Category Archives for Commentary.
The federal government is considering new rules “that would allow border officials to temporarily block an American citizen or legal permanent resident from returning to the United States from abroad if the authorities have reason to believe the person may be infected with the coronavirus.”
However they’d do this based on their best guess – and not testing – and they’re considering doing this now after the coronavirus barn door has already been left open.
Hertz reportedly has a system glitch that has been reporting some cars stolen even though they’ve been properly rented out. The customers that have rented the cars? They’ve been getting arrested. In a few cases they’ve faced guns drawn by police. Several customers have gone to prison.
After being stuck home, people are ready to get starting traveling with a vengeance as soon as they feel safe to do so. It’s as though the very act of traveling makes a statement that we may be down briefly, but we won’t give in, we’ll return stronger than ever.
One of the reasons TSA temperature checks at airports are a bad idea is that they won’t end after the pandemic. They’ll become the new normal. Just like all of the new rules put in place after 9/11.
The President has indicated support for a $4000 domestic travel credit where you’d get half your money back from airfare, hotels, restaurants and related spending on domestic trips.
That’s now morphed into Martha McSally (R-AZ)’s “American TRIP Act” which would provide a tax credit of $4000 per adult ($8000 to a couple filing jointly) and $500 additional per dependent child to spend in 2020 or 2021 on domestic travel 50 miles or more from home, as well as $50 million to Destination Marketing Organizations to promote tourism to their region. This is insane.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering a domestic travel “Explore America” tax credit that would refund 50% of up to $8000 per household in air, hotel, rental cars and even event tickets and restaurant spend as long as you’re at least 50 miles away from home.
I would love for other people to cover $4000 of my travel expenses. But the idea is nuts.
Uber is devaluing its rewards program, dropping the option to redeem 500 points for $5 cash. This was the simplest and straightforward redemption option.
Though Uber offers a milquetoast statement to explain the move, the truth is this represents a huge change in strategy for the company – walking away from plans to build their own digital currency.
Working as a flight attendant has been transformed over the last 40 years from high status to much lower status in American esteem. One day a year though we’re supposed to re-elevate the role. Yet somehow I’ve never really internalized that May 31 is international Flight Attendant Appreciation Day.
There are two ways travel can spread the virus. Both are manageable at this point. Europe’s CDC has brand new recommendations for re-opening travel.
The Travelocity twitter account is like the Death Star’s exhaust port, or the vulnerability exploited in the final battle scene of Independence Day.
Jessica Langer shared her ‘earliest internet memory’ in response to someone’s silly question on twitter. It was a slow effort as her father tried to book a flight using Travelocity when she was really young. Langer was offering a genuine recollection, that wasn’t likely to garner much attention, except a Travelocity customer service bot decided to respond.
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 »
