Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

Mimosa in a Starbucks Cup? Airline Passengers Getting Away With Drinking Their Own Booze Onboard

by Gary Leff

Mar 08 2024

Can you put a mimosa in a Starbucks cup, and drink your own booze on board your flight? I’ve been on a flight where the woman sitting next to me had a coffee cup with wine from the American Airlines Admirals Club. A flight attendant realized it and confronted the passenger.

Things escalated quickly. We were in first class, and the woman was offered both a predeparture beverage and could have free wine once we were at cruising altitude. But she wanted her wine for taxi and takeoff, too!

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Both Pilots Fell Asleep In Cockpit Of Flight To Jakarta, Veered Off Course And Lied To Air Traffic Control

by Gary Leff

Mar 08 2024

Both pilots of a Batik Air Airbus A320 fell asleep in the cockpit on a flight from Kendari to Jakarta, Indonesia.

The aircraft was carrying 153 passengers, 4 flight attendants and 2 pilots. While cruising at 36,000 feet, the pilots removed their headsets and increased the cockpit speaker volume. The captain decided to take a short break and rested….

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United Flight 2477’s Runway Misadventure, Heads Into The Grass at Houston Airport

by Gary Leff

Mar 08 2024

United Airlines flight 2477, a Boeing 737 Max 8, encountered an issue after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Friday. Following its arrival from Memphis International Airport, the aircraft deviated from its intended path during the transition from the runway to the taxiway around 8 a.m. local time. The plane exited the paved surface and entered the grassy area beside the runway.

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American Airlines Tells Court: Members Who Sign Up For A Friend’s Offer Risk Account Closure

by Gary Leff

Mar 07 2024

Several customers are suing American Airlines after their AAdvantage accounts were shut down. They used invitations to apply for Citibank credit cards that circumvented rules limiting how often one could get a new card bonus. People lost millions of miles.

There’s a lawsuit. American has responded. And they advance a pretty draconian theory.

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Why Is JetBlue Serving $100 Bottles Of Wine In Business Class?

by Gary Leff

Mar 07 2024

JetBlue does a really nice job with their onboard soft product. Maybe too nice of a job, considering they don’t seem to be earning a revenue premium on their transatlantic flights.

They’re promoting new meals and amenity kits. The meals seem good enough, the amenity kits interesting (especially with American Airlines handing out cardboard boxes), but what is really striking to me is the wine that they’re hardly even promoting.

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United Airlines Will Fly To Marrakesh, Cebu, And Medellin

by Gary Leff

Mar 07 2024

United Airlines has real claim to being the U.S. global carrier. They’re already the only U.S. airline flying to the Philippines – having launched Manila service – and now will fly to Cebu there as well (via Tokyo). They’ll add service to Morocco – direct to Marrakesh – and to Medellin, Colombia. Fifth freedom flying from Japan and love for their Houston hub make these adds even more interesting.

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Premium In Name Only: Delta Air Lines Testing Customer Reaction To Higher Fees, Lower Rewards

by Gary Leff

Mar 06 2024

Delta Air Lines has moved to spending only as a metric for earning status. And they’re considering no longer awarding full credit for your spending, unless you buy more expensive fares. That’s one lesson of a new product survey they’re sending to frequent flyers that helps them sort through how much extra customers will pay to earn qualifying dollars.

Other ideas being tested include bringing back change fees unless customers buy up to a more expensive fare and return of fees for getting help from reservations, with free assistance via chat features only.

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