Hyatt just won a major appeals court fight over how its loyalty program is taxed, a ruling that could ultimately save the company $589 million, just as World of Hyatt members are about to pay more for free nights. The program is also getting a major economic boost from the new Chase deal.
A Qantas Boeing 787 flying from Melbourne to Dallas diverted to Tahiti after a disruptive passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant and had to be restrained with help from other passengers.
The FAA has a novel way to ease the air traffic controller shortage: lower the staffing target by 2,000. Plus: a king cobra emerges from a resort toilet, Delta defends its Wi-Fi portal after Elon Musk’s Starlink jab, and American serves a very sad international meal.
LAX’s new Metro station is about to get an airline name — but not Delta, United, American or Southwest. Cathay Pacific is set to pay nearly $10 million for naming rights to the airport’s rail-and-bus gateway, turning it into the Cathay Pacific/LAX Metro Transit Center even though most riders will be heading to other airlines.
Warren Buffett spent decades warning that airlines destroy capital, joking that investors needed to be talked down before buying them. Now Berkshire Hathaway is back anyway, disclosing a $2.6 billion stake in Delta — its third major run at an industry Buffett once treated like an addiction.
American Airlines wants to bring commercial flights back to Naples, Florida — a wealthy, convenient Gulf Coast airport that locals have spent years fighting, and even tried to move. The plan is for Charlotte service starting this winter, but the real story is whether one of Florida’s most contested small airports is finally opening the door to airline service again.
I do not read hotel and restaurant reviews abroad the same way everywhere. In Europe, bad reviews can be easier for businesses to challenge or remove, so I rely less on average ratings and more on patterns, photos, trusted local sites, and avoiding obvious tourist traps.
American Airlines shareholders will vote next month on a board reform that could make it easier for outside candidates to break through management’s slate. The proposal is almost certain to fail — but after profits collapsed 87%, executive pay barely budged, and shareholders lagged the S&P 500 badly, the fact that board accountability is even on the ballot says something.
California couldn’t build high-speed rail, so now officials are studying 140 mph buses. Plus: MrBeast says he only books flights with Starlink, Southwest passengers complain about forced bag checks, and a woman says the wrong soap triggered TSA explosives screening.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey apparently went 20 years without seeing each other after their divorce. They both were in the same cabin of a flight to Hawaii, while Simpson’s second ex sat in back with their three kids.
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 »
