Tagged With "Fly-Fi"
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Re: Denver airport leads the charge for your phones
Having traveled to Denver in the past month, I'll vouch for that fact there a lot of places to charge your devices. And there are still lots of gates that completely lack chargers, so they still have a long way to go. The free wifi at Denver is quite fast and widely available. Much appreciate! I think this should be a top priority for all airlines -- places to charge that phone and iPad before you fly. It would be good if the consumer organizations provided comparative scores.
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
A lot travel agents are upset with this because they say it puts them at a disadvantage because clients cant get free wifi booking through them http://www.travelmarketreport....omote-Direct-Booking
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
In my experience, loyalty is built with perks the customer doesn't have to think about or read the rules to decipher. I always stayed at the same hotel in Tucson prior to flying out because they were happy to let me leave my car indefinitely. I didn't have to figure it out. The wifi issue is the same, just give it to everyone. Nickel & diming leisure travelers will, I suspect, often lead them to look at other options every time they book a hotel.
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
I think you're exactly right, PortMoresby. For quite some time, we've looked mostly at the inexpensive chains precisely because they offer clear and valuable perks: Free breakfast, free parking, free WiFi. Our occasional high-end hotels through Priceline have sometimes moved the per-room fee down to a lower tier, but after you've paid $20/day for parking, $11.99 a day for WiFi...not so lower! The two-tier WiFi issue is becoming a bug for me, too. I recently stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton...
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
It makes me wonder who they think is their target upgrader. In this age of data plans, most people who want or need fast access already have it. It seems to me not a very well thought out marketing plan. Having it free for everyone would make them more in goodwill than a few paying for it. For those, like me, who are more annoyed by the ploy than I need the service, it's definitely a losing proposition.
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
When you have a high-speed data plan on the phone, it can get eaten quickly when used as a hotspot, especially when the whole family is on devices! But if these chains want to be viewed by their customers the way many people view Spirit Airlines...they're on the right track!
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
The main clients of larger upscale hotels are business travelers, not mom and pop travelers. These are the same travelers that pay 10x what we pay to fly at the back of the plane for the privilege of a slightly larger seat and being able to get out 4 minutes before I do. Most don't care about wifi charges because their businesses pick them up. I think Marriott's action is a step in the right direction and they should be applauded for it. I've been a premier Marriott member for years so I get...
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
While business travelers are important to those brands, Marriott and the others make a big pitch to fill those rooms with vacationing and weekending families and couples, too—and I'm sure you've seen a lot of them there. As you point out, the cost of WiFi for business travelers is usually absorbed by the company, so it's hard to see why this new benefit would be attractive to them, since it's already essentially free for them. So it seems obvious that the benefit is, in fact, aimed at the...
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
And let us not forget the dreaded "resort fees". Defined as meaning anything the hotel wants it to mean. And charged whether we use the facilities it's said to cover, or not. Look in the dictionary for the definition of "chicken shit" and you'll find "resort fees". If everyone must pay it, it should rightly be included in the room rate. Even my favorite, AirBnB, makes options available for hosts - cleaning fee, security deposit, a charge for more than 1 person and even possibilities for...
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
I will say one thing for Airbnb, as compared to hotel resort fees: With Airbnb, before you click, you see the total of what's included, and what goes to whom. The resort fee and some of the others are often a surprise on arrival...
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
Indeed, small favors. Shock before leaving, rather than shock on arrival or departure.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Sept. 19, 2015: Flying Lessons
What a delightful narrative and photos; a great way to start my day -- positive and uplifting!!
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Re: French town reaffirms tourism ban: No space travelers allowed
Another example of what wine - in excess - does to your brain.
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Re: Flying this week? Check your Airline!
As "Climate Change" continues to keep Western Europe in a warm Caribbean breeze - then crossing the pond will be fine. Presuming - of course - you get a take off from America !
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Airbus flies 5 A-350s in formation...and tells how
For those of us who are airplane-obsessed, seeing a new model in flight for the first time is a thrill...so imagine FIVE, all at once! Airbus, which just sent its first A-350 off into service has also released a video of its formation fly-by of five...
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Palm Springs Air Museum, California (Where Gumbo was #104)
Gumbo was visiting the Palm Springs Air Museum in the California desert, and specifically had the privilege of sitting in the cockpit of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber (like the one in the above photo). Congratulations to the many who...
