6. There’s a cool little observation deck above the “D” gates. A quiet room with seats and big windows that give you a decent view onto the tarmac. Great for plane watching or just getting away from crowds.

5. There are TWO quiet seating areas (sort of like food and drink-free airline lounges). One is located above Ike’s Food and Cocktails on the mezzanine level overlooking the mall area below. The other is at the other end of the mall on the mezannine above MSP news.

4. There’s a private nursing mothers room that can be used for a multitude of mothering tasks above the food court on the C concourse. There’s also a family center that can be used for nursing, diaper changes and play located near the entrance to the E concourse.

3. Anti-social types can even rent a private room in the airport conference center. There you can check e-mail or get some work done in peace before your flight.

2. Also, many don’t know about the security checkpoint adjacent the rental car & transit center. There’s rarely a big line here but it’s far from the main terminal so it’s only worth seeking  it out if you’re NOT checking luggage. It’s also great if you’re coming IN from those super-far A, B, C or G concourse gates because you can exit security close to those far gates and jump the monorail back to the main terminal.

Lucky Lindy's @msp

1. “Lucky Lindy’s” arcade.  The airports signature arcade is on the “F” concourse near gate F7. This is just one of 4 arcades that includes one each on the C and G concourses and one pretty big one at the Humphrey Terminal…or Terminal 2.

Andrew Nocella talks about Choice Seats and loyalty.

Jake Redman: The Choice Seats issue came up in the Q&A (earlier in the day).  Are you at all worried that Choice Seats may eventually force lower level elites to take more of a “why bother” approach to loyalty?  Is that something that concerns the airline at all, in that “if I can just buy my way into zone one, why would I bother sticking with one airline”?

Andrew Nocella: There’s so many benefits to being a loyal member to an airline program like Dividend Miles, and the more you fly, the better those benefits get, so this is just one very small component.  Upgrades to first class and free travel are the two biggest components, and I think that those are still going to be the primary use of our programs for many years to come, and the Choice Seats program is relatively small.

It’s only currently seven percent of our seats.  We’ve still dedicated another seven or eight percent of our seats solely for our Dividend Miles members and also the better seats onboard the aircraft, too, so we are trying to make sure that we are providing a great product to all different groups.

Jake Redman: So you believe there’s enough value in that Silver or that lower level elite membership that keeps people interested in achieving status?

Andrew Nocella: Once you get to Silver, you do get free luggage, and that is just a gigantic benefit that really does motivate a big chunk of members to really work hard to get to that level of membership.

First class seat aboard US Airways Express E175

Jake Redman: Have you received much feedback yet on the newly installed first class cabin aboard the regional aircraft, and how have the flight attendants with the regional partners adapted to working in these first class cabins?

Hector Adler: I would say that the reaction from the flight attendants has been absolutely outstanding.  They really wanted to be able to offer a product that they can be proud of.  Customer reaction has been excellent, and generally I find that flight attendant behavior mimics the response that they get from the customer, and it’s been so positive that they’re doing a great job.  They’ve embraced it completely and they’re doing it consistently, so I’m very pleased.

Jake Redman: How are customers finding it so far?

Andrew Nocella: So far, so good.  I get onto social media sites to see what people are saying and thinking, and I just think it’s been an absolute, home run.  As I said earlier, our upgrades are such an important part of the loyalty program, and now to offer dual class flights on 61 percent of our flights, total, has just been an important benefit.  The seats are comfortable, you get onboard first – it’s a really good first class experience.

The other important component of that is making it a seamless experience with our mainline flights.  We didn’t want people to think they were getting something less of a product when they transitioned to US Airways to US Airways Express, and I think we’ve really minimized  that concern by putting first class onboard those jets.

Jake Redman: Right.  And I see now you’re adding Wi-Fi on some of these regionals, too.

Andrew Nocella: Absolutely.

Jake Redman: Again, back to the Choice Plus. With other major U.S. carriers adding legroom-friendly seats in economy, the extra legroom in coach, is there any thought or research that might end up with US Airways doing something similar?

Andrew Nocella: Something we look at all the time, and we want to make sure we’re providing the products and services that our passengers want and demand, the Express First onboard on regional aircraft, that’s a good example of that.  We stepped up to that and we think that’s a revenue-positive environment.  In terms of more room for existing coach seats, that’s something we look at all the time.

