Going to the Extreme

When it comes to travel, some are more daring than others. I recently came across two articles that both talk about extreme travel, but in two different respects.

The first one was based on a survey of workers who were asked if they would take a business trip to a dangerous location if their boss asked them to, or would they refuse and risk losing their job. Given the economy, it isn't too surprising that 23% said they would refuse the assignment, compared with 21% who said they would go on a perilous trip at least one time. About 14% said they would go to an unsafe place for work, but would look for a new job when they returned.

I guess my only question in this case is what classifies a place as unsafe? I would probably lump most of the places that have been popping up in the news in the dangerous category: Syria, Mexico, Egypt. Those destinations are all experiencing political turmoil and drug-related violence. But other than places like that, what really makes a location unsafe, at least on corporate standards? I should probably pose that question to the people who administered the survey or to a company that sells travel insurance, since they assess risks and liabilities for a living.



Boeing 737 Factory. Credit: Ben Mutzabaugh, USA Today



The second story is a bit more entertaining--and something I had never really heard of until today. It focuses on extreme fliers--people who love to fly, and I mean really love to fly. So much so that they chose to participate in a grueling week-long trek to five cities and two continents, all to experience a behind-the-scenes look at the airline industry.

One hundred and seventy travel fanatics paid from $799 to more than $4,000 to participate in the event, dubbed MegaDo, sponsored by American Airlines and its Oneworld alliance partners. They flew from New York to London, to Dallas/Fort Worth, to Seattle and then Los Angeles. While on the trip, they got the inside scoop on everything, from why flights are canceled to a ride down a plane's emergency exit chute. The events were created for the whimsical travelers, the most extreme fliers who love air travel. This is basically a hobby for them.

Some of the previous activities of MegaDo get-togethers included visits to the Airbuss factory in France, and the headquarters of Lufthansa. Some CEOs of major airlines have talked to the MegaDoes, answering questions and giving advice, as well as taking suggestions from some of their most loyal customers.



Smith Museum. Credti: Ben Mutzabaugh, USA Today



Most of us know at least one person who is an ultrafrequent flier, probably someone who has to travel a lot for work. But these guys are a totally different breed. Even those who travel a lot are irked by everything that comes with flying, such as security lines, crowded planes, delays, cancellations, etc. But these travelers just enjoy every part of it, especially the pay off after a flight: frequent-flier points. Many of the participants at MegaDo have hundreds of thousands of miles, with some saying theirs reach the millions.

MegaDo earned them even more. Attendees, in addition to VIP access, collected a minimum of 17,500 miles and about double that for anyone who bought first- or business-class seats. There was a special promotion for the event that offered the chance for up to 55,000 more points. The flights also earned them "elite-qualifying miles," which help them reach elite status.

Emergency evacuation. Credit: Michael Rubiano

While many people hang onto their miles until they need them--for instance, for a family trip abraod for two weeks--many of these extreme fliers travel for the sake of traveling, and to earn more miles. One such traveler took a flight to Sydney, Australia, only to spend six hours on the ground before heading back to his home in Winnipeg. Flying time was 24 hours each way, including connections. The reason: to top off his frequent-flier account.

As someone who travels as often as I can, but generally hates the whole process of it, I think these extreme travelers are a little crazy. When I hear that their travel passions are based on earning points and miles, I wonder about their validity. Is it all just about the numbers? Or is it about the experience? I love earning miles when I can, but it is not the main reason I travel. I go to enjoy a trip someone, to experience a new place, to learn about another culture or take some time to relax. My concerns were somewhat eased when I reached the end of the article. Two of the travelers made points that I can definitely agree with, and I think should be part of every traveler's philosohpy. The first said that it wasn't just about the flying, it was about the people you meet. I strongly believe that you can meet some of the most interesting people while traveling, and those individuals can turn into a great friend that you can reach out to if ever you are in their city, and vice versa.

The second traveler said "the more you get to see the world, the more you realize what else there is out there to see. Travel really brings the world together." If ever I become an extreme traveler, this is the kind of attitude I want to maintain, the kind of message I want to convey.

Observations in the Travel World

I have been chained to my desk as of late and, as a result, travel excursions have been limited. However, the number of travel stories I have read has been quite abundant, and my thoughts have been reeling all day--let's face it, the last few days--about everything that has been going on. So, in an effort to get my thoughts out there--and to finally post something after a long absence--I've decided to discuss some of my observations.

