Category Archives for Airlines.
Passenger seats in a plane’s exit row suddenly collapsed backward during takeoff, slamming into the row behind and raising fresh concerns about maintenance and safety standards at an airline already under scrutiny. Though no injuries were reported, the incident highlights troubling issues surrounding Lion Air-owned Batik Air.
Southwest flight attendants have voted down higher union dues three times, but the proposal is back for a fourth try. This time, the union is limiting ballots to in-person meetings, turning a $5-a-month ask into a fight over turnout, process, peer pressure and whether “no” actually means no.
Delta employees celebrated their $1.3 billion Profit Sharing Day with a party so big even IT had DJs, karaoke, and gelato served by pilots. Here’s an inside look at the unique employee culture that powers Delta’s unmatched profits and keeps its workforce flying high.
An El Al flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv departed without 140 checked bags after they were vandalized with “Free Palestine” stickers, triggering a security alert and lengthy inspections at LAX. Authorities suspect an inside job by airport employees, and passengers landed in Israel without their luggage.
American Airlines is making bold moves, from new premium cabins and better meals to rolling back unpopular policies, yet CEO Robert Isom struggles to clearly articulate a vision—leaving employees, customers, and investors unsure of what exactly the airline aims to become.
Comedian Jim Breuer bought first class tickets from Honolulu to Florida—but American Airlines bumped him down to coach so a deadheading pilot could have his seat. Breuer’s furious rant about American Airlines taking thousands of dollars for first class, only to give him a $400 downgrade refund, has reached hundreds of thousands of viewers in days. American’s contract allows bumping paid passengers for pilots flying transoceanic routes, but Breuer wants what he paid for: a first class flight.
In a surprising move, American Airlines flights are now featured in Chase Travel’s ‘Points Boost’—unlocking exceptional redemptions of up to 2 cents per point for business class and premium economy seats. This major shift means travelers can now access American Airlines premium flights through Chase, significantly enhancing the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
United Airlines is drastically cutting mileage earning and increasing award prices for passengers without a MileagePlus credit card, pushing flyers to sign up for its cards as it moves aggressively toward becoming an even more card-centric program.
Internal slides leaked from United Airlines reveal its aggressive strategy to dominate Chicago O’Hare, as their leadership openly mocks American’s hub there as “temporary” underscoring how American’s strategic missteps have cost hundreds of millions in losses.
United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen openly ridiculed American Airlines’ strategy at Chicago O’Hare—declaring it a “temporary hub”—while hinting at upcoming major product announcements, loyalty program upgrades, and potential mergers on the horizon.
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 »