So far we haven’t concluded it’s the right decision for US Airways, but those are one of the things you reevaluate every six months and you see where you’re at.  Right now, I’m very comfortable with the choice we’ve made, and we will reserve the right to change our minds as conditions in the marketplace change.  We’ll see what happens.

Jake Redman: Also, have your plans for social media-based service initiatives changed over the past year?  I know that you weren’t using it as anything more than just a social media-friendly kind of thing, but as a service initiative, have you decided or thought about using Facebook or Twitter?

Andrew Nocella: It’s interesting you bring that up.  We just trained a bunch of our employees in our Res department to now actually monitor Twitter and Facebook and actively respond to customers, so it’s a brand new initiative.  It’s only just beginning, literally, next week, to be more active.  The world of Facebook and Twitter, gosh, it’s just so exciting.

Who knows where it’s going to go a year from now or five years from now, and I do feel like we’re a bit behind so we’re working to try and catch up.  But I’d say it’s a very fluid environment and it really is exciting as to what we’ll be able to do in the future with it… So we’ll see where it goes.

Jake Redman: Hector, You were a big hit with all your food information today.  I noticed the Twittersphere was alive with how the information how ice cream tastes the same (in the air)*. Can you go over it one more time, why beef and chicken are such popular choices?

Hector Adler talks about what food works or doesn't in the air.

Hector Adler: Generally, when you think about when you go out to a restaurant, and you have a menu that has many options, we don’t have that luxury on the airline, because of the space and the cost.  So therefore, when you have three or four choices to offer, if you really deviate from the mainstream, it’s going to be very difficult.  I know someone asked the question (at earlier Q & A session that day), “Did you ever do something that was a complete mistake?” and I didn’t answer that question.

The fact of the matter is that I recall vividly, it was in my days when my headquarters was in Dallas and we had a celebrity chef who recommended sweetbreads because it was high-end and we were trying to be high-end, and that was a disaster.

Jake Redman: Tastes good on the ground, right?

(A few laughs)

Hector Adler: Well, It’s just not something that people recognize.  And then, also, about 15 years ago, I recall introducing pumpkin ravioli, way ahead.  I had gone to a restaurant in New York City, on Union Square, and we had pumpkin ravioli, and I thought, “This is delicious. This is great.  On the next menu cycle we’re going to introduce pumpkin ravioli.”

Oh my goodness.  That’s where I learned that US Airways, we’re very proud of having a signature dish which is a good, U.S. steak, and the things that normally go with steak.  So we try to stay current, in other words, make the recipes modern and exciting, but we try to stay within a framework of things that are recognizable, that I can get the same quality everywhere – because when you’re trying to buy food in different locations, you also have to be mindful of that.

Jake Redman: Do you work with an executive chef now?

Hector Adler: We do not have an executive chef.  I work with the chefs at my catering units, and I have, in the past, worked with so-called celebrity chefs.  But what I’ve found is you don’t always get value for money when you do that, because their recipes don’t translate into the airplane environment, or into an industrial kitchen environment, where the food is often prepared ten hours before a flight.

Under health regulations, it has to be blast-chilled immediately after cooking, to lower the temperature, and then it has to be kept at 62 degrees before it’s boarded on an airplane, and then you have the airplane, where you normally use convection ovens, which just basically blow hot air into the food.  So it’s a very challenging environment that, when you try to introduce really sophisticated menus, or very complex preparations, they don’t really work.

Jake Redman: So would you say that using something like an executive chef is a gimmick or is it just something that they have to take their talents and use within the parameters of air travel?

Hector Adler: I think that their art – because I would call them artists – has to be really translated into whats workable in the airplane environment.

Jake Redman: This is my “fun” question.  If cost weren’t an issue…  What’s one thing that you would either bring back or introduce as a service or an amenity to the passenger?

Andrew Nocella: That’s a good question.  Off the top of my head, we work really hard to design the menus and the movies and everything to go around it.  We always work with the significant cost constraints ….  But I’d like to see us offer more of everything to the extent we could, but we just can’t.  I don’t know.  (To Hector:) What do you think?

Hector Adler: From my perspective, as I’m looking at this in over 30 years in the in-flight end of the business, I think that in-flight entertainment today has become far more important than food service.  Food service is almost secondary, so if I had all the money in the world, I would love to have an entertainment system that would allow for huge variety of programs, because people equate those little television sets with their TV at home, and they think, “Well, at home I can get 200 channels.  Why can’t I get 200 channels here?”  Then, just because I love wine, I would focus on having some really nice wines.  So I could sit back, watch a great movie and have a nice glass of wine.