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JetBlue, Amazon team for free WiFi, Prime benefits
It's almost enough to make you forget JetBlue's upcoming bag fees. Passengers will continue to enjoy the lower-end (Simply Surf) tier of JetBlue's Fly-Fi product, courtesy of Amazon, and Amazon Prime members will be able to use the service to access...
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"Sky-Fi" cost keeps shifting...up and down
The more it becomes clear that inflight Wi-Fi is what passengers want, the less clear it is just how much will be available and how much it will cost. Airlines are switching—with costs involved—to satellite based services from vendors such...
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Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
Marriott is breaking the old internet template used by many hotel chains. Lower priced hotels, including lower end Marriott properties (eg. Fairfield Inn, Courtyard) have offered free wi-fi for some time. Upper end Marriott properties have...
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Where are flights most often delayed? Now you know.
It's not a trick question, and the answer is not "At the airport." The Telegraph (UK) has collected delay figures for summer flights involving popular holiday destinations, and fond that Portugal had the worst record last year, with 51 percent...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Sept. 19, 2015: Flying Lessons
Back for a day from our flying time, on the way home from Europe, we spotted this young bird on our Brooklyn stoop, preparing to become a frequent flier. While the mother perched above, the baby showed all the trepidation and ungainliness...
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India Plans to Subsidise Flying on Regional Routes to Make Them Affordable to the Masses
The government of India announced plans to make air travel affordable to more Indians, with schemes to revive ailing airports and airstrips, tax incentives, subsidies and a two percent levy on international and some domestic routes. The plan...
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Cruise line updates: Win some, lose some
Cruise lines have announced some changes in plans and prices recently; two big ones are a trend to higher daily gratuity charges on board, and a move to more flexibility in choosing flights as part of cruise packages. Princess Cruises is raising daily...
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December 11, 2017: Flying A Gas Station, Truckee
A nicely refurbished service station in Truckee, California, is featured in today's Pic of the Day.
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Airlines Ramp up to Meet Demand
After a few years of reducing flights to force full planes, rising demand has caught up with the airlines, and they are adding planes and seats. According to this Forbes report, all of the major U.S. carriers have increased their "flying capacity"...
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French town reaffirms tourism ban: No space travelers allowed
What sounds like one of those weird laws turns out to be maybe a good publicity stunt, banning space invaders from a French wine village.
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Red Roof rolling out guaranteed speedy Wi-Fi
With more and more travelers demanding good service, Red Roof is working on upgrades to be able to guarantee "fast and free"
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5 tips for travelling abroad with your iphone
Almost anywhere you travel in the world these days—especially to any First World country or popular tourist destination—a strong cellular signal and Wi-Fi hotspots in hotels, restaurants, Internet cafes, shopping centers, and airports are readily available. So even though you may be on the opposite side of the world from where you live, your iPhone or iPad can still serve as a powerful communication, organization, and productivity tool, as well as an interactive entertainment device. The...
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August 6, 2016: Airport Art -- Vancouver
On my travelers, I've found some interesting art at airports. This piece from Vancouver International Airport is one of the best caricatures I've encountered.
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Denver airport leads the charge for your phones
Denver has added nearly 10,000 charging points in its terminals, and has upgraded its Wi-Fi as well.
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Is Italy headed for a Wi-Fi war?
Political squabbling is nothing new, but up-to-now it hasn't included disputes over the safety of Wi-Fi.
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Flying this week? Check your Airline!
With more winter storms this week, thousands of flights are being canceled...and yours might be affected. The cancellations don't only affect areas that are snowed in, because airlines protect the network by not flying planes into areas where they...
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Moscow to put Wi-Fi in famous cemeteries
Wi-Fi coming to famous cemeteries in Moscow. See more.
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Google offers flat $10/GB for data in 120 countries for travelers
Google has a bargain $10 per GB data plan in 120 countries. Read details.
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Tips for reducing stress while flying.
I know a lot of people are stressed out by flying. One of my colleagues refused to fly for twenty years because of the sense of fear and panic it induced. If he couldn't drive or take the train to a destination, he didn't go. He's more or less overcome that "handicap" with a combination of therapy, alcohol and Xanax, although he still doesn't enjoy the air journey. Last year he actually became a million mile frequent flyer -- wonders sometimes never cease. I'm not one...
