Category Archives for Airlines.
Is using coronavirus to market airline seats brilliant – good for society, even – or utterly irresponsible? Vietnam has been more aggressive at containment than many countries, more money into the health care system is helpful, and a rebate in the form of health insurance is probably more responsible than a discount on an airline ticket. It’s utterly brilliant.
They say that they can convince airlines to unlock frequent flyer accounts that have been audited for breaking the rules, and they want the owners of those accounts to break the rules again by bartering half the miles they get back. That won’t end well.
Hong Kong has joined Singapore in not only banning foreign arrivals but banning transit passenger arrivals, too, after several foreigners arriving there tested positive for COVID-19. A doctor screening inbound passengers at the airport has tested positive as well there.
To crack down on intimacy as a source of spread, alcohol is being banned from bars though people can still get meals in restaurants.
On Sunday Emirates announced a suspension of all passenger flights on Tuesday, March 25. Then later in the day they walked that back announcing that they would continue to fly to 13 countries.
However they will not, in fact, do that because by the end of the day the government of the United Arab Emirates ordered a suspension of passenger flights starting Wednesday.
United and Delta are both allowing flight attendants to wear masks. Now American has reversed its policy. Flight attendants now have the option of wearing masks, and will not be disciplined for doing so.
Airlines that aren’t providing transportation that was purchased are trying to keep customers’ money, even as they seek more of their customers’ money in the form of government bailouts. While the international airline trade group is trying to get governments to legalize this theft, some carriers are doing it on their own regardless of the law.
Today Emirates announced they would suspend all passenger flights. They have already walked that back, and flights to several countries including the U.S. will continue.
Emirates CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has announced that the airline will shut down passenger operations by Wednesday, March 25. Cargo flights will continue. They had already announced a 70% scale-back of flights.
After just yesterday announcing the end of all long haul services, United Airlines on Saturday evening changed their mind and reintroduced several flights through their May schedule. They’ll fly to Europe, to Israel, to Tokyo, Sydney and even into South America.
American Airlines won’t allow flight attendants to wear masks. They also still give ‘points’ which count towards discipline and termination for a flight attendant who calls out sick unless they’ve actually tested positive for coronavirus.
Flight attendants with mild symptoms who haven’t flown internationally still report being ineligible for testing. And calling out sick when you aren’t is a firing offense.
A voicemail is making the rounds from this past Tuesday when a flight service manager called out a flight attendant for wearing a mask on a trip, and suggested they just ‘use sick time’.
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 »
