I always thought that “We are experiencing higher than normal call volumes” just meant “We are experiencing normal call volumes and we underinvest in customer service.”
I don’t remember the last time I called Air Canada Aeroplan where the hold time wasn’t at least an hour. One of the best things about status is jumping to the top of the queues so that my time isn’t wasted. Although that isn’t always a help.
American Airlines flight 292 from New York JFK to Delhi made an emergency landing in Rome following a security threat, that many outlets are referring to as a bomb threat. The Boeing 787-9 was escorted by fighter jets on the way in.
Long check-in lines are de rigueur in Las Vegas. People go to Vegas for a break, and the start of their trip is a queue – probably first for the ride from the airport to their hotel, and then to get into their room. What could be more of a mass experience, and what could make an upscale hotel feel more like Circus Circus than this?
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.
Delta says that while the overall culture and corporations are moving away from DEI, they’re leaning in. And they’ve banned a comedian from the airline for life after he tweeted a photo of a Delta flight attendant’s pride pin (he quickly removed the flight attendant’s face from his post) and used vulgarity.
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.
A Delta passenger flying from Salt Lake city to Minneapolis declared that as a first class passenger, they had paid to use the first class lavatory – and wouldn’t wait for the pilot to finish his turn. And he wouldn’t suffer the indignity of using the bathroom back in coach, either.
There seems to be concern about their proper handling of money, including government-mandated payments.
A brawl broke out Friday near Spirit Airlines gates in Atlanta. This wasn’t just a fight, it was a collective terminal velocity of fists. Dozens of travelers engaged in a melee, throwing punches and kicks in the crowded gate area. Parents can be seen frantically pulling their children away from the violence as the terminal filled with screams and commotion.
Marriott responds that it is not a brand-wide change, but it is a change at this hotel, “This test is being run by the St. Regis Macao and not as part of a broader program change.”
This suggests that (1) Marriott is ok with the change, (2) Despite it violating the program’s terms and conditions. And it’s unclear what the result of this test will be – a permanent change at one property, or a test of a broader St. Regis change (aligning the brand closer to Ritz-Carlton)?
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 »