American Airlines

As many of you may or may not know, American Airlines is not doing so hot. In fact, its stock prices fell to their lowest point since 2009 last week, and there have been rumors that it will file for bankruptcy. American is the leader in declines among major airlines, and investors said they think the airline will run out of cash reserves. What's worse? Other airlines saw a drop in their stocks after news of American's poor performance, causing many of them to cut capacity and, possibly, raise fares--two things that are never good for travelers. So what does this mean? Well, it could lead to the downfall of one of the largest airlines in the U.S., a company that felt it was too big to fail back in 2008 when the recession started and was the only big name that did not file for bankruptcy protection at that time. It certainly is not a promising sign for the airline industry, especially since analysts expect air travel demand to slump at the end of this year, even with the busy holiday season ahead. I, personally, have only flown American a couple times in my life, and I've never been all that impressed with it. I usually opt for UnitedContinental or a budget airline like Frontier. In all honesty, this kind of failure may be exactly what American Airlines needs to turn things around. But bankruptcy is, for now, only a rumor, and there is no telling if it will actually happen.

New Planes, New Seating

After a three year delay, Boeing finally delivered its first 787 Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways a couple weeks ago, and UnitedContinental said it will fly the jet in 2012. The new jet uses technology like lightweight composites and advanced propulsion that are said to increase fuel economy and environmental sensitivity. While I may not get the chance to fly on one of these jets in the near future, it is still exciting to see something so innovative come on the scene. I can only imagine the passenger experience these new planes will provide. Since UnitedContinental plans to use them on only two international routes--Houston to Auckland, New Zealand; and Houston to Lagos, Nigeria--I guess I will need to save up as much money and vacation days as possible in order to book a ticket.

In other plane news, Lufthansa reconfigured the seats in its jets, allowing it to add more rows while still providing passengers with plenty of legroom. I know what you're thinking, it doesn't seem to add up. How can you squish seats together, adding at least two to three more rows, and still give people more room? Well, you install thinner seats. The airline replaced thick foam padding with strong mesh and placed the magazine pocket at the top of the seatback to give passengers more room for their knees. I think this is a trend we will be seeing more often, since many airlines are being forced to cut flights due to financial woes and are trying to find more ways to bring in revenue. Adding extra seating will help make up for money lost from other cuts. Plus, the seats still take into account passenger comfort and satisfaction, meaning everyone wins!

The Airbus A380 is a double-decker jet that seats about 500 passengers, but Korean Air has rolled out its own layout with 407 seats. It has three sections: first class, prestige or business class, and economy class. The entire top deck is for prestige class and the first class suites have 24-inch HD screens. Also, it will have a duty-free shop at the back of the plane, as well as three bars: a self-serve bar on each deck and a "Celestial Bar" in the back of the top deck. Um...I think the description says it all.

Cheap Tickets/Giveaways

LAN Airlines, a Chilean carrier, selected a Latin American-themed restaurant in New York City where it gave out free vouchers for round-trip tickets to South America. Yeah, that's right. If you were at Nuela last Thursday night, you were one of the lucky diners who recieved a free flight. It doesn't seem fair that those people should get that kind of prize just for being in the right place at the right time, but it's all part of a larger marketing campaign for the airline. And let's be honest, I wouldn't complain at all if my dinner was interupted by a woman handing me a free flight to a foreign country. In fact, that would make my meal even more enjoyable.

Even though I didn't get a flight for free, I was able to take advantage of a limited-time holiday sale from Southwest Airlines. I had been scouring the travel websites the last couple weeks trying to find a reasonable price for a flight home for Christmas. However, I was not having much luck finding anything for under $300, so I figured I would hold off the search for another week, and lo and behold a deal came along. I was able to snag one-way tickets on Chicago-Denver routes for $99! And over Christmas...a definite steal in my opinion. So now I've booked my holiday trip home and I am so excited that I get to spend the money I saved on more gifts for my family! (Or on a new pair of shoes for myself, but I'm not that selfish.)

In Closing...

Those are the travel stories and experiences that have been on my mind lately. I apologize for not having anything more exciting, but I do hope to follow up with some destinations pieces in the coming days. So feel free to chime in on these topics and leave comments and opinions. I love reading them!