News and notes from around the interweb:
- Next month, Grand Rapids airport will make self-service bag check-in mandatory for American, United, Frontier Airlines. How every Alaska of them.
- Why don’t United Clubs have showers? (See also: Scott Kirby Says Only Two Premium Airlines Can Exist — Passenger Photos Show United Isn’t One Of Them)
I used to work at UA in Strategy and the only reason EWR has showers is because I got into a massive argument with this person about it. His stance was that showers weren’t a “brand standard”. I had to explain that the competition wasn’t other UCs. I won that particular battle, but alas I am no longer at UA and he is.
ETA: he’s also unfortunately not near retirement age.
- Buy GHA Discover Dollars at 15% off through August 31, 2026. When spending D$ you’re not earning D$ on that spending, so foregoing 4-7% back. Still, you can apply it to room rate and on-property spend at any of their participating hotels, but bear in mind that they expire if unused after 24 months.
- Hyatt’s Kissel Uptown Oakland makes my head want to explode. It’s a hotel in Oakland. With a resort fee. And it includes a cookie, making the hotel fee like a cheaper version of a DoubleTree, because at DoubleTree the cookie is actually free.
You’re paying $27++ extra per day, mandatory, but you’re only entitled to one cookie. You do get access to a “calm meditative space on the 3rd floor” though, which the hotel couldn’t repurpose for something revenue-generative. You also get a dessert with minimum purchase in the restaurant (not a deal) and coffee or tea with purchase of a breakfast entree (not a deal). But it’s the cookie that does it. Just bake your own at home, here’s the recipe.
- 30% bonus transferring Amex Membership Rewards to British Airways through September 27, 2026.
- I mean, it’s Filthadelphia. Generally, the condition of facilities at the legacy US Airways hubs is abysmal. New York LaGuardia is better because it’s an entirely new terminal, and Philadelphia A West is new, but the rest of Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Phoenix – just sad. American is only just beginning to invest in its facilities, after a dozen years of Team Tempe’s not spending a dollar they don’t have to.
Ridiculous! Here is American Airlines in Philly Terminal F. Pay more get more 😂🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/lpR4UaRxg6
— Kevin Wright (@KevinWr85731870) August 2, 2026
The customer gets to do everything except fly the airplane.
(Nor may they sit in the galley playing Candy Crush for half the flight)
Ah…so it goes.
Self service means if the checked in bag is even 1 ounce overweight, the automated system will flag and charge accordingly.
@Luke — If it’s that nominal, and it’s just weighed at the automated kiosk, you could give it a ‘lift’ and print the tag; if they weigh and charge later, well then, never mind.
@Gary, “but bear in mind that they expire if unused after 12-24 months depending on your status tier.” D$s earned from stays expire in 12-24 months if not used depending on tier. But, the purchased D$s get a 24 month expiration. Everybody should know that all earned/purchased D$s get an expiration date that does not get extended through activity of any sort.
The system NZ uses for self-checked bags has laser (or laser looking) lights that also measure the bag. So, you can get zapped for weight or size. I will say, though, the system is quite easy to use.
I believe Ryanair is trying to deploy this technology widely.
Its about time customers lift their own heavy bags in to the system
@This comes to mind — Surely, such a system is foolproof and there are no workarounds… *cough*
I was at GRR the other week for the first time, nice airport. Random thought, how does one buy a ticket at the airport if there’s no more attendants?
Unrelated, saw Zorkfest is back in Q1 2027! Speaking (and treating everyone to lunch) again, Gary?
I hate these.. they are aweful and take significantly longer to checkin at SeaTac. Its a shame Alaska hasnt ripped these out and shipped them back, and goes back to the iPad tablets that spit out your bag tag and then have an agent verify ID and bag.. and *done*.
@L737 – haven’t talked about it with Trager honestly, certainly open to it
UA not having showers at hub airports would be a big no for me. Granted, AA does not have them at either CLT or PHX. PHX still is still under the spell of the former America West/US Air headquarters about five miles away in Tempe. (They at least look nice from the outside-think they are still used for training.)
CLT will eventually get them but PHX will always be the shrine to America West. Unless new management takes over and someone clues them into the fact that PHX is in indeed a hub.
I also find is strange that LGA has showers but DCA (E club) does not. Neither has International other than Canada and LGA does not have any transcons.
@L737 — Wow! You’re on top of it! March 2027. “As loyalty programs get tighter, the edge goes to people willing to think deeper.” The Inner Circle… oh lala.
keepsake/ˈkēpˌsāk/
A keepsake is a small object kept to remind you of a person, place, or event. It is valued for its emotional meaning rather than its cost.
That refillable ‘keepsake’ bottle is priceless 🙂