McCarran International Airport: Terminal 2

(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Hawaiian Airlines flights operate at Terminal 2 at McCarran International Airport. I still can't believe the terminal is still in use as it's vastly outdated in terms of comfort, restaurants and shopping not to mention decor compared to the airport's other terminals. It's main purpose is to serve as the International Terminal for other airlines such as Air Canada and AeroMexico.

But the final days of Terminal 2 are numbered. With the shining new Terminal 3 on the verge of opening, all airlines operating from Terminal 2 will be moved to gates at Terminals 1 or 3. Word is that the new Terminal 3 will open within the next month. But the move out of all airlines from Terminal 2 will extend beyond that date.

However one this terminal's faults is actually a on the flip-side a plus. It's an awfully small terminal especially for one that serves international flights. But because it's not as large as it's neighbor terminals,  the walk from gate to baggage claim to curb is not as long.

On that note, I did check in one bag and I wait with the other passengers at the baggage carousel in Terminal 2. I'm hoping the taxi ride and hotel check-in are smooth and quick. I just want to grab a midnight snack and get some sleep.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330-200 Part 3

Here I am back on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA18 from Honolulu to Las Vegas taking the same flight I flew in April. And like that previous flight, I have the opportunity to fly in the first class cabin. Last month I upgraded by redeeming HawaiianMiles. Today I purchased a standby upgrade. As I reach the Ewa terminal at Honolulu International, one of Hawaiian's new Airbus A330-200 jets is parked at the terminal.

This will the third time I will fly the A330-200 on Hawaiian (Click HERE to read about the flight on 4/17/12; Click HERE to read about the flight on 4/21/12). This one sitting at Gate 26 is the plane for flight HA18. Hawaiian has named each of their A330s after a star or constellation used by Polynesian voyagers for celestial navigation. This jet is named

Hokupa'a which is the Hawaiian language name for Polaris, or the North Star. This particular A330-200 was the fifth to join Hawaiian's fleet in October 2011.

I love flying wide-body jets. Of course I can say that more often now then when I first started traveling.  As an elite member in American and Hawaiian's mileage programs, better seat choices are within my grasp then back in the 1990s and before the internet where it was more of an effort to purchase a ticket and shop for the best price.

Though the seats do not lie flat like on other carriers, the design of the cabin and seats do make the cabin feel roomy. Unlike the two flights last month, I am sitting in a window seat. Actually when I purchased the standby upgrade, there were only two seats left and both were by the windows so my choice was limited. The other was in the first row where there is no storage in front of you.

The beauty of flying in daylight over the Hawaiian Islands. In this photo, the jet cruises above the island of Molokai in the foreground. In the distance on the right is the island of Lanai. Beyond on the left is the island of Maui. The clouds all hover each island's mountains.

The menu choices are still the same from last month so I attempt to try something different. Unlike other airlines the meal service in Hawaiian's first class starts out with the usual bowl of warm nuts and drinks but there is no salad course. Instead each passenger picks three of the mini entrees from the list and they are served at one time with taro bread.

My three choices off the menu are the Hawaiian-Style Chicken, Crispy Wonton Tacos and the Spinach Gnocchi. I like eating Gnocchi so when I had it last month I was disappointed it was cold and tough. It was served hot today and it tasted much better. The big disappointment is the tacos with shrimp and crab salad filling. The filling needs more season and the gritty flour texture of the tacos is like eating paper. The chicken is best thing on the tray and the glaze and mango salsa is excellent. But have you ever tried to slice a piece of chicken over a bed of rice on such a tiny plate. It's quite a challenge to perform while keeping the entire dish including every grain of rice within the plate. Click HERE to view Hawaiian's in-flight dining menus.

The dubious Grand Mariner Ice Cream Truffle with Orange Creme Anglaise make an appearance for dessert. I say dubious because on the flight last month to Vegas, these were served frozen like a hockey puck. It was almost funny to watch the other passengers try to break the shell. It's less a challenge today as I guess the flight attendants had them defrost a little before serving. Now I like to put my own cream and sugar in my coffee but when I requested for a cup, the flight attendant serves the coffee with the cream and sugar already mixed in.  I had to request for a bit more sugar.

My JBL noise-cancelling headphones are likely nearing the end of their lifespan. So I used the noise-cancelling headsets offered by the airline. I brought my iPad with me loaded with a couple of movies. I see a lot of movies so the popular films usually offered on the plane are ones I have usually seen.

