Category Archives for Airlines.
Spirit is no longer just asking the government for cash to avoid liquidation. The new twist is that the airline has floated a bailout structure where taxpayers would wind up owning part of the company, turning a desperate plea for survival into a proposal to socialize losses in one of the weakest business models in U.S. aviation.
Airlines all over the world are seizing on high jet fuel prices tied to the Iran conflict to press governments for emergency aid, tax breaks, subsidized loans, and other relief. Spirit’s bailout request is getting the attention, but the whole industry is trying to normalize another round of taxpayer support.
Southwest now charges for seat assignments, but at least some customers who paid extra for a window seat are finding themselves staring at a wall instead. United and Delta are being sued for market and selling these as well.
American Airlines will replace its current 7,000 square foot Nashville Admirals Club with a new 17,400 square foot lounge, with outdoor terraces.
American Airlines stranded an international business class passenger overnight and offered a Motel 6, a reminder that the free hotel an airline gives you after a cancellation may be the last place you actually want to spend the night. If you can front the cost, booking your own room and seeking reimbursement later is often the smarter move — because when airlines pay, they usually buy the cheapest room they can get away with.
Europe is now much closer to banning airlines from charging extra for a standard carry-on bag, with a decisive round of negotiations starting Monday Supporters say this would stop confusing bag rules and protect passengers, but the real effect would be to force airlines to bundle more into the base fare and price-sensitive leisure travelers subsidize everyone else.
Air France canceled a valid last-minute business class ticket after issuing it and charging the card, then told the customer he had 24 hours to call if he wanted to keep the itinerary. He called within hours, did exactly what the airline instructed, and was still told the only way to travel was to buy the same trip again for $1,800 more. Air France doesn’t dispute this, but says they won’t do anything to make it right.
Southwest Airlines just won a remarkably strange 737 MAX lawsuit brought by passengers who claimed the airline had sold them less than it promised by operating an allegedly unsafe aircraft. One initial roblem for the plaintiffs was that none of them had actually flown on a Southwest 737 MAX.
A traveler says they spent a pile of miles for a one-time first class trip — only to hear a child casually compare it unfavorably to Emirates. The joke lands because it is not really about aviation at all, but about the moment your hard-won luxury is revealed to be someone else’s baseline.
Passengers on a United flight from Chicago to New York were told to brace for an emergency landing, then ordered to leave everything behind and run after the plane diverted to Pittsburgh over a possible bomb on board. The episode triggered a 7700 emergency squawk, a runway evacuation, and a rapid response from bomb technicians, even though officials were still describing it as a security issue rather than confirming an actual explosive device.
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 »
