News and notes from around the interweb:
- Giveaway of private jet flights
- Qatar is launching 14 new destinations including Doha – Auckland, the longest route in the world, and Doha – Atlanta for spite. Those expressing shock would do well to recall the many routes US airlines have operated for reasons other than profit. I recall United 1/2 round the world flights that included Delhi – London and Delhi – Hong Kong.
- How the Maldives and an all-inclusive in the desert outside Dubai with flights in first class can be one of the very most affordable vacations.
- Your SPG Dashboard should offer 1000 Starwood Starpoints for referring a friend who stays within 60 days. (HT: One Mile at a Time)
- How a CBSNews.com piece about airlines making changes to their frequent flyer programs became as much about how Delta sticks it to their members
- The CEO of Booking.com is annoyed at Hilton over their campaign to ‘stop clicking around’.
- A fight broke out on Spirit Airlines over two women blasting their boom box on a flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles (the flight I’ve called the worst, most uncomfortable, in America).
Spirit Airlines spokesman Paul Berry said several other customers asked the women to turn down the music, but the women refused. Instead, the women posed a challenging question: “What are you going to do?”
“Then to provoke the other customer they were holding up their boom box in the air, waving it around,” Berry said.
That’s when a second group of passengers approached the two women and a fight started, he said.
Why no charges for the women?
I wonder if they had to pay extra to bring it ( the box) on board as “carry on” . Spirit lacks spirit.
I have been on two flights in the past 12 months where someone in coach was playing music, movies or TV with no headphones – on AA. I do not remember this ever happening in my flying experience before about 2 years ago. This is a serious problem, it’s worse than having inflight cellphone service. More and more people are emerging into the public space with absolutely no regard of societal norms or the fundamentals of peaceful coexistence, and they have an instinctive reflex to remind everyone that “you are not the boss of me”. It ends with physical confrontation.
@a Steve, I totally agree. It’s the “Trumpizing” of America. Total disregard for others and 100% focus on “Me.”
Why on earth were those women not charged?!
If parents actually did some parenting instead of trying to be best friends with their kids we wouldn’t have an entire generation of entitled “the world revolves around me” types.
i’m in abu dhabi right now and have enough points to pull off similar shenanigans to your maldives trip, although even with points i wouldn’t quite use the word “affordable” with all of that!
I gave the exact cost including ticket taxes and meals with that trip. From the US, even including transfers, it was 2 weeks and less than $3000 for 2 people. Most of that was in the Maldives including food/transfers.
i don’t disagree that it’s an interesting redemption and a good one if you’re into those things, and certainly more affordable than paying cash for them – but if you look at something like the hiking the swiss alps tip, that is something mortals can do and right away. the brunt of these are ones regular people could do too. if you are point geeking it out though, isn’t basically anything you do now “affordable” though? how many people really will even try this stuff either? i teach and show my friends it all the time, yet maybe convert 5% to trying to do anything. it just seems a bit out of context to me with the other listings and the headline; realistically the average person is going to read this page and be like ok, that’s interesting, i don’t have those points though and can’t do that . not that it’s surprising or unexpected to see you tapped for a comment come up with a glam sounding points redemption though.