March 5, 2008 Home * Travel Deals * Website of the Week Webcams * Travel News

Cheerio from London! I will tell you all about my incredible trip here including a sneak peak of Heathrow's new Terminal 5 (T5), next week. But for now, we're heading out to Arizona for a quick 24-hour visit. We're going to spend the night at the Camelback Inn and get the inside scoop from US Airways about what to expect from them and other American legacy carriers. If that doesn't get you excited, then why not join Lisa Tucker McElroy as she checks into the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colorado? Or, take a spin on a WWII B-17 with Chuck Taylor. Whatever you choose, you're in for an adventure!

TAMPA TO LOS ANGELES
Last week, I left off from the Florida Gulf Islands. From nearby Tampa, I flew five hours back to Los Angeles before my big trip – and I mean BIG. I'm currently on the first leg of an around-the-world journey. I thought I had a few days at home to get my affairs in order before I was off like Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg (in less than 80 days, of course!) but I got a last minute invitation to Phoenix to meet with US Airways. I just couldn't turn down an inside scoop, no matter how pressed for time I was.

WHAT TO PACK
Within two hours, I was at LAX ... sounds like my trip to the Super Bowl, huh? US Airways offered to fly me out early the following morning but with Arizona being one hour ahead, who wants to get up at 5am to make an 8:30am meeting? Not me. My one mistake was waiting too long to decide what to pack. By the time I looked at the clock, it was just an hour before flight time. Yikes! Fortunately, I only live 10 minutes from the airport so I scrambled to get everything together, including printing my boarding pass. What I learned from this oversight is that when you don't plan ahead, you end up lugging more than you need. Since I didn't have time to really think about what to pull out of my heavy, stocked computer bag (chargers, magazines, cameras, medicines ... ), I ended up taking the whole darned thing. Turns out, I was traveling with the same amount of baggage as I had on my around-the-world trip and I was just going to Arizona for a night. Not smart, I know, but at least it was still only carry-on.

PARKING AT LAX
I arrived at LAX at 3:30pm and parked my car at Park One. Park One is my favorite parking lot at LAX since it's the closest to the airport and is literally across the street from Terminal 1, which services US Airways and Southwest. This proximity saves even more time; there's no need to wait for a courtesy van – just make the 50-yard dash. It wasn't raining so I passed on valet parking ($21.75) and self-parked for $15. Tip 1: If you have an AAA or a Southwest card, be sure to flash them for the 10% and 15% discounts respectively. TIP 2: To guarantee a spot, book in advance online using ParknFlyNetwork.com. This site can also be used to book any airport parking lot across the U.S. For lots outside of the PNF network, log onto AirportParkingReservations.com. This gives travelers peace of mind and saves both time and money.

LAX TO PHOENIX
The US Airways 737-300 series plane was not only old and ratty, but was packed with limited overhead space. If you're bringing bags on-board, be sure to board early to guarantee your spot. The good news is that this former America West plane (the logos were still on the seats) as well as the 737-400 will be removed from the US Airways fleet by 2011. That's right, they're retiring the 737! Most of the passengers on the flight were connecting from international flights from Asia or the South Pacific, so most everybody slept in a jetlag-induced coma. As for me, I just gave an evil stare at the fat hairy man encroaching upon my limited space. The flight attendants came around just once to serve drinks but nothing to munch on for the hour-long flight. I'm not complaining ... my Buddha belly didn't need any fattening snacks, anyways.

SKY HARBOR AIRPORT TO HOTEL
There's something about arriving in Arizona at sunset that gets me all worked up inside … in a good way. Seeing the warm desert light blanket the Camelback Mountains is special. When we landed on time, I made a beeline to the taxi stand. There was no line of passengers, just vacant taxis, most with African drivers waiting patiently. After the first five minutes, the meter read $10 and I quickly realized why there was no line. It would have been cheaper to rent a car but I really didn't want to deal with the PHX rental car return. That place is a nightmare. The Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort in Scottsdale, was about a 20-minute, $35 (without tip) drive in a metered taxi. However, on the way back, the hotel hooked me up with Town Transportation. These guys provide a plush town car and charge $5 less! My driver's name was Gizachew Dessie (he was from Ethiopia) and he's available 24 hours at 602-754-2506. NOTE: He usually needs 45 minutes advance notice.

