Category Archives for Airlines.
Many airports already require face masks, but United is imposing the requirement now at airports themselves starting this Friday, July 24. They’re putting the same teeth of a potential travel ban in place for customers not wearing masks in areas of the terminal that they control.
The airline will also be requiring that masks be worn by all children two years old and older.
Air Canada is running a duo of rich promotions. These aren’t going to move the needle to get most Americans to travel since actually visiting Canada isn’t feasible right now given quarantine requirements and connecting on Air Canada is of limited use given the number of countries that are closed to those carrying U.S. passports.
Nonetheless these are offers to watch, because they underscore what a loyalty program can do to help get members excited and because they’ll be gathering strong data on how much promotions can move the needle right now on travel in places where the virus seems under control.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit Monday against United Airlines arguing that they violated a pilot’s religious liberty by insisting he attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, arguing he should be permitted to substitute a Buddhist alternative.
In 2018 the entered an alcohol treatment facility and lost his pilot’s license. There’s a process to regain his license. This includes completing a substance abuse treatment program geared towards pilots. At United Airlines that includes attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and completing “at least the first five steps of AA’s 12-step programme.”
These are user-friendly changes and also makes it easier for Americans (and others outside of Canada) to participate in the program on an irregular basis. I especially like the fee-waived mileage reinstatement options.
With United warning of possibly furloughing up to 40% of employees and doing something similar it’s worth underscoring just how successful it appears Southwest Airlines to be as it works to reach a goal of not furloughing anyone at all.
Southwest Airlines has made the most generous offer to its employees to take an ‘early out’ or an extended leave.
Airlines are differentiating their approaches to the pandemic. Offering a better experience is a key strategy to winning business away from other airlines.
For U.S. consumers who do not live in an international gateway city, a connection is required. And as Air Canada brings U.S. flights back online, this matters because they’ve historically been the foreign carrier serving the most U.S. destinations – making the one-stop required for an international trip just as easy via Canada as via many U.S. cities. Air Canada is a direct competitor of U.S. airlines for U.S. passenger international trips.
Before the pandemic American Airlines underperformed the industry. They had more debt and lower profit margins. They had managed to alienate customers, employees, and investors alike. Their own data shows they had chased away frequent flyers.
When American Airlines lost their LATAM partnership last fall the floodgates of criticism finally opened. People were openly asking how the Board of Directors could abide a plummeting share price and broken operation at an airline which seemed strategically adrift?
American Airlines is dropping meals on most domestic flights that are over 2200 miles as well as short haul international. These flights, that have been receiving single tray meal service in first class throughout the pandemic, will get a fruit and cheese plate instead.
Here’s why this ‘first world problem’ actually matters more now than ever.
Domestic flights over 2200 miles will no longer receive meal service and the same applies to close-in international flights, too. Long haul international premium cabins will still receive meals.
Unions take political positions their members disagree with all the time. And members should feel free to communicate with their union leadership over those disagreements. It’s fair to proscribe the time, place and manner for those disagreements – but shocking for a union President to secure for the firing of a union member over an internal union matter.
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 »
