Mar
20
2021
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Expedia Reps Dance On The Ashes Of Their Loyalty Program
About Gary Leff
Airlines Need To Extend Elite Status Again, Start Over Next Year
Mar
20
2021
The pandemic is lasting longer than many had hoped, even though vaccinations create much hope. Airlines weren’t initially aggressive enough in extending status, or reducing requirements for earning status this year.
Travel may pick up as 2021 progresses. People are getting vaccinated, and CDC guidance notwithstanding that means more people who ‘jab and go’. But that isn’t enough to forestall the need for status extensions.
Can’t Afford An Upgrade? Delta May Soon Offer You ’12 Months Same As Cash’
elta Air Lines and American Express are testing out a new airline ticket financing option for Amex cardmembers. And in the mockup being focus grouped there’s a limited-time no fee offer to spread ticket purchase costs out over 12 months (“12 Months Same As Cash”). I’m told they’re also testing financing for upgrades.
Pilot Sues For Stress After Plane Loses An Engine, Lands Safely
Mar
20
2021
The pilot didn’t even need to make an emergency landing or divert, but they’re suing Qantas for the stress of losing an engine. The airline though says the engine failure isn’t their fault, and isn’t that why they have pilots in the first place?
Delta Is Literally Paying People In Seattle To Fly
Mar
20
2021
Alaska Airlines and Delta were friends, turned frenemies, turned competitors as Alaska resisted Delta’s entreaties to become its vassal and Delta responded by building its own hub in Seattle. Delta hasn’t operated as significant a Seattle operation as it has middle of the country hubs during the pandemic, but the rivalry is heating up again between the two.
Customer Forgets To Cancel Spirit’s $9 Fare Club And Can’t Get A Refund – Or Even The Membership
Mar
19
2021
There aren’t too many $9 fares anymore, and the program has recently been rebranded the Spirit Saver$ Club.
You can definitely make your money back on the program, especially traveling with family, but there are no refunds on membership. Not even when you cancel the same day the annual fee is charged. But a cancelled membership can’t take advantage of its benefits.
TSA PreCheck Scam Becoming Common As Travel Returns
Mar
19
2021
Online scammers are setting up fake websites that look like TSA or Global Entry signup, They steal your personal information and even charge you for the privilege.
[Roundup] A Serial Airline Stowaway Explains How She Does It
Mar
19
2021
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Will Hyatt’s New Multi-Brand Las Vegas Complex Jeopardize Its MGM Partnership?
Mar
19
2021
The old Rio Las Vegas will become several Hyatt-branded properties with Hyatt Regency the first to come online, expected in 2023. Full service Hyatts in Las Vegas will be something new, but Hyatt isn’t telling us what other brands they’ll have yet and none of this will happen for several years. So that’s only of limited interest today.
What’s more intriguing I think is what this means for Hyatt’s MGM M life Rewards partnership.
Hilton Isn’t Actually Tightening Points Expiration Rules
Mar
19
2021
The Hilton Honors terms and conditions rolled back and started showing 12 month expiration again. That’s a mistake. Hilton points still only expire after 15 months of inactivity (and expiration remains paused throughout 2021).
