Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for September 2003.

JetBlue to test CAPPS II

When details of new testing for Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System II (CAPPS II) profiling were disclosed last week, the TSA refused to say which airline(s) would be participating. The new system, called Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System II (CAPPS II), has sparked so much controversy among both liberal and conservative groups that the TSA has struggled to get it going. Delta Air Lines backed out of a testing program with the agency earlier this year, and now the TSA will not reveal which airlines will participate when it tests a prototype early next year. If all goes as planned, the TSA will begin the new computer screening of some passengers as early as next summer and eventually it will be used for all domestic travelers. Now, however, Wired reveals that JetBlue has agreed to…

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Continental goof

Continental mistakenly handed out 250,000 miles — sometimes multiple times — instead of 250 miles to OnePass members who played an online game. They promptly took the points away and cancelled any award bookings that travelers had made with the miles.When Kellogg’s made a mistake at the beginning of the summer informing masses of American frequent flyers that they had won 25,000 miles when all they had done was enter a contest, they made a gesture of 500 miles as an apology.Continental has made no such apology.

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Continental enhances travel for full fare passengers

Continental Airlines had the frequent flyer world waiting with baited breath for a ‘big announcement’. In the end, it wasn’t big news at all. It was some small and nearly costless service improvements for full fare flyers that don’t really do alot to make Continental more attractive than its competitors. A disappointment, really. Continental’s offerings are: Full fare passengers will be able to upgrade if there’s space available after elites have been upgraded. But that won’t happen most of the time, so they won’t be given a middle seat in coach. Well, not really. They’ll be given an aisle seat or window seat if one is available, which is how things work already. The enhancement is that when a full fare passenger is stuck in a middle seat, they’ll get 1000 frequent flyer miles. Full…

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Midwest Miles conversion bonus

This has been going on for a month and a half but I hadn’t noticed — receive a 20% bonus when converting Midwest Miles into Amtrak points through September 30th.A bit late to start accumulating Midwest Miles for this purpose, but this provides an opportunity to underscore the value of those miles. You can earn Midwest Miles when traveling on American Airlines or Frontier. And by converting Midwest Miles to Amtrak you can then move them (up to 25,000 per year with no devaluation) into either United or Continental.

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