Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

Revenue-Based Mileage-Earning No Longer Makes Sense

by Gary Leff

Nov 22 2020

Revenue-based frequent flyer programs have always been less generous. These programs were long popular with ultra low cost carriers, with low margins, where awarding customers little made sense.

When planes were full, rewarding customers less made some sense. Airlines didn’t need to spend as much marketing to fill empty seats when there weren’t many empty seats. The problem now is that revenue-based programs reward customers less in a low fare environment precisely when airlines need to invest more in marketing to fill empty seats, and it’s cheaper to offer award inventory than ever.

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Airline Lobby Group Warns Something Entirely Normal May Happen If Governments Don’t Fork Over Money

by Gary Leff

depressed businessman leaning his head below a bad stock market chart
Nov 22 2020

The head of world airline trade group IATA says so far governments have provided subsidies to carriers totaling $160 billion. But that’s not enough and they believe governments need to hand over more.

And what’s the terrible thing that will happen if they don’t? Something that is entirely and completely normal and happens all the time during normal times: some airlines may go out of business. That’s ok.

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Qatar Airways 7500 Miles For New Members, Stacks With Student Bonus Offers

by Gary Leff

giant teddy bear
Nov 21 2020

It’s been some time since there have been generous offers just to sign up for a frequent flyer program, essentially to start a permission marketing relationship. Maybe 16 years ago United Airlines was giving out 1000 miles to new members referred by an existing member, and rewarding the member that referred them to. But usually new member bonuses have required some kind of activity – proof of a customer’s value to the airline – before being triggered.

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Mask Disputes On Planes Are Set To Skyrocket By Late Winter

by Gary Leff

Nov 21 2020

Once so many people have either had Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it that it’s equally likely that someone is vulnerable to it as not, restrictions on those who aren’t vulnerable to the virus (and therefore cannot spread it) are going to be harder to maintain. We’re going to see more people rebelling against mask requirements on planes in late March than we’ve seen so far.

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5000 Free Miles From Underrated Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Program, Just For Signing Up

by Gary Leff

Nov 21 2020

Aegean Miles & Bonus is one of the most lucrative Star Alliance frequent flyer programs. Awards booked through them across Star Alliance partner airlines require fewer miles than in most other programs. So when they’re giving away 5000 redeemable miles just for signing up by December 1 those miles actually get you much closer to an award than you’d think.

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Got A Mastercard? Fly 2 Roundtrips In 90 Days For American Airlines Status Up To Platinum

by Gary Leff

economy seats
Nov 20 2020

American Airlines is offering the easiest Gold status I’ve ever seen from a public offer, and a path to Platinum with just two flights as well. Just sign up for Mastercard Travel. Details of the promotion are available under ‘latest offers’ but there’s no registration required. And you don’t even need to be a current elite frequent flyer with another airline.

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American And Alaska Announce Reciprocal Elite Upgrades, Access To Extra Legroom Coach Seats

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Nov 20 2020

At some point in 2021 “Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members will be eligible for free domestic upgrades on Alaska and MVP Gold 75K will be eligible for free domestic upgrades when traveling on American.” And “[w]hen the long-haul international flights launch” that are part of the partnership, Seattle – London and Bangalore then Alaska’s MVP Gold 75K members will be able to upgrade on American’s international flights. There will be access to extra legroom coach seats as well for top- and mid-tier elites.

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New Christian Airline Launching Next Year

by Gary Leff

judah
Nov 19 2020

Judah 1 has acquired a Boeing 767-200ER and says they’ll have Part 121 certification from the FAA next year. They plan to add 2-3 more large aircraft to their fleet. Their CEO says that God spoke to him and inspired the plan to serve only Christian missionaries and not to charge checked bag fees.

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Mideast Peace: Etihad And El Al Will Codeshare, Introduce Frequent Flyer Partnership

by Gary Leff

Nov 19 2020

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will start direct flights from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv on March 31, 2021. It has entered into a new agreement with Israel’s El Al for codesharing and a frequent flyer partnership.

This is monumental. Not only will this Arab state airline fly non-stop to Israel, it will all Israel’s flag carrier to put its own code on Etihad flights. That means, effectively, that certain Etihad flights – which all begin with a prayer from the Quran – will also be El Al flights.

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