Category Archives for Airlines.
United is clearly the global carrier among U.S. airlines, and among airlines with the widest reaches in the world, willing to take big swings even to destinations where they lack partners or connecting traffic and that haven’t demonstrated passenger demand yet.
The U.S. economy appears to be slowing. And airlines are especially vulnerable. Businesses cut back on travel spending. Consumers see most leisure travel as discretionary. There’s been some pullback in airline schedules, and some lower fares in the market.
We’ve known this was coming for some time, and the price of seat assignments in business class on Lufthansa was even published back in December, but it’s officially here: ‘Allegri$$ Day’.
Confiscating carry-ons unnecessarily is one of the things that outrages passengers most. Their bag has been taken and it didn’t even need to be! There was plenty of overhead space left! Stop the madness. And stop it, especially, at United Airlines where you have to pay a higher fare to bring on the carry-on bag in the first place.
As one passenger onboard the aircraft put it, “Thinking something burst.” Since it was near a lavatory they’re lucky because the thing that burst could have been worse! The passenger nearest the flood appears remarkably unbothered.
I was well into my professional career before I ever had the opportunity to fly private. But I almost got the chance during one of my West Coast trips when I was 12.
The story begins with another odd experience of mine. I may have been one of the first white boys in the mid-80s to use ‘187’ as the term for murder.
Southwest Airlines is going to start confiscating passenger bags at the gate on almost every flight once they begin charging for checked bags in two months.
The American Airlines pilot union is telling its members to delay flights if their crew meal isn’t properly loaded for them.
Southwest Airlines is blowing up their brand. They’re eliminating ‘bags fly free’. They’re introducing basic economy fares. They’ve devalued Rapid Rewards. American Airlines already stepped in to recruit Southwest’s best customers. Now Delta is doing the same.
American Airlines passenger Jennifer Hughes doesn’t understand why she isn’t allow to standby for a flight with plenty of open seats available. Surely the gate agent could have provided a better explanation than “they didn’t ‘have time to help’.” In truth, they aren’t allowed to help. That’s the way American Airlines decided they like it.
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 »
