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 »

More articles by Gary Leff »

It’s Time For Vaccinated-Only Flights In The U.S.

by Gary Leff

Oct 23 2021

Anthony Fauci has said he wants a vaccine requirement for domestic air travel. I don’t think this would be legal, impinging as it does on the right to travel. As a commercial decision by an airline, without government pressure, to offer a vaccinated flight option it seems like a great idea.

So let’s give this a shot, see if the requirement attracts more business and shifts market share. I’d go out of my way, flying at less convenient times and an airline I don’t usually choose, to know that the person in the middle seat next to me is far less likely to have and spread Covid.

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Why American Airlines Doesn’t Require Passengers To Be Vaccinated

by Gary Leff

Oct 22 2021

This is about government regulation and the bottom line at American Airlines, it isn’t about safety. Sadly, even United Airlines which presents its vaccine mandate as being somehow more noble, imposes no such condition on passengers traveling. I’d certainly choose to fly an airline where I knew the person in the middle seat next to me was vaccinated. No U.S. airline is offering this in a meaningful way.

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Austin American Express Lounge Is Now Off The Table

by Gary Leff

Oct 22 2021

The Austin airport was supposed to be getting a new lounge accessible by American Express Platinum cardmembers. A contract was set to be awarded right before the pandemic. But the owners of Priority Pass disputed the award, wanting to build their own club. This stalled the process, the award was cancelled, and now the airport says they have no plans to try again.

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American Airlines Is Making A Simple Change To Reduce Delays

by Gary Leff

Oct 22 2021

Prior to the merger with US Airways, American Airlines crew would generally stay together on a trip and even stay on the same aircraft. When a flight delayed, it was only that flight and crew which were affected (and subsequent flights scheduled with the same aircraft).

US Airways management took over and eliminated this practice. When a plane lands at a hub, crew disperse on separate journeys. When a flight delays, that means each flight attendant and pilot going their own way delays a flight. There’s a cascading effect on the operation.

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British Airways First Class Awards Have All But Disappeared From North America Routes

by Gary Leff

airplane first class
Oct 22 2021

This summer British Airways doubled its award availability commitment. Each airline opens award space on flights on its own schedule, if they open awards at all. British Airways is unique in promising to make awards available on every flight when the schedule loads.

But they don’t promise first class awards. They used to be good about offering them. Now first class space is almost non-existent.

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American Airlines Expects To Add First Class Seats To Airbus A319 Fleet

by Gary Leff

american-airlines-plane
Oct 21 2021

As President Robert Isom explained it to flight attendants in an internal meeting this week, American Airlines would like to modify Airbus A319s and add more first class seats. Just 8 seats up front isn’t enough to sell on many of the routes where the aircraft gets deployed. He’d also like to add bigger overhead bins. A decision point may come next year.

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