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 »

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Since American is Taking Out Seat Back Video, Prepare With an Amazon Tablet for $20

by Gary Leff

back airplane tv
May 09 2018

American Airlines is getting rid of seat back video from its domestic fleet. As part of their “Project Oasis” retrofit even planes that have seat back screens are going to have those removed.

While American claims 90% of customers bring their own devices, so screens are unnecessary, that number can’t possibly be right unless “devices” include “flip phones.” Older travelers and children frequently don’t have their own devices. A family of five probably doesn’t own five tablets.

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Kismet: American Passenger Flying to Clinic Has Inflight Emergency, Life Saved By Clinic’s Doctor

by Gary Leff

american airlines planes
May 09 2018

Ashley Spencer was flying American Airlines from Philadelphia to Cleveland over the weekend where she would receive treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. But she went into anaphylactic shock on the flight.

Spencer reports she stopped breathing, she “still had a pulse. That’s when the stewardess said, ‘Is there any medical professionals on the aircraft? It’s an emergency.'”

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Wide Open Lufthansa First Class Awards, Book Now

by Gary Leff

lufthands headquarters
May 08 2018

Earlier today I wrote about Lufthansa first class awards being available Chicago – Frankfurt. That’s rare because Lufthansa usually only allows partner frequent flyer programs to book Lufthansa first class within two weeks of travel.

And now in fact we’re seeing it on myriad routes between the US and Germany. I don’t know if this will last, I’d book right away if you are interested and you can.

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3 Black Women Detained By Police for Checking Out of Airbnb With Luggage

by Gary Leff

police car out side neighborhood
May 08 2018

We see people checking out of a hotel and that’s normal. We need to get more used to people checking out of homes in our neighborhoods. Because that means getting used to more types of people, more people who ‘look different’, and that happens by making it more commonplace.

It’s a reminder that anti-Airbnb ordinances are often cover for deplorable motives. And hotels spending money on front groups to lobby against Airbnb should be ashamed of themselves too.

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