Sydney Airport Message Board Sydney Airport Message Board  

Go Back   Sydney Airport Message Board > Aviation Industry News and Discussion > International Industry


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #11  
Old 15th July 2010, 01:22 AM
Justin L Justin L is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 757
Default

I agree with Gareth re Alaska's service. I recently flew them on the LAS-SEA (739) and PDX-LAS (737) routes and I thought their service was friendly and great and the cabins felt roomy.

Regarding getting to Boeing/Paine Field, it is just under an hour north of Seattle in Everett. I arranged a tour with Gray Line of Seattle via the Expedia website. They picked me up and dropped me back to my hotel and the Gray Line guide is also a Boeing employee and gave some great information on the bus also. After the tour the bus also drove around the entire Boeing facility including the offices and other areas before returning to Seattle.

While you can't take photos during the tour, you can in the visitor center and from the fence. The tour is very worthwhile and takes in the production lines of the 747, 777 and 787.
__________________
ABQ ABX ACV ADD ADL AKL ALB AMA AMS ANC ARN ATH ATL AUA AUH AUS AVL AVV AZA BCN BDL BFL BGO BGR BHD BHM BHQ BIL BIS BKI BKK BLD BLI BLV BNA BNE BOG BOI BOJ BOS BSB BTR BUF BUD BUR BWI BZE BZN CAI CBR CGK CHC CHS CLE CLT CMH CNS CNX COS CPH CPT CTG CTS CUE CUN CUZ CVG CXF CZM DAL DBO DCA DEN DFW DLH DOH DRW DSM DTW DUD DUR DXB ECP ELP EUG EWR EYW EZE FAI FAR FAT FCA FCO FLG FLL FNL FNT FRA FRS FSD FU'K FWA GCN GDL GDN GEG GGW GIG GJT GOT GRI GRR GRU GSP GTF GUA GVA GYE HAM HAN HBA HBE HEL HHH HKD HKG HLZ HND HNL HOU HRL HSV HVB IAD IAH ICN ICT IDA IND INV ISP IST ITM ITO JAB JAX JFK JNB JNU JOG JTR KEF KGC KIX KMI KMJ KMQ KOA KRK KTN KUL LAS LAX LBB LBE LEJ LFT LGA LGB LHR LIH LIM LIN LRD LST MAD MAF MAO MCI MCO MCT MCY MDE MDT MDW MEL MEM MEX MFE MFR MHU MIA MID MKE MNL MOB MOT MQL MRY MSN MSP MSY MTJ MTY MUC MVD MXP MZT NAN NAS NRT NTL OAG OAK OGG OKA OKC OMA OME ONT OOL ORD OSL OTZ OUI PAE PBG PDX PEK PER PHL PHX PIA PIT PLO PLZ PNH PSC PSG PSP PTY PVD PVG PVR PVU RAP RDD RDM RDU REC REP RIC RIX RNO ROC RSW SAL SAN SAT SAV SBA SBD SBN SBP SCK SCL SDF SDU SEA SFO SGF SGN SGU SHA SHV SIN SIT SJC SJD SJO SJU SLC SMF SMX SNA SOF SSA STL STS SUN SYD SYO SYR TIJ TLL TMW TPA TPE TSV TUL TUS TWF TYS VAR VIE VNO VPS WAW WDH WGA WLG WRG WVB XIY XNA YEG YHM YHZ YKM YOW YQB YQG YQM YTZ YUL YUM YVR YWG YXE YYC YYJ YYT YYZ ZRH

Next Trips:
29-31MAR LAS-ANC/FAI-ANC-LAS AS
08-09APR LAS-SNA-LAS WN
10-29APR LAS-LAX-SYD-ADL-MEL-ADL-KGC-ADL-MEL-SYD-LAX-LAS AA/QF/VA
02-05MAY LAS-ATL-LIT-LAS WN
11-12MAY LAS-DEN/CYS-DEN-LAS UA
18-19MAY LAS-DFW-BRO/HOU-LAS AA/WN
25-27MAY LAS-GEG/MSO-LAS WN/G4
08-09JUN LAS-PDX-LAS AS
21-24JUN LAS-GJT-LAS G4
04-08JUL LAS-SEA-ANC-ADQ-ANC-SEA-LAS AS
17-18AUG LAS-SEA-KTN-SEA-LAS AS
29AUG-03SEP LAS-MSP-TVC-DFW-LAS SY/AA
28-29SEP LAS-DEN-LAS UA
08-11NOV LAS-EWR/BTV-ORD-LAS UA
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 18th July 2010, 12:45 PM
Adam.S Adam.S is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 318
Default

Thanks for the replies regarding PTVs/IFE, a great help.

1)As a first time traveller to the US, can I ask what the current rules are for carry on luggage (the TSA website is doing my head in!)
*Are you allowed to bring on a small backpack (as you are in Australia), or do you need to pack everything in a clear/see through plastic bag as they were doing after the issues in August 2005?


2)I see that American Airlines are charging $25US for your 1st checked bag for domestic flights, then $35 for a 2nd bag.
*Is AA the only airline that charges you for a 2nd checked bag?


3)Are laptop computers allowed to be packed in checked luggage, or must they be carry-on luggage?


Cheers

Last edited by Adam.S; 18th July 2010 at 12:53 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 18th July 2010, 12:53 PM
Grant Smith Grant Smith is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Somewhere between YSSY & LLBG - God's Country
Posts: 774
Default

Not sure if it's across the board, but I know US charge for checked bags.

