Via Online Travel Review, Air New Zealand is investigating employees’ use of travel perks in exchange for sex with prostitutes. Under airline staff discounts, staff can buy unbooked seats at as little as 10% of the full fare, and can use a “Buddy Fare” for a companion to travel anywhere in the world on the airline up to four times a year. According to the article, some Air New Zealand staff used the Buddy Fares and discounted tickets as payment for sex with prostitutes. I started pondering new mileage redemption options, how the scheme could have been set up in the first place, and whether the prostitutes in question managed to negotiate hotel and rental car discounts as well. And then I stopped.
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ANA’s New First Class Comes to DC
Monday night I attended a reception hosted by All Nippon Airways celebrating 20 years of service between Tokyo and Washington-Dulles and commemorating the introduction of their NewStyle cabins on the DC route. ANA’s new first class is arguably the best cabin in the sky (I haven’t flown the new first on Emirates yet, but I hear great things, so I caveat this as ‘arguably’). It’s the widest seat in the sky, has a 15″ LCD TV at each first seat, is complemented by Boeing’s on-board internet product as well as ANA’s fabulous food offerings and outstanding service. The real drawback to ANA is ground service, there’s very little done for passengers before boarding and upon arrival and ANA lounges are universally spartan (though perhaps improved with their recent relocation at Narita, I haven’t passed through…
500 Alaska Miles for Insurance Quote
Jun
18
2006
Via my father-in-law, Progressive offers 500 Alaska miles for an auto insurance quote — but only for residents of Washington state and Alaska.
Choices: The End of Award History and the Last Mile?
Jun
18
2006
I’ve probably undercovered the introduction of the Mileage Plus Choices program (okay, I’ve undercovered everything since I haven’t had the time or brainspace to post for the last couple of weeks). The June 2006 issue of Inside Flyer calls the Choices program “The New Golden Egg” so it certainly warrants a mention, though I’m not nearly as high on it as Randy Petersen seems to be. United’s new bombshell, Mileage Plus Choices, means looking at the future of frequent flyer programs in a whole new way. The “Choices” program allows United Visa cardholders to use the portion of their miles earned through their credit card as a form of cash to buy airline tickets, hotel nights, or rental car days (along with a few specialty items) with their miles. The program is incredibly confusing at…
Amazon discount on travel apparel
Amazon is having a sale on ‘travel apparel’ although their idea of what people wear while traveling (as opposed to other times) is anachronistic at best. Still, coupon code wetravel takes $20 off an $80 qualifying order, and I picked up a few pairs of pants at a nice discount. Lee Jeans Men’s Wrinkle Resistant Relaxed Double Pleat Pant $38 on sale for $21.99 before coupon Tommy Hilfiger Men’s Pleated Trousers $49.50 on sale for $17.89 before coupon Also available are Tommy Hilfiger Men’s Flat Front Trousers $49.50 on sale for $17.89 before coupon Lee Jeans Men’s Wrinkle Resistant Relaxed Plain Front Pant $38-$41 on sale for $21.99-$24.99 before coupon This SlickDeals.net thread also has a list of several shirts that qualify, though none appealed to me.
Another BA Transfer Bonus
Jun
03
2006
In addition to Diners Club, Starwood, and Marriott offers, you can earn 30% additional British Airways miles when transferring Radisson Gold Points to BA by July 20, 2006. (Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)
Double Miles on Frontier
Frontier is offering double miles for online purchases made by June 30 for travel through the end of the year. Registration is required. (Hat tip to the MilesLink newsletter.)
Delta Amex Double Miles for June, July, and August
May
31
2006
All purchase on the Delta American Express earn double miles from June 1 through August 31. Items that already earn double miles such as restaurant and US Post Office charges do not receive additional miles under this promotion, and the limit on earning additional miles from this offer is 20,000. Bonus miles should post towards the end of October. Registration is required by August 31.
30% Bonus on Transfers from Marriott to British Airways
May
31
2006
British Airways is offering a 30% bonus on miles when transferring points from Marriott Rewards by July 20. For those who aren’t already British Airways Executive Club members — and membership normally requires booking a full fare coach ticket or more — BA is offering accounts via this promotion as well (apparently without any requirement to transfer points from Marriott, so anyone wanting a BA account this is a good opportunity to get one).(Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)
LA Times Reporter swallows two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, … a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls
(With apologies to Hunter S. Thompson, but it’s the only way to explain the conclusions in this story.) James Gilden looks at US domestic airline award availability and online booking and gives the highest marks to Continental. Of course, Mr. Gilden (1) looks only at a single route, different for each airline (2) over a specific set of dates (3) booking only online (4) and choosing a form of redemption that’s generally low value anyway (domestic coach award). There’s no way that Continental miles are better to have than United’s or American’s currency. And all airline award websites are fairly limited in their functionality, even with marked improvements over the past few years. It’s still important to call when you don’t see what you want online. And really it’s rare that you should be redeeming…
