Commentary

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What Working in a Spirit Airlines Customer Service Call Center is Like (Really Funny)

by Gary Leff

spirit plane
May 26 2019

Spirit Airlines has probably the worst reputation of any airline in America. The problem is that reputations lag reality. First of all Via Air is far worse. And second Spirit has made tremendous strides.

It’s easy to anchor on Spirit as the airline who believed their business model required customers thinking they offer a bad product, who refused a pregnant woman water during a two hour tarmac delay and that wouldn’t refund a Vietnam veteran cancer patient’s tickets when he became too sick to fly to see his daughter in the hospital. And that’s why this spoof video of a Spirit Airlines customer service center is so funny.

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The 737 MAX Could Be Re-Certified in June, Fly Again This Summer

by Gary Leff

plane tv
May 24 2019

The US government is ready to see the 737 MAX re-certified by the end of June — mere weeks from now, as American Airlines CEO Doug Parker predicted. Whether or not that happens may depend on getting some other world agencies to go along. They won’t likely have unanimity, and won’t hold themselves to that standard. But I imagine they’ll hold off until they get Europe and Canada, though not China, to sign off with them.

Once that happens it will take time for airlines to go through steps to bring the plane back into their schedule, which makes cancellations through mid-August taken weeks ago by US carriers seem wise — and suggests that the process to bring the MAX back to the skies is proceeding as expected.

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Punk Rock Band Says El Al Gave Them Middle Seats After Displaying Palestinian Flag Colors

by Gary Leff

band hatari holding palenstine flag
May 23 2019

Icelandic punk rock band Hatari was flying Tel Aviv – London on El Al after performing in the ‘strictly non-political’ Eurovision Song Contest where they held banners that said “Palestine” in the colors of the Palestinian flag while voting was announced. And in a possibly related matter they wound up assigned to middle seats in the back of their aircraft.

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Going Through Airport Security? You May Be Helping Fund Detention Beds at the Southern Border

by Gary Leff

airport security
May 23 2019

If Congress refuses to fund $1.1 billion that the administration is requesting for “border operations,” the Department of Homeland Security has asked agencies to come up with how they would re-allocate funds to pay for it, each essentially paying a ‘tax’ out of their budget.

The TSA has proposed taking loose change passengers leave behind at airport security and using it to fund ‘border operations’.

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Tomorrow the US Will Try to Convince the World to Quickly Re-certify the Boeing 737 MAX

by Gary Leff

inside plane
May 22 2019

On Thursday, May 23rd the FAA is convening a meeting in Dallas with regulators from around the world. That’s what American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told the airline’s employees in his most recent Crew News question and answer session.

He explained “at that time the FAA is going to show the other regulators their views on the fix.” He says that the FAA “will be at least very close to re-certifying the aircraft, weeks not months.” He says not every country will go along and blames “politics are at play” for any reluctance.

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