Two years ago we learned that working at Customs is worse than TSA, at least at Newark, where new employees are hazed at a ‘rape table’. They’re also threatened with guns.
Hazing takes place to the theme of Jackass playing in the background.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a collection of independent properties, and it’s more of a booking relationship than a hotel chain. And Hyatt’s deal is something similar to what they have with MGM’s M life Rewards — let’s share customers, offering points-earning and redemption.
With over 500 hotels in 80 countries Small Luxury Hotels of the World held the potential to significantly grow the World of Hyatt footprint. In December they initially offered earning and redemption at 54 hotels. Now they’re adding 56 more properties.
I love the sentiment, but according to United’s announcement there’s not much to it behind service training for employees, free DirecTV on less than one third of mainline aircraft, and paying out lower bonuses.
Of course anything is better than the recent history at United of dragging and beating a passenger in the aisle, killing a dog in the overhead bin, and shoving a 71 year old man to the ground and threatening to take away his miles for complaining.
American Airlines domestic flights equipped with ViaSat satellite internet will offer free access to Apple Music starting Friday. Apparently American is really just acquiring customers for Apple Music, selling you a three month free trial. Always remember you’re the product, not the customer.
A week ago the world learned about one of the worst airline passengers any of us has ever come across, a man who flies to Asia and consistently asks for help in the bathroom — help that he may not actually have needed.
He’s been blacklisted by the airline but media reports suggest he’s managed to circumvent the ban and buy himself another ticket on the airline. I’m skeptical.
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As in past years, as January approaches there are plenty of Executive Platinum members with systemwide upgrades that are expiring unused.
Fortunately American seems to be willing to extend expiring systemwide upgrades for some members through April 30 if you call and ask.
Hotel loyalty programs face a unique challenge that airlines don’t. Airlines set the rules and provide the product directly. Hotels have to get properties which are often owned and even managed separately to comply, with benefits like upgrades delivered consistently by individual employees at a front desk perhaps thousands of miles away. They rely on individual hotels and even employees to comply.
As a result it can be like playing whack-a-mole with individual properties. And with hotels around the world, members may be experiencing things on the ground that programs don’t know about. Or if they see an issue raised in passing it may not resonate with all of the issues they’re facing.
Hyatt announced today that they would open 40 hotels on the US West Coast by 2021. They’re really just describing the current pipeline and there are a few things to note. We know about several of these properties already.
This significant growth in Hyatt’s footprint, however they’re stretching to get to their 40 and limited service is the name of the game.
Earlier in the month Alaska Airlines needed to bump a passenger from first class on a New York JFK to San Francisco flight for a pilot traveling to a duty assignment. The passenger they downgraded to economy was John Kasich, who just finished serving 8 years as Governor of Ohio and who sought the Republican nomination for President in 2016.
Only Governor Kasich didn’t leave the first class cabin, he sat down in another passenger’s seat instead.
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 »
