News Cut: December 23, 2010 Archive

Reconfiguring the sky

Posted at 10:41 AM on December 23, 2010 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)
Filed under: Aviation

Delta is increasing the number of first-class seats on many of its jets. Sure, it may mean the economy is getting better if more people are buying first-class seating. But for the rank-and-file (i.e. cattle car) traveler, it has a more important impact: Your chance of winning the lottery for a seat upgrade.

This is a big (and somewhat entertaining) deal in the frequent-flying community. Check out this bulletin board where people reveal their strategies (or at least their obsession) for this sort of thing.

Dan Webb, who writes the blog, "Things in the Sky," picked up an interesting factoid from Delta. Ninety-two percent of Delta's first-class cabin is full, but only 14 percent of the people paid to sit there.

Meanwhile, back in the back of the plane, a Facebook friend -- Ben Chorn -- posted an interesting picture a few minutes ago. Here's what was in his wife's purse that made it through security and onto two airplanes.... from Billings to Denver to Minneapolis.

That's comforting. But at least they got my shaving cream the last time I flew.