conflict is about American wanting to move to a new technology that will evolve the way airlines sell flights so that customers have the best, and most, travel choices. Makes sense, right?!
So Why would two travel websites walk away
from one of the biggest airlines in the world?
Both Expedia and Orbitz no longer offer American airlines flight information. And now two companies lurking in the background say they want to raise the fees they charge the airline, and change how American flights are displayed to travel agents.
Although Orbitz and Expedia have been the names in the forefront of this debate, two other companies — Travelport and Sabre, which act as middlemen between airlines, travel agencies and consumers — are behind the issues American Airlines is really fighting. In the airline industry, this is big drama.The conflict is about American wanting to move to a new technology that will eevolve the way airlines sell flights so that customers have the best and most travel choices.
American Airlines wants to eliminate unnecessary costs from middlemen that are no longer needed because of American’s “direct connection” technology. It is a technology that allows travelers to compare schedules, fares, products and services … all of which allows consumers to make better and more informed purchase decisions for their travel … and which is not available with outdated, inefficient systems used by some companies including Sabre and Travelport.
More details soon, from the number one airlines !
American Airlines and Orbitz in Dispute
As of December 21, 2010, schedules and fares for flights on the super gay-friendly American Airlines and American Eagle are no longer available on Orbitz.com or websites powered by Orbitz.com. (Expedia’s travel website is now hiding airfares for American Airlines after the third-largest US carrier pulled data from Orbitz Worldwide Inc as part of a legal dispute).
Tickets for travel already purchased through Orbitz remain valid, but changes must be made through American Airlines Reservations by calling 1-800-433-7300.
According to information posted on American Airlines’ website, the company was “unable to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with Orbitz. As a result, Orbitz is no longer authorized to display our schedules or sell tickets for travel on American Airlines or American Eagle.”
In an MONEYCNN.com article posted today, Brian Hoyt, a spokesman for Orbitz, is quoted as saying, “It is unfortunate that as of Dec. 21, American Airline flights will no longer be available on our Orbitz.com and Orbitz for Business sites.” The article also reports that American Airlines accounted for about 5% of Orbitz’ worldwide revenue for the first nine months of the year, according to Hoyt.
American Airlines customers can still choose from a wide range of online and traditional travel agencies to search for and purchase tickets, including AA.com .
American Airlines and Orbitz are both members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and have a long history of supporting and marketing to the gay community.
PLAN AHEAD for Travel and Save
PLAN AHEAD!
BOOK EARLY!
How many times have you heard that?
Why do people wait to the last minute?
The holidays are here and hopefully you have your reservations!
Just last week, there was a chance I was leaving town on a business trip without much notice. I called 3 weeks out, and the airfare was $260. The company I was making plans to visit, did not confirm until 13 days out. When I checked the airfare again it had went up $340. Almost $100 increase, to be in that same plane, same flight, I had previously checked.
This is a screen shot from CNBC that showed the Airlines business and gave an example of what is called REVENUE MANAGEMENT and BUCKETS (same system applies for many hotels). Depending on the time, season and how in advance you book or purchase your ticket, the price can vary greatly.
For the same AA flight 2412 passengers seating in the same cabin with exactly the same service paid from $50 up to over $700. The same is true with hotels. The same room, on the same day can be from $50 – $500.
ALWAYS try to book at least 14 days out, to get the best price. It is rare, but it can happen, that airlines give deals in the those final 14 days. Some people say that in the final 7 days, you can find deals. Just don’t plan on it!
AIR TRAN has a sweet deal right now – special fares are available for purchase through November 9, 2010, and are good for travel from November 5, 2010, through February 9, 2011. Super off-peak sale fares are valid for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Off-peak sale fares are valid for travel on Mondays and Thursdays and peak sale fares are valid for travel daily. Like all AirTran Airways fares, prices included in this sale are available for one-way travel and do not require a roundtrip purchase or an overnight stay. These sale fares require a 10-day advance purchase.
It’s usually cheaper to fly in and out on a Saturday. The most expensive days for travel are, of course, the busiest, which are Friday and Sunday. Days in the middle of the week (Monday though Thursday) are also cheaper, although Saturday remains the best day to travel. Juggle different days, if possible. For example, see if you can leave one day before or one day after you planned.
Hundreds of thousands of airfare-price changes flow into the system each and every day — just once on weekends, but up to three times a day on weekdays — at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. After the new fares are loaded into the system, it takes about two to four hours to show up on the search engines.
More tips and tricks to saving at MSNBC
Southwest and AirTran Merger a “Big Win” for Gay Lesbian Travel
The DC Gay Travel Examiner, Troy Petenbrink, reports that the pending merger of AirTran and Southwest airlines (announced this week) appears to be a big win for gay travelers.
While AirTran has generally remained invisible when it comes to marketing to gay travelers and supporting the gay community, Southwest has been flying sky high. Southwest is a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and has been a supporter of many gay events, including Washington, DC’s Capital Pride.
In addition, Southwest operates a corporate-wide gay-specific micro-site: SouthWest GayTravel . On the site the company states, “Southwest Airlines is a Company that works hard every day to provide Positively Outrageous Customer Service, regardless of race, religion, and sexuality. It’s in our DNA and goes to the heart of our Culture of Freedom, inclusiveness, and living and practicing the Golden Rule.”
Assuming that Southwest retains AirTran’s current gates, the merger will result in Southwest serving some new popular gay-friendly destinations and expanding its presence in others.
BUT O M G – Check this news out!
Starting on October 10th, Continental Airlines will no longer provide complimentary meals and snacks to economy class passengers on domestic flights shorter than 6.5 hours and some international flights. Instead, Continental will start charging for food, ending its holdout as one of the last major carriers to serve free meals in economy class. The airline’s new menu will include an Asian-style noodle salad, gourmet fruit plates and other a la carte items. Prices will range from $1.50 for Pringles potato chips to $8.25 for grilled chicken spinach salad. Just bring your own!
On the flip side of the coin, American Airlines announced that beginning Friday, it will offer free wine, beer and spirits to visitors at its domestic Admirals Clubs. American also announced that it was equipping its Admirals Club locations with new Hewlett-Packard computers for visitors, and it now offers free Wi-Fi in the airport lounges. – They must be doing good. Although an insider told me it’s contract time and a strike is brewing….
