Category Archives for Airlines.
Effective today, April 12, miles no longer expire due to lack of activity in an account. That matches JetBlue, Delta, Southwest, and United. Hawaiian has also cut its elite status earning requirements in half for this year:
Qatar has one of the best business class product in the world in its ‘QSuites’. These are revolutionary suites with doors and movable partitions that allow two and even four passengers to travel together in their own space. Right now there’s fantastic award availability booking for the start of 2021 for Qatar’s QSuites product – out of several U.S. cities – with four business class seats available.
People flying sick has been a problem for a long time. Some of that is because of airline policies – it’s costly to change your plans, and a doctor’s note won’t even help you. Much of it is more broadly cultural. We expect people to ‘tough it out’ and colleagues don’t want us to ‘let them down’.
Before the pandemic the CDC actually recommended foregoing travel if you had a fever over 100 degrees and other symptoms, but a fever alone wasn’t reason to cancel a trip in their medical opinion. And about half of people said they’d fly even if they had the flu. That really needs to change.
Flight attendant Ali Bahreman is challenging the airline’s contract with its flight attendants union which takes away scheduling rights from employees for non-payment in a case with significant implications for the heavily-unionized airline industry.
United and American have spoken out against measures that limit access to voting. American came out against a proposal in Texas they had not read. Delta is against Georgia’s law, after being for it, and after telling employees they helped craft its final form.
Now the CEOs of American Airlines and United have joined a forum of major corporate CEOs concerned about voting rights that was put together just a few days ago.
When you expect to be treated better than self-loading cargo when you fly, or when you come to expect an award seat for the frequent flyer miles you’ve earned, does that make you a freeloader?
United Airlines sells the pre-mixed Knob Creek Old Fashioned by On The Rocks Cocktails ($12) but I think what’s striking here is the can.
The packaging feels low-end, and is reminiscent of when Spirit Airlines used to sell wine in a can.
A two-time cancer survivor attempted to board an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Charlotte, but was told she wouldn’t be able to fly unless she covered up her yellow hoodie which said “F- cancer.”
An employee enforced the airline’s dress code. The airline is apologizing – saying the employee should have taken context into account. But each employee is likely to see context differently.
Politicians will want to claim credit for victory over the pandemic. And once the Secretary of HHS declares this, the way the CDC’s mask rule is written that triggers a sunset. Let’s look at the actual rule’s language for how long it lasts,
In the latest Airlines Confidential podcast former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza questions whether the CDC mask order actually applies to the time passengers spend on aircraft.
Let’s look at the order and its legal authority to see.
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 »
