Delta aligns its fees with Northwest's

Delta said it is making changes in its fee structures to make them consistent with those of Northwest, which will eventually be merged into Delta.

Among the changes:

• For travel starting December 5, Delta domestic travelers will have to pay $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second, the same fees that Northwest charges. Delta currently lets passengers check one bag free and charges $50 for the second. SkyMiles Medallion and WorldPerks elite members, as well as first and business class passengers, will be allowed to check up to three bags for free; full-fare coach passengers will be allowed two checked bags for no charge. 
• Effective immediately, Delta is scrapping the fuel surcharges that were instituted earlier this year at both airlines for claiming award tickets in the SkyMiles and WorldPerks programs.
  
• Delta has started selling "Choice Coach Seats" on select flights for a charge of $5 to $25 — the same as Northwest has been doing for some time. The option is offered to persons using self-service check-in, guaranteeing them a preferred seat assignment. The fee varies based on distance and seat location. SkyMiles Medallion members, WorldPerks elites, SkyTeam elites and those traveling on full-fare Y or B tickets can select a Choice Seat for no fee when they check in online or at an airport kiosk.
• Delta has cut the fee for telephone ticket purchases from $25 to $20, the same as Northwest's; the same fee reduction also applies to frequent flyer award tickets booked over the phone.
• Effective December 5, Delta said it will eliminate its $3 "curbside check-in administrative fee" paid by passengers who check their bags with a skycap at airports worldwide.
  

Delta executive VP Steve Gorman said Delta does not expect to be affected by ending its first-checked-bag-free policy, since it is the last of the legacy carriers to add a fee. "The increase in bags being carried on board Delta aircraft this year tells us that customers are not differentiating Delta as the only major airline not charging for a first checked bag," he said.

Some commentary on this... Actually, Southwest is considered a major airline, and it does not charge for a checked bag.

United Cancels Fee Increase for Second Checked Bag

United Airlines has canceled its previously announced plans to increase the domestic second bag fee from $25 to $50 one way. The fee to check a second bag on a domestic flight will remain $25 one way. It also is offering customers a 20 percent discount on the fee to check a first bag when they pay for it on www.united.com between Nov. 10, 2008 and Jan. 31, 2009.

Northwest is joining Delta

It's official !! Northwest is joining Delta.

Just hours after they received clearance from the antitrust regulators at the Justice Department, Delta and Northwest Airlines announced the completion of their long-awaited merger, making Northwest a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta.

The company will be headquartered in Atlanta, and the airlines announced plans to combine their operations over the next year or two—although some changes will come sooner.

Among them:

• Delta will put its code on "nearly all the Northwest system" by the end of this year 
  
• The two airlines will institute "immediate complimentary upgrade reciprocity" for the elite members of their frequent flyer programs, so that a Delta SkyMiles elite member's status will apply when he seeks a Northwest upgrade, and vice versa. 
• Delta and Northwest will roll out "a fully consolidated worldwide flight schedule" by next summer. 
• Delta's staff uniforms, aircraft livery, in-flight entertainment and other amenities will be introduced to Northwest's system beginning in the spring. 
• The two airlines' mileage programs will eventually be consolidated, "ultimately including the ability to combine miles from SkyMiles and WorldPerks accounts at a one-to-one ratio." 
• The two airlines' web sites, passenger kiosks and other "customer-facing technology" will be fully integrated.

Poconos - Vacation Rental Home

A few weeks ago, I stayed at a vacation rental home in the Poconos for a reunion of sorts with my friends. We did quite a bit of Internet research to find the perfect place for us to meet and found this place great. It comfortably slept all 12 of us and offered plenty of amenities of suit our needs for the weekend.

Situated in a peaceful setting on a 1/2 acre wooded property, we saw animals that routinely walked through the yard. Located in Lake Harmony Estates the house is approximately a 1/4-mile from the lake. The house affords you access to a private beach with parking, tennis courts, and a marina key to allow boat access to the lake. The house is about 1 mile from Big Boulder Ski Area and a 5-minute drive to Jack Frost Ski Area. Camel Back Ski Area and Water Park as well as the Crossings Outlets are only 20 miles away. Other activities are available at the nearby Split Rock Resort and the Galleria including a movie theatre, arcade, ice cream parlor and bowling alley.

This lovely new home has it all, hot tub, pool table in family room, foosball table in loft, cathedral ceilings, stone (gas burning) fireplace, modern fully equipped kitchen w/granite countertops, beautifully furnished and decorated plus a nice sized deck for entertaining.

Simply put, we can't wait to return.

