Category Archives for Airlines.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
English translations by foreign airlines can turn unfortunate, as this photo of a China Eastern business class menu shows. The airline is offering “imported dog food with okra” as a business class appetizer selection.
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.
American Airlines pilot Jeff Fell made a tear-jerker of an announcement to the cabin of his last flight, from Charlotte to Chicago O’Hare. A pilot’s last flight is very special, and can be accompanied by family and friends and will often receive a water cannon salute. “If I get a little emotional, please forgive me for that.”
You run into someone at the airport that you haven’t seen for years. You wind up on the same flight together – seated next to each other! They want to chat, you want to sleep. How do you handle this “without coming across as rude?”
I told you back in September that you’d start hearing a lot more about re-regulating the airlines in the months ahead. An advisor to Elizabeth Warren was coming out with a new book making that case. But the arguments are weak and maybe even disingenuous? Because Professor Sitaraman is a really smart guy and he’s studied his topic in depth so surely he has to know that the arguments he’s marshaling are superficial and wrong?
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 »
