Category Archives for Airlines.
Overall the session was probably the most contentious since the head of the mechanics union confronted Robert Isom promising “vicious strike action..the likes of which you’ve never seen” before the 2019 summer meltdown they caused by an illegal job action – but that got them the contract they wanted.
Delta Air Lines has announced several changes to its frequent flyer program for 2024, to replace the changes they had announced to its frequent flyer program for 2024. In the midst of all of the rancor and chaos, there’s a change to who gets upgrades going forward.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian says that SkyMiles changes have only been rolled back temporarily, and his explanation to customers for why they’re making changes is not consistent with what his airline has been telling investors.
American Airlines flight attendants are losing their patience in contract negotiations with the airline. They’ve already voted near-unanimously to authorize a strike. There’s a specific procedure that airline unions have to go through in order to strike, and they’re about to start the clock – on a timeline that could have them walking out over peak Christmas travel.
An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, riding the cockpit’s jump seat, attempted to shut off the engines mid-flight from Seattle Paine Field to San Francisco. The ensuing cockpit altercation, lasting around 90 seconds, are laid out in the criminal complaint against the jump seat rider. Here’s what happened during those crucial moments, and then once he was sent to the back of the plane.
After a recent employee meeting following the third quarter earnings call, American Airlines revealed delays in the delivery of their ordered Airbus A321XLRs, now expecting the first in December 2024. Senior Vice President Brian Znotins outlined plans to deploy these planes for premium cross-country flights, new transatlantic markets, and potentially year-round routes, while hinting at future ultra-long haul flights using other aircraft.
Two American Eagle regional pilots were caught by a boarding passenger watching cartoons prior to flight. The captain and co-pilot of the Bombardier regional jet flying for American Airlines’ wholly-owned regional airline PSA didn’t instill passenger confidence, but the flight wound up… fine?
American Airlines, supported by other major airlines and unions, is lobbying the federal government to change regulations in an attempt to shut down Dallas-based competitor JSX, citing safety concerns. However, statements from a closed-door meeting indicate that their primary motive is commercial competition, not actual safety issues.
I wrote about Sunday night’s JetBlue flight from Barbados to New York JFK where the Airbus A321 tipped back on its tail after it had parked at the gate. There’s now more footage from as this was happening, including from inside the aircraft.
The answer to what transpired actually comes from an internal American Airlines communication about the incident, where the airline explains that “44 year old Joseph Emerson tried “to disable the aircraft engines while at cruise altitude by deploying the engine fire suppressions system.”
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 »
