Google Pay Revolutionizes Shopping By Prompting Credit Card Perks At Checkout [Roundup]

by Gary Leff

News and notes from around the interweb:

  • Even a decade ago Amtrak was losing nine figures annually on food and beverage. Would be fascinating to have a better understanding of the economics of this.

  • Virgin Red will have a new credit card from Synchrony coming this summer. My hopes aren’t high, and I will love to be proven wrong.

  • Google Pay will start showing credit card benefits at checkout

  • At this point Delta just assumes viral stories about ill-treatment of baggage are them.

  • What on earth were they thinking? Charlotte airport’s success is its frugality, keeping American Airlines costs low with a subpar passenger experience (facilities not even close to designed to handle the volume), but surely they could have splurged on a more appropriate art installation than this?

  • Provision to prevent state takeover of ATL airport included in federal FAA law can’t have either the corruption or cozy relationship with Delta interfered with, under language inserted by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

About Gary Leff

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 »

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Comments

  2. I mean what message is American Airlines sending with the creepy nooses? KEEP WALKING KNOW YOUR PLACE CLT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU PUNISHMENT IS NEAR

  3. Even a decade ago Amtrak was losing nine figures annually on food and beverage. Would be fascinating to have a better understanding of the economics of this.

    In airline first and business class, and years back even in economy (and still today for transoceanic), airlines were losing much more than that on food and beverage, because they gave it away free, or so it seemed. Same thing on all cruise lines.

    Of course, we all know the food and drink isn’t “free”. The cost is built into the price of your ticket. The passenger just doesn’t pay at the point of delivery.

    On Acela Express first class, there is a SUBSTANTIAL add-on to the basic rail fare paid by those in the coach section of the train. That substantial add-on fare pays for more spacious seating, service at your seat … and the food and drink you are being served. Very often the first class section sells out. There are passengers out there who are willing to pay for the service.

    Airlines, ship lines, and railroads all know that if they do not provide food on airplanes, ships, and trains, no one will buy tickets on them. The ticket revenue covers transportation and the services provided, such as seating, lavatories, heating and cooling, and ground-based services … and the portion of food and drink not covered by payment (in railroad cafe cars) or in an elevated ticket price (first class seating or sleeping car service).

    Nothing to see here. There was a Republican (of course) congressman from Florida who weaseled a provision into an Amtrak funding bill years ago that Amtrak had to turn a profit on food sales. He had absolutely no knowledge of the economics of providing a transportation service, but needed red meat to throw to his constituents.

  4. Slamming around luggage takes more energy than handling it a bit more carefully.

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