Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

Airline Battle Royale: The Fight for Tokyo’s Coveted Haneda Slot

by Gary Leff

united planes runway
Nov 17 2023

United Airlines has attacked the American Airlines plan, saying that the DOT should look at connections served rather than the local market to determine consumer benefit. Now that the federal government has broken up its JetBlue partnership, American’s ability to serve connections in the New York market is far more limited. The Department of Justice handed a huge win to United and to Delta in New York by preventing American-JetBlue from becoming a large competitor with their New York duopoly.

According to United, DOT set a precedent in preferring connecting markets to Tokyo Haneda over non-stop ones in their 2019 proceeding originally awarding the routes since that was a justification for denying Las Vegas a Haneda flight.

Continue Reading »

How Southwest Is Racing To Prevent Another Billion Dollar Holiday Travel Meltdown

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

The Southwest Airlines operational failure during last year’s holiday season led to the stranding of two million passengers and a financial loss of approximately $1 billion. The chain began with inadequate de-icing equipment and inexperienced staff. Southwest has a play book to prevent a repeat this year, which they’ve shared internally with employees. It includes technological upgrades and improved training.

Continue Reading »

Frontier’s Status Match Game-Changer: Fly Family Of 4 To Disney For $153 Roundtrip Complete!

by Gary Leff

A small number of free miles in your choice of programs
Nov 16 2023

It’s underappreciated how much value there is in Frontier Airlines – when you have elite status with the low cost carrier. And it’s underappreciated how easy it is to have that status.

Bilt Rewards Vice President Richard Kerr knows: less than $20 per one-way flight for a family of four to Disney World, refundable and with free seat assignments, carry on bags, and checked bags.

Continue Reading »

Maximizing The New Alaska Airlines Award Chart With Negative Price Stopovers (Better Than Free)

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

The best value from distance-based charts often comes from maxing out distance, for instance flying West Coast – Tokyo to stay within a distance band and avoid going over… but also sometimes by booking two awards to get the pricing of two shorter distance bands rather than the combined higher-distance band. I’d like to explain this a little bit more.

Continue Reading »

Would You Dare? The ‘Wet Seat’ Gamble on Southwest Airlines

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

The holy grail of airline seating is to have an open seat next to you to spread out. An empty row is the dream. Southwest Airlines lets you pick your own seat when you board. Would you pick this window seat, where the middle and aisle next to it are guaranteed to remain empty – because they’re out of service for being “wet”…?

The signs say “do not occupy” on the aisle and middle seats. You’re probably not going to spread your stuff out on those seats, but there won’t be any passengers spreading out into your space or fighting you for the armrest. But they are… Wet. With. Something.

Continue Reading »

British Airways Crew Fabricates Mugging to Cover Up Wild Night in Rio

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

British Airways crew members claimed they were mugged in Brazil, perhaps leading to the cancellation of flight 248 from Rio to London. However, Brazilian authorities and surveillance footage revealed that the crew engaged in heavy drinking and drug use, with the mugging story being a cover-up for their inability to work. The incident raises questions about the crew’s behavior and their responsibility towards passenger safety.

Continue Reading »

6 Reasons Why Pro Travelers Prefer Aisle Seats Over Window Seats Every Time

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Nov 15 2023

The best flyers prefer aisle seats, and airlines even value the business more of those who do. Aisle seats are just better than window seats, and we don’t even need to talk about the dreaded middle.

If you’re in the aisle seat you don’t get those window seat views, but those are better in theory than practice outside of the first and final minutes of a flight. And you do have to get up to let other passengers into the aisle if they need to use the restroom. So there are tradeoffs, but they’re minor compared to the 6 reasons that aisle seats are best.

Continue Reading »

Wide Open Award Space To Book Free Tickets In The World’s Best Business Class

by Gary Leff

first class beds
Nov 15 2023

Qatar has one of the best business class product in the world in its ‘QSuites’ that offer doors and movable partitions that allow two and even four passengers to travel together in their own space. Their QSuite is a fantastic hard product, and service and food in the air are outstanding.

Right now there’s amazing award availability at the end of the booking window. Specifically you’ll find 2 business class award seats across late August and beyond. You can use this for travel from the U.S. to Doha and onward to the Mideast, India, the Maldives and even to Africa.

Continue Reading »