News and Notes from Around the Interweb:

• The American/US Airways “Integration Management Office” now has full-time team members appointed.

  It can be tough to read tea leaves at this stage of the merger process, with very few things about a merged carrier actually decided (though Doug Parker has intimated on multiple occasions that they’re likely to keep the American Airlines computer systems — a huge plus for travelers). But I don’t like that they’ve appointed US Airways’ Senior Vice President of Customer Experience to a key integration role for the new combined carrier…

• Point me to the Plane got word from Alaska Airlines that the new one-way awards and mixed partner awards that Mileage Plan is offering will soon extend beyond American and Delta to select other partners. This is a gradual rollout, and looks to become a huge improvement to the program.

• American appears to be building a new Flagship Check-in facility at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

  American currently offers dedicated concierge check-in for 3-cabin first class passengers and concierge key members in Los Angeles and Miami, and for all business and first class passengers plus Executive Platinum members in coach in London.

  The Chicago facility will almost certainly follow the Los Angeles and Miami model — which I lament because though as a British Airways Gold member I can use American’s Flagship lounges when traveling domestically, I do wish for access to Flagship Checkin in Miami at least where the airport is more chaotic than anywhere else in the U.S.