Most miles and points valuations start from the same flawed premise: they measure how much travel a point can buy, then treat that number as if it were cash value. That massively overstates what points are actually worth, because points are less flexible than cash, carry devaluation risk, usually are not spent right away, and often replace travel you would not have bought at the published price in the first place.
A passenger ordered sparkling wine in first class and says the flight attendant served fake bubbles instead. When the real thing ran out, she was reportedly given chardonnay mixed with sparkling water — and told this was American Airlines policy.
Delta Air Lines returned to São Paulo within minutes after takeoff when one engine caught fire. Video from inside the cabin shows flames outside the aircraft, a terrifying view for passengers – though the crew handled it exactly as they’re trained to do.
An Air Canada passenger was filmed urinating on the floor at the gate before a flight from Calgary to Toronto. Bystanders can be heard trying to wake him and saying they thought he was sleepwalking, making it even stranger.
More than 150 people joined the wait list for the tiny American Express Centurion Studio in Fort Lauderdale, which tells you almost everything about what airport lounge “premium” means now. The space is small, the food is forgettable, and the only thing truly exclusive about it is how many travelers are still willing to queue for it.
A Frontier passenger threatened to kill the woman next to him and kept insisting there was a bomb on board. The crew got him calmed down after landing, but the aircraft was still held away from the terminal while law enforcement figured out how to respond.
People are now showing up at the airport the night before the flight to get a head start on TSA security lines. Last chance for a free $50 (or 5,000 Bilt or Amex points). And American’s pilots back on the offensive against management.
United says its network is now bigger than Pan Am ever was, a claim designed to sound like a sweeping victory lap. The catch is what the airline is actually measuring. Depending on how you define network, cities, and connectivity, the boast can be made technically true — while still leaving a much less dramatic picture than the one United wants passengers to hear.
A Delta regional flight attendant is running for Congress. She has become a full-time political figure with a labor-backed campaign, a sharp activist record, and a much tougher primary path than a flattering profile might suggest.
A Delta regional jet was already landing at LaGuardia when the pilots realized they had been talking to the wrong controller. The crew had switched to the wrong New York tower frequency on approach, and the mistake only became obvious when the controller asked the flight a simple question: where are you?
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
