Cranky on the Web – Growing Quickly, Rapid Rewards Changes, JetBlue Cakes
In the Trenches: Debating Rapid Growth – Small Business Center We’ve been evaluating some opportunities to grow the concierge busy fairly quickly. We think the time is finally right to proceed if the...
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Letting Go
In the Trenches: Letting Someone Go – Small Business Center I had to let someone go from Cranky Concierge last week, and it was a difficult experience.
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Pricing Changes
In the Trenches: Giving In to Peer Pricing Pressure – Small Business Center Cranky Concierge doesn’t price like traditional travel agents, but I’ve been rethinking whether that’s good or not.
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Nobody Will Insure My Employees
In the Trenches: When Nobody Will Insure Your Employees – Small Business Center I have been trying for months to find a way to provide health insurance to my employees, and I have finally given up....
View ArticleCranky on the Web: Testing a New Business Practice
In the Trenches: Testing a New Business Practice – Small Business Center We done flight monitoring the same way ever since we started, but now we’re going to test something new to see how it works.
View ArticleCranky on the Web: Cross-training Employees
In the Trenches: Managing Volume With Cross Training – Small Business Center One of the reasons we’re testing doing flight monitoring differently is because it would allow us to better manage the highs...
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Building a Management Team
In the Trenches: Building a Management Team – Small Business Center As Cranky Concierge grows further, I have to pull myself out of the day-to-day business more. That’s why I’ve finally started...
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Topic of the Week: Your Favorite Vestige of Departed Airlines
As mentioned yesterday, we had our annual internal Crankyfest gathering in Palm Springs last week. At check-in, we saw a computer set up on the side that was meant for people to be able to print their...
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Doing Someone Else’s Job
In the Trenches: Insights from Doing Someone Else’s Job – Small Business Center We had someone take vacation for a week, and I stepped in to do the urgent parts of his job while he was gone. Having a...
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Named Best Industry News Site
The Best Websites to Learn About Air Travel – Yahoo! Travel The good folks at Yahoo! Travel have named The Cranky Flier the best site for industry news. I’ll take it! Click on the link to read some of...
View ArticleCranky on the Web – Getting Upgraded, Horrible Hotel Fees
Flying Coach? 5 Tactics for Getting an Upgrade. – Entrepreneur I was asked for my thoughts on how to get upgrades without paying for them and in general I said it just doesn’t really happen much...
View ArticleMy Speech About the State of the US Airline Industry
Today is a holiday here in the US, so I normally wouldn’t post, but this seemed like a good opportunity to put up a video of a speech I gave recently. The Destination Marketing Association...
View ArticleHonoring the Flight Crews That Died 14 Years Ago Today
On the day before Cranky Dorkfest, I usually dedicate my post to the event. But today is no ordinary day, and there is something far more important to discuss. As I’ve done for the last 8 years, I’m...
View ArticleTopic of the Week: Your Favorite Book About the Airline Industry
I’ve just finished re-reading (for the 10th time, probably) my favorite book ever written about the airline industry… Hard Landing by Thomas Petzinger Jr. If you’re looking for a compelling history of...
View ArticleThe True Meaning of Thanksgiving 2015
For the second year in a row, a quick road trip brought me to Phoenix, so no airplanes were needed. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. While I relax in the Valley of the Sun, hopefully the rest of you...
View ArticleTopic of the Week: 2015 Flying Summary
It’s the end of the year, so let’s see how we all did. My total mileage was up thanks to the Japan trip in May. It was good to get back into some international flying with a couple of trips, but the...
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Your Airline Industry Predictions for 2016
Happy New Year, everybody. Hopefully you’ve had a good holiday season so far, and now you’re ready for some football. (I’ll be at the Rose Bowl today. Go Card!) Let’s start 2016 off with some...
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A Video Tour of the JetSuiteX Embraer 135 Interior
Just a couple weeks ago I wrote about JetSuiteX, an effort to run private-style operations at commercial-style fares. The launch was on Tuesday, and I was invited to Burbank Airport to check out the...
View ArticleHonoring the Flight Crews That Died 15 Years Ago Today
It may be a Sunday, a day on which I rarely post, but today is no ordinary Sunday. Today marks 15 years since the US airline industry (along with the entire country) was flipped on its head. There are...
View Article2016 Flying Summary
I knew this wasn’t a good year for flying, but I didn’t realize just how terrible it was until I added the numbers up. Get ready for some embarrassing stuff. Miles: 13,391 (37,816 last year) Segments:...
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