But in US's case this can be waived if you have FF status i.e Star Alliance Silver or Gold equivalent or you are connecting onto an international flight with a Star Alliance carrier.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 18th July 2010, 01:38 PM
Adam.S Adam.S is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 318
Default

Thanks Grant, I see that AA has the same policy for its FF status partners.
I don't have any significant status with Qantas, but was wanting to gain some extra FF points by chosing to fly with American Airlines.
The extra costs may not be worth the effort.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 18th July 2010, 05:49 PM
Adam G Adam G is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 170
Default

Jetblue don't charge for first bag and nor to Southwest. I fly with Jetblue every few weels and as others have said above they are very good and economical. You can carry a small back pack.

Alaskan Airlines is fine (although no IFE) - if it was between Alaskan or American I'd go Alaskan for no other reason then Seattle is a hub for them and they have better frequency on the route. VX would have the best product on LAX/SFO to SEA. With regards to Seattle I booked a tour that took in Boeing Factory plus the Aviation Museum (located approx 30mins away at different airports). The museum in particular is fantastic - you can walk through a BA Concorde and ex AF1 B707.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 18th July 2010, 09:20 PM
Gareth Forwood Gareth Forwood is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 372
Default

Quote:
Are you allowed to bring on a small backpack (as you are in Australia), or do you need to pack everything in a clear/see through plastic bag as they were doing after the issues in August 2005?
Backpacks are fine - you only need to put your liquids in a clear "quart size" (or 1 litre) bag. The policy with all the airlines I flew with was one piece of hand luggage plus one personal item (which can be a purse or camera case etc). I had a standard cabin bag plus my camera case (which is actually a full-size backpack). Even after several emails to the airlines, they were still very vague about what exactly constitutes a personal item, but finally a Continental rep said that as long as it can go under the seat in front of you, it's ok to take on as a personal item. Just don't try to take a full-size tripod onboard, TSA don't look too kindly on that...

Quote:
Is AA the only airline that charges you for a 2nd checked bag?
I flew with United, Continental, Delta, Alaska and Virgin America, and they all had charges in place for a 2nd bag. They were all the standard 23kg (50lb) max weight per bag except for Virgin America, which was 32kg (70lb) for the first and 23kg for any additional bag.


Quote:
...plus the Aviation Museum (located approx 30mins away at different airports). The museum in particular is fantastic - you can walk through a BA Concorde and ex AF1 B707.
I agree completely, the Museum of Flight is awesome. It's located on the south-western portion of Boeing Field (about 45 mins drive from Paine Field, 10-15mins from Seattle Tacoma). Aside from the aircraft on display, there is also a great little observation tower where you can watch all the 787s and 737s on test flights, and the multitude of bizjets - the light is best in the afternoon.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 19th July 2010, 10:28 AM
Adam.S Adam.S is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 318
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gareth Forwood View Post

I flew with United, Continental, Delta, Alaska and Virgin America, and they all had charges in place for a 2nd bag. They were all the standard 23kg (50lb) max weight per bag except for Virgin America, which was 32kg (70lb) for the first and 23kg for any additional bag.
Thanks Gareth.
Looking up the websites for Delta and United and Continential it seems they all charge for even the first cheked bag, but doesn't say if this is included in their final price quote or not?
Here, Qantas clearly states that 23Kgs of checked bags is already part of the final fare, Jetstar and Virgin Blue clearly indicate that you need to select a 'checked bags' option when making a booking.
How does in work in Nth America?
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 19th July 2010, 10:32 AM
Adam.S Adam.S is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 318
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BradR View Post
CO has Live2Air just like JetBlue. It is available on their newer planes such as 739s, 738s and 753s. I was in first class and it was free. I believe it is USD5 in Y. This product is similar to DJ's Foxtel offering but is widescreen and has more channels.
Does CO offer a flight map with this product?
https://www.continental.com/web/en-u...eetstatus.aspx

Last edited by Adam.S; 19th July 2010 at 12:26 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 19th July 2010, 07:26 PM
Gareth Forwood Gareth Forwood is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 372
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam.S View Post
Thanks Gareth.
Looking up the websites for Delta and United and Continential it seems they all charge for even the first cheked bag, but doesn't say if this is included in their final price quote or not?
Here, Qantas clearly states that 23Kgs of checked bags is already part of the final fare, Jetstar and Virgin Blue clearly indicate that you need to select a 'checked bags' option when making a booking.
How does in work in Nth America?
Sorry Adam, forgot to mention that they charge for both first and second bags. I booked most of my flights through Expedia, so there wasn't an option for checked bags there. There is a discount for checking-in online and paying the bag fee by CC, but it's only a few dollars.

I should also mention that if you fly on a smaller aircraft, be prepared for the cabin crew to request/tell you to put your cabin bag in the hold if there isn't enough room. I was happy to put my normal bag in but had to argue about my back pack - no way am I letting my camera gear get thrown around...
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 19th July 2010, 10:11 PM
Adam.S Adam.S is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 318
Default

^
Thanks I'll keep that in mind about the smaller aircraft.

I'm also looking at booking through expedia, I assume you have to pay for the checked bags at check-in as most of the airline websites don't seem to give you the option to book checked baggage online (unlike DJ and JQ here)?


My checked baggage will comprise of a suitcase and another backpack loosely fastened to the suitcase.
Sitting on top of one another, these two bags combined are almost the same size of a very large suitcase.
Do they charge by number of bags, or total weight of checked baggage?
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time now is 08:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © Sydney Airport Message Board 1997-2022
Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Conditions of Use and Privacy Statement