Category Archives for Airlines.
American Airlines status challenges cost money to sign up for and include a minimum spend requirement although the airline also occasionally will directly status match a United or Delta top tier elite member.
In a rare instance of Delta following American (although to be fair Delta was first with minimum spend for elite status) their elite status challenge program requires minimum spend not just minimum travel. And there’s on other change as well.
There are a number of minor service changes that EVA Air is making. But the fact that they’re paying attention to the minor details like this is part of what makes them a quality carrier. They offer one of the better business class products in the world, and good service throughout the cabin.
There’s new pajamas and even menu covers in business class, new bedding in premium economy, and even gourmet snacks in coach on Hong Kong flights.
Air India knows its inflight entertainment offerings lag the industry. They also know that long haul business class loads hover around 50%. So they’re considering giving out laptops to business class passengers.
Myrna Herzog flew Rio to Tel Aviv via Rome on Alitalia on January second, arriving on the third. She checked a 17th century Lewis viola da gamba reportedly worth $200,000.
That strikes me as a dumb move, however she says Alitalia had “promise[d] that the instrument would be only handled BY HAND.” Of course it arrived in Tel Aviv looking, in her words, like “it was savagely vandalized, ..it seems that a car ran over it.”
China is always ‘the next big thing.’ That was true 10 years ago and it seems like it will be true 10 years from now.
Airlines are betting big on China, since the U.S. and China don’t have Open Skies airlines have to fight for the best routes and then squat on them hoping they’ll be more valuable in the future. In a sense it’s like Havana service but with bigger stakes.
Last year there was a report that Emirates and Etihad were considering merging. Then in the fall Emirates CEO Tim Clark said he was open to working with Etihad, and offered a non-denial denial about a likely merger.
Now there’s a new modest agreement the two airlines have entered into — signed by their CEOs.
“Enhancements” are the bane of every frequent flyer’s existence. For years that word has been mocked because every devaluation, every cut, every dimunition in service is described as an enhancement. It may also be described as the result of “listening to customers.”
Platinum Pro requires 75,000 miles flown or 90 segments and a minimum of $9000 in elite qualifying dollars. Platinum Pros receive an 80% bonus on earned miles from flying and unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades (rather than needing 500 mile upgrade certificates on flights 500 miles and over).
Platinum Pros now also get confirmed same day flight changes.
They claim Boston – Cincinnati and Nashville – Seattle are on sale at 27,000 miles roundtrip for a saver award. Raleigh – Seattle and Salt Lake City – Seattle are on sale at 28,000 miles roundtrip. So much for the 25,000 mile domestic roundtrip saver award.
Last year Singapore Airlines started flying their new Airbus A350s Houston – Manchester in the U.K. five times a week.
Right now there’s good award availability for two passengers in business class in March, April, and then again July through end of schedule.
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 »
