Program takes on fearful flying

Can an application on an electronic hand-held gadget really change your life? Whoopi Goldberg says it can.

The Academy Award-winning actress and co-host of ABC’s “The View” claimed her fear of flying kept her off airplanes until she tried an application developed for Virgin Atlantic Airways for the iPod and the iPhone called Flying Without Fear.

“The program works, I was a skeptic,” she said in a statement.

The Flying Without Fear “app” costs $4.99 and uploads onto iPod and iPhone devices. The program begins with an introduction from Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic’s president, and includes a video-based explanation of a flight, frequently asked questions, relaxation exercises and fear therapy, plus a “fear attack” button with breathing exercises for emergencies.

There may be one snag to this program: Most airlines make passengers put away all electronic devices during takeoff and landing. If you feel a panic attack coming on during takeoff, you’re going to have to wait until the plane reaches cruising altitude before you can switch on your iPhone to begin your breathing exercises.

But if Whoopi can do it, so can you.

--Hugo Martin

Photo: Richard Branson. Credit: Getty Images

Unlucky dates make for travel deals, study finds

If you're looking to save money on a flight and you're not superstitious, consider flying on Friday the 13th or Sept. 11.

An analysis by Kayak.com, a travel search engine, found that a drop in airline demand on those days has led to prices that are 14% lower than the average flight. In other words, you can get lucky and save some money because people are terrified to fly on those unlucky dates.

The prices for flying on Halloween were also reduced, but only by an average of 5%, said Robert Birge, a spokesman for Kayak.com.

The next Friday the 13th is in the second week of November. If you book a flight on that date, you can always use the money you save to buy a lucky rabbit’s foot.

-- Hugo Martin

Consumer Confidential: Low fares, video games, home prices

Here's your toot-toot-Tuesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--How's this for a deal? Southwest Airlines is charging the same for a one-way ticket that some other carriers charge just to check a bag. The airline says it will charge just $25 for a one-way ticket to travel up to 375 miles. The price rises to $50 if you're going up to 549 miles, and to $75 for up to 999 miles. If you're flying more than 1,000 miles, that'll be a nice, round $100. One catch: The fares apply only for travel between Dec. 2 and Dec. 16, and Jan. 5 and Feb. 10. And, as they say, other restrictions apply.

--Heads up, sofa spuds: Time to put all that video gaming to use. GameStop says it's hiring about 15,000 seasonal workers to help with the holiday rush for games. The company wants experienced gamers who know a thing or two about "Grand Theft Auto" or "Lego Star Wars." And, the economy being what it is, GameStop says it fully expects to receive more applications than it can accommodate with open positions. One other thing: Those positions pay just minimum wage.

--Home prices are up for a third straight month. If you're in the market for new digs and you haven't bought yet at fire-sale prices, that train's about to leave the station.

-- David Lazarus

Flying into the flu season

A woman sleeps on a nearly vacant American Airlines flight from Miami to Mexico City during an outbreak of the H1N1 flu in April. Credit: Brennan Linsley/Associated Press.

Television news shows and newspaper headlines scream about the potential dangers of the swine flu, also known as H1N1, and there you are, contemplating a trip for the upcoming holidays.

So, you ask yourself: Am I safe from airborne germs in the confined cabin of a crowded passenger jet?

In the past few months, the topic of air quality on airplanes has come up repeatedly, most noticeably when Vice President Joe Biden told a television audience last spring that he was advising family members to avoid confined spaces such as airplanes and subways for fear of contracting the flu from a sneezing passenger.

Airlines have straddled the line between taking big, noticeable steps to quell passenger fears and underplaying the threat to avoid sparking a panic.

For example, airports from Anchorage to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., have placed alcohol-based hand sanitizing lotion in dispensers in high traffic areas. Many airlines are also wiping down the interior of the planes with strong disinfectant between flights.

Southwest Airlines has removed all pillows and blankets — potential germ traps — from daytime flights.

Virgin America has added sanitizing gel and antibacterial wipes on its planes.

But don’t panic, says the Air Transport Assn. of America, the trade group that represents most major airlines. You are at no greater risk breathing the air inside an airplane cabin than you are in a crowded office or theater, the group says.

David A. Castelveter, ATA’s spokesman, said studies show that passenger cabins are not a breeding ground for pathogens and that most passengers are not worried about catching a disease while flying.

“The myth is that you are more susceptible to influenza if you get on a plane,” he said. “That is not the case.’’

