I was recently talking to someone and the subject of Continental’s relatively new auto check-in came up. It sounds pretty cool, but I honestly can’t quite figure out when I’d want to use this feature. Let’s see if you guys have any ideas.

The premise is simple. When you check in for your first flight on an itinerary, you can check a box that will then automatically check you in for your return flight once the check-in window opens up for that flight. You can then choose how you want to receive your boarding pass. It could be via email, fax, or on to your mobile device (where they currently allow mobile check-in). I understand that it saves you a little time by not requiring you to go back to the website to check-in, but it’s not really that useful.

Think about it. If you get it emailed to you, you still have to log on to get your boarding pass and then print it out somewhere. And if you have that printer, you can easily just check-in yourself when it’s time. I suppose a fax could be interesting, but this assumes you’re in a place (like 1985, apparently) where you have a fax machine but no printer access. I think there’s probably a limited benefit there. Of course, the mobile device is most interesting because once you receive it, that’s all you need to walk on the plane. But if you have your mobile device functioning, it’s just as easy to go online on your phone and check-in. Again, not much benefit.

In fact, this can take away some of the benefits of checking in yourself. With the exception of when you fly Southwest, can you think of any reason that checking in earlier rather than later really matters? The only time it matters is if you’re trying to snag some better seats that were released for check-in only. And in this case, you wouldn’t be able to change those seats unless you went back online again, and that defeats the purpose. So, if you’re happy with your seat, there might be a minor benefit in that it saves you a minute, but that’s about it.

Am I missing something? I’ll read your comments when I return next week.

I haven’t written much about JFK Terminal 5 lately, and really, there’s no good excuse. JetBlue has put together what looks to be a great terminal here that will really make a big difference for people flying the airline to and from New York. Unfortunately, the opening date has slipped from October 1 to October 22, but that’s still not very far off.

Frequent JetBlue fliers will be happy to know that the terrible T6 days are numbered. The terminal itself is fine . . . for an airline half JetBlue’s size. JFK’s frequent delays left plenty of people huddling anywhere they could find a spot to sit for hours and hours on end. It was just way too crowded, and that’s why JetBlue built T5. Here’s a Google Maps snapshot of the two side by side (with T6 on the left).

As you can see, this is a nice-sized expansion in usable space. Not only that, it’ll offer 5 more gates than the old Terminal 6. Now take a look at Terminal 5 a little closer. See that tulip-shaped building in the front with two tubes connecting to the main terminal? That’s the old Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal (at left) that is absolutely a world-class landmark in design. When JetBlue decided to take over TWA’s old terminal, they committed to keeping that original structure and build their new terminal behind.

The reality is that you never need to set foot in the original terminal, because the roadway will extend behind that terminal and right in front of the new one. But you’ll still be able to go through the original one if you’d like, and that’s pretty cool.

The new terminal looks really basic with large, airy ceilings and lots of light. It’s definitely inviting but not overdone. Some of the restaurants look pretty interesting as well. Now, I haven’t been there yet, so I can’t really say anything definitive except for one thing . . . this will be far better than the current JetBlue experience at JFK.

If you’d like to see some great pictures of the new space, head over to Towers and Tarmacs.

[TWA Flight Center photo by pheezy via Flickr]

There was an interesting little surprise last Friday when Southwest revealed on FlyerTalk that it was rolling out what is effectively elite security lines for its best customers. I think I like this move since it’s squarely targeting the business traveler, even if it does go against Southwest’s egalitarian history.

I spoke with spokesperson Paula Berg and got the full scoop. Members of Southwest’s A-List (those who fly at least 32 one way flights per year) and those who purchase Business Select fares will be allowed to use the special lines. In some cities, these will be separate lines while in others they’ll be shared with the employee lines. By October 17, the lines will exist in Dallas, Phoenix, Orange County, Denver, San Francisco, and LA. They expect to have these in the “majority of our airports in the near future.”

So on one hand, I think this is a great move. Those Business Select fares always seemed to be a little light on benefits, but this is a big one, especially if you’re in an airport with long lines. And it’s an added benefit to A-Listers as well to make them feel wanted.

I think it’s interesting that only the A-List member of Business Select people will be able to use this. Let’s say you’re an A-Lister and you’re taking your family somewhere. Sorry, but they’ll have to go in the other line. So this is very clearly only for the business traveler who is traveling on business. And anything Southwest can do to convince business travelers to fly them is a good idea.

The only negative? Southwest has always prided itself on being the airline of the people, but maybe that’s being amended to apply only once you’re on the airplane. Something tells me that Herb may need a shot of Wild Turkey to help this one go down, but it still seems like the right thing to do.

Ok, as requested (by at least one person), here are the rest of my notes from US Airways Media Day. I could try to make it all nice and pretty, but nah I’ll just try to make them legible and let you do the rest. These were taken in order during all the talks. I’ll only include the things I didn’t write about a couple days ago.

