Air Travel Is Getting Worse. That’s What Passengers Are Telling The US Government

Air travel got more miserable last year, if the number of consumer complaints filed with the U.S. government is any measure.

The Transportation Department said Friday that it received nearly 97,000 complaints in 2023, up from about 86,000 the year before. The department said there were so many complaints that it took until July to sort through the filings and compile the figures.

That’s the highest number of consumer complaints about airlines since 2020, when airlines were slow to give customers refunds after the coronavirus pandemic shut down air travel.

The increase in complaints came even as airlines canceled far fewer U.S. flights — 116,700, or 1.2% of the total, last year, compared with about 210,500, or 2.3%, in 2022, according to FlightAware data. However, delays remained stubbornly high last year, at around 21% of all flights.

So far this year, cancellations remain relatively low — about 1.3% of all flights — but delays are still running around 21%.

More than two-thirds of all complaints last year dealt with U.S. airlines, but a quarter covered foreign airlines. Most of the rest were about travel agents and tour operators.

Complaints about treating passengers with disabilities rose by more than one-fourth compared with 2022. Complaints of discrimination, while small in number, also rose sharply. Most were about race or national origin.

The Transportation Department said the increase in complaints was partly the result of more consumers knowing about their rights and the ability to file a complaint. The department said it helped Southwest Airlines customers get more than $600 million in refunds and reimbursements after the carrier canceled nearly 17,000 flights during December 2022. Southwest also paid a $35 million fine.

Airlines receive many more complaints from travelers who don’t know how or don’t bother to complain to the government, but the carriers don’t release those numbers.

The Transportation Department is modernizing its complaint-taking system, which the agency says will help it do a better job overseeing the airline industry. However, the department now releases complaint numbers many months late. It did not issue figures for the second half of 2023 until Friday.

The Transportation Department’s online complaint form is at https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint

AP

US Air Travel Rises To Highest Levels Yet Since Pandemic Hit

The number of people flying in the United States has eclipsed the year-ago level for the first time in the pandemic period, although travel remains deeply depressed from 2019.

The Transportation Security Administration said 1.34 million people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints on Sunday, topping the 1.26 million people that TSA screened on the comparable Sunday a year ago.

It marked the fourth straight day that TSA saw more than 1 million people pass through its checkpoints. That has not happened since March 2020, when travel was collapsing as the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. grew rapidly and governments enacted more travel restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

However, Sunday’s screenings were still 45% lower than on the comparable day in 2019, and screenings in March are running 53% lower than the same period two years ago.

Several airlines report that after dismal sales in January and February, more people have bought tickets to travel in spring or summer as infection rates decline and more people get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said Monday that bookings began picking up five or six weeks ago.

Since the pandemic hit, air travel has picked up a few times — mostly around holidays — only to drop back down. This time, the recovery “seems like it’s real,” Bastian said on a J.P. Morgan investor conference.

Airline stocks rose in morning trading. American Airlines rose nearly 9%, United Airlines was up more than 6%, Delta gained more than 3% and Southwest Airlines added 1%.

By The Associated Press

What Air Travelers Should Know About The Government Shutdown

DALLAS (AP) — The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel.

Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick as they face the prospect of missing their first paycheck this week.

Safety inspectors aren’t even on the job. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.

So far, the most visible signs of the shutdown — in its 18th day Tuesday — include the closure of some government buildings and national parks and trash overflowing bins on the National Mall in front of the Capitol.

By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain will be felt more widely.

Here are some common questions about the shutdown’s impact on airports and travel, along with the answers:

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WHO IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP WORKING?

About 10,000 air traffic controllers who work for the Federal Aviation Administration, about 51,000 Transportation Security Administration officers, and an undisclosed number of federal air marshals have been told to keep reporting to work because they are deemed essential. Government employees have always been paid after past shutdowns ended, and that is the widespread expectation this time too.

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ARE THEY SHOWING UP?

TSA acknowledges that more screeners are calling in sick at some airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth International. It gave few numbers but issued a statement Friday saying that more have been missing work since the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The TSA said the effect was “minimal.”

Then over the weekend, travelers reported longer checkpoint lines at some airports, including LaGuardia in New York.

