Scott Ahlsmith, CTC's - Roads Less Traveled

There's Religion in the Air

This should probably be filed under, "A Time and a Place for Everything."  We also try not to mix religious or political commentary with our travel and tourism opinions in this blog, but there seems to be an outbreak of religious activity on board our airlines and we'd like to know what your think about this.  Just click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post and share your opinion.

Three events have occurred during the past few weeks that cause us to pause and ask when does religious freedom  create security risks?

Five Tips for Happy Holidays Air Travel

Air travel over the Holidays is a unique experience, but it can be enjoyable if you plan ahead.  Here are five tips to make your Holiday travel more enjoyable:

1-Pack Light -- With liquids, gels, and pastes being restricted to only as many 3-ounce bottles as can fit in a 1 quart zip-lock bag, the airline baggage systems are bursting at the seams.  Even though you are permitted to check two bags per person, one and a small carry-on is better.

Shoes Go Through TSA X-Ray Machines -- Not Babies

We've seen large quantities of gels, liquids, and pastes confiscated at TSA checkpoints in airports around the country.  We've even seen people try to take live shotgun shells and box cutters through these checkpoints.  But, an incident at LAX (Los Angeles International) really got our attention.  Fortunately, it ended without injury or serious side effects.  And, if it wasn't reported on KTLA-TV and written about in the LA Times, we would have thought it was just an urban legend.  Although it would be difficult to make-up a story this good.

What a Blast!

Windsurfing isn't new on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, but 747 jet engine blast surfing is the rage.  Here's a fun video.  This reminds me of the scence in "Pushing Tin" when feuding two air traffic controllers (John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton) dared each other to body surf in a landing airplane's jet engine blast.

Here's another video of an up-close-and-personal view of a KLM 7474 as viewed by St. Maarten beach-goers.  Reminds me of an LAX airport hotel room I once occupied!

Google's Private Jet

With commercial airlines cutting back on food, blankets, pillows, and smiles, the private jet market is booming.  Not only are private jet passengers treated like respected customers, they avoid the hassle of standing in TSA's security queue while the folks in front of them argue with security personnel about their need to take their child's toy guns and knifes with them to visit grandma.

The AA Experience

The power of the brand is diminishing.  Brands are being replaced by a company's or a product's performance.  The new power is found in the consumer's experience with the company and their products.

Click on the photo above and you will understand why so many airlines are unprofitable.  You will also understand why their brands alone no longer permit raising prices. 

Consumers' experiences with airline travel suck and paying higher fares delivers no added experiential value.  This is one reason why Eclipse Aviation stockholders hope legacy airline executives never realize they could inexpensively solve many of their problems by just improving their experience from curb to curb.

Random Act of Kindness @34K feet?

This story will warm your heart and restore your faith in human nature.

I flew American Airlines from Miami to Chicago this morning.  While seated in the MIA boarding area, I noticed a properly dressed elderly gentleman wearing his wool ivy cap and silver Christian Orthodox Cross.  He was small in stature, but his neatly trimmed white beard and the sparkle in his eyes made him larger than life. 

He was with an uniformed AA flight attendant.  Their animated conversation was punctuated with smiles.  The gentleman, in his 90's, had enough spirit and energy to fill the entire boarding area.  Everyone noticed him and his attentive AA escort.  It was clear that AA wanted to take special care of this passenger and assigned their top meet-and-greet ambassador to the task.

Your Brand is Your Promise

American Airlines just doesn't seem to "get it."  They don't understand that the AA brand is their promise to their loyal frequent travelers.  Or, if they do understand the "promise," someone left the accountants "home alone."

AA should have learned after the outcry they received when they substituted soy nuts for pistachios in hot nut mixture they offer as a signature snack on most evening flights.  Now, I'm not a

No Comfort Zone

One of the guiding principles of my career has been to intentionally move outside my comfort zone.  During sane and rational moments, this seems like a productive principle.  This morning it seems more like, "whatever was I thinking?"

Unless world news events interfere, I am scheduled to appear on tonight's edition of the O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel.  We will be discussing the value of a travel professional as it relates to Spring Break travel after the disappearance of Natalee Holloway last May.

Northwest . . . Again!

I know it seems like we're picking on Northwest Airlines, but when you voluntarily surrender your FAA maintenance certificate and follow that with a plan to charge $15 per segment for aisle and exit row seats, you have got to wonder if someone laced the Minneapolis water supply with stupidity.