Overview from Doug Parker and Scott Kirby

• As of a couple of weeks ago, fuel was expected to cost $800m more this year. Fuel has now gone much higher, so that number will be worse if it holds.
• They’re going to test a new in-seat inflight entertainment system on one domestic plane this year. That may or may involve internet access, but they aren’t sure.

Schedule Planning/Fleet with Andrew Nocella

• The domestic network will either be flat or shrink a little. All the growth will be internationally.
• This year, there will be 10 767s and 9 A330-300s in the fleet, no change from last year. Next year, they’ll add the first 6 of the smaller and longer range A330-200s followed by 6 in 2010 and 5 in 2011.
• If demand starts going down or fuel gets to be too pricey, they have the flexibility to dump the 767s if they want.
• Between now and 2011, they expect to add 14 new flights to 9 new European cities.
• New destinations will be served from Philly, and they make a note to include the Middle East as being a possibility.
• Phoenix may get flights to Europe and/or Asia, but it probably won’t be until 2010 at the earliest.
• Charlotte flights to London and Frankfurt do well, and they will likely add flights from Charlotte to destinations already served from Philly. They are also looking at South America from Charlotte and have already applied for Bogotá. (my note: They just lost out yesterday and didn’t get awarded Bogotá.)
• They’re still trying to figure out how to serve Beijing. The plan was to use A340s, but they have yet to find any that they can get their hands on (cheaply, I would assume). They can serve the route with A330-200s, but they’d rather not.
• Vegas may get some international flights, but it’s not a focus.
• 737s will be gone by 2011. Only 18 757s will be kept, all for Transatlantic flying. So, you’ll see Airbus narrowbodies and Embraer 190s on domestic flights (plus Express carriers).
• They’d like to get rid of as many 50 seaters as they can

Envoy Enhancements with Kevin Jackson and Sherri Shamblin

• US Airways surveyed 636 Envoy customers who traveled in Feb 2007. 60% of them paid, so these were people they wanted feedback from.
• US Airways ranked slightly above American, Delta, and Northwest and slightly below United. Air France, Continental, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic finished higher (unsurprisingly, I’d say).
• The number one most important factor was that “Flight attendants treat you like a valued customer.” Second was “Meal Quality.” That’s where the airline has been focusing.

Philly Hub with Suzanne Boda

• This year, they’ll be working to improve checkpoint staffing and improve international re-check of bags
• By next summer, they’ll have 3 to 6 new intl gates, bigger checkpoints at B and C, and improved airport signage
• By 2010, the F (Express) terminal will be redesigned and they will have inline baggage screening.
• In the long term they want 16 new gates (inclusive of the previous 3 to 6)
• They’d had 56 straight days without a transatlantic cancellation in Philly – over 1100 flights.

Finance with Derek Kerr

• $300m being spent this year on improving the airline.
• 30% of costs are fuel, 26% labor, and 13% aircraft/airport rents
• Every $1 increase in the price of a barrel of oil, annual costs go up $37m for the airline.
• It costs $31m per day to run the airline (at previously lower fuel levels, I assume).
• Combine $3b in cash with no major debt payments until 2014, and they’re ready to weather a poor economy if need be.

Government Relations with C.A. Howlett (Yes, he’s still there)

• Trying to get government to allow airlines to convert Washington/National flights from inside the 1,250 mile perimeter to outside
• Also trying to convince the government to let them trade 2 slots from inside the perimeter for one outside (as long as the new flight is on an aircraft smaller than a 757). This will help increase the size of aircraft and reduce the number of flights at LaGuardia. To use a 757, they’d need to trade another slot. If that happens, look for long haul flying out of LGA very quickly.
• Very concerned about all the states trying to enact different passenger rights legislations. It will be really hard to comply without a common standard.

Anyone else out there seen Lufthansa’s Quick Boarding? I saw it on TravelPost’s blog and I’m not sure how I missed it before.

It appears that at some gates in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin/Tegel, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen (yes, all in Germany), you don’t need one of those fancy gate agents to get you on the plane. Nope. You can just board yourself. I’m told it looks something like this.

Ok, maybe not. But this picture (the original, by the way, is from the excellent New York State Archives) shows that this is not a new idea. Back in 1934, these people were boarding subways exactly the way Lufthansa is now boarding aircraft. So what took airlines so long to do this?

Lots of things. Security probably played a role, as did the fact that you would need a lot of these scattered throughout the airport. I imagine that automation is important too. Just dropping a token isn’t going to ensure people are getting on the right flights.

The way Lufthansa has it set up, you take your boarding pass and scan it in the turnstile. That unlocks it and you can board. Once you’re through the turnstile, it spits out your boarding pass stub for you to keep. If you’re on the waitlist, you can watch a monitor showing who has cleared and gotten themselves a seat. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you can swipe your temporary boarding pass (saying you’re on the list) and it will spit out a new one for you. Nice.

I’m not sure how this works if you check-in online and print your boarding pass. Actually, I’m guessing it doesn’t since it requires a magnetic stripe, but it’s a start.

You can get more info and pictures (real ones) here.