Looking at the choices of movies and television programs, I don't find anything I want to see. The monitor's touch screen is almost the size of my iPad and color and resolution not bad. The monitor is stored in the armrest between seats. Lift the armrest cover, push on the monitor and it slides out.

One of my favorite board games is incarnated in a touch-screen version. The entertainment options includes several video games. My game choice is Battleship. After a few rounds of the game and watching a movie on my iPad, I attempt to try and rest. I can't sleep so the quiet hum offered by the noise-cancelling headphones helps me to at least relax for remainder of the flight.

Honolulu International Airport: Traveling from Inter-Island Terminal to Overseas Terminal

Click HERE to view the larger version of this map on the
Honolulu International Airport website.

Check-in for all Hawaiian Airlines flights is completed at the inter-island terminal regardless of destination. This means if you're flying inter-island the walk to the gate is as close as passing through security. If you're flying to the U.S. mainland or to one the airline's international destinations, you will have a longer distance to walk to the gates at the Ewa overseas terminal. Click HERE to view and download airport terminal maps.

At the inter-island terminal Hawaiian Airlines passengers only one have one security check-point with two lines. After passing through security, you'll find gates 55 to 61 which are used for inter-island Hawaiian flights. Another set of gates numbered 49-53 are located on a peninsula at the south end of the inter-island terminal.

To reach the overseas terminal gates 26-34 where Hawaiian Airlines operates their flights to the U.S. mainland and international destinations, passengers have two options. One is to walk to the south end of the inter-island terminal, hop on to the moving sidewalk and pass through the agriculture station checkpoint to inspect carry-on bags. There is no metal detector to pass through.

After this point, passengers will have to walk along the bridge that connects gates 26-34 to the main terminal building.

Honolulu International intra-airport shuttle bus.
(photo: hawaii.gov)

The other option is take the intra-airport shuttle buses. After passing through security at the inter-island terminal. Look for the escalators or elevators that takes passengers to the third level. On this level is the route traveled by the shuttle. The shuttle drops passengers at an entrance to each of the overseas terminals. The buses operate between 6am and 10pm daily.

Of course if you have time to spare, it might be worth it to take a pause and enjoy the garden in the inter-island terminal. In case you need to purchase a meal before or for the flight, here are your options:

In the inter-island terminal: Burger King, Chow Mein Express, Lani Moo's Tropical Treats, Island Brews & Pizza Hut, Lahaina Chicken, Starbucks Coffee, Stinger Ray's Tropical Bar & Grill.

In the Ewa concourse: Gordon Biersch Restaurant Brewery, Hawaii Market and Starbucks Coffee in addition to some vending machines.

There is a newsstand in each concourse which also sells water, soft drinks, candy and snacks.

The garden open to all passengers in the inter-island terminal.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Upgrading on Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaii to/from the Continental U.S.

Upgrading on Hawaiian Airlines is relatively easy compared to the methods followed on the larger U.S. carriers. The most common way is to redeem miles for an upgrade (click HERE to view Hawaiian's redemption chart).

HAWAIIANMILES REDEMPTION
Since I'm flying to Las Vegas, let's look at the Hawaii to/from the U.S. mainland redemption offers. The choices are under two categories:

• First/Business Saver - the lowest mileage First/Business Class flight award. This award does not have to be purchased online.
• First/Business Flex - can be redeemed for travel on Hawaiian Airlines with twice the miles of a First/Business Saveraward when a First/Business Saver award is not available.
• Upgrades - must be processed through Hawaiian Airlines Reservations. All award upgrades must be ticketed 26 hours prior to the flight departure.

For a first class ticket, the mileage options are:
40,000 First Class Saver
80,000 First Class Flex

To upgrade from coach ticket, the mileage options are:
25,000 First Class Saver
50,000 First Class Flex

So depending on the miles you have in your account, you have your choice of using miles to upgrade or to redeem them for a first class seat. Hawaiian keeps it simple by allowing you to call HawaiianMiles customer service for redemption. The agent will confirm your available miles and which reward is available for redemption.

Naturally the closer you book to your departure and the availability of first class seats will be the factors on whether a "first class saver" or "first class flex" reward is necessary. The scarcer the number of first class seats, the option using more points is then required. Keep in mind that the upgrade must be ticketed 26 hours prior to departure.

STANDBY FIRST CLASS UPGRADE
This option is available on the day of departure and available to all coach passengers. First class upgrades on the day of departure are completed through online or airport check-in within 24 hours prior to departure.

The catch is the fee for standby upgrade varies by season and route for International and North American flights. The fee also varies depending if the passenger is a Puulani Platinum or Puulani Gold holder in the HawaiianMiles program or Hawaiian Airlines Visa Card Holder.

