American Airlines Goes “NEW” at DFW’s Terminal A
Mar 27th
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was a state of the art facility when it opened in 1974. In many ways it remains such with flight control systems, the layout and design of the runways, etc. But after billions of passengers had passed through the terminals, they were starting to show their age. Only Terminal D, which opened in 2005, had a modern feel to it. That all started to change today as American Airlines and DFW opened a newly refurbished section of Terminal A, part of a $2.3 billion 7-year project to renovate the four terminals (A, B, C, and E) that opened in 1974.
Their press release describes it best:
FORT WORTH, Texas – The fresh, new look of American Airlines is taking off at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Today, American and DFW Airport announced the completion of Terminal A – Phase 1 under the Terminal Renewal Improvement Program (TRIP). The Phase I opening includes gates A8 through A16, including the check-in and entrance area, as well as the parking structure adjacent to these gates, and is designed to increase customer convenience and satisfaction by offering a more intuitive airport experience.
“Today we take another important step forward in our journey to build a more modern travel experience to better suit the needs of our customers,” said Kevin Cox, American’s Vice President – Real Estate. “DFW Terminal A – Phase 1 sets the stage for future next generation airport improvements, and will be a tremendous model for us to further refine how we integrate our new look and feel into our airports in the future.”Numerous architectural, systems and engineering renovations have been made to create a more eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing airport experience, while also being more customer-friendly. Some of the terminal enhancements include incorporating the bright, clean feel of American’s fresh new look announced in January.
Additional features for American Airlines customers include:
- An open layout to allow for continuous customer flow
- Power outlets and work tables at all gates
- Next-generation kiosks with self-tag capabilities for checked baggage
- Single-agent podiums to provide a more personalized experience
- A separate area for Priority check-in
Customers traveling through DFW Terminal A will also enjoy an expanded security area with new technology that will soon display wait times in real-time, as well as increased concession offerings with a variety of healthy dining options.
In 2011, DFW Airport Iaunched the first major construction phase of its $2.3 billion TRIP, a seven-year renovation of the airport’s four original terminals that opened in 1974. Renovations will take a phased approach for terminals A, B, C and E. American Unveils Its Next Generation Airport at DFW Terminal A March 26, 2013
“Today is a special day for DFW Airport and American Airlines, as we welcome passengers to our greatly improved Terminal A,” said Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW Airport. “With new concessions, reimagined passenger flows, updated finishes and a completely revamped section of Terminal A, DFW Airport is solidifying its place as one of the world’s top airports for customer service, and we stand ready to meet the needs of our passengers for the next 40 years.”
As TRIP moves forward, the American Airlines next generation airport concept will expand through DFW Terminals A, B and C. Additional upcoming next generation airports include LaGuardia Airport (LGA) later this year, with plans for further expansion to additional cities. For more information on American’s next generation airport, and to learn more about the progress of the new, modern American, visit aa.com/newamerican.
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DFW is a world-class airport. Terminal D is a world-class terminal. The other terminals, built in 1974, may have looked fresh and modern during the Nixon administration, but they had been showing their age for quite a while. It will take several years until the airport is totally modernized — I’m glad to see that DFW management and American Airlines have started the process.
Disclaimer: I own stock in AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines.Total value is less than $600.
Austin to Portland – My First Mileage Run of the Year
Mar 14th
Late February — it was about time for me to have my first mileage run of the year. Last year I had completed almost a dozen trips in January alone, the triple EQM award to San Fransisco was a great incentive. This year there weren’t any comparable deals, so I kept looking. I eventually found a trip I had taken many times before, Austin to DFW to Seattle to Portland to DFW to Austin for $240. Not great, but not bad either. I’d leave Austin early in the morning (6:10 a.m.) and be back by 10:30 p.m. It would be a long day, made even longer by the the fact that this was a mid-week flight and I would have to be up early the next morning to go to work.
The day started well, I got to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and got word that I had been upgraded to First Class for the AUS-DFW segment. Normally I would not be overly excited about an upgrade on a flight that lasts less than an hour, but I had a short layover at DFW and sitting in the front of the plane would get me off and on my way to the next flight more quickly.
I had an uneventful flight to DFW, got to my departure gate and was glad to see that I was number one on the upgrade list to First Class. An upgrade for a 4.5 hour flight, that’s nice!