Andrew Nocella: I’m happy with the ice cream sundae.

*All Laugh*

You may as well grab 2 drinks. Not much else to do aboard this CL-65.

The Seat: This is by no means a comfortable aircraft, but if all goes well you probably won’t be on it for long. I should repeat the part where I say “If all goes well”. The legroom is shorter than most and there’s no real form of entertainment (not that I’d expect it on a quick flight).  So squeeze in and bring your iPod!

Service: Our friendly flight attendant was great. Smiled throughout and provided a speedy in-flight beverage service. Not that she had much choice on this flight at just over an hour.

Notes: There’s a slight benefit to seat 1A where you’ll find a slight extrusion from the bulkhead that can be used as a footrest. But legroom is limited in all bulkhead seats. There is also no clear advantage to exit seating on this aircraft. Also, beware the final row of this one as it’s painfully close to the lavatory.

Summary: This is typical, cramped regional flying but with a cheery flight attendant, you might arrive in an okay mood.

Rating: 2.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: There’s no strategy to purchasing regular economy seats. Book at US Airways or  and choose a normal economy seat. Avoid the bulkhead seats and anything in row 7 (seats don’t recline in this row).

How I got it: Purchased outright at US Airways.com. This aircraft is flown by partner Air Wisconsin for US Airways Express.

Lounge around and take in a few arrivals and departures.

Notes: Lounges that aren’t tied to a specific airline are usually a gamble. I found this out visiting the Ambassador Lounge in Singapore’s Changi Airport that felt more like a hostel than a lounge. This was my first tiptoe back into an indie lounge since and it fared much better. While I did have some issues with the food and drink choices, I liked the variety of seating choices, views and the number of places to plug in my countless gadgets.

Wi-Fi: Yes/Complimentary.

Service: Check-in was friendly but a little slow. The gentleman at the counter seemed to be in charge of everything from restocking the food to cleaning up after the other zombified international travel bunch… So it took awhile for him to meet me at the front desk.  Balancing it all proved to be a smidge too much for the guy as the entree selections were restocked a little slower than I’d normally hope for…But it’s not like I was running back for seconds. Bland city.

Convenience to gate: Not far from most international gates. Should be a quick walk, but allow a few extra minutes for weaving around other travelers.

How I got in/Strategies: Priority Pass. If you’re not particularly loyal to a specific airline or don’t travel enough to use airport club rooms, I highly recommend joining. Per-visit passes are also available for this and tons of other lounges at GoSimply.

Rating: 3 hops (of 5)

If you’re neither a celebrity nor one of those couples longing for some serious alone time, you might at first feel a little out of place in Anguilla. But you’ll come to realize it’s one of the most quiet and relaxing vacation spots in the Caribbean. East of Puerto Rico and directly north of St. Maarten, Anguilla is an understated destination where the likes of Cameron Diaz and Ryan Phillipe hang out. This isn’t a spot with a lot of touristy fanfare. And you won’t find a Spring-type of crowd here.

Guest Room at CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla

A friend and I arrived to the island on a Friday and stayed through Monday. We flew into to St. Maarten and paid about $50 one way to have Funtime Anguilla Ferry Service take us to the island. The ride seemed a little pricey. Looking back, we could have ferried to our destination using the public ferry for a lot less — $15 per person one way before 6pm.

Admittedly, I don’t think I would have ever thought of vacationing here, but a friend from grad, school, whose family is from nearby St. Kitts, was getting married. So I made a vacay out of it. We stayed at the CuisinArt Resort & Spa – where the couple was scheduled to wed and, ironically,where the reality hit TV show, The Bachelor, was filmed. I say ironically only because the couple on the show, Brad Womack and Emily Maynard, are reportedly on shaky grounds.

Oversized Tub. CuisinArt Anguilla Resort.

I’m not sure how any couple could stay mad at each other here. The CuisinArt is a gorgeous resort. There are 93 luxury guestrooms, ranging from 900 to 7,500 square feet. The New Yorker in me was in awe, given that the bathroom alone was about the size of my Upper Eastside apartment studio (just eyeballing, roughly 400 square feet). The service was great but I just couldn’t help getting mildly annoyed with the staff directly asking me to tip rather than just waiting for me to pull a few bills to the guy who helped with our bags.