CAMELBACK INN
Sometimes I think I could be a spokesperson for the Marriott because I have stayed at so many of their hotels, all around the world. What can I say? They offer a great product and I'm accruing mad Marriott Rewards points. The Camelback Inn is unlike my last JW Marriott experience. The 17-story Ihilani resort in Honolulu was nice but lacked personality and could have been located anywhere in the world. But that's not the case with the Camelback Inn. This 453-room hotel isn't a high rise. It's just one- to two-floor Pueblo-style casitas spread throughout the resort's 125-acre desert landscape. The best part: The interiors are designed with traditional southwestern decor. I was only a couple hundred miles from Los Angeles but it felt like a world away.

CHECKING-IN
When I arrived, a friendly bellhop greeted me the moment I stepped out of the taxi. He took my bags and explained that once I checked in, he would take me to my room in a golf cart. They are building a new lobby so this one was just a makeshift one, but even though it was small, with just one desk clerk, it still took just two minutes to get my room key ... and there was an arriving guest ahead of me. In the end, I didn't really need to be whisked to my room in an electric golf cart as it was just 50 yards away but I suppose it's nice to be Miss Daisy once in a while, even if just for a moment.

THE ROOMS
I just love Southwestern-style rooms ... the curtains, the embroidered pillowcases and the handcrafted clay pots, which sat atop an oak armoire. (The armoire housed an old TV ... it's time for a flat screen!) The bathroom had the same feel, with brown tiled floors and multi-colored tile walls. Inside the shower were four glass blocks that weren't see-through, but they did allow natural light in, making the space bright. Although the room featured Marriott's signature Revive bedding, I didn't sleep very well. It was either because there were too many pillows or the fact that I forgot to turn on the A/C and the heavy duvet was just making me too hot. From the rave reviews on TripAdvisor, my experience was not the norm on this one. My sleeplessness could also have been due to having so much work to do. Instead of watching the hours slip away on the clock/iPod docking station, I got up and switched on the ol' laptop. The rooms don't have wireless but broadband Internet is available and it's not outrageously expensive at $12.95 for 24 hours. The oversized leather desk chair was one of the most comfortable around. The best part about the rooms are the fact that they are built solid; I didn't hear any construction, outdoor traffic or other guests. Other notable room amenities include a stocked mini bar but I should mention that a small package of M&Ms was $3 – Ouch! But if you shop wisely, there's a mini kitchenette with an empty refrigerator, microwave and sink.

HOPPIN' JACK'S
I had both my meals at the Camelback Inn's Hoppin' Jack's Restaurant, which was literally across the road from my room. I decided to opt for something semi-healthy: tortilla soup ($5) and chicken chopped salad ($12). Both hit the spot. I dined outside solo, in just a short sleeve shirt, while reading travel magazines and peaking up every few minutes at the Phoenix Sun's score on the restaurant's huge flat screen TV. In the morning, it was a little chillier but I still ate outside (bring a sweater this time of year) while feasting on their delicious, $21 breakfast buffet. I had planned to just have small tastes of everything but ended up devouring the huevos rancheros and French toast with real maple syrup and fresh berries. The attentive, friendly waitresses were mostly from Europe – the two serving me were from Bulgaria and Germany. The explained that a lot of foreigners were working there due to Marriott's amazing internship program.

