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 »

More articles by Gary Leff »

ConnectMe Will Be the New Way for American’s Cabin Crew to Solve Flight Problems Before Takeoff

by Gary Leff

british airways plane
Feb 17 2019

American Airlines executives meet with employees for question and answer sessions called Crew News. This past week an American pilot asked CEO Doug Parker about technology to connect cabin crew with all the functions of the airline to fix problems like Delta flight attendants have.

Delta flight attendants have a new update tot heir device so that they can connect and chat with ramp tower, catering, cockpit, crew schedules, passenger service and other teams. They can directly get problems addressed.

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British Airways Sends Passengers to a Brothel After Two Flights Stranded on St. Lucia

by Gary Leff

Feb 16 2019

Two British Airways flights were cancelled at the same time on St. Lucia. Crew were sent to hotels. Some passengers were sent to what could technically be called hotels, while others were left overnight at the airport without information or assistance. British Airways apparently even sent several passengers to a brothel for the night.

The passengers sent to the brothel were presumably offered additional premium services for an upcharge. The increasingly ancillary fee-minded British Airways may get new ideas to bring home to London Heathrow, already one of the most commercialized airports in the world.

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Data: Who is Applying for Credit Card Offers, and What Kind of Cards Do They Get?

by Gary Leff

credit cards
Feb 16 2019

More consumers are receiving card offers in the mail — up “from 54% to 67% over nine months last year” including an increase in applications from consumers with annual incomes between $20,000 and $50,000.

Fewer card applications, an increase in reaching down to lower income and possibly lower credit score consumers, combined with data like auto loan delinquencies at their highest level since 2010 (during the Great Recession) seem to raise some economic flags.

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Delta Quietly Ends Fixed Price Mileage Upgrades

by Gary Leff

first class seats
Feb 16 2019

Back in December Delta introduced the ability to upgrade with miles any time — from purchase leading up to travel. Your miles are worth only about a penny apiece and they charge you the difference in fare between what you bought and the price of the more premium option.

At the time, and leading up to when this was launched, I suggested that this could replace traditional mileage awards — where there are capacity controls, the airline makes seats available for upgrade they don’t expect to sell, and you pay a fixed (discounted) mileage price for those seats.

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US Border Officer Detained Two Women for Speaking Spanish – at a Montana Convenience Store

by Gary Leff

Feb 16 2019

Coming back into the US frequent flyers know the drill. We clear immigration, pick up our checked bags and walk them through customs, and drop them back off if we’re connecting. Don’t take photos. You -have very few rights here.

But did you know that most Americans can be stopped and questioned about their reasonable presence when they’re grocery shopping, going to the gym, or walking their dogs?

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How to Check if Your Personal Information Was Part of the Massive Marriott Data Breach

by Gary Leff

passport
Feb 15 2019

There’s a new website managed by OneTrust that lets you check if your information was part of the Marriott data breach.

In all 383 million records were hacked including 5.25 million unencrypted passport numbers, 8.6 million payment cards (most expired). Marriott has not revealed whether the notes they’ve taken on you were revealed.

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Starting in June US Airlines Will Offer New Gender Options When Booking Tickets

by Gary Leff

Feb 15 2019

US airline trade group Airlines 4 American confirms that it has “approved a new international standard that will allow for ‘unspecified’ and ‘undisclosed’ in addition to ‘male’ or ‘female.’”

Effective June 1, 2019 this accommodates passengers who have an ‘X’ on their IDs for gender. This is currently an option for state IDs from Arkansas, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

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Great Business Class Award Availability to Tahiti

by Gary Leff

Feb 15 2019

French Polynesia is one of the toughest awards to book, because service is limited. There aren’t a lot of options for getting there, even if you’re willing to connect. The major carrier is Air Tahiti Nui, which serves Los Angeles – Papeete. Air France also operates that route three times a week. United flies three days a week from San Francisco and has good award space in coach. Hawaiian flies Saturday service from Honolulu.

Whether or not business class awards are possible is a yes/no proposition (usually no). There’s not a lot of tricks to make it happen. Although right now Air Tahiti Nui which is an American Airlines and Delta partner is making great business class award space available for two passengers between Los Angeles and Papeete, Tahiti for October through December.

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