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News and notes from around the interweb:
- Airlines ordering from Airbus want to keep their identities secret out of fear of reprisal from President Trump.
ome of the hidden orders came from customers in China, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information.
- Did the French government give Emirates new route authority as quid pro quo for their latest Airbus A380 order?
According to reports in the French newspaper Le Figaro, the Emirati airline managed to secure increased traffic rights for services between Dubai and France as part of the Airbus deal. Le Figaro claims French aviation authorities were able to make available slots which had been awarded to fellow UAE-based carrier, Etihad but never used by the struggling airline.
A source told the newspaper that while Air France would be fiercely against giving Emirates any further traffic rights, final approval could be pushed through due to a power vacuum at the Franco-Dutch airline.
- I’m giving away (3) sets of 100,000 Radisson Rewards points with 3 prizes instead of one chances of winning are better than usual.
- Alaska Airlines lounges in Seattle are leaving Priority Pass September 1. This doesn’t change much in practice. When I was in Seattle a few weeks ago I used their main lounge with my American Airlines club membership and I asked how often they were allowing Priority Pass access, since the sign was out saying they were too crowded. The agent said “not very often.”
- Qatar’s CEO says their US business has gotten better with Trump in office it doesn’t hurt that Etihad has been pulling back dramatically in the U.S. Less capacity connecting in the Mideast for passengers flying to India and Pakistan should help Qatar’s load factor and yields.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker with Donald and Melania Trump, via Doha News - Singapore Airlines is offering 25% bonus Krisflyer miles for premium economy tickets on their Newark, Los Angeles and San Francisco – Singapore non-stops, book by August 8.
- Remember when $4 billion was too much to pay Boeing to replace Air Force One? Neither does you-know-who, it seems.
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016
On any given day Trump can’t remember his lies from the previous days. Why should he remember a tweet from 2016?
Gary, Alaska C;lub in Seattle is AA Partner lounge and according to
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/clubs/admirals-club-locations.jsp
“Partner lounges
Your Admirals Club membership also gives you access to over 60 partner lounges in select domestic and international destinations. One Day Pass holders and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Card authorized users do not have access to partner lounges.”
Excuse me Gary (and rob), but you both are either being willfully ignorant, or you have lost all critical thinking skills. The original order estimate was $5.3B. He said in his original tweet “more than $4B”, not “exactly $4B”. That number could have easily been researched by you or the author of that flimsy cnbc hit piece, but I noticed it was conveniently left out.
Getting that reduced to $3.9B is a savings of $1.4B (or about as much as Obama illegally shipped to Iran so they can continue to fund terrorism and the killing of US soldiers).
I guess this means I won’t be winning the Radisson giveaway.
@WR I wasn’t making any comment on the actual Air Force One deal. I was merely observing that it would be unlikely Putin’s orange lapdog would even remember that tweet, given is inability to recall what lies he uttered yesterday.
Sorry, lounge-related question for @Gary:
Can someone with a Citi Executive AAdvantage card gain access to the Alaska Boardroom lounges? What about authorized users of the card?
I’d never heard this before! Are there any restrictions on access like the Priority Pass system?
Gary, you made my day if this is true.
Authorized Citibank Exec Citicard Card holders may not access the Alaska Board Room
Only Primary members according to the Alaska folks
I’ve also heard rumors that Alaska might discontinue the relationship for lounge access for
Admiral Club members
So far so good!Fingers crossed
Rob, please remove your head from CNN’s mudcutter and try thinking for yourself for a change, you easily brainwashed fool!
Situation: Flying from BCN to SEA on Lufthansa Business (booked through United), 5 hour layover in SEA then continuing on to KOA on Alaska First. Will Alaska let me into the lounge anyway in this case? Or would United? Or am I limited to PP lounges?
Who knew that Russian trolls read this blog? How’s the weather in St. Petersburg, comrades?
Finally, Trump’s Air Force One will be the same color as Putin’s plane. We’ve waited so long.
Rob and Juan you are liberal IDIOTS!!!!! stop already..not necessary here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!