I’m one of “five distinguished experts” offering five tips each on how best to win at the miles and points game this year in the January 2003 issue of Inside Flyer magazine.
About Gary Leff
A Chicago Tribune piece predicts
A Chicago Tribune piece predicts that United’s bankruptcy will help drive down labor costs across the industry and places the blame for the industry’s current woes on a legacy inherited from the days of regulation. Many of the most onerous work-rule provisions date to the 1970s, when airlines had to fill only 55 percent of their seats to earn an 11.5 percent profit that was guaranteed by the Civil Aeronautics Board. As a result, there were few restrictions on the costs that the board allowed to be passed through to customers. I’m a bit undecided about this thesis. On the one hand, little has changed in the way airlines relate to their workforces since the regulated era. Moreover, labor-management relations are still highly regulated by the Railway Labor Act. The federal government has also consistently…
As you can see, I’m
As you can see, I’m posting again. I was off for the holidays visiting family. I posted the full painstaking details of my travel over at Flyertalk. I gave American Airlines a shot, and their “premium transcon” (cross country) service compared favorably to United. They still offer hot towels They had a choice of pre-meal snacks, and they refilled the snacks They had four wines and champagne (United axed the champagne on their domestic flights). American had 10 inches more legroom on a comparable plane American offered a choice of desserts American still has warm freshly baked cookies prior to landing. On the other hand, my return flights connecting through Dallas weren’t as good, and American uses all plastic utensils (not just plastic knives).
The Dallas Morning News had
The Dallas Morning News had a piece about a week and a half ago (which I missed at the time) on how airlines are treating their elite level flyers less well these days, how those flyers are looking around for other airlines, and how the policies may backfire on the airlines’ bottom lines.
Declan McCullough tries to figure
Declan McCullough tries to figure out whether reading some documents on the TSA website will get him arrested. Even the Justice Department won’t give him a definitive answer.
A woman tricked
A woman tricked her daughter and community into thinking the girl had cancer so she could raise money, even going so far as to shave the 7-year-old’s head and put her in counseling to prepare to die. She made over $10,000.
An unreasonable question to ask?
An unreasonable question to ask? On Tuesday, December 24th a passenger was cited (and will have to pay a fine) for asking whether his Delta Connection (Comair) pilot had been drinking. Two days later, on December 26th, a Delta co-pilot was removed from an aircraft after testing positive for alcohol.
Puppy love. Norweigian
Puppy love. Norweigian woman nurses puppies from her own breast after their mother died while giving birth. Puppies have sharp teeth.
Six Middle Eastern
Six Middle Eastern Students Sent to Jail for Taking Fewer than 12 Credit Hours. The students voluntarily showed up to register with immigration officials, as required by new rules to track foreign students. They honestly reported that their courseload and were sent to jail. One dropped a course with college permission and fell to 11 units. “I don’t believe this is helping us with the war on terrorism,” said Mark Hallett, director of international student services at Colorado State University. “We’re alienating people who could be our best friends and ambassadors once they return to their countries.” The Middle Eastern students were jailed for up to 48 hours before posting bond. Three attend UCD, two study at CU-Boulder, and one attends Colorado State University. College officials expect more to be detained during a second round…
Items confiscated by airport security
Items confiscated by airport security are being sold on Ebay.
