How a bout an alliance with other loyalty programs. Then you could earn flight rewards by riding the bus and vice-versa: 500K DogMiles get you a free flight anywhere in the lower 48 and Canada. (what is that, like, 100 coast-to-coast RTs?) On the other hand, a flight from CVG to IAD will get net you enough miles for your return bus ride home! If you qualify for elite-level bonuses, you could even bring the in-laws back with you!

I used Greyhound (and their codeshare partner Peter Pan) in March to get to the Philly DO from NYC and was pleasantly surprised by the journey. It was a darn sight quicker and more convenient than schlepping myself over to an airport for a flight and the ticket cost me the grand total of $38 RT. Yes, my seatmate was a smelly Mexican laborer who spoke no English and hadn't showered in a week, but can you honestly say that you don't get folks like that aboard planes?

I should also add that the shuttle service from DC to NYC is pretty convenient. Cheap, on time, and plenty of departures.

yorock

They should be convertible to Southwest flights. I mean...what's the difference?

I don't think they sing on the dog...

Please let's not be posting comments about "Smelly Mexicans" or comments about folks who have not been as sucessful in the "Lottery of Life," as most of us on this board.

We should encourage Grayhound and other bus companies to code share and create the intagrated air/bus/train services that are available in other countries.

Getting rail service to some airports may be difficult and costly but we could get Air/Bus connections going real fast. In away we already have them with some of the short hall "flights" on airline vans.

Sassy!

Sassy brings up a good point. I wish the rail service in the US was as efficient and profitable as that in Europe http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

While I love trains (and even good old Amtrak!), there is hardly a country in the world where the train system makes money.

Example: Paris-Marseille high-speed rail line cost: $10 billion!
How do you think will they recoup the cost with so many leisure travellers and people with Eurail passes?

Maybe we in the US need to subsidize rail a little more (not as much as the French, of course). How about we tax the airlines and use the money on rail http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif?

Sassy!,

Perhaps B747-437B was simply describing the scene before him and not making gross generalizations about the Mexican population at large! I dare say I've sat next to a "Smelly American" in a business suit a time or two myself...

ORFisHome

I'm offended!!!

Oh wait...last night when I left the gym, I *was* a Smelly American. Never mind...

If memory serves, Greyhound Air did indeed have a program that could be used for reward travel on its air or bus line. It could also be used for shipping cargo. I also seem to recall that you needed only 5 or so roundtrips to get a roundtrip reward ticket. A sample walk up one way fare from YOW to YWG (2 1/2 hr flight) was about C$180 all taxes in.

They also used 727 aircraft with noise reduction engine refits.