Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

American Airlines Now Lets You Volunteer for Bump Compensation Electronically

by Gary Leff on May 1, 2019

May 01 2019

Airlines are going to new great lengths to avoid involuntarily denying boarding to passengers — selling more tickets than there are seats and then not having enough volunteers to take a later flight for compensation when more passengers than expected show up. Some airlines are overbooking less. Others are paying out more compensation to get more passengers to volunteer to give up their seats.

We’ve seen stories about Delta giving a passenger $4000 in travel vouchers for agreeing to take a later flight and United giving out $10,000. American’s Day of Departure Desk will also authorize substantially more compensation than before.

Korean Air Eliminating First Class on 27 Routes

by Gary Leff on May 1, 2019

May 01 2019

While Korean Air’s first class lags in quality behind many other Asian carriers, I’ve especially liked that I could fly to Asia in first class and connect onward in first class as well because much of their intra-Asia route network offered a first class cabin. That’s being scaled back.

Aeroplan Members Can Earn Miles on Etihad, Another Step Closer to Star Alliance?

by Gary Leff on April 30, 2019

Apr 30 2019

Over the summer I reported a rumor that Etihad was in talks to join Star Alliance. That rumor heated up substantially in February.

Etihad is now joining Air Canada’s Aeroplan as an earning member

British Airways Devalued Award Chart Leaked (Mostly)

by Gary Leff on April 29, 2019

Apr 29 2019

Earlier today British Airways declared that they are planning to devalue their partner award chart effective May 30 but declared that they wouldn’t tell us what the new prices would be.

Apparently, however, prices are actually loaded into BA systems.

British Airways is Changing Partner Award Prices May 30 – But Won’t Tell Us How Much They Go Up

by Gary Leff on April 29, 2019

Apr 29 2019

British Airways has a history of making changes to its award pricing without notice, and also of giving a few months’ notice. When they moved from an award region chart to distance-based pricing in 2011 they told us they were changing pricing but not what prices would be. When that happens you know they won’t be ‘changes you’re going to like’.

Now we’re once again learning of impending changes but not what the details of those changes will be.

American Airlines Pilots Said the 737 MAX Was Safe, Now They Say Boeing’s Plan Isn’t Enough

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2019

Apr 28 2019

After the Ethiopian Airlines disaster and before the FAA grounded the Boeing 737 MAX American Airlines pilots came out declaring the aircraft safe.

Now they suggest it’s not safe to bring back as-proposed. Those are two positions which are difficult, but not impossible, to reconcile.

Another Airline Removes Seat Back Video and Will United Flight Attendants Have to Start Cleaning Planes?

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2019

Apr 28 2019

A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

How Loyalty Programs Choose Metrics So Nothing is Ever a Failure

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2019

Apr 28 2019

Starbucks was asked about devaluing their program on their earnings call and they claimed customers don’t mind because fewer customers picked up the phone to call and complain than they had anticipated and fewer customers are complaining about this devaluation than their 2016 devaluation.

American Airlines: Bonusing Executives for a Job Well Done

by Gary Leff on April 27, 2019

Apr 27 2019

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker explained a year and a half ago that executive bonuses were determined by their ability to hit these profit figures, earning partial bonuses at $3 billion, and more at the $5 billion and $7 billion levels.

So what happened to executive bonuses when the airline failed to meet this goal for 2018? ~~No one received bonuses, just as the CEO promised~~. Executives received bonuses.

The One Question Airline Analysts Fail to Ask American During Earnings Calls

by Gary Leff on April 26, 2019

Apr 26 2019

In the fall I walked through American Airlines financials to show that the airline is losing money flying but earning an overall profit thanks to selling frequent flyer miles to banks.

That remained the case for the last quarter and full year of 2018.

Airlines

American Airlines Now Lets You Volunteer for Bump Compensation Electronically

Korean Air Eliminating First Class on 27 Routes

Aeroplan Members Can Earn Miles on Etihad, Another Step Closer to Star Alliance?

British Airways Devalued Award Chart Leaked (Mostly)

British Airways is Changing Partner Award Prices May 30 – But Won’t Tell Us How Much They Go Up

American Airlines Pilots Said the 737 MAX Was Safe, Now They Say Boeing’s Plan Isn’t Enough

Another Airline Removes Seat Back Video and Will United Flight Attendants Have to Start Cleaning Planes?

How Loyalty Programs Choose Metrics So Nothing is Ever a Failure

American Airlines: Bonusing Executives for a Job Well Done

The One Question Airline Analysts Fail to Ask American During Earnings Calls

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About Gary Leff

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