Medical research seems to support Castelveter. A 2005 report in the Lancet, a widely read medical journal, concluded that “the environmental control system used in commercial aircraft seems to restrict the spread of airborne pathogens, and the perceived risk is greater than the actual risk.”

The air supply system in a passenger plane draws air through the engines. The air is heated, cooled and --in many cases  -- passed through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter before it is pumped into the cabin. Most commercial aircraft recirculate 50% of the air, while the other 50% comes fresh from the exterior.

The Lancet study found no evidence that the air supply systems can spreading germs and pathogens throughout an airplane cabin.

But the Lancet report and other medical studies on the subject also caution that the air filtration system can’t save you if you are seated within a few feet of a coughing, sneezing, influenza-spewing passenger — the exact scenario that keeps Joe Biden awake at night.

To combat such a scenario, airlines urge passengers to stay home if they feel ill. Don’t worry about losing out on the cost of an airline ticket, said Anthony Black, a spokesman for Delta, the world’s largest airline. If you miss your flight because of illness, he said, the airline will work with you to recover the cost. (You may have to produce a note from your doctor, he added.)

But if a coughing, sneezing passenger takes a seat next to you, the airline attendants can move that passenger to another part of the plane or offer the passenger an influenza mask.

“Our employees are watching passengers for flu-like symptoms and if someone potentially has H1N1, we will bring that passenger to the attention of our medical professionals. We will take action,” said Castelveter.

In the midst of all this talk about airborne germs, a British company, BAE Systems, recently unveiled a new air-management system for airplanes that it claims will kill 99.99% of bio-hazards and particles. The AirManager system uses an electrical field that breaks down and destroys airborne pathogens, contaminants and toxins, and has been successfully tested on Boeing 757 airliners in Europe, according to a company statement.

Several airlines in the U.S. and Europe have expressed interest in the system, according to a spokesman for BAE Systems, who declined to name the airlines. But so far, none of them are ready to announce a fleet-wide installation of the system.

When asked about BAE’s new system, Castelveter said: “We are very comfortable with the airline systems we have today.”

-- Hugo Martin

Consumer Confidential: Stores, cellphones and flight delays

Here's your thrilled-it's-Thursday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- Are we recovering yet? Economists say we might have taken a baby step closer to good times last month when consumers showed a bit more willingness to spend a little do-re-mi. A preliminary tally of retail sales showed a 0.1% increase -- extremely modest by any measure, but still the first gain since July 2008. Economists say consumers remain wary about spending too much, but are gradually coming to think that the sky may not be falling after all. We'll see about that as the holiday season kicks into high gear.

-- The head of the Federal Communications Commission says we face "a looming spectrum crisis" if we don't find a way to squeeze out more bandwidth for wireless devices. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said the federal government is already tripling the amount of spectrum available for commercial use to handle an expected surge in wireless traffic as more video and other bandwidth-heavy content head for people's smart phones. But that's still not enough. Genachowski says he's open to ideas about how to make the world a more iPhone-friendly place.

-- Here's a little something to ponder as you wait (and wait) for your next plane ride to take off: Lengthy airline delays are now twice as common as they were in 1990, and things will get only worse as the economy slowly rebounds. This according to our friends at the Brookings Institution, who say a variety of factors are conspiring to make air travel even more unpleasant than it currently is -- as if that was possible. The researchers say high-speed rail represents one possible solution to our increasingly crowded skies. They also like the idea of airports charging fees for rush-hour flights. Nice.

-- David Lazarus

Consumer Confidential: Fees, sales and coupons

Here's your totally-Tuesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--Only an airline would think of charging a fee for avoiding fees. Our friends at United Airlines have announced a new program in which passengers can pay $249 a year for the privilege of checking in two -- yes, two! -- standard bags without paying extra. But United says the program won't cover overweight bags, so you're still on your own there. Anyone want to bet how long it takes all the other carriers to follow suit?

--We've been hearing that it's going to be an ugly holiday season for retailers. But how ugly are we talking? The National Retail Federation says it expects sales this season to be down about 1% from last year, to $437.6 billion. My hunch is that this'll prompt most stores to slash prices in a bid to woo the few dollars shoppers are willing to spend. Keep a sharp eye out for sales.

--Ask.com wants to make bargain hunting easier. The search site is unveiling a new service that will allow users to sift through dozens of discount sites in search of money-saving online coupons. It will also mark regular search results with a special icon to let people know that a related coupon may be available. Electronic coupons now account for about 3% of all coupons used. Expect that number to grow as services like this make it simpler for people to ferret out deals.

