Katy Perry did not have coins for the Trevi Fountain, so she dipped a credit card in the water instead — and the real question is what card she was carrying in Rome.
American Airlines has started issuing performance grades to flight attendants, using a mix of customer survey data, operational metrics, and internal compliance measures to score how they are doing. That is a meaningful shift for an airline that badly needs better onboard service, but unless those scores eventually lead to real rewards for top performers and real consequences for chronic underperformance, it will not come close to fixing the deeper problem.
Spirit is no longer just asking the government for cash to avoid liquidation. The new twist is that the airline has floated a bailout structure where taxpayers would wind up owning part of the company, turning a desperate plea for survival into a proposal to socialize losses in one of the weakest business models in U.S. aviation.
Mexico’s president flew economy to Europe on her first trip to the continent since taking office, then posted a photo of herself working from her coach seat on the way to Barcelona. Surely she’s not serving the public well by turning long-haul travel into a performance of thrift rather than getting rest of having space ot work effectively.
Air traffic control in Nashville turned a Southwest jet that was going around after an aborted landing directly into the departure path of another Southwest flight, triggering collision warnings in both cockpits. The two aircraft came within about 500 feet vertically before the crews and onboard systems avoided a far more serious outcome.
Airlines all over the world are seizing on high jet fuel prices tied to the Iran conflict to press governments for emergency aid, tax breaks, subsidized loans, and other relief. Spirit’s bailout request is getting the attention, but the whole industry is trying to normalize another round of taxpayer support.
Citi premium card looks complicated at first, but the real value is straightforward once you know how the credits post. The Strata Elite’s hotel, Splurge, Blacklane, Priority Pass, and Admirals Club benefits can make the first cardmember year far more lucrative than the $595 fee suggests.
American Express is targeting some existing Business Platinum cardholders with a massive new spending offer worth nearly 1 million Membership Rewards points, and it has nothing to do with opening a new account. The catch is that it requires serious volume and large transactions, but for the right cardmember it’s more than 5 points per dollar on spend.
Southwest now charges for seat assignments, but at least some customers who paid extra for a window seat are finding themselves staring at a wall instead. United and Delta are being sued for market and selling these as well.
American Airlines will replace its current 7,000 square foot Nashville Admirals Club with a new 17,400 square foot lounge, with outdoor terraces.
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 »
