Category Archives for Airlines.
When American Airlines launched their ‘web specials’ they were discounted awards, for less than the cost of a saver award. These awards allow no changes versus traditional awards which permit date changes free of charge and routing changes for a fee.
Now though these non-changeable web specials appear to be offering fully dynamic pricing.
British Airways appears to be testing a redemption option to spend more points on an award ticket in exchange for reducing or eliminating taxes and fees.
Japanese Star Alliance carrier ANA is partnering with a company called OpenJaw Technologies to implement the IATA NDC standard.
OpenJaw’s miles redemption platform provides for both “Transparent and Opaque. Dynamic Pricing” for revenue-based redemption.
It’s not clear who is in charge at the airline, as the carrier’s third largest owner claims to have been appointed by the board as CEO while the previous head says no such change has been made.
There aren’t just dueling chief executives but also dueling spokespeople. Over a dozen representatives of the new CEO entered company headquarters yesterday “to enforce the message about the leadership change.”
The largest private airline of India, which had a fleet of over 120 aircraft, is being grounded amidst debts to lessors, fuel suppliers, pilots, and banks. There’s talk that this is ‘only temporary’ but once shut down airlines rarely start back up (and it’s pretty much never a good idea for them to). At most branding gets purchased out of the ashes and a new carrier with a new business model might operate under the old name.
Even though their South Africa partner is exceptionally weak – indeed, perhaps because South African Airways is so weak – United is launching Newark – Cape Town service.
This is certainly a gamble but United has seemed to be in a gambling mood, willing to experiment, fail, and adjust their route network.
StarLux airlines, wants help naming its frequent flyer program and elite status levels.
The Taiwanese startup is planning to commence operations early next year, and is being launched by the former Chairman of Star Alliance carrier EVA Air who was the victim of an estate squabble stemming from plural marriage.
When the President of the United States, himself a successful promoter whose primary asset is his brand, gives free marketing advice it’s actually worth listening to, even if he’s just cribbing it straight from Stringer Bell in The Wire.
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.
I stumbled upon a treasure trove of current data on frequent flyer programs published at the beginning of the year. Some airlines have disclosed newer data in investor filings over the past three months since this was published, however it’s still largely current.
How many members do frequent flyer programs have? When will miles be redeemed? How many miles will never be redeemed? How much will redemptions cost the airlines?
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 »