My upgrade came through and I boarded the Boeing 737 for the flight to Seattle. I was looking forward to one thing: watching a movie. I got a Kindle Fire HD tablet for Christmas and had loaded some movies on there for the trip. The first was a classic movie, an all-time great, that I had never seen from start to finish: The Godfather. I set the Fire on my food-tray, plugged in the headphones, and started to watch it. The only problem was that I did not realize The Godfather was a three-hour movie. By the end of the second hour, I was hoping someone, anyone, would make Don Corleone an offer he could not refuse if it would end the film. 
While I joke about it, all it all I was pretty happy with the experience. The Fire was easier to carry around than a laptop, gave me an HD picture, and still had 70% power left when the movie was over. So, it was a good experience.
I did have to pause in the middle of the movie for a delicious breakfast.
Breakfast was a cheese quesadilla, potatoes, fruit, biscuit, and coffee. It hit the spot.
I always enjoy the view of the mountains as I fly to the West Coast.
- The Sun highlighted unique patters on the clouds.
It was soon time to land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC). It had been a smooth flight and we arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule. I had a 90 minute wait before I took my Alaska Airlines flight to Portland. I spent that time in the Alaska Airlines Board Room, eating some snacks and catching up on my email.
It was such a dark and grey day in Seattle that this photo almost looks like it is in Black and White, but no, it’s simply a color photo on a day lacking in color.
I soon made my way to the Alaska Airlines departure area for my short one hour flight to Portland aboard a Dash 400.
I’m always impressed by how well Alaska Airlines manages these flights. Although the flight is only one hour long, the flight attendants serve snacks, beverages, and complimentary wine or beer.
We landed on time in Portland. leaving me with another one hour layover. Shortly after we arrived though I received a call from AA flight status letting me know that the Portland-DFW flight would depart 30 minutes late. I had a one hour layover in DFW for my Austin flight, would this delay cause me to miss my connection?
I called AA’s Executive Platinum desk and explained my concerns. The representative listened as I explained my story, then laughed and said “You don’t have anything to worry about sir, your flight to Austin is also going to be late.”.
I received the upgrade to First Class for the Portland-DFW flight which left 35 minutes late. We had a smooth flight to DFW where I connected to my Austin flight which also departed 35 minutes late. I should have been on the ground in Austin by 11 p.m., but it was almost 11:30 when we finally landed and well past midnight by the time I got home. This might have been okay for a Saturday flight, but on a Tuesday when I had to get up for work the next morning, it was not much fun.
But I did earn 4,775 EQMs and a total of 9,548 miles, so it all had a purpose. I never left the airport — my next mileage run however will give me almost a full day in Seattle, so I look forward to that. In the meantime, I continue to look for good deals, which appear to be few and far between. But I’ll keep looking!
Meet The New American Airlines
Jan 20th
There had been a lot of buzz recently on the blogosphere and Twitter abut the “new American Airlines.” What did this mean?
Thursday morning I got word that the new American Airlines would be revealed at 9 a.m. Would this be an announcement that AA was leaving bankruptcy? Perhaps official word of a merger (or non-merger) with US Air? It turned out to be neither of those. Instead, AA unveiled its new livery and logo.
You’ll get the full information in this video.
American Airlines had an iconic logo and design to its aircraft that had gone unchanged for years. When I saw the new design, my initial response was negative.
But the more I look at it, the more I like it.
I think they made a good choice with the clean font on the side of the aircraft.
And the tail design, which grows on me more each time I see it, really helps to make American aircraft more visible at an airport.
The only part of the design I am not excited about is the stylized eagle.
If I did not know it was an eagle, I am not sure I would recognize it as such. But I have no doubt I’ll adjust to it — if this is the biggest change I have to deal with in 2013, then it will be a pretty good year for me!
In the future we’ll see new American Airlines luggage tags, elite status cards, a new look at the airport as AA incorporates the new design throughout its network. We may even see new uniforms for flight attendants and gate agents.
It’s going to cost a lot of money to do all this. AMR Corporation is in bankruptcy, is this the best time to take on such an expense? From a bean-counter standpoint, probably not. But if your goal is to totally remake the airline with new aircraft, new services, and new Oneworld partners, this may be the perfect time.
