News and notes from around the interweb:
- The reality of the American Airlines pivot to “premium” in two photos?
@AmericanAir
I’m a EP Flyer. AA makes $ selling cheap seats meant for loyal flyers. Also credit card debacle. As far as CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, they STINK! Cancelled flights, Maint issues, crews over stressed not making your flight etc. FIRE THE CEO ASAP! 4 of 12 FC seats busted pic.twitter.com/NF1DqDzeYC— Heyigotit (@Heyigotit1) September 28, 2025
@AmericanAir what else do you use duct tape for? $3,800 for 2 tickets to Rome. Delayed on outbound 2 weeks ago, almost 3 hours. Maintenance issues. Delayed today, inbound, maintenance issues. Oversold. Full flight. Overhead bins full of under seat luggage. Premium prices.… pic.twitter.com/jd1Bx4aC9x
— Pamela (@PJanL7) September 27, 2025
Of course, United has plenty of dreck seats, too! The biggest challenge American faces in pushing premium is to imbue the ethos consistently across its operation. So far it’s been piecemeal and scattershot, and more importantly there’s been no consistent narrative offered so it’s just a laundry list of disconnected changes. There’s no messaging to employees (that tells them the service they’re supposed to aim to provide) or to customers (to help reset their expectations).
That is what the airline needs from the brand advertising discussed in last week’s episode of The Air Show podcast.
- Why are these bottles never clearer about which is soap and which is lotion?
- Parents, you really do need to think about how your children will display on upgrade and standby lists when naming them.
We have a few unfortunate names on tonight’s standby list
byu/ch1ck3npotpi3 indelta - Stoned Ground Worker Smashes Into British Airways Jumbo Jet, Then Walks Away Without Reporting $228,000 Damage Why do ‘airline worker on drugs’ stories always seem like they involve British Airways?
- 1,320 year old hotel, still run by the same family:
The oldest hotel in the world is The Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Japan and has been in business since 705AD. It’s still a family business. For 52 generations pic.twitter.com/KSSReJNR6j
— Fascinating (@fasc1nate) September 28, 2025
But TIL:
In Japanese tradition you adopt a capable manager or have arrange for him to marry your daughter to keep business in the family. Otherwise there’s no way you’d keep something in the family this long.
This is still common practice! 98% of adoptions in Japan are adults, almost all men 20-30, brought in for business succession purposes.
- I’ve always had the sense that there’s pretty wide variance in experiences with Chase Private Client (target > $500,000 assets) and J.P. Morgan Private Bank (target > $5 million assets). In terms of the concrete, published services the benefits there didn’t seem like much difference other than the latter letting you apply for a J.P. Morgan Reserve Card. But I guess there’s further differentiation now… no surprise… with even more merchant-funded offers? Is it weird I’d have thought that this product would escape coupon book-ization?
The services will give J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s U.S. clients access to a specialized network of companies that have been carefully vetted and curated by the bank. There is no additional charge to access the services, and clients will get exclusive offers, free consultations, discounted rates and other deals from the companies on the platform.
Uh, new Flagship Suites on 789, a321XLR, and retrofitted 777, eventually; new Flagship lounges (PHL), and renovation plans to old ones? That’s still a plan. I know, never fast enough, and, also, ‘Clean/Repair. Your. Planes.’ Also, pay your people.
One says hand and body balm and looks like lotion? I guess we could get out the P-Touch and make some nice big clear labels. But that doesn’t seem premium either.
Not planning to use it but I liked the Breitling amex offer that was pushed out at the time of the Plat relaunch. 50k MR for $2500 spend, can use 3x. Not sure what kind of offers JPM Private will get vs Chase Private (and note the complete lack of linkage between Chase on the checking/banking side and Chase cards – you’d think CPC clients would get something a la Citigold, but nope!), but I think there’s a way to target both clientele successfully. As usual Amex knows what the secret sauce is and Chase continues to fumble the ball.
American should be shut down
@Walter Barry — Nah.
I’ve been in a few Admirals Clubs lately where someone used a label maker and put “HAND WASH” or “SOAP” black text/white tape labels on the bottles or holder.
At least they replaced the door to the CLT club men’s room… no longer looks like people have clawed at it to escape.