Category Archives for Airlines.
If Germany’s Payment Services Supervision Act applies to ‘buying’ Lufthansa’s miles using points in another program, then they aren’t currently in compliance with the Act, in part because ‘e-payments’ are now regulated as traditional payment services. That means registration, government supervision, and “strong customer authentication” among other requirements.
After the opening of 15 new gates in terminal E satellite at Dallas Fort-Worth last month, American today is offering 900 flights and will continue to do so on peak days from the airport this summer. That’s a year-over-year increase of 100 flights.
Dallas Fort-Worth won’t be without challenges — DFW is colloquially known as “Doesn’t Function Wet” — but according to an internal communication there are several moves American has made to help with their operational reliability.
The world airline trade group IATA says the Boeing 737 MAX could fly again in August. Not everyone is so sure. Different countries’ regulators are taking different approaches, though the US is pushing for many countries to re-certify the plane at the same time — and quickly.
Icelandair has leased aircraft to pick up the slack for grounded 737 MAXs, and in a move that reveals a shocking lack of confidence in the aircraft returning to their skies any time soon the airline has let go of 45 Boeing 737 MAX pilots.
Yesterday I wrote about Lufthansa’s “Mileage Bargains” — roundtrip business class awards between the US and Europe for just 55,000 miles.
Commenter Tim noted that “Lufthansa says that as of May 24th 2019 they no longer are accepting Marriott points for transfers to Lufthansa miles.” It turns out the problem is not limited to Marriott transfers.
Chase and British Airways renewed their US co-brand credit card deal. They have partnered for 26 years and last announced an extension of their relationship in May 2015.
Last month I wrote that Chase was surveying customers about how to redesign an airline card. And now the bank and airline have announced that “[i]n the fall of 2019, Chase, Avios and British Airways will announce new enhancements to the British Airways Visa Signature Card that were developed with cardmember feedback in mind.”
Delta has introduced new Tumi amenity kits, and the business class kits contain Le Labo products. Perhaps most notably all long haul passengers flying Delta receive an amenity kit, including coach passengers, although the separate kits for coach and Comfort+ extra legroom seats aren’t branded… but are still creative.
Swapping which carrier in the revenue-sharing joint venture operates which route could both match capacity to market and better optimize schedules for customer demand. One theoretical option to do this was having American operate out of Washington Dulles.
That was the rumor a year ago. However sources at American Airlines tell me that is now off the table.
Earlier today the US government announced its approval for American and Qantas to join forces in an anti-trust immunized revenue-sharing joint venture across the Pacific.
The combination is already announcing they’ll roll out two new routes, including the longest Qantas route from the U.S. and fourth-longest flight in the world.
The last major airline to add a hub was Delta — at Seattle — in 2014. Now Delta, which has been building its presence in Boston and taking on JetBlue there, has declared that city to be a hub. Although with 150 peak day departures I see Boston more as a ‘hublet’.
West Coast – Europe award travel is tough, getting premium cabin to Europe on American Airlines (and thus not paying surcharges) is tougher still. This is definitely worth taking ‘AAdvantage’ of. And if you have a stash of Etihad Guest miles, ring up about your preferred itinerary to see if they can book for 50,000 miles each way in business (vs. 57,500 from American) or 62,500 in first.
However if there was any doubt that American’s married segment award availability logic was in play for premium cabin awards now (and with ensuing negative consequences for making changes to awards) this should illustrate the extension beyond coach — and is a part of dynamic availability if not pricing.
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 »
