Failed United Miles Transfer Sparks DOT Showdown: Airline Says Tough Luck, IT Issues Are Customer’s Problem

by Gary Leff

united-plane
Apr 24 2024

Last month a Chase Ultimate Rewards member transferred their points to United, in order to book an award that showed as available at United.com, but wasn’t really available. United wouldn’t send his points back to Chase, and he complained to the Department of Transportation that this was an unfair and deceptive practice. They needed 193,000 more miles than they had in their account. United’s website suggested they buy the miles. They transferred the points in from Chase Ultimate Rewards instead. The award space for business class travel on EVA Air from Chicago to Singapore via Taipei turned out to be phantom and unbookable. The website errored out after they transferred the points. While the space still showed up online, a phone agent said the space wasn’t available and also that they couldn’t send their points…

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8 Things To Know About New Government Rules For Airline Fees (That You Won’t Find Anywhere Else)

by Gary Leff

Apr 24 2024

The federal government has issued a final rule for how airlines disclose their fees, and requiring prompt refund of fees when they don’t provide the promised service.

It largely will not change how most passengers experience airlines most of the time. Airlines already disclose their fees, and generally provide refunds for services they don’t provide. There will be a stronger requirement, though, to refund checked bag fees for long-delayed and lost bags.

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Unlock Ultra-Luxe Stays With New Hyatt Option: Earn And Redeem Points At Over 700 Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels

by Gary Leff

Apr 24 2024

A year after acquiring Mr & Mrs Smith, Hyatt has integrated the luxury booking platform into its World of Hyatt loyalty program, allowing members to earn and redeem points at over 700 properties, expanding their coverage to 20 new countries and enabling additional benefits like double dipping on American AAdvantage miles.

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Cabin Crew Showdown: American Demands Flight Attendants Perform Full Service With Reduced Staff

by Gary Leff

Apr 24 2024

American Airlines reduced the number of flight attendants on board its widebody and premium cross-country planes during the pandemic. They were trying to save money any way they could, and there wasn’t as much service to offer back then. Travel returned, and service came back, but American has kept operating with fewer people to serve meals and drinks.

The union hates that – it’s fewer jobs, and more work – and it’s not great for customers either. Nearly four years later, an arbitrator has just hard the union’s grievance over the change.

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United MileagePlus Hits Members Hard As Lufthansa and ANA First Class Award Prices Skyrocket

by Gary Leff

lufthands headquarters
Apr 23 2024

Lufthansa first class appears to have gone from 121,000 to 154,000 miles each way per person – meaning that a saver award now costs 308,000 miles roundtrip. That’s a 27% increase. And these are tough awards to book, because Lufthansa only makes them available to United’s program members within a few days of departure.

Meanwhile ANA first class from the Midwest and East Coast appears to have jumped to an eye-popping 242,000 miles – an instantaneous doubling in price.

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How American Airlines Is Dramatically Cutting Down Bag Check-in Wait Times With New Kiosk Strategy

by Gary Leff

Apr 23 2024

American is encouraging customers to prepay for bags with a discount (of course you may wind up prepaying bags and then not checking as many – overpaying for your bags)

Another way they’re encouraging this is speeding up bag drop for prepaid bags. You can just scan your boarding pass and out will pop the bag tags. Much faster than the current process!

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Here’s The Real Reason People Are Buying $200 Million In Gold From Costco Every Month

by Gary Leff

Apr 23 2024

Costco has sold gold bars since the fall. They get more than the spot price of gold, but it’s still a good deal compared to most places you’ll purchase it.

It’s one of the more unusual things that Costco sells, perhaps, and it’s gotten a lot of attention this month because of a Wells Fargo report suggesting Costco sells $200,000,000 per month in gold bars. That’s a run rate of $2.4 billion per year in gold sales.

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