Category Archives for Airlines.
American Airlines has been getting close with Qatar Airways, so close they appear as though they’re violating anti-trust laws; so close there’s speculation that Qatar could once again try to buy a stake in American Airlines and this time it would be welcomed.
When SkyWest proposed to mimic JSX’s model, in order to provide Essential Air Service flights, the big pilot union went ballistic. They see an end-run around hard-fought limits on entry into the pilot profession. People were able to fly with fewer than 1,500 hours – in fact, they were getting paid to build up hours that would qualify them to fly for major airlines. These hours are even better and safer that what most commercial pilots fly to qualify – real operations, not just 1,000 in clear weather flying Cessna doing touch-and-go’s at the same three or four airports.
Airline inflight wifi in the United States is converging around free, or for those carriers that charge the price generally hovers around $8 per flight. The exception to this is American Airlines, where connectivity for a single device on a flight can cost over $20.
Instead of paying per flight, I pay $49.95 per month covering a single device on their narrowbody aircraft (both ViaSat and Intelsat, formerly Gogo, equipment). American has just announced two new pricing options, and I’m confused?
JetBlue’s deal to buy Spirit Airlines isn’t just being challenged by the government. There’s a civil suit as well, because why not piggy back on government opposition for a payday? Only lawyers made an oops in redactions – and as a result exposed “internal company estimates of plans to hike fares on Spirit planes by as much as 40%.” And this could make JetBlue’s defense of the deal against government anti-trust charges that much harder.
New Yorkers are left with less competition, one less viable competitor and an airline shifting its focus to “Filthadelphia.”
But New York wasn’t a distraction from Philadelphia, it was a better place to focus limited resources that did not work out – in part because of a change in administration, part because of whom they drew as a judge, and part because of JetBlue’s deal to buy Spirit that came after. Philadelphia on its own may even work to some degree, but ultimately Philadelphia is not New York.
American Airlines pilots approved a new four year contract that increases pay by more 20% immediately and more than 45% during that the four years of the agreement. The deal includes many “quality of life” (work rule) concessions. 73% of pilots voting were in favor of the new deal. One of the items that pilots got in their new deal is first class deadheading – flying first class when not piloting an aircraft between segments that they’re working on a trip. (That’s different than commuting to and from their base if they live in a different city than where they’re assigned to start and end their trips.) This is broadly similar to a benefit that United pilots won three years ago. On the one hand, this promotes well-rested pilots. Larger seats are more comfortable and…
Paula Rodriguez flew Delta Air Lines from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to Atlanta, intending to connect to San Francisco. Her dog traveled with her on the flight.
Though her paperwork was sufficiently in order for Delta to allow her to board in the Dominican Republic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection denied her entry to the U.S. in Atlanta.
There hasn’t been a scheduled commercial flight in or out of North Korea since the start of the pandemic over three years ago. The first one was supposed to occur today, but two hours after the flight from Pyongyang to Beijing was supposed to land it was announced in Beijing as having cancelled.
American Airlines flight 1680 from Miami to New York LaGuardia diverted to Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday after a passenger released pepper spray into the cabin. Passengers towards the rear of the aircraft began coughing and had their eyesight affected. Flight attendants were impacted as well. A crewmember made an announcement asking for any information about what might be in the air of the cabin.
Cleveland to Pittsburgh is a 106 mile flight. You can drive it in 2 hours. But Alaska Airlines is going to fly this route, and they’ll sell you a ticket for $129. But they won’t fly you back.
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 »