NOT ENOUGH TIME
If I'd had more than 12 hours, I would definitely have checked out the hotel's 36 holes of championship golf, the spa, pools and hot tubs. Instead, the one thing I took home with me was the feeling of being in the southwest. With so many hotels these days, it's nice to have a major chain that not only provides all the comforts of home but also has a personality. My room and my walk around the property after dinner, admiring the light blue sky filled with bright stars and the silhouette of the Camelback Mountains, was memorable. Rack rates begin at $189 a night. Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort, 5402 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, Tel: 480-948-1700 or call toll-free 800-24-CAMEL.

US AIRWAYS MEDIA DAY
US Airways' headquarters is five minutes from the Phoenix airport in Tempe. I thought it was pretty cool that they actually set up an official media day and brought in 30 journalists from around the country, including outlets like USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Reuters and Cranky Flier to name a few. We were invited to meet with the airline's management people and ask them our hard-hitting questions. To my knowledge, US Airways is the only airline in the country (and possibly the world) to host such an event with the whole upper management team present. As much flack as US Airways gets, including their fair share from me last summer, I have new respect for these guys. I never really thought I'd say that.

THE USCAR AWARDS
It takes guts to put on an event like this and then invite your harshest critics. They had a good sense of humor as they presented those journalists who had made their lives the most miserable with an Uscar Award (the ‘O' in Oscar was replaced by a ‘U' for US Airways). It was pretty funny when they handed out the 10 miniature Oscar replicas. What's cool is that they videotaped the whole days so all their employees could see exactly what was going on. They'll post the video, along with all the speeches made that day including the CEO's, on their employee website. Speaking of the CEO, I had no idea that Doug Parker and the rest of the management team, for that matter, were so young. The large majority of them are in their late 30s and early 40s.

CROSSING THE PICKET LINE
A little refresher: In 2005, a bankrupt US Airways and America West Airlines merged. They kept the US Airways name but kept America West's management and headquarters in Tempe. The transition didn't go all that smoothly, which you're probably aware of, especially if you flew out of Philadelphia last summer … Philly is their main hub. It turns out there are still some lingering problems and I was introduced to them the moment I got out of my taxi. Directly outside the US Airways headquarters were about two hundred picketing US Airways employees. The picketers included pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and other labor unions. They were doing this just for the publicized media day and of course, my taxi driver dropped me off in an awkward spot so to get to any of the entrances, I had to go right through their territory. I had no choice but to walk directly through the picketer's continuous, oval-shaped march. I felt like a trapped zoo animal with glaring eyes fixated on me.

PILOT PAY
The labor unions even brought out an enormous 50-foot inflated rat gripping bags of cash to make their point. The rats, it seems, were meant to represent the company's greed in offering employees minimal salary increases. The main concern was that the "East" (US Airways) and the "West" (America West) have been on separate contracts since the merger. One of the journalists, Runway Girl for FlightGlobal.com pointed out that the US Airways captains and first officers continue to make less than their counterparts at other US majors and some low-cost carriers. It's all depicted on this Airline Pilot Pay snapshot from AirlinePilotCentral.com. These guys all took huge pay cuts and did you know that UPS and FedEx pilots are now the highest paid? According to Doug Parker, it's because their business plans work.

CONSOLIDATION
Inside the headquarters, the executives were forthcoming about the carrier's plans. They said their main concern right now is turning a profit. If they can get their flights to depart on time, it reduces costs and provides morale. They claimed that their problems from last summer's debacle weren't due to labor unrest as the media portrayed but rather due to the migration of the reservations system. You see, right after a merger, everything runs smoothly because both airlines are still being run as separate companies. But typically nine to 18 months after a merger is when computer systems are emerged and it's not easy. Doug Parker truly believes that consolidation of airlines is beneficial to everyone and the benefits from the merger with America West were real and significant. "Mergers need to eliminate excess capacity, which causes airlines to lose money on many tickets," Parker said. He talked about how you can't make everyone happy and that management's job is to manage all constituents. When asked how consolidation is good for consumers, he said because they make for a more sound company. Will US Airways merge with another airline? It appears so as Doug Parker says they remain a strong advocate of industry consolidation.

