Monthly Archives for February 2023.
I just wrote about how great a job United Airlines has been doing recognizing the special moment that a customer reaches a lifetime status milestone – at the airport and inflight. It seemed fitting to share this heartfelt message from a newly-minted Delta Air Lines seven million miler.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
On Wednesday, Southwest Airlines held a major employee rally. They’re working to support the culture, as they always do, but it’s especially crucial now after the airline’s holiday meltdown and because around one-fifth of the carrier’s employees are new within the last year.
However Southwest pilots used the opportunity to walk out on CEO Bob Jordan.
The Michelin Guide was started by the Michelin tire company, initially to promote car sales and then to promote driving in order to sell more tires. The guide itself, though, doesn’t make money. But earning a Michelin star is huge for restaurants – a 20% bump in business for receiving a star, 40% for two stars, and a doubling in business on average for three stars.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
A hotel guest reports that they left their room in perfectly normal order when they checked out. On their way down the hall they handed their key to housekeeping. But after their stay the property charged them a $150 cleaning fee – and sent them photos.
And who boy, the photos are something, with hot sauce everywhere in the room – on the bed and bedding and even on the wall. It looks like blood!
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
American Airlines re-assures crew that the audits are being performed by “non-threatening” employees riding in the jumpseat and taking notes on their behavior.
However some crew find working in new domestic ‘Oasis’ galleys, that have limited workspace (because it’s been condensed to make room for more seats) challenging enough as it is. American highlights that it hopes to see lower insurance costs out of the program, improved employee morale (?), and lower costs from workplace injuries.
Since Friday, February 3 Delta Air Lines employees are no longer permitted to use Sky Clubs when traveling as nonrevs – even if they purchased a club membership or have the American Express co-brand Reserve card that comes with access.
Now there’s a petition with over 7,000 signatures asking Delta to restore access. It’s an open letter to airline CEO Ed Bastian, ‘let my co-workers in!’
There were procedural changes after the Air Canada near-miss landing on top of planes in San Francisco in 2017 but those changes do not seem to be followed in these two recent incidents between Delta and American and between Fedex and Southwest. In all cases, the planes continued to operate (though Delta not until the next day). As a result their cockpit voice recorders – which only capture the most recent two hours of data – were overwritten. But the FAA shouldn’t be allowing this.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
