Commentary

Category Archives for Commentary.

One Mile at a Time and Frequent Miler Miss the Point on Marriott v. Hilton

by Gary Leff

hotel pool
Dec 25 2018

With all of the problems that Marriott has had launching their new program and integrating 3 loyalty programs into one, many customers are frustrated. Starwood members in particular have been disappointed by the customer service standard over the phone with Marriott, and with the way many Marriott properties are implementing the benefits that have been promised. In short, Marriott has failed to deliver.

Two high profile blogs take issue with my argument that as much of a hash as Marriott has made at things, the grass isn’t greener at Hilton Honors. They’re wrong.

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New Policy: Federal Air Marshals Being Moved to the Back of the Plane Starting Friday

by Gary Leff

liam neeson on a plane
Dec 23 2018

Air marshals though are being moved towards the back of the plane where they can see all of the passengers in front of them, instead of having their back towards supposed threats. This new policy goes into effect December 28.

If nothing else they’ll occupy fewer of the premium seats in economy that airlines sell to passengers for an extra charge.

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Why I’m Getting Fewer Upgrades (And How You Can Up Your Odds)

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Dec 21 2018

Years later when I started traveling for work midweek transcons in coach were nearly $2000 round trip The idea of paying for first was beyond my comprehension.

The cost of coach trips has come down, and in percentage terms the cost of flying first has come down even more. Part of that is a change in airline pricing philosophy, and part is a change in technology. Instead of just having full fare first class and possibly a discount fare bucket, airlines can price first as a specific upcharge to the prevailing coach rate.

That’s helped them sell more seats up front — Delta sells about 60% of its first class seats, American is closer to 50%. It used to be more like one in ten.

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Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s Op-Ed: Government Should Pick Your Pockets, Give Him the Money

by Gary Leff

Dec 21 2018

It isn’t Italy’s subsidies for Alitalia that Delta is complaining about. Since Delta benefits from an anti-trust immunized revenue-sharing joint venture with Alitalia, those subsidies are met with silence.

Instead Delta’s CEO has an op-ed this morning complaining about the smaller Air Italy which is 49% owned by Qatar Airways. And since he has no legitimate complaint that Air Italy, or Qatar, is acting against US law or policy he has to resort to deceptive and disingenuous claims in calling for “the Trump Administration to examine this situation and send a strong message to the Qatari government.”

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Watch: Infant Born Inflight Emerges From Plane in Istanbul

by Gary Leff

Dec 20 2018

A 21 year old woman flying from Libreville, Congo to San Francisco via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines gave birth to a son she calls Bennel during her first flight segment this month. Her husband – who is a doctor – delivered the baby three hours into the flight.

There were 144 passengers on board when the plane took off, and 145 when it landed. The rear of the aircraft was cleared to become a “makeshift delivery suite.”

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Heartbroken Woman Forced By Southwest to Leave Pet Fish Behind

by Gary Leff

southwest plane
Dec 18 2018

Everyone eventually has a fish story. Now Southwest Airlines does, too, since one of their passengers is telling the story of how the carrier separated her from her pet fish in Denver, a pink male beta fish named Cassie. She says she travels with it everywhere, but on this day the Southwest employees she ran into wouldn’t allow it. And she loved her fish.

Earlier this year Spirit Airlines told a cancer patient she’d have to flush her emotional support hamster down the toilet if she wanted to fly that day out of Baltimore. While the TSA was happy to screen the pet, Spirit Airlines is just too classy to carry rodents on board or as cargo.

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