Tom Horton (CEO of American) and Doug Parker (CEO of US Airways) visited the New York Times to talk up the pending merger between the two airlines. The ensuing piece by Stephanie Rosenbloom lays out many of the issues and concerns flyers have about a combination of the two airlines, and offers a fairly nuanced, balanced, and dare I say reasonable take on what’s likely to happen. I’ll begin with the ending, a quote from yours truly summarizing what consumers can expect from the merger. “We have no reason to believe right now that there’s anything dire or scary in this,” Mr. Leff said of the merger. I explained that I preferred American as a standalone carrier because as a consumer and an elite member of their program, I like the premium focus that American…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for April 2013.
Alaska Airlines Introduces One-Way Partner Awards on British Airways
Alaska Airlines began to introduce long-anticipated one-way awards on partners on March 20th. This was a huge development, because while Alaska Airlines is a hugely flexible program — partnering with many of the airlines in both Skyteam and oneworld — and thus a good place especially for the infrequent flyer to credit flights they take on American and on Delta (since those miles get pooled towards earning rewards faster), the program was also really limited because if you wanted to redeem on partners you couldn’t mix and match them. You had to fly the same partner both ways, and that’s not always available. You could not do American one way and British Airways the other to make an award work. The initial roll out of one-way partner awards was pretty limited — just American Airlines…
Front Desk Agents Who Hate Us Because We’re Beautiful (or Our Elite Status Cards Are)
The hardest part of any hotel elite program is ensuring consistent delivery of benefits at the check-in counter. The greatest failure point comes from relying on thousands of front desk agents being well-trained, well-motivated, and even relies on their not having a bad day. While most airline benefits are computerized, most hotel benefits rely on a person to deliver. Starwood has removed some of the human element with its Suite Night Upgrades for Platinums who stay 50 or more nights — 10 room nights a year where members can have an upgrade confirmed up to 5 days in advance, this is assigned by computer based on published room inventory, removing much of the discretion from the process. And Hyatt goes even farther, though the upgrades are requested and confirmed by humans it’s done in advance…
Return to the Maldives: Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives
Trip Report Index: Introducing and Strategy New York JFK – Abu Dhabi, Etihad First Class Park Hyatt Dubai Touring the Burj al Arab Tea at the Burj al Arab Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives Kooddoo-Male-Abu Dhabi, Maldivian and Etihad Business Class Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf – London, Etihad First Class and British Airways Club Europe London Heathrow – San Francisco, British Airways New First Class I stayed at this hotel in 2012 and wrote a three part series on the property (here, here, and here). It’s the only resort I’ve been to that while I was leaving I was talking about wanting to return, and where I made plans to do so not long after…
Bits ‘n Pieces for April 9, 2013
News and Notes from Around the Interweb: Best Western is offering a $50 Best Western Travel Card valid through November 1 after 3 stays between April 22 and June 9, plus 1000 bonus points if you pay for all three with their co-branded credit card. Registration required. (HT: NotiFlyer) My comment reported on whether major airlines will adopt the ‘pay by weight’ concept: Not. Going. To. Happen. Head for Points reports that Virgin Atlantic will offer intra-UK redemptions for just 7500 points roundtrip and £30 in taxes/fees. That trumps British Airways’ 9000 points roundtrip, and matches them on fees, though flight frequencies are more limited. Chase is temporarily waiving the fee for online gift card purchases, although they say you won’t be able to get a ‘PIN’ for the gift cards meaning it’ll be tough…
A New Method to Hold United Award (and Revenue) Tickets
United Has Been Making It Increasingly Hard to ‘Hold’ Reservations When I first got started in this game United allowed frequent flyer award tickets to be put on ‘hold’ without ticketing or mileage deductions for 30 days. And provided the awards were on United, rather than one of their partners, that hold could even be extended. That time period was reduced to 14 days and then 3 days and then — with the switchover to Continental’s reservation system March 3rd of last year — taken away. United still allowed award holds for accounts with insufficient miles to book an award (presumably to give yo time to transfer miles or buy miles to make up the difference). And so you could hold an award with an account without miles, and go back and ticket with a…
100% Bonus on Purchased AviancaTaca LifeMiles is Back
In December I explained Why You Want to Get Started With the AviancaTaca LifeMiles Program Right Now. LifeMiles is one of the best programs in the Star Alliance. There are some frustrations, like inability to book flights in more than one class of service on an award. But they sell miles cheap, their award chart is reasonable, they offer one-way awards, and the website is decent. Plus there are no fuel surcharges. I consider the better non-U.S. programs a great hedge and refuge against the risks of revenue-based frequent flyer redemption changes. And the AviancaTaca LifeMiles program regularly offers 100% bonuses on purchased miles and then lets you effectively buy miles even cheaper with their cash ad points awards (where you need just 40% of the miles required for a given award ticket). Through April 30, LifeMiles will give you…
Airport Security Can’t Stop MacGuyver
When you can build weapons with ordinary items commonly available airside, what’s the point in confiscating 4 ounce deoderants? (HT: Jenn B.)
Return to the Maldives: Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt
Trip Report Index: Introducing and Strategy New York JFK – Abu Dhabi, Etihad First Class Park Hyatt Dubai Touring the Burj al Arab Tea at the Burj al Arab Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives Kooddoo-Male-Abu Dhabi, Maldivian and Etihad Business Class Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf – London, Etihad First Class and British Airways Club Europe London Heathrow – San Francisco, British Airways New First Class We picked up our bags off the belt upon arrival in Male and then took them through customs. The customs process requires you to submit all of your luggage (including hand baggage) to an x-ray screening. The Maldives is a dry country outside of the resorts, which are exempt from…
Return to the Maldives: Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class
Trip Report Index: Introducing and Strategy New York JFK – Abu Dhabi, Etihad First Class Park Hyatt Dubai Touring the Burj al Arab Tea at the Burj al Arab Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives Kooddoo-Male-Abu Dhabi, Maldivian and Etihad Business Class Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf – London, Etihad First Class and British Airways Club Europe London Heathrow – San Francisco, British Airways New First Class With a planned 9:30am flight out of Abu Dhabi, and since we were staying in Dubai, I organized Etihad’s complimentary chauffeur service to pick us up at 6:15am. That would give us plenty of time — too much time — but I’ve heard stories of Etihad cars arriving late, I…
