News and notes from around the interweb:

• As a teen, he posed for a pic with a passenger jet. Now a pilot, he’s flying it

  Now 28 and a captain for PSA Airlines, which is owned by American Airlines, Critterton flies tiny regional planes across the country. He’s based out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

  …As his dad, Christian Critterton, recalls: “It was one of the things that we did, a father-son thing, was watch planes land at the airport. He’d go home and watch the video over and over again.” …“As we’re in the van to go to the airport, I’m like, ‘You are not going to believe this! Do you remember 15 years ago we took a picture in front of a plane? We’re flying that same plane today!'” Spenser Critterton said.

• They got married, and this was their second dance:

  Also, a very special #Thanksgiving #THANKYOUSOMUCH to Everett, Captain and Crew @SouthwestAir who made our flight so special by getting marriage advice on napkins from our fellow passengers and allowing a Second Dance ❤️ https://t.co/FMIyTTvIRZ pic.twitter.com/LHU71PZAAf

  — American Muslim Soldier (@USMuslimSoldier) November 27, 2024

• Bilt explains blended-average redemption cost You need people redeeming points for rent, so that you can transfer points to Hyatt.

• Can’t blame pandemic supply chain issues anymore.

  @united What is it with your coffe/latte machines? There is always a boken machine in the United Club. They seem to be like the aircraft, in need of maintenance. pic.twitter.com/Al72JMSjqU

  — Million Miler (@MillionMiler10) November 27, 2024

• Qantas forcing travel agencies down the American Airlines path of high pressure to ticket using NDC technology. Reminder that former American Airlines CEO Doug Parker is on their board.

  To be sure, Qantas is in a stronger position to do this than American Airlines was – Australian agencies don’t have airline alternatives the same way as exist in the U.S. market (there may be some share shift to Virgin Australia?). But this wound up costing American a billion dollars in revenue. One major problem is that the technology wasn’t as ready as claimed – it wasn’t just about recalcitrant agencies being slow to make the transition.

  It was simply harder to work through not just lower cost or more robust. The focus on cost here also misses a huge point – this is the airline’s cash register so the question of whether or not an airline should do this needs to focus at least as much or more on revenue.

• Buy United or American miles at 1.88 cents apiece or Air France KLM miles at 1.68 cents.

  I am not a buyer at these ‘Black Friday’ prices, though if you need to top off for a specific award and need a lot of miles to do so this can be strategically useful to some. LifeMiles at 1.16 cents is at least worth considering.