Gary Leff, Author at View from the Wing

About Gary Leff

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 »

American Airlines Will Fly Even Less In May, Considers Retiring Another Arcraft Type

by Gary Leff on March 31, 2020

Mar 31 2020

American Airlines thinks their May schedule – targeted at 20% of its normal domestic flying and 10% of international – will be closer to demand. That’s what airline President Robert Isom told flight attendants in an online question and answer session on Friday.

With less flying they’re looking at retiring not just Embraer E-190s, Boeing 757s and 767s, but also Airbus A330-300s. Currently 135 of the airline’s 150 widebody jets are parked. Yet they’re still planning to take delivery of new 737 MAX and 787 aircraft this year.

Will American Airlines Furlough Employees Once The Bailout Money Runs Out?

by Gary Leff on March 31, 2020

Mar 31 2020

The $58 billion airline ~~smash and grab~~ bailout comes with several restrictions, including maintaining service to cities that already have flights and no employee furloughs through September 30.

In an employee ‘crew news’ session on Friday, airline President Robert Isom told flight attendants that once government restrictions on furloughs lift after September there are a number of things that will help to shrink employee numbers before getting to furloughs. Pilots, though, he was willing to tell that furloughs aren’t in the card.

Marriott Data Breached Again: Personal Information From Over 5 Million More Accounts Compromised

by Gary Leff on March 31, 2020

Mar 31 2020

After disclosing one of the biggest data breaches in history at the end of 2018, Marriott is sharing another data breach – as if just to show that bad publicity, degraded customer trust, and massive fines alone can’t put Marriott and Bonvoy on the straight and narrow

How To Get Your Piece Of The Government Airline Bailout

by Gary Leff on March 31, 2020

Mar 31 2020

The federal Paperwork Reduction Act Notice estimates that your request for billions of dollars should take just two hours to complete. So out of those of you with a good faith belief that you’re an airline contractor under the Act, who’s in? You can just submit a request for funds by e-mail.

London Heathrow Terminal 5 Is A Potential Field Hospital For COVID-19 Patients

by Gary Leff on March 31, 2020

Mar 31 2020

A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

American Airlines Now Offering Employees Leave At 25% Pay And Full Benefits Or Early Retirement

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2020

Mar 30 2020

Two weeks ago American was asking flight attendants to take leave with no pay. Unsurprisingly they didn’t have enough takers. Pilots, however, could take leave or early retirement at about two-thirds pay.

American is now offering paid early retirement and paid leave across the company, not just for pilots, though of course the leave options aren’t as generous as what pilots receive.

Delta Sky Magazine Lays Off Its Entire Staff

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2020

Delta’s current inflight magazine Delta Sky launched in 2009. The magazine was outsourced, published by MSP Communications. It used Delta’s brand, was distributed on Delta aircraft, and Delta’s media team promotes it on the Delta.com website. It’s always been presented as Delta’s.

However writers were not Delta employees. Now they’ve lost their jobs.

No, A Government Airline Bailout Wasn’t Necessary, And Just Makes Things Worse

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2020

hand holding hundreds of dollars in cash

Mar 30 2020

The U.S. airlines have long survived on government cash and government protection from competition (whether through foreign ownership, or long term gate leases at government airports). We continue to feed that, and then complain when effectively nationalized airlines don’t deliver the product consumers want. We have only ourselves to blame.

A bankruptcy-first approach would have meant equity and creditors take a haircut before taxpayers. It’s not at all clear a bailout would have been needed even then.

American Airlines Group Loses A Chicago O’Hare Gate Agent to COVID-19

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2020

Mar 30 2020

American’s wholly-owned regional subsidiary Envoy Air lost a 51 year old Chicago O’Hare gate agent named José Vázquez. Just Saturday Envoy Air had shared the information with its Chicago team that “two (2) of our Envoy employees here at ORD tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19).”

How To Think About Jumping On Great Deals For Future Travel

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2020

Mar 30 2020

As with almost every question, whether to jump on a travel deal now depends “on what margin?” Just how good a deal is it? That’s because there are some great deals now, but the future is uncertain.

You likely give up very little by waiting so it has to be a truly uncommon opportunity to spur a purchase in the current environment.

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About Gary Leff

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