Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for December 2015.

How Do We Fix US Airline Inflight Service?

by Gary Leff

Dec 20 2015

It started with predeparture beverages, and followed with flight attendants expressing their frustrations with customers.

Delta, American, and United think it’s unfair they should have to compete against the better Gulf airlines because of subsidies (though they’re plenty subsidized themselves). Nevermind that US airlines account for 49% of world airline profits. Nevertheless, good service isn’t expensive, and most US airlines will even complain they spend more on labor than their competitors.

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Southwest Airlines Faces Major Union Problems, Becomes Just Another Airline

by Gary Leff

Dec 20 2015

Southwest Airlines suspended 105 ground workers for between 45 and 90 days. Their union, the Transport Workers Union, says Southwest did it to punish them for attending union meetings.

Naturally, the truth is far more complicated than that and paints a far bleaker picture of what the workers did — and relations between Southwest and the TWU (as well as many of their other unions).

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The Simple Fraud Behind Atlanta Airport’s 100 Millionth Passenger

by Gary Leff

Dec 20 2015

When I was a kid I knew that “whether you’re going to heaven or hell, you’ll have to connect in Atlanta.”

It wasn’t until 1971 though that the airport got its first international flights (Mexico and Jamaica on Eastern Airlines). The first non-US airline to fly to Atlanta was Sabena in 1978.

It’s the ideally-located major city for connections throughout the Southeast. United basically cedes this entire region. American didn’t serve it well from Miami. The closest competitor was US Airways, now part of American, in Charlotte.

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New York LaGuardia Kicking Out the Homeless, Doesn’t Give Them Anywhere to Go

by Gary Leff

outside airport
Dec 19 2015

Earlier in the week I wrote that New York LaGuardia seemed to have an increase in homeless living in its Central Terminal.

LaGuardia is hardly along among airports attracting the homeless. I’ve written about the phenomenon in Frankfurt as well. It’s a public space, they can’t be kicked out. It’s heated, and open 24 hours a day — so no need to leave at closing time.

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Hoisted From the Comments: Why So Many American Flight Attendants Hate Providing You Service

by Gary Leff

Dec 19 2015

On Tuesday I wrote that American is encouraging their flight attendants to offer predeparture beverages in premium cabins.

It’s an ‘optional’ though desirable service element, in that flight attendants aren’t going to take the time to offer beverages if it delays a flight. A late boarding that’s done quickly for instance, the priority is an on-time departure.

And boy do flight attendants commenting on the post hate predeparture beverages and the customers who want them.

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Fly American’s Premium A321T Fully Flat Business Class for $99 (and First for $178)

by Gary Leff

Dec 19 2015

American is flying its premium-configured Airbus A321Ts between New York JFK and Boston. Most of its flights between the two airports through January 4 are operated by this plane.

The American Airlines Airbus A321T is a 3-cabin aircraft with economy (including Main Cabin Extra extra legroom seating), fully flat business class, and 1-1 seating first class. It’s the most luxurious, high-end narrow body aircraft and the best plane flying domestically in the U.S. (and I include the Qantas Boeing 747 that flies Los Angeles – New York JFK in that assessment).

Anyone can book available business class seats on the plane for free (even as they charge for extra legroom coach seats)!

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American Express Just Dropped Millions of Points into Accounts By Accident. What Should You Do?

by Gary Leff

Dec 18 2015

A thread started on Flyertalk Thursday night reports that Membership Rewards balances for several members doubled — or even grew ten-fold.

Most of the discussion there seems to be centered around how likely it is that a member could get away with keeping the points accidentally deposited into their account. In fact, many seem to be transferring the points out right away hoping that helps them abscond with their sudden loot.

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