Fly private jets at a discount

So, you would like to fly from New York to Geneva. What do you do? First and foremost you would visit Etripinfo. Thats obvious !!

The other option would be to use your credits with a private jet company such as Marquis or Netjets. That is if you are so lucky so have $1 Million in your bank account and can afford travelling luxuriously.

Well, now you have a new option.  What happens to the plane that flies a CEO from Geneva to New York? Usually it flies back to its home base empty.  Well, now you can take advantage of the empty flight.

LunaJets, a company based out of Geneva, allows travelers to take advantage of its empty planes on a return flight at a discount.  LunaJets negotiates with jet operators to allow you to “jump” on these flights, and enjoy all the luxury and convenience of private jet flying. LunaJets also reroutes empty legs to match your itinerary, organizes shuttles on frequent routes, jet shares and can find a private jet at anytime. Travelers can book anything from a single seat to a whole cabin on flights shorter than 2h30m; on longer flights, they must reserve the whole cabin. Booking and payment can both be handled online, and prices are fixed and open, beginning at EUR 890 for a single seat on a flight up to one hour long.

What a novel concept. For travelers, this is one to try out; for operators, it's one to get in on ASAP!

Harrah's Atlantic City

Spent Friday night with the guys at the Harrah's Resort - Atlantic City.

As with most hotels in Atlantic City, it's been rated a 3-star hotel. However the recently opened up a new Waterfront Tower. This has lead to an expanded selection of rooms, new shopping areas, a new buffet and restaurants, and finally a new pool.

The pool is the real star of this expansion. It is an indoor oasis housed under a 90-foot glass dome with a constant temperature of 82 degrees. You can wander among palm trees in a lush tropical paradise, while finding over 80,000 gallons of sparkling blue water.

The Pool features:

* Four cozy wading areas
* Six relaxing hot tubs available for private rental
* Private cabanas, featuring plasma TVs, iPod docking stations and relaxing couches

I was also able to enjoy sun deck, which was very impressive. More than enough space for guests to work on their tan along with full bar and food service.

After dark, the pool area is converted into a bar/lounge. It reminded me of a place that you find in Miami or LA, with a party going on around a pool. Definitely the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night.

The gaming at Harrah's is pretty good. I am a blackjack player and although it wasn't the easiest to find a seat, that typically is the case with most casinos. The one problem I did have was that it seemed as though the dealers were all new and the pit bosses were constantly checking in on their play, which got to be annoying. Overall, I prefer to play here as oppose to the boardwalk hotels because of the nicer atmosphere and classier crowd.

Our room was in the older part of the hotel, however the rooms were large with plenty of room along with a spacious bathroom. Enough for a gambler, who will be spending most of their time in the casino or bar.

I did have the chance to try the brunch buffet on Saturday morning. There was no comparison to the lavish spreads that you see in Vegas or a cruise, but still nice. The options were plentiful with your typical selection of eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, fruit, along with some nice desserts. Worth the price of admission.

Overall, I prefer to stay off of the Boardwalk as the hotels are nicer and the crowd is much more friendly. Harrah's definitly rises above the other Atlantic City hotels, coming close to the Borgata, however still needs some flashier design, ambiance and service to surpass the newer hotel.

Wildwood, New Jersey

I'm back from the July 4th weekend in Wildwood NJ with my extended family.

Wildwood is an small beach town on the Jersey shore. The boardwalk is wide and beautiful. Rides, amusements, and trolley cars are all available right on the boards. Also there is the Convention Center right on the boardwalk where many concerts are held. On the bay side of the island you can find a beautiful sunset every night.

Its famous doo wop-style motels and hotels have been designated as endangered historical places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It was ranked the best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.

The 1.8-mile boardwalk is home to the Morey's Piers amusement complex and Raging Waters, a 2-location waterpark complex owned by Morey's Piers. The boardwalk features a trolley called the "Tramcar", which runs from end to end. It is also home to Splash Zone Water Park.

I rode 2 rollercoasters while I was there. The first was The Great Nor'Easter, a suspended looping coaster. This intimidating maze of over 2,100 twisted feet of steel takes you high over Raging Waters waterpark, through a rollover, sidewinder, and double spin, at speeds of up to 50 MPH!

The second rollercoaster was the Great White. This classic out and back wooden coaster utilizes two train cars and begins with an exhilarating 25-foot drop into a dark tunnel before achieving speeds in excess of 50 MPH after its 105-foot second drop.

I also tried the 4-D experience on the Boardwalk, which is a complete waste of time.

Overall, Wildwood is a great destination for families and children.