Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for February 2021.

Say Goodbye To Covid, TSA Is Hiring 6000 Screeners For Big Summer Travel Surge

by Gary Leff

tsa people singing
Feb 19 2021

The TSA, which manages security at most U.S. airports, is looking to hire 6000 screeners because they “expect to screen a higher number of travelers regularly by the summer months.”

There’s a worry over faster spread from the B.1.1.7 U.K. variant, and reduced effectiveness against vaccines from the South African variant. But there’s real reason for optimism that even with a virus that spreads faster, and even with one that can better evade antibodies, the summer at least should be ‘pretty normal.’

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The Internal Details Of The New American-JetBlue Flights They Didn’t Share In Their Press Release

by Gary Leff

Feb 19 2021

American and JetBlue announced new flights and are now codesharing out of New York and Boston. But there’s more to the story than has been reported, based on internal documents reviewed by View From The Wing.

Here are details on which routes are open for codesharing, some restrictions involved, and what mileage-earning is possible so far – as well as customer service plans for itineraries involving flights on both airlines.

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WOW: Several US Cities To Brazil Business Class From $470 Roundtrip

by Gary Leff

first class cabin
Feb 19 2021

I’m going to argue this isn’t a mistake fare, but you can currently fly roundtrip business class to Brazil from $470 roundtrip. Routings to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are on American Airlines, with São Paulo about $50 more.

If you want to continue to other Brazilian cities for about $20 more than that, connections beyond São Paulo can be included on American’s partner Gol.

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4 Hacks Ted Cruz Can Teach Us To Become Better Travelers

by Gary Leff

Feb 18 2021

Ted Cruz flew to Cancun with his family on Wednesday. He says he was just taking accompanying his children down, but the ticket was booked to return Saturday and then changed to fly back Thursday after a rash of criticism for leaving the country while his home state found itself in the midst of a power and water meltdown during a weather event worse than anything in the state in over 30 years.

Though I’m at home in Austin with no power, I won’t focus on whether the state’s junior Senator should have left the country right now. That’s been well hashed out. For this post I’m more interested in the ways that his trip to Cancun can teach us all how to be better travelers.

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American And JetBlue Push Forward With New Routes & Immediate Codeshares In Face Of Opposition

by Gary Leff

Feb 18 2021

This announcement is incomplete from the perspective of the customer and should be viewed as capturing some momentum rather than risking a setback after JetBlue’s pilots pushed back on the deal.

Ultimately though this deal should make American Airlines more relevant in New York, which is good for competition – creating a more formidable opponent of Delta (JFK and LaGuardia) and United (Newark).

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Ted Cruz Flies United Home To Face Angry Texans, As Everyone Else Gets Upgraded But Him

by Gary Leff

Feb 18 2021

Senator Ted Cruz left the country on Wednesday, flying United Airlines with his family to Cancun, as millions of Texans were without power during a once-in-a-generation weather event and near collapse of the state’s power grid. Many more (including me) are without water.

It looks now that he’s flown back to the U.S. – and while everyone else on the upgrade list cleared into business class, Cruz was the only passenger United left stuck in coach.

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