News and notes from around the interweb:
- Callback to: American Airlines CEO Robert Isom makes clear, Our Priority Is “Not Spending Any More Than We Have To” (I guess the next item is an example of this, too.)
@AmericanAir yooo who is in charge of cleaning these sticky armrests hahaha pic.twitter.com/QTwMlvXQtp
— BENJI BOY (@BenjaminJo97425) November 6, 2025
- American Airlines serving pretzels that expired 8 months ago. (The last digit is a clear 5—the extra stroke that makes it look like a 6 is just background text showing through the wrapper.)
Pretty sure @AmericanAir served me very expired pretzels. pic.twitter.com/6BBeXPvXVb
— Josh (@therealjoshf) November 7, 2025
- My Mackinac Center public talk this past week on managing travel during the government shutdown, credit card interchange, airline joint ventures and the future of elite status (basically, it was an ask me anything). I was speaking later in the day to legislative staffers.
- Overloaded baggage cart plunges into the water in Bali
- At the New Orleans airport. What’s the William Watson Purkey line? “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, Love like you’ll never be hurt, Sing like there’s nobody listening, And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
- 40% bonus on transfers from Chase to Virgin Atlantic through November 21. 40% is very good! And, with big surcharges, Virgin awards can be quite reasonably priced (or not). If transatlantic coach is your thing it’s downright cheap. And this can be a great way to redeem ANA premium cabin awards if you can find the space. But I wouldn’t transfer proactively without a clear near-term use.
One positive about the FAA reducing flights by 10%, the airlines will be able to take some equipment out of service for cleaning and repairs. I do hope they take advantage of the opportunity.
@David P — I wish, but… oh, how naive… these are businesses, not charities… Isom would rather let dust collect than pay for cleaning… you know, him and his $31,400,000 compensation in 2023… a true ‘man of the people.’
It’s so sad to see American Airlines, once GREAT airline, fail in so many ways.
@RPCV — Southwest (after private equity took it over): “Hold my beer.”
Very clearly a “6” on the pretzels when you blow it up. Look and you will see. The pretzels were not expired.
March of 2025 isn’t even close to “very expired.” That was only 8 months ago for a presumably sealed bag of salted pretzels. Shut up and eat them; you won’t die. Sheesh.
@Allen — Nice ‘Sheesh’… how about an ‘Oof’ or a ‘Yikes,’ too?
I’d eat the pretzels without too much hestiation. “They’re more like guidelines anyway” (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl)
@1990 — Hey now, ‘oof’ is my thing on here
Quickn unrelated PSA: today is 15x Lululemon on Rakuten – I just got 1000+ MP stacking with $75 quarterly Plat credit for anyone who hasn’t used that yet (And use Gary’s link for a $50 bonus if you don’t have Rakuten )