On Monday, TSA tweeted that agents screened 2.22 million passengers nationwide on Sunday, which it called a “historically busy day due to holiday travel.” TSA said only about 220,000 travelers waited at least 15 minutes at checkpoints, while 0.2 percent — fewer than 5,000 — waited at least 30 minutes.

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HOW WILL TSA RESPOND TO NO-SHOWS?

Airport screeners start around $24,000 and most earn between $26,000 and $35,000 a year, according to TSA. That is far less than many other government employees, making them more vulnerable if they don’t get paid.

TSA spokesman Jim Gregory said officials are managing. “If we don’t have appropriations by midweek or so, (officers) will miss their first paycheck. That’s obviously where it becomes more difficult,” he said.

Gregory said the agency has a team of officers who can go to airports facing a shortage, a tactic developed in case natural disasters prevented screeners from getting to work.

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WHAT ABOUT TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS?

About 1,900 air traffic controllers — nearly one in every five — are eligible to retire right now.

“I don’t know how long they’re going to stay on the job if they are not getting a paycheck,” said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

There is an even larger group of recently hired trainees and apprentices, and Rinaldi said a long shutdown could cause some of them to take other jobs.

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WILL THE SHUTDOWN LEAD TO FLIGHT DELAYS?

Rinaldi said safety is not being compromised but that capacity to manage traffic could be reduced if the shutdown worsens an existing shortage of controllers. That could lead to flight delays, he said. Others are not so sure.

“It would have to get pretty bad before the government said (to airlines), ‘Hey, start scaling back your plans for service,’” said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst. “You could see that in a worst-case scenario.”

An early test of the air traffic system could come around the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in Atlanta, when an influx of corporate jets and private planes will further crowd the sky above the nation’s busiest airport. Planning for handling that traffic has been put on hold, Rinaldi said.

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WHAT ABOUT SAFETY?

The largest pilots’ union wrote to President Donald Trump last week urging a quick end to the shutdown, which it said was threatening the safety of the nation’s airspace.

On Tuesday, the new Democratic chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, said the Trump administration hasn’t answered questions about how the shutdown is affecting the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to screen passengers heading to the U.S. and to assess security at foreign airports.

Patrick O’Carroll, executive director of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said there has been no deterioration of safety, no reductions in coverage, and no reports of air marshals — armed, undercover officers on flights — calling in sick.

WHO IS INSPECTING PLANES?

Federal aviation safety inspectors are not deemed essential government employees; they have been furloughed.

FAA spokesman Gregory Martin said the agency is recalling inspectors for certain jobs including assignments at the airlines, as in previous shutdowns.

“We’re going to continue to prioritize with the resources that we have,” Martin said. “Our focus is on the commercial air carriers and volumes of people they carry.”

Martin did not say how many inspectors are working or how the number of inspections being done compared with pre-shutdown levels.

Chuck Banks, one of those furloughed inspectors, said colleagues are being called in when an airline needs something, like a plane certified for flight. The routine, normal oversight of operations at airlines and repair shops is not being done, leaving companies to regulate themselves, he said.

“Do you like the fox watching the hen house?” he said. “Every day the government stays shut down, it gets less safe to fly.”

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WHAT OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE AFFECTED?

The National Transportation Safety Board is delaying accident investigations and hearings. While there have not been any fatal airline crashes, the board has delayed other investigations, including an examination of a Florida highway accident that killed five children on their way to Walt Disney World.

NTSB representatives did not answer phone calls or reply to emails Monday. A recorded message for the public affairs office said nobody would respond until the shutdown ends.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has closed many centers where people apply for Global Entry, a program that lets travelers get expedited clearance into the U.S. It is not clear if any applications are being processed; spokespeople at the agency did not respond for comment.

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By David Koenig. He can be reached at http://twitter.com/airlinewriter

Travelore News: Trump Admin Scraps Obama-Era Proposal Requiring Airlines To Disclose Bag Fees

The Trump administration has scrapped an Obama-era proposal requiring airlines and ticket agencies to disclose baggage fees as soon as passengers start the process of buying a ticket.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) posted a notice on the Federal Register this week that it is withdrawing the proposed rule, along with another plan to force air carriers to disclose how much revenue they make from charging other ancillary fees.