Click HERE to view Hawaiian Airlines fee chart. According to this chart, standby upgrades cost $349 to $449 each way on flights to/from North America.

MY EXPERIENCE USING BOTH METHODS
Last month when I flew from Honolulu to Las Vegas I upgraded using miles. It cost me 25,000 miles each way and I redeemed the miles by calling the HawaiianMiles Service Center (Toll-Free 1-877-426-4537; Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm HST). I called a week before to book the upgrade to Las Vegas and two days before to book the upgrade to return to Honolulu. The customer service rep handled the transaction, advised me which first class seats were available and sent an email to confirm the details.

Today I had the opportunity to use the "standby first class upgrade" option for my flight from Honolulu to Las Vegas. Since I am a Puulani Gold member in the HawaiianMiles program, the cost to upgrade is $270 including all taxes. This is much less than what is shown on Hawaiian's fee chart. I booked this upgrade at the self check-in kiosk at the airport. I confirmed a seat in the first class cabin and a receipt for the transaction is printed at the kiosk.

Using either option is easy on Hawaiian Airlines and I would use either method again. Of course upgrades are always debated based on the comfort, amenities and service that is provided. But that's a different article.

Hawaiian Airlines Check-In at Honolulu International

It's all about self check-in at the Hawaiian airlines terminal.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The ticket lobby of the inter-island terminal (or Terminal 2) is now exclusively used by Hawaiian Airlines. It is in this terminal where all passengers check-in for all of Hawaiian's flights regardless if it is overseas or inter-island.

Aloha Airlines used to occupy of half of the inter-island terminal before its demise in 2008. Mokulele Airlines used some of the gates here before it completely merged with go! which then had its flights relegated to the commuter terminal.

Four check-in pods at the overseas check-in lobby for Hawaiian Airlines.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The inter-island ticket lobby which was transformed in 2011 to remove the traditional ticket counters is divided into two parts. Lobby 2 (on the mauka or mountain side of the terminal) is used to check-in for Hawaiian's overseas flights. Lobby 3 (on the makai or ocean side of the terminal) is used to check-in for Hawaiian's overseas flights. Each lobby holds pods and at each pod is eight self check-in machines. But what's great is there are one or two Hawaiian agents per pod assisting customers.

Check-in, pay any fees and weigh your bags all in one spot.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Follow the instructions on the touch screen. Remember to have your confirmation code, e-ticket number or Hawaiian Miles number to access your reservation. Once you have confirmed the itinerary, passengers, seat assignments and weight of checked bags, your boarding passes and luggage tags are printed. Sharp eyed agents will be there to assist with tagging your bags correctly. If you need to pay for checked bags or upgrades, have your credit card ready to complete the transaction.

Agriculture inspection for bags on flights to the mainland or overseas
is moved to be completed after check-in.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Formerly all bags heading for the mainland or abroad had to pass through agriculture inspection. Now the bags pass through inspection after check-in and after the bags are tagged. As a reminder the purpose of the inspection is to protect the fragile eco-systems outside of the islands. From the check-in kiosk, walk over to the agriculture inspection station located where where the tickets counters used to line the back wall. Your checked bags are also inspected by the TSA at this point.

Gone is the row of check-in counters that used to line this wall.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Once your checked bag is accepted at agriculture, you can either head directly to security or you can watch your bag pass through the inspection as it rides along the conveyor belt until your bag is no longer in view. There is a separate counter to check-in odd sized bags and personal items such as surfboards. If you need an old-fashioned agent to assist with itinerary changes there is a small customer service counter located near the lobby entrance. But be aware the line at this counter can be long and move extremely slow.

Look for this sign if you need to do what is says.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Find that your bags exceed the weight limit, head to the "weigh and repacking station" which allows you to shift belongings between bags or remove them completely. If you have no bags to check, you can use any of the kiosks spread throughout the terminal before making your way directly to security. Many passengers not checking bags (usually fliers on inter-island flights) check-in online.

MY EXPERIENCE TODAY
Check-in at noon is crowded at the inter-island terminal. I am checking in for a direct flight to Las Vegas on Hawaiian Airlines so I head to the part of the lobby devoted to overseas flights check-in.

There is one small problem with the pods. Each kiosk at the pods has its own line so this means eight lines at each pod. The bothersome thing here is if you're behind someone who is slow or having problems at check-in you may have to jump to another line. I think at each pod station there should be one line. Then passengers will have any one of the eight available as they become free.

