Kinglobjaw's Blog

Archive for April, 2009

Only those who followed the Kinglobjaw “brand” from its inception will remember the Geocities website. Shout out to Devesh K! That guy really wanted me to convert to Northwest! Sheesh- I’d be stuck with Delta now! Good thing I don’t listen to everything. Just kidding, Devesh, you really support my site. Thanks for that.

Anyway, all that’s left of http://www.geocities.com/kinglobjaw is:

Good times, it’s true, but looking back I have to say having my own URL and host is even better! By the way, the above message was written in 2007, so I might have to update it again sometimes soon…

Last post for the night, will be back with more goodies later this week. Counting down to my Hawaii trip- just over 7 days!

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

I’ve just updated my Twitter account with a new, slightly more appropriate logo (by appropriate I mean, logo instead of my passport photo). You can visit my Twitter account at http://www.twitter.com/kinglobjaw. So, what do you think?

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

By the time you finish reading this blog post, you’ll notice a new widget on the right side menu of the blog featuring Twitter updates from LOT Polish Airlines. I’ve decided to create a Twitter account for LOT and broadcast unofficial tweets on behalf of LOT Polish Airlines. LOT and US Airways have more in common that we think. Both airlines are viewed as the shadow of their regional neighbors and close partners, notably Lufthansa and United respectively. Both airlines have struggled to create their own niche withing the alliance. To a further extent, they have done so successfully.

I’ve decided to start promoting LOT Polish Airlines on my blog and this should soon extend to the Kinglobjaw.com website. Like US Airways, LOT has a very rich history spanning decades. While I haven’t flown LOT for quite a while, I disagree with people claiming Poland doesn’t really need a flag carrier. Low cost airlines and regionals come and go, but a flag carrier is forever!

I’m sure my efforts will not turn people into ticketing madness or proclaim loyalty; I’m simply trying to make everyone aware of where LOT flies and “what’s up” with LOT. I hope you find the information interesting and useful.

Visit http://www.twitter.com/LOTpolish to get updates on LOT Polish Airlines, the airlines’ routes, specials and developing information.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

If you’ve ever red any of my posts on aviation related forums like Airliners.net, USAviation.com or FlyerTalk.com, you’ll recall that I’ve been touting Warsaw as a necessary route for US Airways out of Philadelphia.

Sure, it is related to the fact that I’m Polish and I want to see my country suceed with new international air routes, but I also see it as a sound business decision for the Star Alliance member carrier.

I know for a fact that US Airways is interested in starting nonstop service to Moscow, Russia (DME specifically), and I’m sure the route will do well, but WAW is an established Eastern European Star Alliance hub. LOT offers daily service to major Eastern European cities- an area which is a “gap” within the alliance. Since the B757 doesn’t have the range to fly this route at full capacity, a 767 would be sufficient.

Other routes I’d like to see:

• Salt Lake City (SLC) served from an East Coast hub
• Washington Reagan (DCA) perimeter exemptions for US to fly DCA-LAX/SFO/SAN
• Tokyo, Japan (NRT)
• Viennia, Austria (VIE)
• Naples, Florida
• POS, Port Of Spain, Trinind & Tobago from CLT
• PHX- San Juan, Puerto Rico
• CLT-PVR (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)

Some are wishful thinking, I know. I’m actually riding a train as I type this, so I am sort of bored, bur I wanted to sharing some raw and just put it out there. Comments appreciated. If you have a route you deem interesting, yet still realistic, share that as well!

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

Was recently reading a thread on Airliners.net about LOT’s ongoing financial problems. Found a very unique, yet depressing picture of a LOT B767. I believe this was taken in Warsaw. I sure hope LOT can “ride out” the storm and receive delivery of a brand new B787. LOT will be the first airline to fly the B787 in Europe.

"Grounded" LOT B767

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

Here’s a free and easy way to get 500 free Delta SkyMiles. Answer a personality quiz. Many people are reporting that when they enter their SkyMiles # they get a message saying, “We are sorry, the SkyMiles # you entered is not eligible for this offer“. Some people on FlyerTalk however are saying to not give up and keep coming back and eventually the system will accept your frequent flyer number and you will get a chance to participate and get your share of 500 free miles.

