Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

United is Introducing a New Confirmed Upgrade Program December 4th

by Gary Leff

Sep 24 2019

United shared this morning that they’re revamping their confirmed regional and global upgrade certificates that Platinum elites and higher are able to take advantage of effective December 4. They’re introducing a new upgrade points system to replace certificates called PlusPoints, and existing banked certificates will convert to PlusPoints at that time.

I received a briefing on the changes from Luc Bondar, United’s Vice President of Loyalty who is in charge of MileagePlus. Here’s how upgrades are changing.

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American Airlines Has No Interest in 100 Seat Aircraft, Plans to Buy More Used A319s Instead

by Gary Leff

american plane in hangar
Sep 23 2019

The Airbus A220 has been a popular aircraft. Delta was able to buy a large number of them cheap before Airbus took over sales of the program from Bombardier. It has a low cost of operations and can fly surprisingly long distances. The wide fuselage makes it a passenger favorite for comfort because each seat gets extra width.

American Airlines doesn’t have an interest in the A220. Instead, American plans to pick up more Airbus A319s on the used market super cheap – a cost driven down, in part, by the growing popularity of the A220.

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Flying While Muslim is Hard in This Country

by Gary Leff

american eagle plane
Sep 21 2019

Two Muslim men had their American Eagle flight cancelled last Saturday because one of the men – an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member – used the plane’s lavatory while the flight was delayed on the ground, and because passengers and crew don’t like flying with Muslims.

The cause of the concern? When the man visited the lavatory he flushed twice.

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A Huge Strategic Opportunity American Airlines Isn’t Going to Take

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Sep 20 2019

With more satellite internet installs than any other airline, even if they had to throttle speeds on legacy US Airways 2Ku planes, they could grab the mantle of being the digital airline by getting out in front of Delta’s free wifi delays.

Based on past conversations with American executives who have briefed me on their connectivity plans, it seems unlikely to me that they’ll seize the opportunity of a Delta delay.

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Delta CEO: SkyTeam Failed, Airline Will Create Their Own International Network of Carriers

by Gary Leff

korean air
Sep 19 2019

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told Bloomberg that the SkyTeam, of which Delta is a part, hasn’t “brought a lot of great value to customers..[or] to member airlines” and so they’re trying to create their “own international network of carriers” with Delta “as the centerpiece.”

The Atlanta-based carriers is shifting away from an alliance focus and “taking a different approach” where they use local airline brands that can operate in local markets around the world and influence those airlines to be more efficient.

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Virgin Atlantic’s Big Expansion Plan is Fake

by Gary Leff

virgin atlantic
Sep 19 2019

Virgin Atlantic announced an expansion plan to become Britain’s second flag carrier, adding 84 new routes. They’d fly to 12 domestic destinations in the U.K., 37 European routes, and add 35 long haul routes to places like Delhi, Havana, Jakarta and Tel Aviv.

There is absolutely no chance of their announced growth plan happening. It simply isn’t real. It’s pure posturing to bolster their case for government handouts. In fairness, they’re correct that the handouts shouldn’t all go to British Airways – but they shouldn’t be given to Virgin, either.

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