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 »

“Shut Up and Listen!” Spirit Airlines Gate Agents Break Down Amidst Massive Delay Chaos, Declare “We’re Frustrated As Hell!”

by Gary Leff

Jul 13 2024

This is a flight departing from California but it could be any – or every – Spirit Airlines flight as a an agent for the airline announces, “Everybody’s attention right now! Right now! Alright, now, [do you all] wanna get on this flight or not?”

She continues her rant to passengers waiting for their flight to Las Vegas, “everyone’s gonna shut up and we’re gonna say this once, and we’ll only gonna say this again ’cause we’re frustrated as hell!” Maybe she’s referring to the flight delay or maybe she’s referring to all of the airline’s fees. Either way, the crowd erupts!

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I’ll Be Speaking At Zorkfest In Las Vegas In November, If You’d Like To Join In

by Gary Leff

Jul 13 2024

November 1 – 3 is this year’s ZorkFest in Las Vegas. I spoke there last year and had a great time. It was in Reno, so a bit less convenient, but still a beautiful setting (and sessions were held in what was once the suite were a certain person who later became President would first interact with a porn star who later became a household name).

This year’s event will be far less notorious, but certainly classic Vegas – hosted at the Horseshoe which was the original MGM Grand.

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Chaos Inside American Airlines Evacuation: Passengers Refuse to Leave, Argue with Crew During Fire

by Gary Leff

Jul 13 2024

Video from inside the cabin shows a flight attendant yelling at passengers not to take their carry-on bags, and even arguing with a passenger over whether or not he needed to go at all. Passengers can be seen remaining seated. Overhead bins are open. And you can even see people still reaching in to grab their bags, even as they’re being told not to – and to get off the plane! This is literally insane.

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Vasu Raja’s Golden Parachute: What $1.4M Buys American Airlines

by Gary Leff

Jul 12 2024

Vasu Raja staked out bold positions. He felt too strongly that the airline’s schedule was its product – rather than its service and experience. He architected their Sun Belt focus and shift away from managed travel. And he elevated the centrality of the carrier’s loyalty program as part of its core business strategy and not just as a financial instrument.

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Laptop Fire Sparks Emergency Evacuation Of American Airlines Flight in San Francisco

by Gary Leff

Jul 12 2024

American Airlines flight 2045 from San Francisco to Miami was forced to evacuate due to a fire inside the aircraft cabin on Friday.

The Airbus A321 was boarding for its trip to Miami at 12:15 p.m. when smoke reportedly filled the cabin, and crew evacuated the aircraft. Passengers exited via both emergency slides and the still-attached jetbridge.

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Federal Judge Backs Westchester, NY’s Controversial War on Air Travel – Can Kick Out JSX

by Gary Leff

Jul 12 2024

A federal judge has issued a ruling permitting Westchester County airport to limit flights out of private terminals by carriers that sell seats to the public.

Westchester County wishes it didn’t have an airport. However they can’t shut it down. They’ve taken federal grant money, so federal rules apply. Nonetheless they make it as tough to operate there as possible.

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