You can try any of these two URLs to access the home page of the personality quiz; try http://www.delta.com/marketing/personality/ or http://personality.delta.com. Good luck!

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

How secret? I have no idea!

The ‘DR500′ US Airways Club promotion recently expired and I was wondering if they were going to offer anything new for Club renewals. Lo and behold I got a reply from the US Airways Club which made my day. Patience is still a virtue? Guess it still is!

Mr. Kinglobjaw,

Thank you for contacting US Airways Club Services.

The DR500 promotion has expired, but if you renew online and use
promotion code RNW15 we will added 1500 bonus preferred miles to your account.

We appreciate your continued patronage of US Airways.

***** ***********
US Airways Club Services

So now instead of getting 500 EQMs I will be getting 1,500! I didn’t renew in March since my next trip is in late April, so I’ll renew in a few days online to take advantage of the improved offer. Besides, why waste a month of membership if I wasn’t going to use in it March anyway! If anyone else is considering renewing, feel free to use the special promo code- RNW15. I’m sure it isn’t just for Kinglobjaw! If you’re thinking of joining Club for the very first time in your life, 3,000 EQMs for new members is still available until April 30, 2009. More on this here.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

I would like to point out three new US Airways Dividend Miles bonus promotions that have been announced today in addition to extended Double EQMs until April 30, 2009.

• 10% off or 1,000 bonus miles on flights to Latin America when you pay with any MasterCard credit card. Details here.
• Spring Ahead- the more you buy and fly, the more points you can earn. Up to 25,000 bonus miles if you buy 10 roundtrip titckets. Details here.
• 25% free bonus on Buy Miles transactions (buy a maximum of 50,000 miles and get 12,500 miles as a bonus). Details here.

Nice set of promotions and kudos to US Airways for being very generous with promotions in 2009, but airline promotions will most likely never be as generous as in the past! 10 roundtrips is a lot of tickets bought considering you have to buy and fly all of it between April 8, 2009 and June 30, 2009. That’s less than two months! To be fair, if you’re flying less but stil flying nonetheless, 5 roundtrips will get you to the first level of the promotion for a bonus of 5,000 miles.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark

I was able to change some flights on my return from FRA to LAX to route myself FRA-ZRH-JFK-LAX on Swiss and United so I could enjoy the brand new Swiss First Class product on LX14 between Zurich and JFK. The flight is on Swiss’ newly delivered A333 aircraft which commences service on April 20, 2009. Then it’s PS First on United yet again- one of the very few good things United still has to offer (mainly due to the seat in this market). Unfortunately, neither JFK-CLT-LAX, JFK-PHX-LAX nor JFK-PHX-LAS-LAX were available on US in First- ‘O’ class, thus I settled for United and PS F is better than regular United First so no argument there. Who would argue anyway?

Anyway, back to the main event- new LX F class. It’s stunning. It will be by far the best transatlantic First Class offered. Surely outperforms parent company Lufthansa’s First Class. I think Singapore Air’s  New First Class on the 77W isn’t as nice as this either. Link that with award winning Swiss hospitality and you can’t go wrong!

He are some pictures courtesy of FlyerWiki.

Only 8 seats in the cabin in a 1-2-1 arrangement on this A330-300 aircraft

Passengers traveling alone: no longer worry about lack of privacy in a double seating section

Large, personal TV screen

Non-angled, fully flat bed in an suite like enclosure

I will be able to compare the new product to Swiss’ current First Class on the A343 on my way down to JNB and it may actually be my first full trip report. I’ll be taking my Mini 9 along so I could use some of my transit time to type up some drafts and keep my immediate reflections stored before they’re replaced with newer ones. Rush of excitement, I guess! Who wouldn’t be excited?

Luckily, US Airways has already “trained” me to enjoy the A333, so the ZRH-JFK flight will be on familiar aircraft “territory”.

Have a nice clicK life,

-Mark