Enjoy these videos from AA.
This video explains how they developed the new look.
And of course, there are new commercials.
Disclaimer: I own stock in AMR corporation, the parent of American Airlines. Total value of my holdings is less then $150,
Walking Around Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Dec 28th
- Trip Report: Austin to Bali, Cathay Pacific Business Class
- The Bali Hyatt Hotel
- Walking Around Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
One of the nice things about the Bali Hyatt is its location. I’ve stayed at resorts in the past that were far removed from any other businesses, restaurants, etc. If you wanted to shop or go to a restaurant for dinner, you had to take a cab into town. Thankfully, that is not the case at this property. Several stores and many restaurants are within easy walking distance of the hotel.
We wanted to see what the neighborhood had to offer so we left the hotel and made a right turn on the main street. I had heard that we could walk to a Hardy’s Supermarket where we could buy snacks for our room.
One of the first things we saw was a utility pole that might not meet the standards here in Texas.
We also saw a reminder that we were in a low-lying coastal region.
I’ve also seen a Tsunami warning sign at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, so this may not be as unusual as it seems.
The challenges of a foreign language. I saw this sign on a telephone pole – I wonder what you do if you want a “good” room instead of a bad room?
One street vendor was renting bicycles — have you ever seen a bike with a steering wheel? I haven’t.
It was early morning – we saw this lady delivering bread to some of the restaurants in the area.
After a 10-minute walk we came to Hardy’s.
We went into Hardys department store and supermarket and bought a variety of snacks — cookies and crackers, tea bags, sugar for our coffee. My wife even bought a swimsuit. One thing I noticed about the clientele is that very few of them appeared to be locals, most were American/European/Australian. I am not sure if that was because they were all tourists like we were, or they were part of the expanding expat community in Bali. The low cost of living is attracting more and people to the area from overseas.
Another challenge with the English language, but at least now I know where to go to buy truossers.
We were glad to see that there were many restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
When all was said and done, we had the best of both worlds. We were staying at gorgeous tropical retreat, but also had stores and restaurants within easy walking distance. We were in a great location!
American Airlines Launches Its True iPad App
Nov 21st
American Airlines launched its true iPad app today, including a free in-app trivia game called “Know It All” that can be played on Wi-Fi-equipped flights or on the ground.
AA is also running a promo: Today through Dec. 31, 2012, fans who “like” American’s Facebook page can register for a chance to win a weekly drawing for 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles. Also, the Know It All player with the top score of the week will receive an extra entry for the 100,000 bonus miles.
The app also features:
- Flight information at a glance
- A more in-depth AAdvantage section that allows users to see total mileage balance and available upgrades
- An interactive globe that features all American Airlines destinations
This YouTube video tells you more, and I have to admit, I like it — definite sense of humor in the production. You go Granny!
Disclaimer: I own stock in both AMR Corporation and Apple.
The Bali Hyatt Hotel
Nov 21st
- Austin to Bali, Cathay Pacific Business Class
- The Bali Hyatt Hotel
- Walking around Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Forty hours after we left our home in Texas we finally arrived at our destination, the beautiful Bali Hyatt Hotel at Sanur, Bali, Indonesia.
The Bali Hyatt is an exceptional property for two reasons: its outstanding location among acres of beautifully landscaped trees and shrubs, and the very high level of customer service that the staff provides. You’ll see photos of the property in this article, but first, I want to talk about the service at the hotel.
I have never been to a hotel where every employee, and I mean every employee, from the manager to the gardeners and the man who swept the stairway in the morning, greeted me with a smile whenever he saw me. Along with that I got a cheerful “Good morning sir!” or if my wife was with me, a bow and “Good day, madame.” And as I said, this happened every time we saw an employee.
On our second day at the hotel I called the front desk to let them know that the sliding door to our balcony would not close properly. In less than 15 minutes two engineers came to our room and made the repair. Later that afternoon, when we returned from the pool I found a note from the hotel assistant manager.
He apologized for the problem we had with the door, said he had called our room several times during the day to verify that the repair had been made to our satisfaction, and asked that I call immediately to let him know if it had been taken care of. I called and explained that the repair was 90% complete — I could close and lock the door but my wife could not.