-- David Lazarus

New airline fees, but only for popular travel days during the holidays

Several airlines announced a new $10 surcharge this week but the fee will only affect travelers who fly on some of the busiest days of the season.

According to FareCompare.com, Delta Air Lines, U.S. Airways, Northwest Airlines and American Airlines will add the $10 charge for most flights on Nov. 29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and Jan. 2 and Jan. 3. FareCompare says the fee, which probably will appear on the bill as a fuel surcharge, is a way for struggling carriers to collect badly-needed revenues on the most popular travel days of the year.

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Passengers arrive at the American Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times

Airlines collect big revenue from extra fees

Airline revenue from all those extra fees -- for overweight baggage, snacks and premium seating, among other things -- jumped by 345% from 2006 to 2008, according to a study released this week.

IdeaWorks, a consulting firm based in Shorewood, Wis., looked at the financial statements of 92 airlines and concluded that all of those extra fees generated $10.25 billion for the industry.

In contrast, the airlines collected about $2.3 billion in revenue from ancillary fees in 2006, according to the study. 

American Airlines collected the biggest chunk of the fees in 2008, about $2.4 billion, according to the study.

-- Hugo Martin, Times Staff Writer

Photo: Rizwan Batel and his wife, Sabera, wait at Los Angeles International Airport to begin their trip on American Airlines to Mumbai. Credit: Los Angeles Timees. 

Southwest offers another service -- for a fee

Southwest, the airline that boosts no hidden fees, has announced a new convenience for customers who are willing to pay, ugh, a fee.

For $10 for each boarding, Southwest will allow passengers to get on the plane before other general boarding passengers but after Business Select and Rapid Rewards A-List customers.

Sale of the Early-Bird Check-In begins today for travel starting tomorrow. Southwest, which offers no assigned seating, promotes the program as a way to claim a good seat. 

Our colleagues in the Travel section noted that Southwest added a few other fees in May: 

-- P.A.W.S.: Small dogs and cats can fly aboard Southwest for $75 each way. (P.A.W.S. stands for Pets Are Welcome on Southwest.)

-- Unaccompanied minors will be charged $25 if they are flying alone and are between the ages of 5 and 11.

-- Overweight and excess luggage (third to ninth checked bags) will incur a $50 charge.  

At least the soft drinks and peanuts are still free.  

-- Hugo Martin 

Photo: Passengers preparing to board near a Southwest counter. Credit: Los Angeles Times.

As airlines roll out holiday fares, Southwest blacks out key dates

Although Southern California is still enjoying shorts and T-shirt weather, airlines have already started to roll out discount fares for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s travel.

This is great news for bargain-hunting travelers, but it signals growing desperation among U.S. airlines
that have seen revenues drop 26% in June compared with the same month last year, according to the Air Transport Assn. of America, the industry trade group that represents most passenger airlines in the U.S.

“Everybody is fighting for your buck,” said Tom Parsons, chief executive and founder of Bestfares.com, an Internet discount travel website. “It’s definitely a fliers market.”

But Parsons takes exception with the tactics of one airline that has joined the discount fare war: Southwest Airlines.

When Southwest unveiled its Fall Savings deals — offering one-way fares from $59 to $109 for flights between Sept. 9 and Jan. 7 — it included some small-print exceptions that Parsons insists should have been made clear in bold lettering.

The deals included blackout dates from Nov. 24, 2009, to Dec. 1, 2009, and Dec. 18, 2009, to Jan. 4, 2010. That’s a grand total of 26 blackout days clustered around all the major fall and winter holidays.

On his website, Parsons called it a “Bah Humbug air fare sale” because, he said, the blackout dates make it nearly impossible for families with school-age children to take advantage of the deals.

A spokeswoman for Southwest, however, insisted that bargain fares can be found during those blackout
periods, depending on availability. But because the airline cannot promise those deals across the board, she said Southwest decided to list only the specific dates when the bargain fares are more certain.

“We are trying to be as honest and straightforward as possible with our customers,” said airline
spokeswoman Brandy King.

So, how do travelers know if the discount rates are available during the holiday season?
King suggests travelers visit the airline's website, punch in the date that they want to fly and see what rates
pop up.

“In other words, we should just poke around,” Parsons said sarcastically. “I think they just shot
themselves in the foot.”

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times