Category Archives for Airlines.
There’s a big debate going on about whether flight attendants are fairly paid, based on the idea that they are generally paid only for the time flying and not for the time spent boarding an aircraft. A Change.org petition to change this has garnered over 100,000 signatures.
The petition rests on a fairly fundamental misunderstanding of how mostly-union contracts are bargained on behalf of flight attendants.
Right now there’s really good business class saver award inventory on one of American’s lesser-known partners. And even better it’s for a West Coast departure to Europe, which is even harder to get.
Air Tahiti Nui has good award space for two passengers in business class flying Los Angeles – Paris Charles de Gaulle in March, April, July, August, and December at a cost of 57,500 American AAdvantage miles apiece.
In what no doubt will not be the last concession to make status-earning easier this year, United will let members know on Friday they’re getting deposits in their accounts of 15% – 20% of the qualifying dollars they need to keep their current status. And in typical United fashion, it’s complicated…
United is bringing back Capetown service and making it year-round, with three flights a week starting June 5. And United Airlines is making business class saver awards available for Newark – Capetown non-stop for up to four passengers.
oneworld says it is on track to roll out the platform for members of one airline’s program in the alliance to use their miles to upgrade on a flight operated by another airline in the alliance.
This would mean members of American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan could potentially use their miles to upgrade on at least 14 different airlines.
United Airlines fired to key members of its flight attendants union this week. The union is blisteringly angry. The union sent out a message saying they’re outraged. The note, under Sara Nelson’s signature and that of the head of the United union executive council, gave absolutely no specifics on the matter – who was let go, what was alleged, or any defense.
Here’s the story as I understand it.
American Airlines has only been offering hot meals in premium cabins on cross country flights and international flights of sufficient distance. However in a sign that nature is healing, they’ll begin returning meal service to domestic first class cabins next week – Wednesday, February 16.
The truth is that even Aeromexico has sweet spots especially when you can just book award travel on their own flights. Reader Bill C. emails to let me know he used the Amex transfer bonus with great success.
Covid-19 notwithstanding many of us have come to focus on cleanliness in our lives, and prefer to associate with brands who share the same values. And at the very lease airlines that aren’t doing thorough cleans between flights need to stop implying that they are – because it just calls attention to the disconnect when passengers board the plane.
Spirit Airlines is being taken over by Frontier. The two large ultra low cost carriers in the U.S. are merging, if the U.S. government allows it, bringing together the primary drivers of lower fares and disaggregated service in the domestic market.
This morning’s Frontier Airlines operational meltdown – on the day of the merger announcement – may not be a good omen.
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 »