Just a few moments later engineers were back in our room and they fixed the door so that it closed properly. I thought that was the end of the story until later on that evening when there was a knock at our door. I opened it and was greeted by a bellman who presented me with another letter from the assistant manager, who apologized that the door had not been fixed properly the first time, thanked us for being so cooperative with them, and as a sign of their gratitude towards us as guests, asked that we enjoy the complimentary bottle of wine that the bellman left in our room.
That is exceptional customer service and is an example of the wonderful service you can expect when you are a guest at this property. The staff of the Bali Hyatt will truly make you feel welcome during your visit to the Island of the Gods.
This beautiful sign greets guests as they arrive at the Bali Hyatt hotel.
When we arrived at the Bali Hyatt, our van pulled up to the property entrance where we had to stop for a quick security check: all doors of the vehicle were opened, the trunk was opened, and one guard used a mirror on the end of a pole to look beneath the chassis of the vehicle. It was a quick inspection and a necessary precaution followed by all properties after the 2002 terrorist attacks.
We pulled up the driveway to the hotel entrance and got our first view of the beautiful landscaping at the property. It’s hard to see that there is actually a hotel entrance behind these trees.
The beautifully landscaped entrance to the hotel. You can hardly tell that there is a hotel behind the greenery.
As we got out of the van we were greeted by several members of the hotel staff: two men who took our luggage, and two ladies who put leis around our necks, then escorted us into the hotel lobby.
The beautiful open-air lobby, designed with traditional Balinese style.
There is a counter to check in, but we never got to it — the staff came to us.
I thought we would go to the front desk to check in, but instead we were seated at a comfortable sofa across from it. As the desk clerks got our paperwork. we were presented with cold Balinese beverages that were greatly appreciated. We were also starting to get an idea of the level of customer service at the property.
A clerk came over and explained my bill, what charges there would be, confirmed my reservations, etc, and graciously presented me with the room cards. There have been so many times when I have checked into a hotel and the clerk has either dropped the cards on the counter or handed them to me with a “Here you go” attitude. That is not what I got this day, this clerk truly made us feel like welcome guests.
A bellman already had our luggage loaded on a cart and escorted us to our room. The hotel consists of four buildings, each four stories tall with an open courtyard. Our room was in the second building on the top floor, facing the landscaped area towards the SPA.
We had a king-room facing the rear of the property.
The view from our balcony was spectacular.
We enjoyed sitting on the balcony each morning, drinking our coffee and taking in the view of the impeccably landscaped grounds.
The balcony view was not unique, the property is full of stunning views. I hope you enjoy these photos of the hotel grounds.
One of several ponds on the property. These are next to the paths as you go towards the swimming pools — the water makes a soothing sound.as you walk by.
Another pond. I saw mosquito fish in the ponds, but this one also had some large Koi.
I’ve never seen an area with such a wide variety of trees.
We usually sat on lounges near this pool.
The pool featured a waterfall – a hot tub and cold plunge pool were on the other side of the “Cave.”
This was one of the more popular pools – the swim-up bar may have been a factor.
Even at night the swim-up bar had customers.
Even the little kids have it nice, this is the wading pool – the water was less than a foot deep.
One can relax at poolside, or on a nearby chaise lounge among the palm trees.
If you don’t want to stay at the pool, you can take advantage of the beautifully pristine beach, 1,500 feet of the whitest sand I have ever seen. There is a reef off the beach which stops most of the waves, making the water at the beach very calm with few waves and almost no riptide. It’s perfect if you have a little child.
Low tide occurred at 6 a.m. with the water retreating very far from the beach, leaving many boats high and dry.
The boat owners made sure their boats were secured in place. In just a few hours the water would come back in and float them again.
At sunset, a local fisherman hoped for a good catch.
And finally, more wonderful customer service from the hotel. When they found out it was my wife’s birthday they sent a cake to the room.
I highly recommend the Bali Hyatt hotel for singles, couples, and families. it is a beautiful hotel with wonderful customer service, and is also quite a good value. At the time we were there, a king-room was less than $120 per night or 5,000 Hyatt points. That is quite a good deal for such an outstanding property. Visit the Bali Hyatt, you will enjoy it!
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