Category Archives for Airlines.
American Airlines now upgrades deadheading pilots into first class ahead of the customers who actually earn those seats. Ten high-value flyers watched a pilot get the only available upgrade on their flight, a moment that captured how far the airline has drifted from its own loyalty promises.
The discovery of a loaded magazine under 7A forced Frontier to empty the aircraft and bring in police, TSA, DHS, and K-9 units. Frontier now says an armed officer left it behind on the inbound flight, a failure that highlights how often the people trusted to carry guns in the cabin show less discipline than the passengers who face consequences for far smaller mistakes.
Former British Airways chief Alex Cruz says he’s proud of bringing the low-cost mindset from Vueling to BA — unbundling meals, baggage, and perks while calling it innovation. You might wonder why he’s confessing. He’s actually bragging!
Scott Kirby didn’t just adjust United’s messaging between administrations — he rebuilt the airline’s public identity to match whichever political winds were blowing. Under Biden, United wrapped itself in pronouns and DEI; under Trump, Kirby is aligning with Stephen Miller and Trump.
Two fledgling airlines with turbulent histories are teaming up to launch an all-business class carrier in the United States. The concept is fascinating — and ambitious — but regulatory hurdles, fleet challenges, and execution risks make the path forward far tougher than the announcement suggests.
United CEO Scott Kirby marked Veterans Day by declaring his airline “the best in the history of aviation.” But is that claim even close? From Pan Am’s glory days to Singapore Airlines’ long reign at the top, here’s who really deserves the title.
TAP Air Portugal is offering a paid status match that lets American Airlines and Delta flyers enjoy Star Alliance Gold perks for a year — including United Club lounge access, free checked bags, and priority boarding across United and its partners.
A wheelchair passenger alleges she was abandoned overnight at Miami International Airport after an American Airlines attendant left her at a gate. She missed her connection, spent the night in a cold room, and has now sued the airline over the ordeal.
Aviation YouTuber Josh Cahill says Air Côte d’Ivoire “secretly canceled” his business class ticket on its inaugural A330neo flight and demanded $1,500 to rebook him. After he posted a viral review claiming he was “downgraded, scammed & censored,” the airline fired back, calling it a misunderstanding caused by an IT glitch. And, in fact, he flew business class for no extra charge.
An American Airlines maintenance error in Tulsa during brake system modification, swapping hydraulic lines and reversing wheel speed sensor wiring, defeated the Beoing 737-800’s antiskid logic. This resulted in total loss of effective braking, tire failure, and runway overrun. No injuries occurred, but the event prompted fleetwide maintenance audits and Boeing procedural updates.
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 »