I have used these check-in kiosks before. But for some reason the machines are running very slow as it changes from screen to screen. By the time my boarding passes were printed a Hawaiian Airlines agent was there to help me tag my one checked bag.

The line to drop off the bags at agriculture was long stretching almost the entire length of the lobby. So I waited at one of the few places to sit in the lobby. As soon as the line shortened I dropped off my bag and then made sure it makes its way onto the conveyor belt. Now on to the gates.

HNL to LAS: Solving a Delayed Flight Problem

An Hawaiian Airlines and American Airlines jet.
(photo: WorldNews)

Eventually it was going to happen to me. My flight would be delayed by so many hours that the airline would get me to my destination a day after my original arrival date. That is unless I could get some help to fix it.

My originally itinerary was as follows:

Carrier	Flight Number	Departing		Arriving		Booking Code
		City	Date & Time	City	Time
American Airlines	270	HONOLULU	TUE 15MAY 7:20 AM	LOS ANGELES	3:40 PM	N
				Economy	Seat 21H	Food For Purchase
American Airlines	741	LOS ANGELES	TUE 15MAY 5:50 PM	LAS VEGAS	7:00 PM	N
				Economy	Seat 9D

So at 2am on May 15, I get one of those automated phone alerts from American Airlines that flight AA270 is delayed and that my itinerary has changed to depart at 1pm from Honolulu and arrive in Los Angeles after 10pm and connect on flight that leaves at 9pm. I'm not sure which magical world the airline lives on but I can't connect on a flight that leaves before I arrive in Los Angeles.

As a platinum member in their Aadvantage mileage program I call American Airlines customer service using the platinum elite number. The service rep finds a flight where I would overnight in L.A. and then connect on a flight to Las Vegas to arrive on the afternoon of May 16th. Keep in mind the agent is trying to keep me on an American Airlines flight. I say I have already prepaid for my hotel. At that point she is able to find other flights that could get me to Vegas sooner. The best she found was to fly American to L.A. then in a 45-minute layover switch to a United Airlines flight. There's still something wrong with this picture. The two airlines are at different terminals and with any slightest delay I may not make the connecting flight. Also what irks me is I'm not told why my original flight was delayed. The automated message did not tell me nor could the customer service rep.

Keep in mind this is still after 2am on May 15th. This is where it helps to know alternate flights that the customer service agent on the phone may not find right away. So I say Hawaiian Airlines flies non-stop from Honolulu to Las Vegas. Can you get me on one of those flights. Surprise. The customer service representative finds that Hawaiian does have seats available and after being on hold for over 15 minutes, I am confirmed on HA18 to Las Vegas to arrive four-and-a-half hours later than my original arrival time on American. However the agent cannot confirm any seats nor any fees I may incur while flying an alternate carrier.

At this moment all I know is this:

Carrier	Flight Number	Departing		Arriving		Booking Code
		City	Date & Time	City	Time
Hawaiian Airlines	18	HONOLULU	TUE 15MAY 3:00 PM	LAS VEGAS	11:45 PM	Y
				Coach

This is where I probably had an advantage. I call Hawaiian Airlines where I also hold a Puulani Gold elite status in their  HawaiianMiles program. The customer service representative confirms an aisle seat. I then ask that since I am elite member on Hawaiian would I still have to pay the fee to check a bag even though I was rebooked from an American flight. Less than a couple of minutes later the agent says I can use my Hawaiian gold benefits which means early boarding and no checked bag fee.

Though I'm arriving near midnight I'd much rather arrive at that time than after 12 noon the next day. Since I have an extra few hours before my 3pm departure, I can get some extra sleep.

Lesson Learned: Be familiar with flights and routes on your preferred airline and on other airlines, keep airline telephone numbers handy and know your rights. By the way Rule 240 is owed some thanks. Click HERE to read American's in depth interpretation of the rule.

The World's Most Expensive Hot Dog

Serendipity Foot Long Haute Dog. (photo: Serendipity 3)

New York City is famous for its hot dog vendors. Now the city is also home to the world's most expensive hot dog according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Sold at Serendipity 3 the hot dog costs $69 and must be ordered 24 hours in advance.

The hot dog starts with a pretzel bun imported from Germany, spread with pure butter with white truffles, a pure beef hot dog grilled with white truffle oil, and topped off with medallion of duck foie gras with black truffles. The condiments are heirloom tomato ketchup, dijon mustard infused with white truffles and carmelized vidalia onions cooked in white truffle oil.

The restaurant is also home to the $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae. Visit serendipity3.com for more information about the New York restaurant.

