New and notes from around the interweb:
- Data on how homesharing services are competing with hotels
- Air Zimbabwe taking ex-Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777s That’s way too much plane for Zimbabwe.
- Despite Qantas’ 46% stake in Fiji Airways, and sponsoring the small carrier for oneworld connect membership, the Flying Kangaroo is ramping up competition to Fiji.
- More airlines putting lie flat seats in narrowbody aircraft.
Philippine Airlines (PAL), Panama’s Copa Airlines, Saudia, France’s La Compagnie and TAP Air Portugal. Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is also planning to put its first lie-flat narrowbody aircraft into service in Oct-2019, followed by Bahrain’s Gulf Air in early 2020.
- The former manager of WestJet’s credit card co-brand doesn’t like Vice President of Loyalty d’Arcy Monaghan
As some of you know, I took a role in the Loyalty Department of WestJet where I was responsible for the credit card portfolio as well as the Frequent Flyer Partners (FFPs) of WestJet.
…[U]ltimately the reason I left was a philosophical difference of opinion I had with my VP on how people should be treated. I expected a certain modicum of professionalism and appreciation for the work that people in the team contributed … he … did not. …Outside of my VP, the culture within WestJet was quite fun and collaborative.
- Virgin Australia is buying back the rest of its previously spun-off frequent flyer program. Air Canada, which led the world spinning off its program, has done the same. With air berlin’s topbonus gone, and JetPrivilege a shell of its former self post-Jet Airways implosion, the case for spinoffs isn’t looking good.
- There’s nothing quite like Princess Juliana International Airport.
The best low-pass ever at St.Maarten Airport 😍 pic.twitter.com/Irlyt4r9Xq
— Aviationdaily✈️الطيران يوميآ (@Aviationdailyy) September 15, 2019
Living in the PHX area, HOAs and neighborhoods are starting to fight back against home sharing. My HOA will not allow weekends or multi-tenants rents. In fact you have to rent your home to a single individual for 30 days or more, provide the rental agreement to the HOA and have your contact information. You also have to have the consent of neighbors on both sides. Since we have done this, the number of “investor” properties has dropped and people are actually living in the homes again.
Personally, I don’t think hotels have anything to worry about and inside information, having worked with the SPG program personally, they were once concerned, but that has faded. I think your information is about 5 years old, the home shares site will still be available, but fewer will exist in 5 years and they will be looking at longer term verse weekend or week long rentals.
Staying in an AirBnB on the Big Island, Kona area, with private pool, ocean view, and in room laundry (yes a factor) Cost worked out to be around $100 less per night than the lowest price branded hotel room on this side of the island after factoring in parking and resort fees.
I will still check hotels first, but for value, this was wonderful.
Also find these types of rentals great for areas where there are no hotels around.