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 »

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Russian Airline Chops Its Fleet By 40%, Hoping Supplies Last Through End Of Year

by Gary Leff

Mar 26 2022

Russian airlines are about to steal hundreds of aircraft. The leases on these planes must be terminated by Monday March 28, but the Russian government won’t permit their return. The registrations of these aircraft are being cancelled, but Russia is registering the planes itself.

The airworthiness certificates of most of the planes, registered in Ireland and Bermuda, have been suspended. And yet many of them are still flying. It’s an open question for how long, because Russia’s Cape Town Treaty obligations notwithstanding, they aren’t able to get parts for these planes on the legal market.

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Two U.S. Airline Pilots Shot In Colombia

by Gary Leff

Mar 26 2022

Two U.S. airline pilots were shot during the same week in Colombia this month. One incident occurred in Bogota and the other in Cali – both had been robbed at gunpoint near their layover hotels. Fortunately both are expected to recover fully from their injuries.

Carriers are reminding crew to be on alert during their foreign layovers, and not to resist robberies as apparently both pilots had done.

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SkyTeam Status For The Asking, “New Alitalia” Is Handing Out Status [Update: No More Delta Elites]

by Gary Leff

alitalia plane
Mar 25 2022

Last fall the ‘new Alitalia’ ITA Airways offered to give elite status to anyone with a pulse. Many may have skipped that at the time, since the new airline wasn’t yet a part of the SkyTeam (or any) alliance so it was still somewhat speculative what the benefit to do so would be.

Now they’re once again status matching through April 15. Status will be valid through April 15, 2023. There are 3 steps.

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Tuesday’s Attack On Southwest Airlines Gate Agent Was So Bad Even Passenger’s Grandmother Is Appalled

by Gary Leff

Mar 25 2022

A Southwest Airlines agent was punched – and then had to be restrained by another employee – after a disruptive passenger was offloaded off of a flight that had just returned to the gate on Tuesday.

The customer, identified by police as Courtney Drummond, can be seen in video taken by an onlooker shouting and walking up to the counter – before whaling on the employee who hadn’t been a part of any earlier altercation.

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Forget Credit Card Applications, Airline Hands Out Medicine Samples To Passengers Inflight

by Gary Leff

Mar 24 2022

Since American Airlines introduced first checked bag fees in 2008, U.S. carriers have come up with creative ways to monetize everything from seat assignments to seat backs and tray tables. Whether they’re advertising to passengers in the inflight entertainment or passing out credit card applications, there’s little about the journey that isn’t monetized.

U.S. carriers have nothing on their Indian counterparts. Low cost carrier SpiceJet has teamed up with that country’s pharmaceutical industry to pitch medicinal supplements to passengers, offering free samples like at Costco hoping that one you try you’ll buy.

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Passenger Who Broke Southwest Flight Attendant’s Teeth Got Drunk, Couldn’t Be Sentenced

by Gary Leff

Mar 24 2022

The world was shocked last May when a Southwest Airlines passenger attacked a flight attendant, chipping her teeth, bruising her and sending her to the hospital for stitches after being asked “to fasten her seat belt, stow her tray table and wear her face mask properly.”

Vyvianna Quinonez was charged for her violent behavior on board that San Diego-bound flight on May 22, 2021. She pled guilty. But was she too drunk to be sentenced?

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