The administration, which has made easing regulatory burdens for businesses a top priority, said the rules would have “limited public benefit.”

Airlines are already required to disclose information about optional service fees on their websites. But consumer groups say it’s still difficult for passengers to compare airfare ticket prices, fees and associated rules, and have pushed for more transparency at the start of the process.

And while airlines are required to disclose to federal regulators how much money they make from baggage fees, they are not required to report how much they charge for “optional” services, such as carry-on bags, seat selection and priority boarding, which have grown in recent years.

The DOT’s effort to kill the pair of Obama-era proposals drew ire from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who has been one of the leading voices in Congress pushing for airline consumer protections.

“Unbelievable. Pulling the plug on rules that would ensure airlines are open and honest about bag fees and other charges is about as anti-consumer as it gets,” Blumenthal tweeted. “The Trump Admin’s reckless reversal is a gift for the airlines’ bottom line — and a slap in the face for travelers who deserve clarity when buying a ticket."

Original article: http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/363956-trump-admin-scraps-obama-era-proposal-requiring-airlines-to-disclose

Squeezy Jet? Seat Space On Board 14 Major Airlines Compared

According to recent research by air intelligence company OAG, airlines are now fitting between 7% – 8% more seats into their aircraft than they were initially design to carry, potentially leading to a reduction in personal space on board.

To help passengers stay in the know prior to their flight, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has put together a guide comparing seat space across 14 major airlines.

The research compares 14 major airlines, including British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Qatar Airways, and highlights seat configuration, seat width and recline, entertainment screen size and all-important legroom space for each airline’s economy and business class cabins.

For travelers looking for privacy and aisle access, most of the airlines researched offer a spacious business class cabin. For example, the Premium Seat cabin on A330 flights with Aer Lingus offers a 1-2-1 seat configuration, and the Upper Class cabin on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights with Virgin Atlantic, offers a 1-1-1 seat layout, averting any awkward squeezes to the cabin aisle.

However, some airlines’ economy cabins offer less space, since the economy cabins on board B777-300ER aircraft with Emirates and Boeing 747-400 aircraft with KLM feature a 3-4-3 seat configuration.

With regards to legroom, when flying in an economy seat the distance between the back of a seat and the rear of the seat in front (seat pitch) varies from 73.66cm for standard seats on easyJet flights, to 81.82cm with Singapore Airlines. Travellers should keep in mind that extra legroom space may be provided in the exit row of many aircraft, although there may be certain restrictions for passengers wishing to sit in these seats. For those travelling in business class seats, seat pitch varies from 94cm with First Class seats on board Delta’s 757-200 aircraft, to 200cm with Business Class seats on board Qatar Airways’ A320 aircraft.

In terms of elbow space in economy cabins, the distance between armrests (seat width) only varies slightly across the 14 airlines researched. In fact, there is just 4cm difference between Ryanair’s measurements of 43cm and Singapore Airlines’ measurement of 47cm. However, research shows that seat width varies across the airlines’ business class cabins, from 49.53cm on board Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to 76.2cm on board the same aircraft model with Singapore Airlines.

For travellers aiming to enjoy a snooze during their flight, nine of the airlines researched provide economy cabin passengers with reclining seats, including British Airways and American Airlines, which offer a seat recline of 5.08cm and 15.24cm respectively. Alternatively, for those looking for more of a recline, nine of the airlines researched provide an option for flatbed seats, including Business Class seats with Aer Lingus and Upper Class seats with Virgin Atlantic. Travellers should also note that economy seats on board five of the airlines researched, including Ryanair and WOW air, do not off the option to recline.

In-flight entertainment is becoming something most passenger expect to enjoy on their travels, and 11 of the airlines offer a personal entertainment screen for certain cabins on board selected flight routes. Of these, the size of the screen ranges from a diagonal width of 22.61cm with Economy Seats on board Qatar Airways’ A320 aircraft, to 43.18cm with Business Class seats on board Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER. Travellers should be aware that three of the airlines researched, easyJet, Ryanair and WOW air, do not currently offer entertainment screens on board any flights and that in-flight entertainment may not be provided during short-haul routes.

