When United and USAirways declared bankruptcy last year, their bankruptcy proceedings permitted the existing management to stay in place. Not so for Hawaiian Airlines, where the bankruptcy court has appointed a trustee at the request of Boeing, it’s largest creditor. That’s a rare and significant move, showing no confidence in the ability of the existing management to turn around the airline. Boeing’s allegations against the airline are pretty shocking, actually: Boeing claimed that after receiving more than $30 million in federal grants to stabilize the airline industry following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Hawaiian’s board of directors used the proceeds as a “reward” to shareholders, principally [Hawaiian Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John W.] Adams, and to other company insiders. Adams holds 50.9 percent of the company’s parent stock and has the right to…
About Gary Leff
E-Bay’s new reward points
I’m quoted this morning in a story on Ebay’s new points program. My thinking is probably a little more generous than the piece suggests, since my general take is that almost any new reward program from a major company is a good thing — but that I won’t be participating until the program becomes a little more generous. Frequent-flier-program enthusiasts gave the new program a chilly response. Gary Leff, who runs a frequent-flier Web site (www.webflyer.com/blog/), called the eBay program a “very bad deal.” Leff said that, once converted to eBay points, airline miles end up being worth less than a penny a mile. “But properly spent, those miles are worth far more,” Leff said in an e-mail. “I recently gave my grandparents two first-class tickets from Miami to Sydney. Those tickets would have cost…
What WAS the reason for federalizing airport security? Trying to remember…
Not only have TSA security screeners not all had background checks, butof those who had — and have been found to have criminal records — not all have been fired. “It is a concern because one of the reasons we federalized this in the first place was because there hadn’t been background checks, or standards for background checks, before Sept. 11,” [Rep. John] Mica said.
Naples Airport: RIP
USAirways, the last carrier at the Naples Municipal Airport on the West Coast of Florida, plans to pull out. But the airport plans to remain open. I always thought it was a great little airport. One gate — gate one — with an A door and a B door so that arriving passengers could enter differently from where departing passengers were cueing. And the airport has free parking. Last time I was there, though, American flew several flights a day to and from Miami, and if I recall correctly Cape Air also served the airport.
Warning – some definitions are crass
But if you want to look up slang, you might try the Urban Dictionary.
Hint: the solution is not Starfish
The New York Times carries a piece on United’s bankruptcy that makes it look as though the airline is floundering as it develops and tries to move forward with post-bankruptcy plans.
Another Free Mileage Earning Credit Card
The Aer Lingus Visa is free and has a 1000 point signup bonus. I’m not jumping on this one, because the Aer Lingus program isn’t very generous, but if you’re an Aer Lingus flyer anyway this one’s worth knowing about.
I don’t like Dulles either
After seeing three hour wait times to clear immigration at Washington Dulles airport, Lufthansa CEO Juergen Weber described the airport as “medieval” in a news conference. I can only imagine how he would have felt had he ever passed through the old United 1K rooms there…
An interesting comparison
Airlines aren’t the only ones cutting back on meals to try to save money. Prisons are doing it too.
This one’s short enough not to need a title
Get 500 American Airlines miles for joining Wyndham Byrequest.
