Category Archives for Airlines.
There’s been an increase in inflight incidents. There are several reasons for this including a disproportionate share of leisure travelers and mask mandates that increasingly make little sense.
However there’s a push to blame alcohol even though most airlines haven’t been serving alcohol in the coach cabin. There’s even now a push to have the federal government ban cocktails inflight.
American Airlines passengers have built Austin into a make-your-own connecting hub, using the ramp-up in Austin destinations and the run-up in prices for flights they’d traditionally take as an excuse to use this smaller, friendlier airport for easy connections and savings. That’s helped achieve record-high load factors for Austin flights, even for the airline’s new routes.
‘Agent Assist’ software is going to clear standby lists earlier on these domestic mainline flights.
That’s going to make it harder to run up to a gate and get on the standby list, getting to your destination earlier. But it’s going to make it easier to upgrade when you do stand by and make it onto a flight.
I reported two weeks ago to expect announcements from American Airlines at the start of June extending systemwide upgrade expiration again and offering further incentives for earning elite status this year.
It appears that the American Airlines IT shop is out ahead of their Corporate Communications team, because systemwide upgrades have already been extended in accounts.
American Airlines brings back snacks and beverage service in coach on Tuesday, June 1. Alcohol was supposed to return, too, but the airline decided economy passengers are too unruly for that.
The coach snacks are Biscoff cookies, pretzels, and Love Corn. You get presented a choice of two. And you have to pick just one.
The CDC declared that science supports not wearing a mask indoors if you’re vaccinated however you’re still required to wear a mask in airports and on planes through September 13.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was challenged on the contradiction and argued that mask mandates should remain on planes even though they aren’t needed for vaccinated individuals in restaurants, bars and gyms.
French Polynesia is one of the toughest awards in the world to book. In part that’s because there are only 5 flights between the U.S. mainland and Tahiti, and they aren’t all offered daily. For instance the Air France flight from Los Angeles to Papeete is flown just 3 times a week.
However booking right now for next winter you can grab 9 or more business class saver award seats on the Air France flight from Papeete, Tahiti to Los Angeles – which is unprecedented. Book now, because this certainly won’t last. And operated with an Air France Boeing 777, this is the best business class product between the US and Tahiti as well.
At Southwest Airlines bags fly free. And that creates a weird incentive. How many passengers are letting that second free bag benefit go to waste?
You could become a courier and ship packages. Or you could toss in supplies for the pool party like Sydney Fowls did. She decided to check a pool noodle on her recent Southwest Airlines flight from Columbus, Ohio to Tampa.
At the Wolfe Research conference yesterday Glen Hauenstein remarked that Delta had 53 Sky Clubs open pre-pandemic and will have 53 open in June. There’s an emphasis on premium product coming out of the recent challenging period. Delta believes that by offering customers more they can get customers to spend more on premium products which are “higher margin.”
But what if they’re achieving that margin by claiming to offer a premium product, but they’re really offering something you can buy at 7-11?
American Airlines has decided to put off its return to offering alcohol in economy on domestic flights until at least September 13th, which is when the federal mask mandate currently runs through.
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 »