Travelore Tips: One Hidden Secret To Getting Cheaper Business Class Flights To Europe

With the U.S. dollar surging against the euro, international business class travel is now more affordable for Americans than it has been in years. This year, the euro fell below 1.10 against the dollar for the first time since 2003. Although a U.S. flight out might carry a hefty fee, there is a trick to making business class trips to Europe more affordable.

The secret is to base your trips out of Europe.

By deploying a strategy that travel professionals call “offshore originations”, savvy international travelers from the U.S. can take advantage of lower business class fares with relaxed penalties by starting a pattern of round-trip flights that originate in Europe, instead of in the United States. This tactic saves money in the long run because business class fares between, for example, Rome and Los Angeles are currently more than 50 percent less expensive compared to business class fares with the same airline originating in Los Angeles.

Here’s how it works: first, travelers arrange a one-way “positioning trip” using money or miles from their home city to Europe. Then, they purchase round trip business class travel from Europe to their home city. After the initial positioning trip, travelers will have a spare return flight to Europe that will be ready to use for their next trip overseas. This can take some advanced planning, but with a little research or the help of travel intelligence companies, the savings on your next international business class flight can be substantial.

For example, at the time of writing on 15th May, United Airlines showed business class fares originating from Los Angeles (LAX) and going to Rome (RCA) starting at $4,619 for round-trip business class travel between July 10 and July 24. Now look at the drastic price difference for the same trip, but originating out of Rome’s RCA to Los Angeles. Business class fares on United between Rome and Los Angeles start at just $2,067 for round trip travel on the exact same dates. That’s a savings of more than 50 percent!

As an added bonus, business class tickets starting in Europe also have more relaxed cancellation and change policies compared to flights originating in the U.S. For example, the higher $4,619 round trip fare from Los Angeles to Rome carries United Airlines’ most restrictive cancellation penalty. This particular round trip United flight – like many other international United Airlines flights originating from the U.S. – is non-refundable and carries a $450 penalty for any changes.

The lower $2,067 round trip business class fare originating in Rome, on the other hand, is refundable after a €400 ($447.62) penalty, and changes incur a €240 ($268.57) fee – which is just a slight inconvenience considering the tremendous cost savings found on the flight to begin with. So no matter when you decide to venture out on your next trip to Europe, you will have your ticket ready at a substantially lower price than what everyone else is paying for the same ticket.

As you can see, significant savings can be achieved by deftly positioning the originating country of your flight, but this tactic can be tricky. Several travel companies now offer research and insights into this offsite origination strategy to leverage these lower fares for their customers. If you decide to go the DIY route, it is important to test out several different airlines – perhaps even at different times – for the ultimate cost savings.

While it can take some flexibility and a little planning to achieve the maximum value on your next international trip for premium cabin ticket purchases, the cost savings that is possible is tremendous. It’s all about capitalizing on the right fare at the right time – and from the right city.

Images: Shutterstock

Contributed by Lars Condor,  Managing Director of Passport Premiere.  A Luxury Travel Blog

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Travelore Tips: How To Use Miles To Get A Seat Upgrade

With the increasingly limited availability of coveted award seats—and more and more miles and points flooding the system—finding business-class tickets for a reasonable number of miles is harder than ever. Here are some tips from the mileage pros.

Don’t rely on upgrading. In the past, it was relatively easy to buy an economy ticket and use miles to get to the front of the plane. It’s become more of a crapshoot recently. Airlines are now focused on selling business-class seats and often open them up to upgrades only at the last minute, says Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy blog. (What’s more, some airlines require you to buy a nearly full-fare economy ticket to qualify for an upgrade.) But unless you’re a high-priority million-miler, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up stuck in coach. “It’s a very expensive lottery,” says Gary Leff, founder of Book Your Award, a mileage-redemption service. The better option is to use your miles to secure a business-class seat outright; they’re more plentiful and a better value. Upgrading to business on a Delta flight from the United States to Europe, for example, will cost you 15,000 to 25,000 miles on top of your economy fare—often with no guaranteed seat; the lowest-tier business award seats go for just 62,500 miles. That said, if you’re willing to gamble, consider a premium subscription to Expertflyer.com ($9.99 per month), which will notify you when an upgrade (or an award seat) becomes available.