PHILADELPHIA HUB
One way US Airways has begun their goal of making money is to get flights to depart on time from Philadelphia (PHL) and its other hubs, is to offer each employee a $50 bonus when they are listed number one in the DOTs on-time departures for the month. They were #1 in January and they shelled out $1.8 million in bonuses. In addition, they are establishing a "satellite headquarters" in Philly. That should hopefully help out. Their other main focus is dealing with mishandled baggage. Philadelphia needs the most help out of all their hubs and it's also their most important. That's why they're investing heavily into it. Philly has 441 flights a day to 109 nonstop destinations. Thirty-five (28 are US Airways) of them go to international cities. That seems like a lot but a few miles up the road, JFK has 186 international destinations. US Airways has just 20% international operations while their competitors are at about 39%. They want to expand on their flights to Europe so they are relying heavily on their hub-and-spoke model. Geographically speaking, Philadelphia works the best: travelers coming from the south or west would be passing over Philadelphia so it makes sense for them to stop there. One of their grand plans to improve customer service is to put wait times at all points of contact. Now that would be helpful.

A LA CARTE PRICING
Of course the big killer for airlines right now is the price of oil. Did you know fuel comprises 30% of US Airways' expenses? Payroll is second at 26% and rents are the third biggest cost at 13%. Currently, oil is over $100 a barrel (it used to be at $35 a barrel a few years ago) and at those prices, they have to either increase fares or figure out new ways of making money. Hence, they rolled out the $25 fee for a second checked bag, which is expected to bring in $75 million extra annually but only affects 8% of their passengers. The bad news for consumers is that it appears the industry is evolving towards an a la carte pricing model. I won't be surprised when they begin charging for the first checked bag as well or other legacy carriers (not just Northwest) charging for aisle seats and exit rows. FYI: Legacy carriers are the major airlines: American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways.

NEW FLIGHT ATTENDANT UNIFORMS
On a lighter note, I was able to get a sneak peak of their flight attendant's new uniforms, which they will all be wearing by early summer and sampled their new envoy (business) class transatlantic meals.

CHEAP AIRFARES
After meeting the management team and learning about the industry, I can totally understand why these guys are nickel and diming customers. Over the years, airfares have significantly gone down as opposed to up. If you think about it … it's unreal how inexpensive some tickets are, especially for major markets like Los Angeles to New York; sometimes fares are $99 each way! I really don't think the public realizes how good they have it right now.

THANK GOD FOR AIR TRAVEL
Think about it for a second. Our forefathers had the cajones to travel cross-country over a hundred years ago, in a horse-drawn carriage and brave the elements … all for a journey that could take them up to six months. Thank God times have changed and we have automobiles and planes but just imagine for a second if we didn't have the airplane. To drive our cars across the country can be done in what ... three days? Well, if you drive like one of my madman roommates in college, who was half-baked on marijuana and depressed because his girlfriend had just broken up with him, you can do it in two and half days. But I digress ... I don't know about you but I hate driving long distances and if I had to make the 3,000-mile trek, how much would gas cost for the drive? My car gets about 300mpg and it's $60 to fill ‘er up. That's $600 right there and that doesn't include tolls, food or hotel. Even if I packed the car with four people, they would still be spending well more than a plane ticket, have less space for themselves and their luggage and definitely not getting to their destination as fast or as safely. So, before you complain about high airfares or how bad you were treated by the flight attendant, just think about the alternative. We all want things cheaper and better – it's human nature. But come on folks. Let's be appreciative of what we have. Heck, I haven't even mentioned overseas trips but I'm sure glad I made it here to London in just 10 hours and didn't have to take a car and boat.

VIDEO
Sorry, no video this week but we do have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on YouTube.

NEXT WEEK
Join me next week as we explore London and Heathrow's new Terminal 5, which might just change the way we travel. Stay tuned.

Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

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Note: This trip was sponsored in part by US Airways & Camelback Inn


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