Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for February 2019.

Southwest Mechanics are Hamstringing the Airline, and it’s the Culture that May Suffer

southwest plane
Feb 24 2019

The airline has been consistently down aircraft over the past couple of weeks and they haven’t been able to fly a portion of their schedule. The carrier has been down 60 planes a day because a group of mechanics are writing up everything they can find to write up.

The airline is almost certainly right that there’s a coordinated illegal job action on the part of mechanics, and it’s causing damage to the airline. However the carrier has maintained a strong culture of working with its employees. It didn’t engage in layoffs during economic downturns. It has managed to retain a culture where employees generally like their jobs. Southwest Airlines isn’t the same place it was under Herb Kelleher but these sorts of confrontations chip away at what’s left of the culture little by little.

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Leaked Details of New Southwest Airlines Snack Service for Hawaii Flights

hawaii
Feb 23 2019

After many years of speculation, sixteen months ago Southwest finally announced they would fly to Hawaii. How long have we been waiting? In December 2010 they advertised for an ETOPS manager suggesting they were planning long overwater flights.

They have yet to begin selling tickets but details of their plans have been trickling out ever since. Last year they confirmed several Hawaii routes: Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, and Sacramento will see Hawaii service and they’ll fly to Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, and Lihue.

And now we know what they will serve inflight, too.

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As Airlines Raise Drink Prices, Man Carries Giant Beer Through the Airport

Feb 23 2019

The price of inflight beer and wine – like all other airline fees – has gone up. You may now pay $9 for a drink. And just like the movie theater you aren’t supposed to bring your own snacks, but at those prices how can you not at least consider it?

That looks to be what happened at Washington Dulles airport as a man is seen carrying a giant beer on one of the airport’s mobile lounges between concourses.

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Nagoya Declares Itself “Ninja Airport” With Staff Directed to Dress as Ninjas

Feb 22 2019

Nagoya airport in Japan runs the Samurai Ninja Project to introduce the history of Central Japan to tourists.

The airport’s staff dressed up as ninjas for Ninja Day which is the 22nd day of the 2nd month because the Japanese word for two is ni (transliterated, natch) and ni ni ni is like Ninja. So it’s sort of like how May 4th is Star Wars Day because ‘May the Fourth be with you’.

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United Hires Chicago Politician Whose Decisions Benefited the Airline

airport
Feb 22 2019

Back in February American Airilines went apoplectic over a deal to disproportionately increase United’s gate count at Chicago O’Hare. They said they would not sign a new lease under those conditions.

The Chicago Deputy Mayor charged with handling O’Hare expansion has now been… hired by United. Robert Rivkin was named United’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

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Existing Legacy Starwood Amex Cardholders Can Earn 100,000 Marriott Points

marriot bonvoy card
Feb 22 2019

If you have the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card you might not even know it because you still think of it as the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Card — and your card still says SPG on it.

One of the biggest criticisms of the new program is that the value of points earned via credit card is one third less than Starwood Amex cardmembers are accustomed to. They’ve solved that through the rest of the year.

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