Diversify your points. If you’re not going to reach elite status with an airline, it doesn’t make sense to rely on a single domestic carrier to house all your miles, leaving yourself vulnerable to devaluations. Your best bet is to earn through a credit card tied to a flexible-points program, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest, all of which let you transfer points to a variety of travel partners. And even as United, Delta, and other airlines make it harder to bank miles, credit cards still have lucrative earning structures (sign-up bonuses, double-points offers, etc.). The Points Guy and One Mile at a Time blogs are both great resources for credit card offers and insights.

Leverage partnerships. Domestic carriers’ websites don’t show you all the inventory of all the airline’s international partners. Ben Schlappig, founder of PointsPros and the One Mile at a Time blog, advises calling the airline and asking about seats on affiliated airlines. For example, American Airlines AAdvantage miles can be used for Etihad Airways award seats, which are often available, since many U.S. travelers aren’t aware of this agreement. And don’t overlook Alaska Airlines. Though it isn’t part of the major international alliances, Alaska miles can be used on several Oneworld and SkyTeam carriers, including American and Delta.

Stay flexible. You’ll find the best upgrade and award-seat availability, Leff says, when business travelers are not flying: at off-peak times, midweek, and midday. Business seats are also easier to snag on flights to or from second-tier airports. That American Airlines flight from Raleigh- Durham to London has much more availability than one from New York’s JFK to Heathrow, Schlappig says. You can also mix and match carriers now that airlines are lifting the restrictions on booking one-way award tickets. The benefit, Leff says, is that you don’t need as many miles in any one frequent-flier account to take advantage of one-way rewards.

Outsource the task. If the thought of moving points around and researching airline partnerships makes you want to throw in the towel, you can. Services like Schlappig’sPointsPros and Leff’s Book Your Award will find those lucrative award seats for you. Schlappig charges $200 a ticket ($100 for each additional one); Leff’s fee is $150 a ticket. Neither will charge you until he finds you an acceptable itinerary.

Contributed by Amy Farley, News Editor of Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter at @afarles.

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Top 3 Whale Watching Destinations In South Africa

South Africa is one of the best whale watching destinations in the world. Every year from June to November, thousands of travellers from around the world congregate along the southern shores to spot the gentle giants of the deep – often more than willing to withstand cool winter days further chilled by the ocean breeze.

But you don’t have to stick to the rocks and beaches with your camera on full zoom. There are plenty of ways to see Southern Right, Humpback, and Bryde’s whales closer, be it on a whale watching cruise, a flight overhead, or even by sea kayak. If you dream of seeing whales lobtailing, breaching, and playing with their young, these are the best whale watching destinations to head to in South Africa.

Walker Bay

Stretching from the towns of Hermanus to Gansbaai, Walker Bay has become the whale watching hotspot of South Africa. Hermanus plays host to the annual Whale Festival in October and the cliffs of De Kelders is the place to be to see mother whales cuddling with their young from September to October. Do a sea kayak expedition with Walker Bay Adventures, see baby whales up close with Ivanhoe Sea Safaris, or simply keep an eye out for whale tails from the harbour.

Stay: Harbour House Hotel

Harbour House Hotel is located above the Old Harbour. The Lookout Terrace infinity pool is a town icon as it overlooks the ocean and you can experience the tangible excitement of passers-by in search of a breaching whale while floating on a lilo. The Pavillion pool bar invites guests to relax and savour a sundowner.

Knysna

You won’t be finding any whales in the calm waters of Knysna lagoon, but jump aboard an Ocean Odysseyboat cruise (Knysna’s only permitted close encounter whale watching operation) and head through the famous Knysna Heads. You’ll find that the ocean on the other side is a whale’s playground.

Stay: Head Over Hills

Head over Hills is an exclusive retreat on the famous rocky cliffs of the Knysna’s eastern head. You can’t ask for better whale watching views as the Indian Ocean is spread out below your feet. Luxury features include private balconies, jet baths, and log fireplaces to warm up after a wintery day outdoors.

