News and notes from around the interweb:
- A ‘premium pivot’ for American Airlines would begin with basic cabin maintenance and cleanliness, as well as on-time operations and reducing mishandled bags and involuntary passenger bumps. Both are ‘table stakes’ – necessary, but not sufficient – but needed for premium investment to win over customers. And, unfortunately, the ‘D’ in ‘D0’ stands for ‘dirty’.
Let’s welcome to the wonderful world of Twitter this stewardess on @AmericanAir who suggested I don’t eat a meal cause their tray is broken.. do better ! Maybe don’t seat people here .. pic.twitter.com/TMCTt4PVef
— Jasmin St Claire (@jasminstclaire) December 21, 2025
Thanks for cleaning the plane @AmericanAir pic.twitter.com/3pAzkBs6CY
— ThighsofJustice (@big2mo) December 20, 2025
@AmericanAir nasty gun left in the seat pocket in Buisness class is unacceptable pic.twitter.com/vzHKvtvnTs
— Sym/Merk/Teep (@MerkSym) December 20, 2025
@AmericanAir Extremely unhappy. Paid Flagship First Class from Hawaii. The divider between my husband was duck taped down. Duck tape kept coming off & divider popped up over & over. The area was sticky & dirty from the residue. I can't imagine what we can't see. Unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/MhijOpQHfP
— Ubiq (@ubiquitous_miss) December 22, 2025
- In fairness, Delta isn’t nearly as premium as it claims to be.
- In fact, Iceland’s Tourist Board runs “departure surveys” of foreign visitors at Reykjavik (Keflavík) airport where interviewers approach some departing passengers and record answers for tourism statistics. Those use nationality based on passport not guesses, but it does mean someone at the airport can be sitting clicking flags for nationality as part of a survey instrument… not ‘advanced racism’ (and also not for everyone leaving the country).
— Images That Make You Feel Pain (@ManMilk2) December 19, 2025
- I’m generally a rule of law kind of guy but this is among the few things that tempt me to go full authoritarian:
FLAG ON THE PLAY.
This passenger chose behavior that would make Baby Jesus shake His wee little head in the manger.
It's His birthday this week, let's get it together.
Penalty yards (or sentencing) to be determined by @comfortablysmug. pic.twitter.com/vTi6C5H3S2
— Brandon Blewett (@brandonintheair) December 21, 2025
- ‘Tis the season. (HT: @crucker)
HOW COOL IS THIS?! A pilot recently flew their plane for 5 hours to create a pattern of the Nativity scene over northern Ohio! Credit: @flightaware pic.twitter.com/Xk7APZwgmO
— WeatherView (@MyWeatherViewX) December 22, 2025
- Accoridng to NordVPN, an analysis of dark web posts over the last 5 years shows that the most-discussed airlines are Southwest, Emirates, United, Alaska, American, Delta (54% of airline-related cybercrime discussions) and that stolen loyalty accounts are advertised from ~$0.75 to $200 apiece.
- American Airlines has a 20.8% stake in Republic Airways. United owns 18.2% and Delta owns 14.4%.
- No one likes it. Airlines do it because it works.
When @United pauses my movie to sell me a credit card, it makes me feel like they see me as a prisoner, a head of cattle, a number in an expected value calculation, worthy of total contempt. Even if I got the card they would do it next time. Premier Silver by the way.
— cold (@coldhealing) December 21, 2025
In fairness to America, I have status with both Delta and AA. I have been flying AA more as Delta fares have become expensive in comparison. I HATE flying through Charlotte.
However, one thing I have noticed is that the AA domestic FC meal service is much better than Delta. Usually split between appetizer, entree and desert so you get waited on
Five things are not both. Gun and gum are very different, especially on an airplane. There is no racial difference between Norwegians and Swedes.
On the CC push – if DL can have me log in to the IFE with my FFN, then the airlines can match seat number to FFN account and turn off pauses for that if I have at least one CC account.