It seemed the entire island ran with a similar mentality though. But I guess that’s expected, given that this is a place where tourist are expected to shell out some serious cash. A 15-minute cab ride from the dock to the CuisinArt ran us about $18. Not including tip. The New Yorker in me thought this was clearly an injustice! And any time you wanted to get off the resort to venture to the island’s few restaurants (I told you the island is desolate and sparse), it ran at least $30. Not including tip. We went to Gwen’s Reggae bar, and I would highly recommend the outdoor joint for drinks, food and good music in a beachy backdrop.

Despite the costs, which shouldn’t really come as a surprise since this is where the stars hang out, it’s truly a nice quiet getaway.

Airline: Delta Airlines
Aircraft: Canadair CRJ-900 (CR9)
Seat: 1C & 1D
Class: First
Booking options (support modhop):

The Seat: First class, to many is the best thing that’s happened to regional jet travel since …well…Let me think of something good about regional jets and come back to that thought. Yes, it’s great that first is finding it’s way onto more of these aircraft but it’s hard not to think about the extra inch of seat width I had before the Comairs, SkyWests and Pinnacles ruled the sky (regional operators). [For those not "in the know", flights on these smaller jets are run by contracted companies using the name of the larger carrier that you think you're flying...but that's another column...or documentary.] All that said, this row is comfortable enough with 18.5 inches of seat width (about 2.5 inches narrower than a first class seat aboard an Airbus A319) and a reasonable amount of legroom for a bulkhead on any plane. Because of the bulkhead wall, you’re without under-seat storage, so you’ll have to store your carry-ons in the overhead bins for takeoff and landing.

Service/Food/Drink: Flight attendants were friendly and came around with the signature Delta first-class snack basket with Sun Chips, Biscoff Cookies, peanuts, Twix bars and a few other fun-sized items. Beverages were complimentary and everything was served with a smile…sometimes forced, but a smile nonetheless.

Summary: If you’re a bit over 6 feet tall, I’d suggest trying another row but legroom was decent for a bulkhead. Quick boarding and deplaning always a plus but hardly matters with such a small aircraft. Also, if you’re traveling solo you might rather sit in the “A” seat, as it’s both a window seat and on the aisle. Row 1 is a good bulkhead with a good amount of legroom and standard seating for a regional first class plane.

Rating: 3 hops (of 5).

Strategy: If you’re not a delta elite member (medallion), your best bet is to arrive at the airport early and check in at the kiosk. If no reduced price upgrade is offered there, they may be offered at the gate. For both elite and non-elite fliers, you’ll stand a better chance of there being room up front if business travelers aren’t present. Travel on weekends and holidays for best results.

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status and weekend travel.

Book it:

The Room: The room size is comparable to that of a typical discount hotel in New York City (think Holiday Inn Express). The layout is a cramped version of typical with the bathroom just as you enter with a small desk-slash-snack and minibar just across from it. The mini-bar was mini-stocked on this visit, but that appears to be the norm here (Better to stop at the grocery store and pick up your own snacks and beer anyway). The bed is what we’ll call “extra firm”. Not quite as hard as I’ve experienced in many hotels in Asia, but pretty tough nonetheless. The view is unspectacular but not offensive. Just a typical Barcelona Street. There’s a web-based radio built into the wall just above the desk area that has access to an intimidatingly large selection of audio. Orlando International Airport Control Tower anyone?<br><br>

Service: The staff smiled day and night. This may have been because the hotel was so new, but we appreciated the kindness no matter the reason. The first impression helped…While we weren’t able to check-in upon our early arrival at 9am, they worked hard to get us into the first available room. We were in our room to sleep off the jet lag by 11am…Good enough.

Perks: The breakfast buffet. We ate here every morning. Great meats, cheeses, pastries. It’s not for the waffle & eggs crowd but we certainly enjoyed it. Extras are few at this hotel. The best perk is it’s that it’s very near Barcelona’s Metro giving you easy access to the city.

Location: It’s just a little north and west of Plaza de Catalunya (about 2 short metro stops). Tucked away from the noisier streets but close to some great neighborhood shops and restaurants, You’ll never be far from something to fill your time.

