Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for April 2015.

Will Restaurants Begin Adopting Airline-Style Pricing?

by Gary Leff

Apr 30 2015

Restaurants are like airlines in that they have seats which – if unused at a given meal – can never be resold. It’s spoiling inventory.

And they want to earn as much per table as possible, a diner spending less than they might is money foregone that can’t even be made back.

So like airlines they should want to vary prices with sophisticated yield management… varying prices based on time of day, day of week, whether or not it’s a holiday, weather, and overall demand.

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A Modest Proposal for How Airlines Should Be Required to Handle Mistake Fares

by Gary Leff

Apr 30 2015

Mistake fares pose tough moral and ethical questions. Here’s why I think it’s perfectly acceptable to book them, but that airlines shouldn’t be required to honor them.

Nevertheless there need to be guidelines that airlines follow if they choose not to honor these tickets. The Department of Transportation hates the rule they adopted three years ago that pretty much says mistake fares have to be honored. They’ve found ways to ignore their own rules as a result. That’s not good.

Instead I propose a new approach to mistake fares that protects consumers, is fair to airlines, and allows for smooth functioning of the nation’s air transport system.

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Possible Glitch in British Airways Devaluation Lets You Book Iberia Business Class at Almost Half Off

by Gary Leff

Iberia’s award chart is different than British Airways’ and you can transfer points between the two programs — plus save on fuel surcharges when you do.

What’s interesting is that BA.com is pricing award travel on Iberia using Iberia’s less expensive award chart. But you’re still going to want to move points from BA to Iberia when you redeem…

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The LAX In ‘n Out Trick Dies on Monday. Here’s a Workaround.

by Gary Leff

Apr 30 2015

The LAX In ‘n Out is one of the hidden gems of any “in the know” frequent flyer. It’s on the edge of the tarmac, but tough to get to. You could always just ride the free Parking Spot shuttle to the garage right next door, though…

Starting Monday Parking Spot is going to limit use of its shuttle to its own customers, apparently catching on to the trick after all these years.

Here’s how you can still catch that free roundtrip ride to hamburger heaven where you can watch all the planes land while eating animal style fries.

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United Wanted Favors From New Jersey. Apparently They Really Did Give a Politician His Own Flight in Exchange.

by Gary Leff

Apr 29 2015

In February it was revealed that federal prosecutors were investigating United Airlines operating twice-weekly service for the private benefit of the Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who referred to this as “the Chairman’s flight.” It was a money loser and was cancelled three days after he stepped down amidst BridgeGate.

Now documents apparently draw a ‘direct link’ between providing this flight and obtaining approval for projects. And the story apparently begins with a dinner between the Chairman and United CEO Jeff Smisek…

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United Bringing Back Charlie Trotter’s Ghost to Rethink Meal Service in Both Economy and Premium Cabins

by Gary Leff

Apr 28 2015

United wants to brand its meals with the halo of chef Charlie Trotter. Trotter passed away, of course, in 2013. So they’re partnering with “alumni chefs of Charlie Trotter’s legendary Chicago restaurant and their culinary peers” instead.

Cue United’s partnership with The Trotter Project.

We’ve been down this road before, with the actual Charlie Trotter. From 2007 to 2010 United served Charlie Trotter meals…

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Looks Like Despite All the Trash Talk, American and Etihad Aren’t Breaking Up After All

by Gary Leff

Apr 28 2015

American is expanding its codesharing relationship with Etihad. And that’s a bigger deal – and better for flyers – than it might first appear from such otherwise minor news. That’s because it signals a strengthening relationship despite heated rhetoric against the major Gulf carriers by US airlines including American. And because it means more flights on which to earn American miles…

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