Category Archives for Airlines.
A JetBlue flight from West Palm Beach to Westchester returned to the gate Sunday night after a passenger rushed to the front of the aircraft just before takeoff, prompting a security response. Passengers say the man tried to get through the front door area and bit a flight attendant during the restraint.
American Airlines is firing flight attendants at a record pace, according to internal union minutes, as it steps up enforcement against crew who aren’t where they’re supposed to be while on reserve. The airline is pulling travel records, social media, and even company-issued device data in its investigations.
Passengers on a Southwest flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale were told to put their heads down and hands up after the 737 diverted to Atlanta and armed officers boarded to remove a passenger. After hours on the ground and a full security sweep, the FBI said there was no credible threat and no charges would be filed, and the flight eventually continued to Florida in the early morning hours.
American’s long-haul schedule plans for next winter show exactly what the new Airbus A321XLR is for: keeping marginal transatlantic routes viable when winter demand collapses by right-sizing capacity and leaning premium-heavy. The result is fewer widebody winter losses and more “extended season” Europe flying out of hubs like Philadelphia and JFK, as American uses the smaller jet to stretch routes that couldn’t support a 787 year-round.
United flight attendants haven’t had a raise in 5.5 years, and inflation has quietly taken a big bite out of what their pay is worth—so the tone shift this week is notable. The union says a final agreement is now close enough that it’s postponing a planned protest day, while United is telling crews the deal will deliver industry-leading pay, signing bonuses, and progress on “sit pay” and other long-running priorities.
We’re living in an era where the brand is the product, not just the logo—and Delta understood that earlier than any U.S. airline. The point isn’t that Delta runs more ads; it’s that Delta has spent a decade building a story about who it serves and what it stands for, and that narrative makes customers pay a premium while giving employees a clearer North Star for decisions.
American Airlines says it wants to win more premium travelers, but its flight attendants union says the airline is replacing well-liked crew hotels across the system in ways that mean less rest and worse onboard service. This is not just a fight over layovers — it is a test of whether American can really deliver a better product while still cutting the conditions crews depend on to do the job.
Citi just brought back the best-ever welcome offer on its AAdvantage Business card: 75,000 American Airlines miles after $5,000 spend in 5 months, with the $99 annual fee waived for the first year. The headline bonus is great on its own, but the real edge for frequent American flyers is what the card unlocks inside AAdvantage Business—extra earning on tickets and, for many cardmembers, the ability to stack Loyalty Points in ways that can accelerate status.
American Airlines’ London business class is now serving wine from a box, a detail that would be unthinkable in a premium cabin when everything is running normally. It’s the latest visible symptom of the Heathrow catering breakdown that has forced this airline into bare-minimum service levels.
American Airlines abruptly stopped taking local catering at London Heathrow and began flying in minimal meals from the U.S., leaving premium cabins with a stripped-down service both directions because the galleys can’t hold two flights worth of food. The airline hasn’t explained the reason, but a photo that’s circulating showing mice nested in bread on an American Airlines 777 offers a clue for why Heathrow catering was shut off overnight.
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 »
