Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for December 2016.

Alaska’s Takeover of Virgin Approved: What DOJ is Making Them Give Up

alaska airlines plane on tarmac
Dec 06 2016

Alaska Airlines won the frenzied bidding war to acquire Virgin America. And now they’ve reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to allow the merger to go forward.

We’ll learn the specifics soon as to what the ‘limited’ or ‘substantial reduction’ in American Airlines codesharing involves. However these are the likely changes we’ll see.

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Donald Trump Critizes the New Boeing Air Force One Deal. Will It Really Cost $4 Billion?

The federal government operates Boeing 747-200s as Air Force One. The first one was delivered in 1990. The 747-200 itself (in military configuration, a VC-25) was first put into service in 1971.

Last year they entered into a contract with Boeing for two new custom 747-8s to become the new Air Force One.

Donald Trump, who may never get to fly in the new planes, criticized the deal this morning on Twitter.

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If American Plays Games With Upgrades, Flights This Weekend Did NOT Prove It

Dec 05 2016

[I]n any given incident it’s difficult for the passenger to know what’s going on or have all of the available data — especially when gate agents aren’t forthcoming with information.

In the case of a Los Angeles – London flight this weekend where several business class seats were left empty with customers on the waitlist, American tells me that the issue with the Boeing 777-200 was “weight and balance… not the gate agents skipping over upgrades.”

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How We Almost Got to Use British Airways Avios on United

Dec 05 2016

British Airways parent IAG acquired Aer Lingus and the Irish carrier is expected to ultimately join oneworld and the transatlantic joint venture with BA, Iberia, Finnair and American.

Aer Lingus is a former member of oneworld — they left nine years ago to pursue a strategy as a low cost carrier. Since then they’ve built back their premium offerings. They have a good transatlantic business class, considering the short flights between Dublin, Shannon and the East Coast of the U.S. which are their bread and butter (though not exclusive) destinations.

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Are Rogue American Airlines Gate Agents Just Not Processing Upgrades?

british airways plane
Dec 05 2016

An American Executive Platinum who is reconsidering keeping that status, shared his experience flying Los Angeles – London on American on Friday.

He checked in for his flight and was told there were 8 seats open in business class and he was second on the list. At the time the flight closed he was third on the list and no upgrades appeared to be processed at the gate.

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Qatar Flight from DC Was Like Riding a Roller Coaster, Diverted to the Azores

Dec 04 2016

Last night’s Qatar Airways flight from Washington Dulles to Doha hit massive turbulence. The flight diverted to the Azores, and another aircraft was dispatched from Doha to pick up passengers.

Many of the passengers onboard with unhappy with how things were handled on the ground, but it’s a difficult situation. Residents of India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia don’t have the flexibility that US citizens do.

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