De Hoop Nature Reserve

Situated at the meeting place of 3 different whale migration routes, De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of the world’s top spots for land-based whale watching. Flights over the marine reserve to see the whales from above can be arranged with African Wings and De Hoop Collection.

Stay: De Hoop Collection

De Hoop Collection has a wide range of accommodation, from basic camping cottages to a luxury manor house. All accommodation is self-catering, but the Fig Tree Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so you can enjoy a tasty meal that you don’t have to cook yourself.

Travellers who don’t want to make the trip up the Cape Whale Coast will be happy to know that, although not as guaranteed, whales are often spotted around Cape Town, particularly in False Bay on the South Peninsula.

Contributed by Marcel Van de Ghinste, a Director at TravelGround. A Luxury Travel Blog

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

What It’s Like To Fly Upper Class With Virgin Atlantic

I've had the pleasure of flying Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic Airways on a few occasions recently – coming back from New Delhi to Heathrow as well as a return trip to Cape Town – so I thought I would take this opportunity to describe what you can expect when booking the airline’s equivalent of a business class seat.

The first thing to note is that the Virgin Atlantic service begins from the moment you leave home. They’ll send a limo to your house to pick you up and take you to the airport (and take you home on your return) – a real treat, meaning you are dropped at the airport entrance, not having to worry about parking and all that that entails. In my case, I was driven to Manchester Airport where I also used ‘Little Red‘, Virgin Atlantic’s new domestic service for a quick and efficient way of getting to Heathrow. Despite it being just a short flight, I was served a drink and a packet of ‘plane’ crisps, and didn't need to worry about my main case which was automatically checked through to Cape Town. The Little Red service operates multiple daily flights between London and the cities of Manchester, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

Once at Heathrow, the process of changing terminals couldn't have been easier and I soon found myself at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, a place where you could very quickly forget that you’re even in an airport at all. Here you can just relax with a drink and read a magazine, have a meal, do some work, or even get yourself a haircut or a spa treatment.

This is the perfect start to air travel and a sign of things to come. With such a relaxed atmosphere, the last thing you’re thinking is “I've got a plane to catch” so it’s a good job that someone will come and find you should you forget.  Once on-board the aircraft – with priority boarding of course – you’ll find the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seats are arranged in a herring-bone pattern in order to make optimum use of the space available and to give passengers the option of a very comfortable 33-inch wide flat bed.

Your footrest can serve as a seat should you wish to sit face-to-face with a travel companion for some of the journey or, if you just want some alone time, the pull-out screen offers everything from the latest films to TV to Skymap – in fact, it includes more than 300 hours’ worth of entertainment so should help even the longest of flights should pass relatively quickly!

There’s a pull-out table and in-seat laptop power should you wish to get some work done, as well as Aeromobile, allowing you to stay connected with texts, email and the internet.

With a pre-flight glass of Lanson Black Label Champagne in hand and a pair of pajamas provided for the journey should you wish (I don’t envy the flight attendants having to diplomatically ask passengers what size they would like, but they do it admirably!), your attention soon wanders to the dinner menu.

Forget your usual airline meals; here your table is neatly laid with designer linen and you get ‘proper’ cutlery, crockery and glassware. The choice is good and the quality of food excellent given the restraints associated with serving food at 40,000 feet. Choose from main dishes such as herb-crumbed fillet of British beef with potato rosti and carrot purée, free range grilled chicken breast with a mushroom gravy and celeriac colcannon mashed potatoes and herb tournée carrots, or Goan-style prawn curry with basmati rice and sautéed cabbage and red pepper.

To accompany your meal, there’s a selection of fine wine from Berry Bros. and Rudd, one of the UK’s most innovative wine merchants, boasting five Masters of Wine – or a choice of beers, spirits, etc. – as well as water from One whose profits fund amazing roundabout powered water pumps in Africa.

Need to stretch your legs after dinner? No problem. Upper Class passengers even have access to a futuristic on-board bar where they can sit and socialize with others over their tipple of choice.

To book a flight with Virgin Atlantic, log on to www.virginatlantic.com or call 0844 20 92 770.

