When United and Continental merged, then-head of United’s Mileage Plus loyalty program Graham Atkinson was forced out. He landed at Walgreen’s, and everyone has been expecting the rollout of a loyalty program for the drugstore chain. Now that’s exactly what’s happening. There will be points-earning opportunities for purchases, prescriptions, getting shots, and “participating in a walking program.” The more points you earn, the more existing points will be worth. Their goal is “tens of millions of sign-ups before the end of the year.” The program launches in September and there’s no word yet on whether points redemption availability will entail Starnet blocking when each quarter’s demand exceeds budget…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for August 2012.
Luxury Hotels Shouldn’t Offer Packages Keyed Off the Occupy Movement
With a $349+ room rate, the occupy tie-in doesn’t count as ‘clever’. From my in-box this morning: The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte’s “Re-Occupy Charlotte” Post-DNC Package Announced For Immediate Release THE RITZ-CARLTON, CHARLOTTE INTRODUCES RE-OCCUPY CHARLOTTE September Weekend Package Will Usher In the City’s Post-Convention Return to Normal CHARLOTTE, N.C. – August 27, 2012 – When the convention crowds depart Charlotte on September 7, local residents will be able to reclaim their beloved city, enjoying the late-summer beauty for which Charlotte has become renowned. To celebrate this return to bliss, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has introduced Re-Occupy Charlotte, a special weekend package which is valid between the end of the Democratic National Convention and September 30, 2012. Re-Occupy Charlotte offers a luxury weekend in “The Queen City,” with the package available to guests from any and all states, be they red, blue…
Why I Don’t Like Credit Card Chip and PIN Technology
When I was in high school in Central California, I was on the debate team and we traveled out of town frequently. The most common destination was Bakersfield. Our team always stayed in a motel off the freeway called the “California Inn.” There weren’t individual soaps in the bathroom. Instead, there was a wall-mounted dispenser with liquid soap that was called “EuroBath.” And sixteen year-old me thought that was special stuff! It’s from Europe! There’s this strange US fetish about Europe, not in all circles of course but in many. Anything that happens there is better, more cultured, more advanced. That’s not just about bath products, it applies even to credit cards. Europe has moved to “chip and pin” technology where (1) the cards have a chip in them that contains their identifying data and…
Leff Smackdown Watch: Am I Totally Wrong on American vs. Award Wallet?
Last month I wrote a letter to the editor of Inside Flyer arguing that it was unreasonable for Award Wallet not to be able to track American AAdvantage account balances. Randy Petersen had defended American’s decision in the August issue of the magazine, arguing that American’s position was consistent with their terms and conditions, they weren’t the first to do it (Southwest was), and it’s a reasonable move to protect member data. I suggested that blocking Award Wallet from helping members manage their American AAdvantage frequent flyer balances was an unreasonable move because: Award Wallet wasn’t even storing member account data at all. They didn’t see American account numbers or passwords or mileage balances. Their browser plugin, which members downloaded, kept all that information on their own computers only. It reduces security when members aren’t…
We Won’t Be Able to Wear Our Shoes Through TSA Checkpoints Any Time Soon
(…unless we’re selected for ‘pre-check’ that is) The TSA doesn’t like the shoe scanners that they’ve paid for. After spending millions of dollars testing four different scanning devices that would allow airline passengers to keep their shoes on at security checkpoints, the United States government has decided for now that travelers must continue to remove their footwear, by far the leading source of frustration and delays at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration said it had rejected all four devices because they failed to adequately detect explosives and metal weapons during tests at various airports. One of the scanners is now used in airports in 18 countries. The machines detect explosives in shoes just as well as putting shoes through an x-ray machines. But don’t detect some things that x-raying the shoes also fails to…
Westin Times Square Honoring $60 Rate
clayd333 shares the following email from the Westin Times Square (that I have since verified that others who booked the rate have received as well): Dear Westin New York Guest: Thank you for choosing The Westin New York at Times Square. Our records indicate that you have booked the Renew Your Soul package for your upcoming stay. Please be advised that this special offer is limited to single occupancy and is valid for the dates confirmed at time of booking. Any changes in dates, number of occupants or room type will result in a rate change and render the $60.00 rate null and void in accordance with hotel room modification policy. For assistance or for more information, please contact us at mars.01380@westin.com or call 212-201-4649 and select option 5. Kind regards, Reservations Department The Westin…
How I Cracked the Screen on My New Phone
Since I came to my readers looking for suggestions on a new phone, and I wrote about my overall happiness with the phone I bought (though I do still miss my blackberry keyboard), I figured I’d share an update with something of a problem I experienced yesterday with my new Samsung Galaxy S3. I dropped it. Face down. On the sidewalk. I never got a case to protect the phone, and apparently that was a mistake. The phone itself is sleek as it is, feels great in my hand, and I didn’t want to make it bulkier. It’s bigger than something I want to put in my pocket, and actually thought I was protecting it by using a belt holster like I used to for my blackberry. Certainly more convenient than sticking the thing in…
Bits ‘n Pieces for August 24, 2012
News, Tips, and Happenings: Usually experience auctions — or anything non-travel related even that you can do with your points — wind up being a poor value. But this one actually strikes me as having been quite worth it. Woman steals a hair dryer, coffee pot, alarm clock and other items from a Holiday Inn worth $206 in total. Gets caught. Blames her non-existent twin sister. (A different) woman falls asleep on a Pakistan International Airlines flight bound for Paris. Winds up back in Lahore. She’ll be transported back to Europe free, no word on whether she’ll earn the miles for her extra flying. Rapid Travel Chai applied for two Citi Hilton Reserve cards at the same time using different browsers and got approved for both. That means two sets of two free weekend nights…
15% Off Alitalia Flights Booked This Weekend
Update: the promo is on the US website as well, here is the link. The Alitalia Italian website is offering a 15% discount on tickets purchased by August 27 at Noon in Italy for travel between September 1 and November 30. The discount actually applies to the full ticket cost, including taxes and fuel surcharges, and is valid on Alitalia flights throughout their route network. It’s valid on both coach and business class but not for premium economy. You enter the e-Coupon discount code during the purchase process and then have to click ‘recalculate’ to see the new price. The discount is not valid for the Classic Plus, children’s tickets, or on award tickets. If you don’t want to mess with Google Translate on the Italian site while making a booking, it might be worth…
Bits ‘n Pieces for August 23, 2012
News and notes from here and there: From the ACLU’s blog, the TSA’s new passenger interrogations at the checkpoint. Canadians: Use Sobey’s to launder Esso Extra Points into Aeroplan miles Six months of free Shoprunner unlimited 2 shipping from participating merchants. Triple Hertz points between September 4 and December 15 (registration required). And since I gave them a hard time the other day, thought I’d point out double Air Baltic BalticMiles between Riga and Paris for bookings made August 23-29 and travel November 1-15.
