IN BRIEF

As editor of a monthly inflight magazine, I’m often asked if our readers are engaged. It’s a valid question, and the answer is an unqualified yes. We, as editors, are travelers like you, and we realize that you have many ways to spend your time during flights: listening to music, watching videos, working on a laptop, or perhaps reading a book or magazine that you’ve brought along. So we’re truly flattered when we fly and see any number of passengers reading this magazine. At the same time, though, we know we can make US Airways Magazine more useful and entertaining — and to do that we look for your comments, questions, and observations.

We’ve noticed a steady rise in the number of visitors to our Web site. We’ve been adding an ever-increasing amount of extra Web-only material that, we believe, makes your visits even more worthwhile. Not only is the print version online, but there are also additional informational sidebars, images, and sometimes video. (For example, last month we ran an exclusive video with Ringo Starr that included live music segments and studio banter.) This month on the Web we’re pleased to show a variety of Tony Bennett’s artwork. And we recently put our main crossword puzzle online. We’re planning to do much more on the site, so stay tuned and be sure to check us out online every month at usairwaysmag.com.

And stay in touch — we’re always an email away at letters@usairwaysmag.com.

Lance Elko
Editor

WORD GAMES

On a recent flight, I really enjoyed the puzzles in your magazine. You featured a type of puzzle I’d never played before, in which players have to choose letters to form a clever quotation. What is this type of puzzle called? Do you plan to add them to your Web site?

Katie
via email

Thanks for your note, Katie. The puzzles you’re referring to are called Letter Drops (in this issue, they’re on p. 164). Letter Drops are the creation of our fine puzzle editors, Henry Rathvon and Emily Cox, who produce all of the magazine’s games with the exception of Sudoku. We recently put our main crossword puzzle on our Web site; it’s especially handy for those who turn to the page only to see the puzzle already filled in. We publish seven different puzzles every issue, and in the coming months we hope to get as many of these as possible on our Web site.

GREAT FLIGHT

Having read your magazine, I felt compelled to write and ask you to thank the US Airways employees with whom we came into contact on the day of our flight from England to the U.S. Our day started with a charming young British lady working at the US Airways desk at Manchester Airport. Tracy was a kind, professional young woman who reappeared at the gate to see passengers onto the flight. She comported herself in a manner that would make any employer proud. We had a couple of concerns about our reservations and inquired about upgrading our flight. Tracy listened and advised us of our options, all with the charm and grace that one would associate with royalty.

Our pleasant experience did not end there. We were welcomed onto our flight by an American gentleman named Joe. To our pleasure, as the flight began, we became aware that Joe was to be our flight attendant, along with two other American gentlemen, John and Michael. What a flight, what a team, and what a happy memory. These gentlemen made us feel relaxed and that nothing was too much trouble.

I must state that previous transatlantic flights with other operators had left us thinking that customer care has dwindled. On this single journey our faith was restored. We have no doubt that US Airways has standards of service far beyond that offered by other companies and has employees that deliver this service to their customers in a manner which makes them feel relaxed, wanted, and worthy on their journeys.

Brent Sharp
Nicholas Patterson-Sharp
Blackpool, England