Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for December 2020.

Southwest Airlines Adds Two New Cities, Including (A Return To) Fresno

by Gary Leff

Dec 16 2020

Southwest has aggressively added destinations during the pandemic. Some, like Chicago O’Hare, because of a unique opportunity to gain access to an airport that was full prior to 2020. Others are leisure destinations where they’re seeking new revenue opportunities for planes that have nowhere to go.

Over the past couple of years Southwest growth has been constrained with the grounding of the MAX. They haven’t had the planes to add new destinations. Now they have a surplus of planes because they haven’t needed the frequencies they used to offer, especially on business routes between major cities. And with the end of ‘middle seat blocking’ on Southwest they have even less need to add incremental flights in those markets.

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Pittsburgh Airport Introduces On-Demand Covid-19 Testing Inside The Terminal

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2020

I really like the Pittsburgh airport. There’s a Hyatt hotel on the grounds, and they pioneered allow people to go through security even when not traveling same day, something we lost in this country after 9/11. The program meant people could meet arriving passengers, shop and dine, and planespot.

Now they have something new to like: on-demand Covid-19 testing inside the terminal.

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A-Rod Is Going To Buy 20 Hotels And Turn Them Into Hiltons

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2020

Former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, who recently failed in his bid with fiance’ J. Lo to buy the New York Mets, will invest in and front a $650 million hospitality fund which plans to acquire 20 hotels – largely in New York, Miami and Seattle but potentially also the Caribbean – and turn them into Hiltons. He’s already acquired the Curio Collection hotel in Miami.

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Frontier Airlines Promises New, Uncomfortable Seat Will Be Good For The Environment

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2020

Frontier Airlines announced today that their 156 Airbus planes on order, which begin delivering in March, will receive Recaro’s slimline SL3710 seats. Slimline seats are known for passenger discomfort. They have less padding, and therefore take up less space. That lets airlines squeeze more passengers into the same amount of space. Frontier claims the sufferiing, though, is good for you because it’s good for the planet. Is that true?

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A Way To Book Las Vegas Strip Hotels Without Resort Fees (And Lower Rates, Too)

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2020

One of the most annoying features of hotels is the resort fee, a mandatory charge that’s not included in the room rate in order to deceive customers – to make a hotel look less expensive than it is. The practice spread beyond resorts to city hotels, and became known as a ‘destination charge.’ Even with many of the supposed-inclusions the resort fees pay for suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, the charges persist.

Las Vegas is a city where resort fees play a hugely distortionary role. Hotels cut prices to rock bottom levels to fill rooms. And there’s a way to get an even further discount – and skip the resort fees. Hotels that want to compete in the future need to pay attention.

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Last Day To Convert Southwest Airlines Travel Credits To Points

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2020

When Southwest Airlines extended elite status back in April, and made it easier this year to earn both status and a Companion Pass, they extended the validity of travel vouchers.

There’s been discussion for months about being able to convert travel funds into Rapid Rewards points and that functionality is finally available. The rate is reasonable but I won’t be taking them up on the offer. Here’s why.

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Six Men Charged In Federal Court With Stealing Millions Of American AAdvantage Miles

by Gary Leff

Dec 14 2020

Six men were charged with “stealing millions of airline frequent flier miles” in the Northern District of Texas. While the Department of Justice doesn’t say this, the court in which charges are being brought includes Dallas and almost certainly means they’re prosecuting a theft of American AAdvantage miles.

The lead defendant was arrested in Poland in May and extradited, arriving in FBI custody on Friday after weekend travel from Warsaw to Dallas. I’ve been involved in several criminal trials involving miles and points as an expert witness. This is the first one I’m aware of that involved an international arrest and extradition.

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