News notes from around the interweb:
- Chase’s card division added $3.8 billion in credit reserves. They appear to expect that many consumers will not be able to pay their bills, anticipating 20% unemployment.
- American Airlines isn’t going to defer 737 MAX deliveries. They’ve got all that CARES Act cash, let’s spend it. They’ll finance the planes and worry about payments in Chapter 11.
- Star Alliance program Avianca LifeMiles will not expire miles April – December of this year.
- SAS EuroBonus is expiring miles, and preventing members from redeeming miles on Star Alliance partners. This reduces their liability, and controls costs, at the expense of members. Hopefully no one who is able to avoid SAS will do business with them in the future.
- Free tier credits for logging into the Caesars Rewards app, one way that loyalty programs can continue to engage members when they’re not traveling and this one doesn’t really come at an up front cost to the program.
- Air France KLM Flying Blue extends status by 12 months
- United Airlines shopping portal 500 bonus miles for $100 spend by April 20 (HT: Doctor of Credit)
- Washington Dulles isn’t going to get rid of mobile lounges. In fact they’re planning to spend $115 million to buy new ones and go all-electric. These were state of the art… sixty years ago.
Cool Dulles will remain weird – like it!
Highly amusing and accurate observation on American’s 737MAX order.
“Mobile lounges” is hilarious. You’d have to pay me to willingly spend time in one!
The AA planes were already paid for as part of the settlement with Boeing. Don’t read too much into and the story is inaccurate. DL also just ordered 10 A350s btw. . .that’s money well spent.
“The Airports Authority hopes the 30 plane-mates and 16 mobile lounges that will be in place within five years will be more modern and more efficient.
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All of that is dependent on price, but electric vehicles would qualify for special Federal Aviation Administration grants that could cover 75% of the estimated $115 million cost. The authority also hopes electric vehicles would be cheaper to operate given no diesel costs and projected lower maintenance costs.
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The alternative to the mobile lounges — extending the underground Aero Train to Concourse D — “was considered too expensive and unattainable in a few years,” board briefing documents said.”
Seems like a reasonable decision, given the options.
As a DC resident I can tell you that calling them a, “Mobile Lounge” was the greatest marketing schtick ever created. They are far from, “loungy” lol.
The drivers are hilarious though and could probably tell you some funny stories. Many have been doing it for years. The first time one of them collides with an aircraft though will be the beginning of the end. Of course, right now, they are more likely to collide with tumbleweed.
With regards to the SAS comment, «Hopefully no one who is able to avoid SAS will do business with them in the future.»
…get a grip.
I am a card holder with SAS, with a fair amount of points. I have planned award trips that might not go ahead. I have cancelled flights etc… but you know what? That is not the important thing in a global pandemic.
My local gym has not refunded my membership dues. That is ok. My standup tickets have not been refunded. That is ok. My prepaid services at other companies are going unrefunded. That is ok.
We are in an extremely difficult position now. We can choose to be petty, and say that the suppliers take all the risk. Sure it isn’t MY fault that I can not take flights.. but is it SAS’ fault? No.
Should we split the bill? Yes. SAS has enormous costs just keeping the company alive. What is a couple of lost points from my side? Nothing.
Solidarity. That’s a interesting term. It goes both ways.