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Travel blogs keep watch on airlines
Nicholas Kralev – December 15, 2008
“Blog posts are often unedited rants that have more immediacy than a well-edited reporter’s piece,” said Brett Snyder, who writes the blog Cranky Flier. “That being said, good bloggers are trying to get at the same thing as good reporters – the truth.”
. . .
“It’s not entirely clear how much influence bloggers have, but I like to think we certainly play a role in shaping public opinion, and that can often result in increased pressure on airlines to change their behavior,” Mr. Snyder said.
He recently wrote a post “panning Lufthansa’s new social network,” saying there are enough such groups, and airlines should instead “try to participate with new applications and groups on existing networks,” he recalled. “I received an e-mail from someone at Lufthansa who said that they had taken what I said to heart and had created a group on Xiaonei, one of China’s biggest networks.”
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Among the airlines, “Southwest is probably the most proactive” in engaging bloggers, Mr. Snyder said. “US Airways, JetBlue and Virgin America also do a very good job.” Among foreign carriers, he said he has found “warm receptions” from British Airways, Lufthansa and Air New Zealand. He added that he rarely hears back from American Airlines and Continental Airlines.
Fentress wins contract to upgrade L.A. airport
John Rebchook – December 2, 2008
But Brett Snyder, who authors a blog called the Cranky Flier, was less thrilled. “It’s a beautiful design, but it’s a complete and total waste of money,” Snyder wrote.
Airlines want budget, premium fliers
Nicholas Kralev – November 3, 2008
Brett Snyder, who writes a popular travel blog, CrankyFlier.com, said the legacy carriers approach the coach and premium cabins “individually,” as if they are not on the same plane. “In the international premium cabin,” he said, “the airlines see dollar signs, so they pour money into it and try to make it competitive on the world stage.”
. . .
No matter what improvements U.S. carriers make on their international fleets, they “usually come up short” in terms of global product competitiveness “despite their best efforts,” Mr. Snyder said. “The domestic premium cabin is a joke. It gets very little attention unless some bean counter thinks he can get some costs out of the operation by cutting something.”
Wi-Fi may fly at Bob Hope
Jeremy Oberstein – October 14, 2008
As officials move to meet the demands of 21st century travelers who have come to expect increased Internet points of access, more airports could increase their online output, said Brett Snyder, who writes the airline blog Cranky Flier.
“It is becoming more and more common,” he said. “Some airports have an airport-wide program, and in other places, the airlines have programs to provide free Wi-Fi.”
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But as airports move to attract passengers, Snyder cautions that airports should not expect an immediate uptick in business based solely on the availability of free Internet.
“I would be surprised if passengers make their decisions based on if an airport has free Wi-Fi or not,” he said. “In a place like Burbank, which is competing against LAX, what matters most is who has the best price and who has airlines that people like. But it’s all a part of creating this good experience. It just adds to that ease of use with the airport.”
Independent – Dublin
Gemma O’Doherty – October 13, 2008
The airline, which has conceded that infants will still have access to junior-sized life vests, claims the practice is common among regional carriers in the US and Europe who don’t fly over extensive stretches of water. And there’s support for the move in some aviation circles.
“Let’s be honest,” says air travel blog The Cranky Flier. “For the most part, if a plane goes into the ocean, there’s not much left of it or anyone on board.”
Things with Wings Radio Show
Benét Wilson, Henry Harteveldt, and Cranky – August 20, 2008
United Airlines has crossed what one of my editors called “sacred territory” when it announced that, among other things, they are going to start charging for food — on international flights. You can read my story in Aviation Daily here (subscribers only). And the UA FlyerTalk boards are going crazy over the change.
When I heard about this, the first thing I thought was what my friends — Henry Harteveldt, VP and principal analyst for Forrester Research’s airline and travel practice, and Brett Snyder, AKA The Cranky Flier — would think about this move. So click here to listen to a 13:37-minute Podcast on their thoughts about the move. Enjoy!
Airplane Geeks Podcast
Max and Court Interview Cranky – July 9, 2008
This week, Max and Court welcome Brett Snyder of the Cranky Flier blog. Brett brings his insight to the industry, and discusses Allegiant and Frontier in detail.
Things with Wings Radio Show
Benét Wilson Interviews Cranky – June 30, 2008
This week’s guest on the Things With Wings Radio Show is Brett Snyder — aka proprietor of The Cranky Flier blog. Brett’s blog is a humorous, snarky yet informative and insightful look into the wonderful world of airlines. The blog was chosen as the U.K.’s Observer newspaper as #29 of the 100 most influential blogs, and he’s won 2 Travvie travel writing blog awards. Oh, and he worked in various capacities at America West and United Airlines.
In our chat, we discuss the spate of recent capacity cut announcements, Southwest Airlines’ alleged plot to push Frontier Airlines out of Denver (Brett believes it) and what the industry will look like a year from now.
Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio Show
Peter Greenberg Interviews Cranky – June 7, 2008
This week, Peter is broadcasting not from a hotel, but from Cornell University’s Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art in Ithaca, New York. . . .
