Southwest Learns the Dangers of Unbridled Enthusiasm With Its Frequent Flier Relaunch – BNET Headwinds
Southwest is excited about its new frequent flier program, and it should be, but not everyone feels the same way. Southwest, however, isn’t acknowledging that and it really should.

Making Your Travel Agenda More Efficient – Intuit Small Business Blog
One way to save money is by being smart with your travel budget, but you can also save money be just being more efficient with how you spend your time traveling.

Airlines vs. Airports: Virgin Atlantic Stiffs Heathrow After Icy Shutdown – BNET Headwinds
Virgin Atlantic is withholding all landing fees from Heathrow until it knows the result of the inquiry into what happened during the snow storm in December. This is not a great plan.

In the Trenches: Going Corporate – Intuit Small Business Blog
We’ve ramped up our small business efforts at Cranky Concierge, and it’s already paying off.

Southwest Keeps ‘Em Happy, but Its Late Flights Are Starting to Stack Up – BNET Headwinds
Southwest is not running the best operation these days, but its reputation keeps people happy anyway. I don’t know how long that can continue if things don’t improve.

Cranky Flier Radio Interview With Brett Snyder – Ask Mr Credit Card
I spent 90 minutes doing an interview with Ask Mr Credit Card about the industry. We talked a lot about current events and some of my personal background. If you’ve got time to kill . . .

JetBlue Blames Airport Construction for Late Flights. Um, No – BNET Headwinds
JetBlue is another airline that’s been struggling to run on time, and the excuse has been airport delays. I’m not so convinced.

Turkish Airlines Sponsorship Gets Kobe Bryant in Trouble – BNET Headwinds
Kobe is a global ambassador for Turkish Airlines now, but the Armenian community is up in arms.

United Airlines Examining How Wireless Internet Fits Into Its Future – BNET Headwinds
United has put satellite-based wifi on one of its airplanes. What exactly does this mean?

Yet Another Union Complaint Against Delta Generates More Noise – BNET Headwinds
Another day, another claim of interference by a scorned union. This time, there’s a little more substance involved, but it’s still clouded by a lot of noise.

American vs. Orbitz: How the Fight Could Change Travel Sales – BNET Headwinds
American has pulled out of Orbitz, and this is just the start of a brewing battle over travel distribution.

Why Airline Unions Keep Claiming Management “Interference” With Elections – BNET Headwinds
I dug deeper into airline labor election laws, and it now makes more sense why unions file interference claims so often. It can’t hurt.

In the Trenches: The Curse and Beauty of Facebook – Intuit Small Business Blog
Facebook is a great place to be for a business, but it’s also a pain in the neck.

Congress Might Finally Break the FAA Funding Logjam… Maybe – BNET Headwinds
Now that Rep Oberstar is gone, the FAA reauthorization might eventually go through, maybe.

US Airways: Without Fees, We Have No Profit – BNET Headwinds
US Airways says that its entire profit will come from fees this year. That’s not a surprise and it’s why the change to a fee structure is so important for the industry.

Continental’s FareLock Is the Kind of Fee Everyone Likes – BNET Headwinds
A fee that’s good for the airline and customers? It’s true.

Airlines Temper Their Urges to Grow in November – BNET Headwinds
November traffic numbers saw less growth than October.

In the Trenches: Are Customer Newsletters Worth It? – Intuit Small Business Blog
Sending random emails wasn’t enough, it was time to consider a monthly newsletter.

Qantas: Engine Problems Mean Its A380s Can’t Fly to the U.S. Big Problem – BNET Headwinds
Qantas continues to struggle with the A380, and now it’s revealed that without some real engine fixes, the airplane can’t fly to the US.

How United Turned Southwest Into a New Direct Competitor – BNET Headwinds
Southwest is sitting right on top of the new United in Newark with the slots that United gave the airline. This isn’t as bad as it sounds.

Getting the Most Value from Your Travel Budget – Intuit Small Business Blog
You have a travel policy now but that doesn’t mean you’ll still do the best you can with your budget. It requires really knowing your travel habits.

Boeing’s Response to the Airbus A320 Revamp Is Simple: Nothing – BNET Headwinds
Now that Airbus has decided to re-engine the A320, Boeing has to decide what to do. I don’t think we’ll see anything for awhile.

Silver Lining: A380 Grounding Helps Qantas Maintain Its Safety Reputation – BNET Headwinds
The A380 grounding has been a mess for Qantas, but in the end is does help it keep a strong safety reputation.

How Southwest Could Deploy a Larger 737 for Greater Profits in New Markets – BNET Headwinds
Now that the 737-800 is all but a done deal for Southwest, it’s time to think about where those airplanes are going. I’ve got a good idea myself.

In the Trenches: Looking Beyond the Customer for Revenue – Intuit Small Business Blog
This talks about our decision to start booking travel via Cranky Concierge and why we did it.

Southwest’s Performance Problem: How to Fix Those Late Arrivals – BNET Headwinds
Southwest didn’t have the best month for on time arrivals in October and it looks like some bigger changes may be required to get back on track thanks to a changing model.

How to Set a Travel Policy for Your Business – Intuit Small Business Blog
Talking about a travel policy is not usually at the top of the list for small businesses, but it should be. Here are some ideas for getting started.

Don’t forget to take the 2010 Cranky Reader Survey – http://surveymonkey.com/s/cranky

Privatizing Air Travel Security Won’t Change What People Hate About Screening – BNET Headwinds
Calls for privatizing airport screening are rising, but that’s not going to change a thing. It’s a red herring.

How Synergy Can Actually Work: Continental Puts United’s Airplanes to Good Use in Peru – BNET Headwinds
United will be flying a domestic 767 from Houston to Lima. This is a good move and it’s something that can only be done because of the merger.

Making Business Travel More Tolerable – Intuit Small Business Blog
I wrote something outside of my usual column, this time offering tips for small business travelers.

Zagat Airline Survey Reveals Challenge for new United – BNET Headwinds
I don’t usually like surveys, but the Zagat one this year shows the challenges that Continental will face in its United merger.

In the Trenches: Fighting the Business Lull with Dream Lists – Intuit Small Business Blog
When I get hit with a lull, I turn to my dream lists to make sure I’m not wasting time.

Union Inability to Accept Election Losses at Delta is a Bad Sign – BNET Headwinds
Unions keep losing representation elections at Delta, but they refuse to give up. It’s time to move on and try again a few years down the road.

Can the Airbus A320neo Can Meet Its Promise to Boost Fuel Efficiency? – BNET Headwinds
Airbus has launched a re-engined A320 family, but will it live up to the hyped fuel savings?