In late August I wrote that Chase was about to introduce their new Sapphire Banking product — but not to sign up right away because a bonus would be on its way that you should wait for.
The bonus debuted in-branch a couple of weeks ago. Now it’s available online: 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
Bank of America has just launched the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard.
Air France KLM Flying Blue has been one of the international programs most keen on that sweet, sweet U.S. credit card revenue. They’re a transfer partner of American Express, Chase, and Citibank. And now they have their own US-issued co-brand.
There are some creative elements to the card, and will help those looking for Air France elite status.
UN Ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who will be stepping down from her post at the end of the year, blasted American Airlines on Twitter for their operational reliability.
There’s much speculation about why Haley is stepping down from her post at the U.N., including whether she might be appointed U.S. Senator from South Carolina if Lindsey Graham were named attorney general after the midterms (with the President asking for Jeff Sessions to resign). American, though, had better hope she’s not waiting in the wings to replace Elaine Chao at the Department of Transportation.
Cho Yang-Ho is facing charges of embezzling ~ US$17.4 million. Korean Air is owned by Hanjin Group of which he’s also Chairman. In addition to that embezzlement he’s accused of taking US$135 million “from the state insurance agency in medical care benefits by illegally running a pharmacy under a borrowed name.”
He’s the father of the infamous ‘nut rage’ Vice President who served a brief prison sentence after hitting a flight attendant and order a plane back to the gate in New York after predeparture nuts were served improperly in first class.
Sharknado and American Pie star Tara Reid and her dog were kicked off of Delta flight 613 from Los Angeles to New York JFK yesterday.
Apparently the actress was apoplectic over her seat assignment and that she didn’t have a pillow. The aircraft had already pushed back when the captain announced to the plane that they’d be returning to the gate causing a delay.
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.
Just as they did late February through June, Hyatt is offering its own double dip with American AAdvantage through January 31. And it stacks with the current bonus promotion that gives bonus points for progressively more stays through November 30.
This doesn’t happen often, but it does happen, usually when departing from a remote stand when air stairs have been removed before the door closes. Falling onto concrete from a Boeing 777 is more severe than doing so from a 737, though both carry real risk.
This doesn’t come close, though, to the flight attendant who fell 33,000 feet from the sky and lived for forty four more years.
This week’s issue of Airline Weekly (subscription) contains charts on the largest airlines in each of the largest country markets in East Asia, based on Diio Mi data on scheduled seats in 2018.
The biggest takeaways are the growth of Chinese carriers and the declining importance in Southeast Asia of national carriers relative to low cost carriers which are overtaking them, especially on short haul and domestic routes.
Airline deregulation was opposed by nearly all US airlines in 1978. It was championed by Senator Ted Kennedy (and his aide now Justice Stephen Breyer) and by consumer advocate Ralph Nader and signed into law by Jimmy Carter.
Bob Crandall was against deregulation then, and he’s against it now in retirement. And he’s blaming it for cramped airline seating. He also calls codesharing a ‘fraud’ to fool people.
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 »
