Years ago I remember seeing somewhere online ‘the Paris Hilton video’… an animated version of the Hilton hotel leaning over to kiss the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, is neither animated nor cute. Paris Hilton’s brother, 20 year old Conrad Hilton — named for the family patriarch, founder of the hotel chain, and the man for whom the Conrad brand is dedicated — apparently has been arrested for an incident where he went berserk on a flight. He apparently yelled things like, “If you wanna square up to me bro, then bring it and I will [redacted] fight you.” and “I will [redacted] own anyone on this flight; they are [redacted] peasants.” Hilton is said to have started punching the bulkhead, near a flight attendant’s face and to have grabbed a flight attendant’s shirt declaring, “I could…
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American Will Now Waive Telephone Fees for Awards You Can’t Book Online
American has updated its award booking fees and on net I actually like the change! On February 16, American’s telephone booking fee will increase from: Domestic: $25 to $30 International: $35 to $40 But American will now waive the telephone fee entirely for awards that cannot be booked online. Previously American would add the telephone booking fee regardless of whether you could book awards online or not. And since American currently only lets you book its own flights plus those of a handful of partners: That meant there was a de facto “partner booking fee” if you wanted an award on an airline like Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, LAN, Iberia, Etihad, etc. Now there isn’t. American’s top tier Executive Platinum members of course have telephone booking fees waived already — as long as they’re one…
HURRY, IT’S BACK: US Airways Business Class Award Space to Europe (Use American Miles With No Fuel Surcharges)
A couple of weeks ago, immediately after US Airways transitioned to using American’s fare class codes, the floodgates opened on US Airways international awards in business class. Then over the weekend things opened back up for summer travel — not the floodgates of the first wave, where whole cabins were practically available for redemption on most routes, but a few seats in business class most days, which is very much not the historical norm for US Airways. And then within a few hours it was gone. Glitch, corrected. Some folks got their summer award trips booked in the interim, however. Commenter Joe just noted that “Saver level US flights are back up..” It’s not quite the wide open field that it has been in the recent past. This looks to be primarily over the summer,…
You Can Now Book American and US Airways Standard/AAnytime Awards With Either Airline’s Miles
US airlines generally allow you to book miles at a ‘saver’ or ‘low’ award level, and at a more expensive price point that offers greater availability. The old standard used to be that spending ‘double miles’ would get you any seat, any flights. That’s how it worked at American for the most part until April 8. Alaska, Amterican, and Delta now offer multiple tiers of prices. United doesn’t offer ‘last seat availability’ to general members who are not co-brand credit card holders. Last seat availability is offered only to folks with the United Explorer and Club cards and to elites. The idea of spending extra miles to get the seat you want isn’t universal, you can’t do it with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic miles for instance. Most European and Asian carriers don’t offer this,…
American’s Lounge Food Improvements and… Non Skid Slippers
Yesterday I wrote about American’s new brand heritage amenity kits and posted photos of the TWA business class amenity kit. American is out today with more information. These new amenity kits are offered in international business class and their New York JFK – Los Angeles / San Francisco first class cabins. Non-Skid Slippers Are Coming.. For international first class, a little less exciting: We’re introducing a new amenity kit that includes all of the items you already love – plus, by popular demand, we’re adding Scope® mouthwash for a breath of fresh air. But we’re not stopping there. If you’re planning to catch some zzz’s, we’ve added new pajamas and non skid 100% cotton terry slippers. So curl up, get comfortable and settle in for the long haul. As you can see, business class get…
100,000 Free Hilton HHonors Points, Plus Check Out the Airport With No Air Traffic Control!
News and notes from around the interweb: Qualified for Hilton Diamond? You may be able to register and receive 100,000 points instantly from this targeted promotion. (HT: Double Wides Fly) On the no fly list because of accusations against your brother? Enter my hotel points giveaway. If you win you get to choose the program, and it’s a whole bunch of points! Farang? Pay more. Thailand to charge foreigners 10x the local price to enter national parks. The airport where the nearest air traffic control is 105 miles away. Targeted bonus on purchased Hyatt points through February 15. I wasn’t targeted. (HT: One Mile at a Time) You can join the 50,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or…
REVEALED: Singapore Airlines New Premium Economy Offers Pre-Order Meals & Champagne
Over the weekend I wrote that Singapore would be removing half the first class seats from 777-300ER aircraft being retrofitted with a premium economy. (Airbus A380s getting premium economy don’t see a reduction in Suites class seats.) What we didn’t know at the time was much about the new premium economy offering itself. Now we do, and it looks pretty good. When we think of premium economy from US airlines we just think extra legroom seating (economy plus, main cabin extra, economy comfort). Several international airlines offer a true premium economy that’s a separate section of the aircraft with not just extra legroom, but extra width and recline, and an overall upgraded experience including food and beverages. There are hits and misses — Lufthansa offers amenity kits to their premium economy passengers, but sticks it…
United Coach is About to Get Worse: Planning a New High Density 777 With 100 More Seats
Aviation Week carries a story about United planning for a less comfortable Boeing 777 experience. They’ve mapped out a strategy for 10-across seating in economy, like American has in their new and reconfigured 777s and has become common worldwide such as with Air France and Emirates. Ten seats across in the regular economy section has quickly become the standard for new deliveries, with roughly 70% of new 777s now being delivered by Boeing with that configuration. Economy Plus would retain 9-across seating, like American has done on with its ‘Main Cabin Extra’ product. Overall the plan involves adding about a hundred seats into a 777, as follows: 28 business class, 98 economy plus and 238 regular economy. This would be for 777s from the legacy United fleet for this retrofit. One hopes that in removing…
Improvement Earning Miles for Paying Bills, 100% Bonus on Mileage Transfers, and a United Express Carrier Rebels Against Bad Seats
News and notes from around the interweb: A United Express carrier asked United if they could opt out of installing those uncomfortable slimline economy seats. They were told no. Evolve Money now takes Visa and MasterCard to pay bills but adds a 3% fee for those and Discover as well. They’ve broadened out the bills you can pay through their system, and mileage-earning debit cards remain a good deal. Star Alliance program Avianca LifeMiles is offering a 100% bonus on trasferred miles through February 16. Chinese tourist dries her delicates at Chiang Mai airport. The most spectacular photo of LAX I’ve ever seen (HT: Whitney N.) FTD is offering 30 AAdvantage miles per dollar plus an extra 200 miles per order (extra 200 miles for Citi AAdvantage co-brand cardholders). You can join the 50,000+ people…
Report From the Frontlines: United’s New Meal Service, and Why Other Airlines Will Put Money Into Improving Your Experience Too.
Reader Sam L. flew San Francisco – Newark yesterday on United and provides feedback on the brand new improved United meal service. 3 choices on a long-ish haul, up from 2. Had the mac and cheese and, while certainly calorific, it was excellent. Probably the best airplane food I’ve had in awhile. Ice cream was served (no toppings) but the flight attendant said going forward it should be some sort of fruit gelato outside of [premium New York JFK – San Francisco/Los Angeles] routes. Sort of a shame because I liked the sundae service. There is also a new cookie that is baked on board. Sort of flat but it is gooey and tastes excellent. Less bread-like than the old cookie. The cookie is, apparently, really baked and not just heated on board — a…
