Ratings that matter
SKOKIE — All those ratings of airlines that show on-time performance are a pile of garbage. When the weather is bad, none are going to be on time unless maybe they are using Air Force One.
I would like a rating system giving the following information designated by the particular aircraft: Space between rows of seats in First, Business and Coach. The bulkhead row which is used as a possible exit should not be counted. Airlines seem to be lining up seating like the accommodations on the Titanic. They should change the name for Coach to Steerage.
The other information I would like is the number of washrooms per plane with the number of passengers and crew. I would also like to know how the number of persons per washroom compares to OSHA requirements for the work place. (After all,) the flight crews are in a work place.
— Bernard Lurie
Consumer Reports Travel Letter runs a lengthy list showing Coach seating space by airline and type of plane about once a year (most recently: November 1997). The magazine is available at many libraries, or you can order back issues for $5 each from CRTL, 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, N.Y. 10703-1057.
Most airlines can provide seating charts showing washroom locations. But if you’re flying Coach, don`t count those in First; you probably won’t be allowed to use them.
Compounding a loss
CHICAGO — Recently my brother-in-law in California passed away. To get there as quickly as possible we needed to fly. The best we could do was purchase tickets about three times the cut-rate fares we were used to. We did not expect to get cut-rate fares, but this was outrageous. We were cheerfully informed we would get a discount for death-in-the-family status of about 5 percent.
Why do airlines do this? Do they want people suffering from a family loss to hate them?
— Mr. and Mrs. Roy Broms
Believe it or not, a last-minute fare of three times the cut-rate price is a big discount — at least the way the major airlines figure it. Those airlines provide “compassionate” discounts, usually about 50 percent. But discounts are based on sky-high, last-minute full Coach fares, which can run to more than $2,000 for a round-trip flight to the West Coast. The 5 percent discount you were quoted was probably based on an intermediate (though still expensive) fare.
You usually can do better by buying a regular ticket on low-fare airlines like Southwest or Reno, but those flights often have multiple stops and changes of planes.
Where to get info
McHENRY — Can you tell me where to get vacation information on the state of Idaho — an address or 800 number for maps, points of interest, stuff like that?
— Richard F. Ruch
Sure: Idaho Division of Travel Promotion, 700 W. State St., State House Mall, Boise, Idaho 83720-2700; 800-635-7820 (Web site: www.idoc.state.id.us).
Almost all states now have 800 numbers; you can get them from 800 information (800-555-1212). But the catch is you have to know the full and proper name. (When we called for “Idaho Tourism,” we got a number that only had information on skiing.) General numbers for all states, however, are on the Tribune’s Web site at chicago.tribune.com/travel
———-
Reader questions of general interest or comments about articles are welcome. Write to the Chicago Tribune, Travel Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