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Toyota's new dream: a flying car
Toyota's filed a patent design for a possible future car, but it's a long way from that to a realistic product. For now, admire a Prius with a stack of wings!
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Icelandair offering Gate2Gate Wi-Fi service on flights.
Icelandair offers Wi-Fi during takeoffs and landings
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Want fast internet at your hotel? Head to Abu Dhabi
See what's the fastest available Wi-Fi at a hotel is
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Re: Palm Springs Air Museum, California (Where Gumbo was #104)
And I thought that GarryF had snagged the first date with Miss Angela.... I am distraught!! I just love the nose-art on these planes. To have so many fly-able planes too what a collection!! Thanks Dr.F a great piece.
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Re: Palm Springs Air Museum, California (Where Gumbo was #104)
Another simple photo that inspires lots of chat. I too was wondering who first caught Miss Angela's eye. But then ... gentlemen never kiss and tell ! Love the artwork, something the stuffy Brits would never allow ! The USAF had a base at Burtonwood UK. Close to Liverpool where I now live. The aircraft would fly almost non-stop. New crew and re-load. Not even stopping the engines. (Tales from my Dad) The hundreds of American personnel would hit the bars in Liverpool on R+R. The local men...
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Re: Google offers flat $10/GB for data in 120 countries for travelers
This plan might be good value for travelers crossing a lot of borders, but those visiting one country will find many cheaper alternatives. In Italy, for instance, €10 will buy you 2Gb of 100 Mbps data, and €20 will buy 5Gb.
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Re: Google offers flat $10/GB for data in 120 countries for travelers
Looking at the link, it seems to mostly be intended for tablets, rather than phones. But that may come with time, I guess. I tend to travel with a phone and my laptop, so data for a tablet is not very useful to me.
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Re: Google offers flat $10/GB for data in 120 countries for travelers
Definitely so! In fact, reading the online discussion on their forum, it becomes clear that using the data-only SIM disables all normal voice-and-text uses of a phone; if you want to make calls from it, you have to use Google Voice or other app. I’m really not convinced it’s a great deal—especially for those who have T-Mobile (one of Google’s underlying carriers for this process) since we already get unlimited free data as part of our regular phone plan…and in the same countries as Google’s...
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Re: Google offers flat $10/GB for data in 120 countries for travelers
Below is a good review of Googles Project Fi's Cell Plan too. It switches between T-Mobile, Sprint and Wi-Fi. I have Republic Wireless, which is Hybrid calling plan also and I've found it so useful to use Wi-Fi for calling when the cell signal's weak. If the cell signal is blocked inside a building, or because of weak rural cell coverage, you can still phone or text if you have Wi-Fi. http://techaeris.com/2015/12/1...roject-fi-in-action/
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Re: August 6, 2016: Airport Art -- Vancouver
Art can be fun. If it makes folks smile then it's got to be worth it. Although I've never seen this guy before he does remind me of Orlando. Florida. This guy is so life-like that people stare at him - convinced he will move soon.
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Re: August 6, 2016: Airport Art -- Vancouver
All my times through the Vancouver airport and I have not seen this fellow. I will certainly look for him next time though. I am sure I looked very similar on a trip or two myself.
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Re: August 6, 2016: Airport Art -- Vancouver
Thanks for your comments. Garry, if that is not a real person then kudos to the artist for his life-like detail, down to the whitey-tighties peaking through the shorts!
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Re: August 6, 2016: Airport Art -- Vancouver
Good on Vancouver! Although I absolutely love traveling, I no longer enjoy going through airports or customs, something I used to find fascinating. Any attempt to put a smile on travelers faces, I'm all for!
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Re: Tips for reducing stress while flying.
Thanks for the article. Not that I suffer with stress but I thought it could use some tips to help my 4 flights in 10 days pass with ease. So I read through and agreed with myself that most of the tips for de-stress I use already. The I read the following article too. It appears that Frontier are rated 15 in the worst airlines in the world. I will be flying with them on Sunday this week. I now have a twitch in one eye. Tell me Doctor - could this be the onset of Stress ?