Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for June 2016.

After Tomorrow Costco Will No Longer Take American Express. What Happens to Amex Next?

by Gary Leff

costco
Jun 18 2016

Tomorrow is the last day that American Express cards will be accepted at Costco stores. Amex lost the co-brand relationship to Citibank and Visa in a deal that has Citi overpaying and not even gaining exclusivity over Costco payments (starting tomorrow you can use any Visa at Costco, regardless of the issuing bank).

American Express couldn’t match the money-losing deal that Citi was offering — some have argued that it’s tax losses that subsidize the deal — but the change meant losing 10% of cardmembers.

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I Learned Something New and Useful About American Airlines Check-in

by Gary Leff

airport check in
Jun 18 2016

American Airlines changed its published check-in policy so that at a bare minimum you have to check-in 45 minutes prior to departure even for a domestic flight without checked luggage. Both Delta and United continue to publish 30 minutes in similar circumstances.

However American Airlines spokesperson Ross Feinstein clarified for me that in fact, American will still issue a boarding pass 30 minutes prior to departure for a domestic flight.

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When Your Upgrade Doesn’t Clear, Don’t Do This.

by Gary Leff

Jun 18 2016

My American Airlines upgrade failed to clear yesterday afternoon. I was second on the upgrade list with one open seaet. I made my way back to 8B on the MD80 for the two hour flight in Main Cabin Extra, which was fine.

When your upgrade doesn’t clear, you sit in back. That’s just how it works. You do not decide to take matters into your own hands.

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Another Man Who Looked “Arabic and Scary” Kicked Off a Flight. When Will This Stop?

by Gary Leff

Jun 17 2016

A man was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight from Dallas to Seattle on Wednesday because, the man says, “a passenger complained he looked ‘Arabic and scary'” as a result of his beard. Oh, the man’s name is Mark French.

As much of the coverage of this incident notes, the Alaska Airlines eskimo in their aircraft livery has a beard. Regardless of what happened to this man when he tried to fly, it’s time we stop living in fear.

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Emirates Bringing A380 to Chicago O’Hare

by Gary Leff

Jun 17 2016

Emirates will apparently be bringing an Airbus A380 to Chicago O’Hare for a single flight. O’Hare pulled a permit to build an A380-capable gate back in February, and at the time both Emirates and British Airways were noted as having expressed interest in flying A380s to the city.

Emirates has perhaps the flashiest first class product in the sky on its Airbus A380. But there’s real substance to it too. Emirates offers a comfortable private suite, good food and flexible dining, top notch wine and spirits, and a bar that’s matched or exceeded only by Qatar.

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Should Airlines Stop Serving Alcohol?

by Gary Leff

Jun 17 2016

I wonder whether it’s a good idea for people to be served alcohol when they’re stuck in a metal tube.

A drunk Russian just wound up tied up after he was dragged off a plane “shouting and screaming” when he wouldn’t take his seat.

I’m starting to wonder, why do airlines serve alcohol onboard at all?

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United On Verge Of Completing Its 2010 Merger With Continental (Finally!)

by Gary Leff

Jun 17 2016

United and Continental merged in 2010, with Continental management eventually taking over, but six years later that merger is still not complete.

Legacy United and Continental flight attendants still do not have a single contract, and as a result United flight attendants work United planes and Continental flight attendants work Continental planes — and new aircraft get split between them.

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American’s New 45 Minute Check-in Requirement Inconveniences Travelers

by Gary Leff

Jun 17 2016

In March American changed the minimum check-in time to 45 minutes prior to flight, from 30 minutes. The airline did not notify customers of this change at the time — no emails, no banners at AA.com, just different information on its website. Neither Delta nor United require this.

It’s part of American’s obsession with “D0” — cajoling employees and inconveniencing customers by making every operational decision not based on precision or rule but based on anything that will promote pushing back exactly at the proscribed minute in the schedule.

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