Lobby: Funky and hip with purples, whites and blues everywhere. Screams young traveler the moment you walk in. (Not literally).

Overall: It could be mistaken for one of those new mod hostels I’ve heard so much about, but the price tag and better rooms would indicate it’s more for the hipster traveling salesman or perhaps a group touring every IKEA in Western Europe. It’s a good hotel for those traveling on a budget. You’ll sacrifice luxury for kitsch and a tough bed, but after a good day in Barcelona you’ll probably sleep on anything.

Rating: 3 Hops (out of 5)

The Deal-How I got it: While relying on TripAdvisor less and less these days, I noticed this hotel getting good user reviews and found introductory rates at the hotel’s own website. On recent searches we found equally good deals at Orbitz here: Roommate Emma

The Seat: 36A aboard this Delta 747  is rated as a premium seat on most seat-map sites like seatguru.com. Being a skeptic, I was anxious to see how much space I would find between the seat and the exit row slide…You see, I’ve been burned before. In fact, the video seat reviews that we regularly obsess over were inspired by the time I found myself stuck in 19F on this Delta 757.   I was happy to find that  this seat was NOT close enough to the exit slide to be a nuisance, although it might be of slightly lesser value to someone much over 6′.  There’s a small gap between the exit slide and row 35 so if you can do so without bothering the person in 35B, You’ll have all the advantages of an aisle seat as well as a window seat. Speaking of the window, You’ll have to turn your head just slightly further to see outside but not difficult. Movies aren’t easy to view from this seat. There’s a projection screen on the bulkhead wall to your right that you can see at an angle, but it’s difficult to sit in that position for any amount of time. Until Delta makes improvements to the in-flight entertainment we recommend bringing your own entertainment.

Service: Meals were served and help was provided in a friendly and timely manner. Nothing more or less than I could have hoped for.

Notes: At the time of this post Delta has begun re-fitting these aircraft with new slimline seats that will provide slightly more legroom in economy the new design. The new seats will be upholstered in Delta’s signature blue leather and fitted with personal TV/Entertainment systems with movies, games, maps and audio. Until the installation is complete you’ll experience the older Northwest Airlines era cloth seats with limited audio and shared movies overhead.

Summary: It appears that row 35 in seats B,C,H & J are superior seats with added legroom and easy aisle access and might be a better first choice. That said, 36A is a very good economy seat and the room around it gives it sort of an exclusive feel (and by that we’re not implying it’s anything like being in Business Class). It should also be noted that this and it’s opposite, 36K are the only seats in this row with extra legroom so if you’re traveling with (and sitting next to) a companion, one of you will be in a normal economy seat.

Rating: 4  hops (of 5).

Strategy: Delta Medallion (elite) members have first access to these seats but they can be requested at the gate. If you’re not a medallion level member try getting to the gate early and requesting something in row 35 (Seats B, C, H or J only) , then 36A and/or K if those aren’t available. SkyTeam Elite members and elite members of other specific airlines (such as Alaska Airlines) also have first crack at these premium seats.

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status.

Location: Newark Int’l (EWR)

Terminal/Concourse: Terminal B-Airside. Between main terminal and Delta satellite.

Notes: A wide open lounge with typical amenities for a US domestic SkyClub. All beverages are self serve including alcoholic beverages. At our late-weekday visit, the lounge was a little crowded but there was no problem finding a seat and didn’t feel cramped. Workstation cubicles are oddly placed in the center of the club and are separated from fax & copy machines which we found to be a bit inconvenient and a little odd.

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is free at all Delta Sky Clubs. No signal problems or difficulty setting up.

Service/Food & Drink: Front desk service was cordial but nothing extraordinary. Cleanup and service staff were about average keeping the lounge picked up and snack items stocked (albeit a little slow).

Convenience to gate: Located airside (past security) halfway between the main terminal and the Delta satellite it will be just steps to your gate (provided You’re flung on Delta).

Rating: 3.5p hops (of 5)

How we got in/Strategy: Using a Delta branded American Express card we were allowed entry for $25 per person (cardholder plus guest). As of 10/15/2010  single visit passes are available for $50 and (as of the same date). Delta also offers a 60 day full membership for $90. A great option if you’re traveling frequently over a short period, particularly if you have guests (up to 2 guests are allowed in for free on each visit). Certain high-level SkyMiles Elite members are also granted complimentary access to SkyClubs.