Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for September 2020.

Wide Open Summer 2021 Cathay Pacific Business Class Award Space For 4 Passengers

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Sep 30 2020

Summer 2021 is likely to look a lot different, a lot more normal, than the world looks today. It’s as far out as you can book a ticket on most airlines. And the great thing about using miles in most programs is how flexible they are. Worst case scenario a usually modest fee, but some programs like American AAdvantage are waiving award cancellation fees entirely right now. So it’s a great time to book your next adventure!

Cathay Pacific is currently making business class awards widely available between the U.S. and Hong Kong for up to four passengers, from several gateway cities. This allows you to connect beyond Hong Kong to much of Asia.

Continue Reading »

A United Airlines Flight Attendant Makes Their Last Announcement Before Tomorrow’s Expected Furlough

by Gary Leff

Sep 30 2020

A passenger taped this United flight attendant making his last announcement prior to his expected furlough. This crewmember has been flying for United for two years. He chokes up asking the people on his flight to come back to United for their travels “so that we can come back.” And that’s where I really choke up myself.

Continue Reading »

The Strange Incentive The Treasury Secretary Has To Push Another Airline Bailout

by Gary Leff

Sep 30 2020

When airlines gave the government a stake in their businesses, effectively partial nationalization, they created an incentive for the government to continue bailing them out to protect and grow that very stake.

Pumping in another $25 billion makes Secretary Mnuchin’s stock warrants, obtained for bailouts, look better – like he negotiated a ‘win’ for taxpayers.

Continue Reading »

Six More U.S. AIrlines Go Back On The Government Dole, Treasury Secretary Calls For More Subsidies

by Gary Leff

depressed businessman leaning his head below a bad stock market chart
Sep 30 2020

American Airlines closed on a $5.5 billion government-subsidized loan last week. It can be increased to $7.5 billion. Six more airlines though have closed on loans under these conditions: United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, and SkyWest. Treasury didn’t immediately release the amounts borrowed by each airline, or the collateral used.

Both Democrats and Republicans are calling for $25 billion in additional subsidies, under the guise of protecting workers (although that portion costs less than 10% of the total).

Continue Reading »

Maldives Launches ‘Border Miles’ Rewards Program

by Gary Leff

pier on beach
Sep 30 2020

The principles of loyalty marketing can be applied across industries, and the basics are very much the same: recognition (elite benefits) and reward (redemption). While the most successful programs have been in travel – airlines have turned their marketing programs from a cost center into a profit engine – loyalty marketing is important to anywhere consumers make repeated choices.

The Maldives is trying something new with a destination rewards program with three elite levels. Here’s hoping they offer status matches!

Continue Reading »

Last Day For New Bask Savings Account Offer

by Gary Leff

Sep 29 2020

American Airlines has added partners that make their frequent flyer program more relevant to people in some of the largest cities in the country this year. American Airlines AAdvantage® miles with your savings account is an even better deal with low interest rates. And there’s the opportunity to earn an extra 25,000 referring friends for new accounts – that gets them a better offer than is publicly available, too – but that ends next month.

Continue Reading »

American Airlines Will Roll Out Covid Testing For Hawaii and Caribbean

by Gary Leff

Sep 29 2020

Following announcements by United Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, offering airport testing for passengers on flights to Hawaii, American Airlines today announced they, too, will offer airport testing for Dallas Fort Worth – Honolulu and Maui, and also for Miami – Jamaica. They ‘expect’ to launch testing for Bahamas flights next month, and then expand the program for flights across the Caribbean.

Continue Reading »