Austria's Upside Down House Tourist Attraction

(photos: Reuters)

The Upside Down House in the western Austrian village of Terfens fits its name inside and out. Both the exterior and interios are completely upside down. Designed by Polish architects Irik Glowacki and Marek Rozhanski, the house is opened to the public this month and includes among its rooms an upside down garage, bathroom and kitchen.

Others have tried to make similar upside down creations but many of these involved putting furniture on the ceiling. But this house is truly upside down including the house's foundation. This is not the first time this type of structure has been built. Sakasa, a restaurant in Japan, is upside down complete with inverted fixtures and sign board. In Orlando, Florida an upside down laboratory at WonderWorks is a popular visitor attraction. The Tibetan-style mansion called the House of Katmandu on the island of Majorca is also a popular tourist attraction.

View a tour of the house in the YouTube video below.

(photos: Reuters)

Mobile App for Discrimination at U.S. Airports

Just when you think there can't be an app for that, there is one. Civil-rights groups led by the Sikh Coalition offers an app for mobile devices that allows airline passengers to report suspected discrimination at U.S. airport checkpoints.

One news report dubbed it the "discrimination app" but its development was in response to a serious issue. Sikhs have complained for years that they are targeted by the Transportation Security Administration because of their turbans, which they wear for religion. But the app is made for everyone who is interested in filing a formal report alleging discrimination based on gender, race, religion or disability directly to the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security.

The app is free and offers a user-friendly form to enter the details of the discrimination and to send the report as soon as possible. It also offer information about passenger rights.

In response to the app, a TSA official has said in a USA Today article that race and ethnicity are not factors taken into consideration when TSA officers are scrutinizing passengers for suspicious behavior. Passengers with concerns can ask to speak to a supervisor at the airport, submit feedback through the agency's website or file a civil-rights complaint.

Click HERE to download the FlyRights app for iPhone or visit fly-rights.org to download for Android phones.

The Sikh Coalition is a community-based organization that defends Sikh civil rights. It's broader mission is to provide direct legal services to persons whose civil or human rights are violated; advocate for law and policies that are respectful of fundamental rights; and promote appreciation for diversity through education.

Fast Foods You Can't Get in the USA

There are some fast food dishes found at McDonald's in Hawaii that you can't find on the mainland USA. These include portuguese sausage, spam and rice, saimin noodles and fruit punch. Recent limited specials have included taro pie and coconut pie as a dessert option in lieu of the traditional apple pie. But travel around the world and you'll find even more unique items on the fast food menu.

The good people at Smarter Travel has found these non-stateside delicacies:

(photo: andrea.y/flickr)

McDonald's, France: Macarons. These extra fancy delights come in such exotic flavors as mandarin and mango.

(photo: Pizza Hut)

Pizza Hut, Japan. Seafood Pizza. The pizza is topped off with a combination of tuna with mayonnaise, squid and prawn. Photo above is the Winter Double King Pizza, an amped up seafood pizza.

(photo: McDonald's)

McDonald's, Australia, Rosti Brekkie Wrap. A flour tortilla wrap stuffed with ham, egg, cheese and grated fried potato. A rosti is a potato cake.

(photo: norsez/flickr)

KFC, China: Breakfast Congee. Rice porridge with pork, pickles, mushrooms and preserved egg served with a side order of Youtiao (fried dough sticks). The photo above shows the a side of fried tofu and soy milk.

(photo: peteri/flickr)

Starbucks, Japan: Coffee Jelly Frappuccino. Cream and coffee-flavored gelatin that you suck through the straw.

(photo: sodahead.com)

Burger King, Germany: Chili Cheese Nuggets. Deep fried gooey cheese flecked with chili peppers.

(photo: Domino's)

Domino's, France: Kebab Pizza. Topped with roasted chicken kebab, lightweight cream, tomato sauce, mozzarella, green peppers, onions and oregano.

(photo: Dunkin' Donuts)

Dunkin' Donuts, China: Curry Beef Donut. As if you didn't know, this savory option is filled with curry and beef.

(photo: Pizza Hut)

Taco Bell, India: Chocodilla. Instead of a quesadilla stuffed with cheese, these are stuffed with hot molten chocolate.

(photo: ivanlian/flickr)

McDonald's, India: McSpicy Paneer. Deep-fried cheese in a bun.

McDonald's in India offers a "Spicy Delights" menu and orders can be placed online for delivery. I think that's a great idea to make it easier for us to expand our wastes. Visit smartertravel.com for the full article.