Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

United Announced A Chicago “Line In The Sand” Meant To Prevent New Flights — American Just Added Routes Anyway

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

United’s CEO Scott Kirby went out of his way on the earnings call to “draw a line in the sand” in Chicago—promising United will add flights to match any American expansion at O’Hare. The point of saying it publicly wasn’t bravado. It was deterrence: to signal to American (and to analysts) that new Chicago capacity will be met in kind, making growth less attractive for both airlines.

American’s response came fast anyway, announcing new routes from O’Hare—turning Kirby’s game-theory warning into an immediate test of whether this becomes a real fare war or a negotiation by headline.

United Adding More Widebody Planes Than Any US Airline Since 1988 — Here Is Who Did More

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

United made a big claim in its latest earnings update: in 2026 it expects to take delivery of roughly 20 Boeing 787s—more widebody aircraft in a single year than any U.S. carrier has taken since 1988. The “since 1988” reference isn’t random; it points to one standout widebody delivery spree that still hasn’t been surpassed.

Ex-Flight Attendant Posed As A Pilot For 4 Years — Scoring Hundreds Of Free Flights On American, United, Hawaiian

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

A Canadian ex–Air Canada flight attendant allegedly spent four years posing as an airline pilot—using a forged employee ID to grab hundreds of free flights on American, United, and Hawaiian, and even asking for cockpit jumpseat access. Indicted in Hawaii after two 2024 Hawaiian flights, he was arrested in Panama, extradited to the U.S., and is now jailed in Honolulu awaiting trial on two wire-fraud counts.

Passengers Stopped Buying Tight Connections — American Airlines Data Shows Travelers Now Buy Cushion

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Airlines used to design schedules to win the first page of flight search by minimizing elapsed time. American Airlines data suggests travelers now choose longer connections for reliability—and the Dallas-Fort Worth schedule rebuild is enabled by that shift.

Southwest Sued For Not Paying Flight Attendants Overtime — Does A Union Contract Override State Wage Law?

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Southwest is being sued by a former flight attendant who says the airline did not pay overtime required under Illinois law because its pay system focuses on flight time, not total duty time. Southwest argues the claim cannot proceed in court because flight attendants are unionized and the dispute belongs under the Railway Labor Act framework.

1,145 Passengers Are on Standby for Alaska Airlines’ Inaugural Rome Flight—Likely an All-Time Record

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

Just days after 526 people were listed for Alaska Airlines’ inaugural Rome flight, the standby list has ballooned to 1,145—more than the aircraft can even carry. At this point it’s turning into a meme, with staff asking people to cancel unless they’re truly planning to show up, even as seats are still for sale at higher fares.

American Airlines Shows Off Its “Free Hotel” Feature—Here’s Why You Should Book Your Own Instead

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

American Airlines is touting a new app-and-website feature that can automatically book you a “free” hotel when an overnight delay strands you. The demo in its own promo is the perfect reminder of the catch: the airline room you’re offered is often the cheapest option available, not the one you’d choose to sleep in.

If you can front the cost, you can usually do better—using trip-delay coverage, distressed passenger rates, or points—without spending an hour in a voucher line.

American Airlines First Class Lavatory Was “Trashed”—They Handed Him Towels to Clean Up After Other Passengers

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

lavatory

Jan 20 2026

An American Airlines passenger says the first class lavatory on a domestic Boeing 737 was so filthy—water, urine, and toilet paper everywhere—that it looked unusable after a line of coach families had been waiting to use it. When he asked the crew to address it, he says they told him it wasn’t their job and handed him towels to clean it himself.

American Airlines New App Banners Tell You What’s Happening When Flights Go Bad

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

American Airlines updated its app and aa.com trip-management page to make irregular-ops rebooking clearer. New color-coded banners tell you whether your flight is delayed or canceled, whether you can self-rebook, or whether American is already automatically reaccommodating you. The website also adds digital hotel and meal vouchers for eligible delays.

Delta Passenger Gets Drenched In Deicing Fluid — Flight Turns Back To Get It Off His Skin

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

A Delta passenger got drenched in deicing fluid as the aircraft taxied out. The crew turned the plane back to the gate to get it off his skin, delaying the LaGuardia–Jacksonville flight by more than three hours. Here’s what the ATC audio reveals and how deicing fluid can end up inside a cabin.

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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 »