On the Road: Air upgrades and new hotels and baggage fees

By Joe Brancatelli

SEASONAL STRATEGIST

At-the-Gate Air Upgrades Are Back: At-the-gate upgrades all but disappeared when airlines began tying a move to the front of the bus to a traveler’s elite status. Even in traditional down times, there were so many elites vying for so few available upgrades that airlines rarely had any space left for other fliers. But in this startling downturn, which has depressed business travel and premium-class flying much more than back-of-the-bus coach flying, up front seats on many flights are going begging. So airlines have revived the practice of selling comparatively low-priced upgrades “at the gate” just before departure.

Sometimes carriers post signs at the departure gate that say “upgrades available” and sometimes not. Sometimes airlines load upgrade opportunities into the check-in kiosk and sometimes not. Sometimes upgrade opportunities show up when you check in online and sometimes not. The one sure way to know if a cheap (or maybe free) upgrade is available is to ask at the podium when you arrive at the gate. And remember, be polite and humble. That works much better than bluster when dealing with the increasingly harried gate personnel.

HOTEL HOT SHEET

The New Hotels Just Keep On Comin’: The unprecedented downturn in travel has caught the hotel industry with its development pipeline hanging out. Despite plummeting nightly room rates and falling occupancy rates, new hotel projects, planned upwards of three years ago, continue to gush from the pipeline. This week’s newbies include a wide range of lodgings in all price ranges. So get out your scorecard:

St. Regis opened a 189-room property in the La Reformadistrict of Mexico City.
Candlewood Suites opened a 188-unit property near the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City.
Country Inns & Suites opened a 70-room outpost in Covington, Louisiana.
Shangri-La opened a 301-room branch of its Traders Hotel chain in Abu Dhabi.
Marriott added a 179-room Residence Inn in Portland, Maine, and an 85-room Fairfield Inn in South Boston, Virginia.
Cambria Suites opened five properties: in Madison, Wisconsin; Traverse City, Michigan; Noblesville, Indiana; Maple Grove, Minnesota; and Aurora, Colorado.
Starwood has opened a 300-room Sheraton in the Incheon Free Economic Zone in Seoul, South Korea, a 317-room W Hotel on 15th and E streets in Washington and a 130-room Four Points across from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Meanwhile, Hilton has opened a Hilton Garden Inn in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and a Hampton Inn in Yonkers, the Westchester County suburb north of New York City.

DOLLAR WATCH

American Airlines and British Airways Raise Baggage Fees: The question wasn’t if major carriers would start charging to check bags on international flights, but when and which airline would be the first to try. We now have the answers:

Effective October 7, British Airways says that it will charge coach passengers on U.S.-originating flights $60 to check a second bag. The fee is $48 if you pay online. BA’s move follows Delta Air Lines‘ earlier initiative to charge $50 for a second bag on flights to Europe.
Meanwhile, American Airlines says that it will raise domestic checked-bag fees again. Effective August 14, American is charging $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second bag. Unlike other airlines that charge $20 for the first bag or $30 for the second bag, American does notoffer a $5 discount if you pay online before departure.