Category Archives for Airlines.
For several years Lufthansa has limited first class award availability to partner frequently flyer programs. Space has only been open within 14 days of travel. If you wanted to redeem miles for first class awards farther out, you’ve had to use Lufthansa’s own Miles & More miles (with the exception of a handful of brief glitches).
Last year American Airlines stopped sending out physical elite membership cards and luggage tags to members promoting their “fully digital experience.” It was a cost-cutting move, taking something of emotional value away from top customers.
However elite kits are again being sent out to Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members. But if you’ve already qualified for next year’s status, you’ll need to call in to request yours.
Spirit Airlines cancelled over a third of its flights on Monday, after having cancelled a similar (though slightly larger) number on Sunday. All day I’ve been hearing about passenger revolts, especially in San Juan, Puerto Rico but also in places like Philadelphia.
In some cases employees… just left. What we’re finding out now is that they may have done this for their safety, to protect them from rioting passengers. And it even appears the airline may have advised them to get out of uniform so they couldn’t be attacked by stranded customers.
Seventeen years ago I wrote that you think about miles too much when “you hear the words “mile a minute” and find yourself pondering the concept of earning bonus miles as a function of time.”
It’s taken that long, but Emirates has a new promotion that does just that.
In the game of airline versus passenger, there’s years of experience at ‘beating the system’.
Meal service on flights over 670 miles in domestic first class, and hot food at meal times on 1100+ mile flights, alcohol in all cabins, and food for sale in coach.
In covering Alaska Airlines introducing award redemptions on oneworld partner Qatar Airways, I learned a few interesting things about the program’s plan for bringing on additional redemption.
It’s only been two weeks since American Airlines introduced ‘fresh bites’ boxes to flights at least 900 miles long and already they’re planning to bring back hot meals to first class this fall.
Alaska separately introduced their partnership with oneworld member Qatar Airways, and at the start of June said that award redemption on Qatar would become available in August. They’re actually a few days early, and Qatar Airways awards are currently bookable on the Alaska Airlines website. However the prices are.. sketchy to say the least.
American Airlines will partner with and invest in South American ultra low cost carrier Jetsmart, which is owned by the same parent company as Frontier Airlines and Europe’s Wizz Air. Jetsmart operates coach-only densely configured Airbus A320 narrowbody planes from Chile and Argentina, serving 33 destinations.
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 »