Contributed by Paul Johnson

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

6 Tips To Upgrade Your Travel

Do you wish you could upgrade your travel, for example fly first class instead of economy class, access airport lounges, be upgraded more often at hotels, and just generally enjoy a more luxurious vacation? Here are my top tips for how to upgrade your travel:

1. Plan ahead

One of the most expensive mistakes some of my clients and other travelers make is not booking their vacation far enough in advance. While there can be last minute deals for cheaper hotels, luxury properties are often sold out for high demand dates, and airfare is more expensive or sold out for the most convenient routes.

I don’t recommend traveling during peak holiday seasons, as I’ll explain below, but if you must travel during the holidays, planning ahead becomes even more critical.

2. Use frequent flyer miles for first class or business class

For international trips, one of the biggest expenses is airfare, particularly if you fly business class. By planning ahead and using frequent flyer miles to book first class or business class award seats, you get to upgrade your flying experience to one you might not be able to afford on paid tickets. Other benefits of flying business or first class include airport lounge access and a flat bed for better sleep (complete with mattress, turn down service and pajamas in first class). Getting a good night’s sleep and arriving well rested at your destination means less jet lag, so you can start enjoying your vacation instead of needing to recover from the flight. You also save an enormous amount of money that can be used to upgrade your hotels and the rest of your vacation.

Naturally it does call for some organization and planning to earn the frequent flyer miles, but often, even if you need to buy some extra miles to top up an account, you come out ahead. U.S. residents with great credit scores have a particular advantage, with great credit card signup offers of 50,000 or more miles or points per card, and various category spend bonuses from 2X to 5X.

3. Travel during shoulder season, not during peak holiday season

There’s significant variation in pricing for many resorts, depending on whether you stay there during peak season, shoulder season or low season. While I don’t recommend visiting a resort during the lowest season, which is often monsoon season, I do recommend avoiding peak holiday season. Not only are prices high, the full occupancy of the resort will make any kind of upgrade very unlikely, and service can suffer.

Instead, aim to travel during shoulder season, perhaps a few weeks after the resort’s busy winter holiday period or during the fall, after kids have gone back to school.

4. Book a room in a 5 star hotel, not a suite in a 4 star hotel

If you have a large family or need to be guaranteed a suite, feel free to ignore this advice, but in general I find that my clients have better experiences at a true 5-star luxury hotel, even if they only booked an entry level room, than in a suite at a 4 star hotel.

Why is this? One of the greatest differentiators between decent hotels and great hotels is their quality of service and attention to detail. And the service (or lack thereof) is also often what we remember most, more than the room decor or how big the suite was. A long line or dour face during the check-in process, which is more common at an average hotel, already starts to set the tone for the stay. And if something isn’t right with the room or suite, a great 5-star hotel will make a better service recovery than a lower quality hotel.

5. Book with preferred partner programs

A secret that even some otherwise knowledgeable world travelers don’t know is that your best chance of an upgrade at a luxury hotel is not by booking direct with the hotel, not by booking online via Expedia, Priceline, etc., and not by using an AMEX or other credit card hotels program.

Instead, your best bet at an upgrade is by booking through a preferred partner program, using a luxury travel advisor who belongs to the program. This is because hotels such as Four Seasons, The Peninsula, The Dorchester Collection and others prioritize upgrades booked via their preferred partner program over other booking channels. Other benefits of booking using a preferred partner program are benefits such as complimentary daily breakfast for two, complimentary internet access, and a property-specific amenity, such as a resort credit for dining or for the spa.

6. Families: select a resort with a complimentary kids’ club or activities

It’s not much of a vacation for parents if you go to a resort that doesn’t have a lot to offer your kids, so they complain about having “nothing to do” or just spend the trip glued to their electronic devices. The solution is to select a resort with a complimentary kids’ club or activities where your kids can meet others their age and be engaged in a variety of outdoor and indoor activities, from sand castle building to treasure hunts to learning about the local culture through arts and crafts. That gives you some quality couple’s time, and provides a nice balance for everyone between separate activities and excursions together with the entire family.

Contributed by Hilary Stockton, CEO at TravelSort. A Luxury Travel Blog

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