American Airlines cut back customer service counters at Washington National and pushed disrupted passengers toward QR codes, apps, and phones. Then storms hit its D.C. hub, exposing how hard it is to get live help when flights cancel and everyone needs rebooking at once.
New police bodycam footage shows American Airlines deplaning an entire aircraft after two ‘OnlyFans models’ refused to leave seats that were not theirs. Deputies removed the women in cuffs, and both were later charged with misdemeanor trespassing.
A pilot tested positive for cocaine after landing in Nice, was arrested, and received a suspended sentence plus a ban on flying over France. The next SAS flight he was supposed to operate was canceled, potentially triggering up to $83,300 in EU261 compensation for delayed passengers.
Amex Platinum and Gold Resy credits may get tighter on August 1, when restaurants will need to show as eligible on Resy at the time of purchase. Also: Rove adds mile sharing, American reaches 100 Mexico, Caribbean, and Latin America destinations, airport shoe shines disappear, the 747 fades away, and airplane window shades spark debate.
The worst credit cards in America pile on program fees, annual fees, monthly maintenance fees, and high APRs while offering tiny credit limits or weak rewards. Credit-building cards can be useful, but consumers should avoid products where fees eat up the credit line before the card is even usable.
A passenger who had not slept in four days flew to meet and marry his internet girlfriend the same day, but fell ill on arrival and went to the hospital instead. The episode recalls another online romance that ended with a man hospitalized after waiting 10 days in an airport.
Hyatt says more loyalty changes are coming after its points devaluation, with elite benefits under review and a premium credit card expected next. The program is still stronger than competitors on award transparency and Globalist perks, but a new interview plus surveyed changes suggest both new opportunities and possible cost-cutting.
Banks offer huge credit card bonuses to get customers to apply, start spending, and see rewards value quickly. Consumers come out ahead by prioritizing initial bonuses first, then category bonuses, and finally everyday earning on cards worth keeping.
Cincinnati was doomed as a hub whether Delta and Northwest merged or not. It lacked sufficient lucrative high yield local traffic. It supported mostly high seat cost regional jets, and the hub was in decline for three years before the merger as oil prices rose. But all wasn’t lost, and the airport was reborn with a new mission.
American Airlines offered $4,000 travel vouchers for volunteers on an overbooked Philadelphia–Athens flight, an unusually high bid for a carrier that often caps offers much lower.
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 »