Brett Snyder, aka The Cranky Flier, who has worked in the travel industry since he was 12, will discuss cell phones on international flights—love it or hate it, it’s happening.
Blogs on a Plane
Video Podcast with Cranky for Current TV by Dave O’Brien – May 22, 2008
Alitalia – the soap opera masquerading as an airline
Addison Schonland Podcast Interview with Cranky – April 18, 2008
Brett Snyder, from CrankyFlier.com, shares his thoughts about the airline he (and many others) refer to as the world’s worst. Pay attention to his comments about the new LAX-Rome flight launch event; read about here (http://crankyflier.com/2008/04/18/alitalias-lax-reception/).
This airline has become such a bad joke, one wonders how it has survived this long. Can one measure brand values in negatives?
Turbulent season ahead for summer vacationers
Beth J. Harpaz – April 17, 2008
Staying informed also helps you juggle options. Last week, when American Airlines grounded 300 MD-80 planes for maintenance, Brett Snyder recommended that passengers find out what type of plane they had tickets for, and “start looking for connections that aren’t on MD-80s.” Snyder, who blogs about air travel at CrankyFlier.com, also urged passengers to “bring a lot of patience with you to the airport. … Being nice can only help you.”
My Big Fat Airline Merger
Evan Sparks – April 9, 2008
As Brett Snyder, author of the popular “Cranky Flier” blog (which includes a regular feature entitled “Alitalia: Worst Airline Ever”), writes: “Somebody get this guy an economics textbook. If there’s demand for flights between Rome and China or India, you know there will be nonstop flights there regardless of who owns the airline. … If you do a good job of making your country a center for commerce and tourism, people will go to and from there.”
Flying tips for cranky passengers
Marnie Hunter – April 8, 2008
If you have to catch a connecting flight, try to get a connection in an airport that tends to be less crowded, suggests Brett Snyder, a former airline industry employee and author of a blog called Cranky Flier. Smaller hubs such as Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; and Salt Lake City, Utah, often are less prone to delays, Snyder said. . .
Fly in the morning, especially during the summer, to avoid getting caught in a series of weather-related delays, Snyder advises. . .
Having a list of flight alternatives also helps in the event of a stampede of frustrated passengers toward the gate agent, Snyder said. . .
Snyder agrees. “If you can fit everything into a carry-on, absolutely do that.”
Residents Let Feelings Be Known
Jeremy Oberstein – April 2, 2008
While there is much support in Burbank for the curfew, not all have welcomed the proposal, Gill said.
“People are starting to blog about this and it’s not all positive,” he said.
Gill referred specifically to CrankyFlier.com, a Web site devoted to airline news that former airline marketing and sales manager Brett Snyder writes.
Snyder wrote about the curfew on March 25, advising people not to fly into Burbank near the proposed curfew hours based on the steep fines airlines would be forced to pay if they land or depart before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m.
Breaking the curfew would cost an airline $3,671 for the first violation, $7,342 for the second, $11,013 for the third and $14,684 for the fourth violation over a 12-month period, officials said.
“With penalties that steep, airlines will be less willing to schedule any flights near that curfew time at night for fear that they’ll miss it,” he wrote. “I don’t necessarily have a disagreement with the curfew in general but with its rigidity.”
Frommers.com Podcast: Flying the Cranky Skies
David Lytle Podcast Interview with Cranky – January 31, 2008
Do you find yourself frustrated by the trappings of modern travel? Does flying make you cranky? Brett Snyder, airline industry insider, addresses these issues every day on his blog, The Cranky Flier (www.crankyflier). For this week’s podcast, Snyder joins host David Lytle to discuss some of the most annoying and most hopeful developments in the industry, including fuel surcharges, security, congestion pricing, customer service and new terminals.
To download this episode to your hard drive, click here.
Wisdom of the Web
Jane Levere – January 29, 2008
Brett Snyder, director of new products for the comparison-shopping site PriceGrabber.com and author of Cranky Flier, one of the nine blogs, hopes the portal will do more than earn him and Mr. Petersen money.
“It will help with exposure,” he said. “Business travelers will be able to come and read not just my blog, but others. I’m a big fan of sharing traffic, getting conversations going across blogs.”
Essential Air Service – a 30 year boondoggle
Addison Schonland Podcast Interview with Cranky – January 11, 2008
The Crankyflier, AKA Brett Snyder, has a post on his blog that makes good reading.
Brett brings up one of those government programs set up decades ago that continues to run, this one costs $100m per year, and it’s not clear what tax payers are getting for their money. The EAS program is in the news lately because of the pending closure of Big Sky Airlines. This airline basically lives off the EAS program, otherwise it might not be shutting down. Like big empty sky?
It is tough when people lose their jobs anywhere. But why do rural communities get this benefit? What’s in it for the rest of us?
Turbulence – The unforgettable flight
Sean Redmond – January 10, 2008
Snyder worked in the airline industry for several years and is currently the author of the blog, “Cranky Flier.” He still remembers that afternoon flight as his worst experience with turbulence.