Category Archives for General.
Southwest Airlines didn’t stumble into bag fees, basic economy, and paid seat assignments by accident—those changes were pushed by an activist investor demanding short‑term financial moves. Now that the damage is done and the stock has popped, that same investor is cashing out and giving up control, leaving Southwest to live with the consequences.
American Airlines flight attendants will protest at the company’s headquarters this Thursday, calling for CEO Robert Isom to step down—just as the airline finally shows signs of turning around. Here’s why employees are taking aim at leadership now.
A former American Airlines VP suggests the airline’s unions expect CEO Robert Isom will soon be replaced—and that’s why they’re publicly calling for his ouster now, to appear influential when the inevitable leadership change happens. Plus, why no one talks about Singapore anymore and how Starbucks’ loyalty program is getting even worse.
Delta’s latest fare category, “Comfort Basic,” offers extra legroom but is intentionally designed with heavy restrictions and guaranteed middle seats. It seems bizarre—until you realize the airline doesn’t actually want you booking it.
In a story so absurd it cannot possibly be real, a passenger accidentally left $20,000 in cash inside her checked luggage at Boston Logan Airport—and the TSA screener who found it was celebrated for not stealing the money.
Donald Trump reportedly demanded Washington Dulles airport and New York’s Penn Station rename themselves after him as a condition for approving rail funding—but a judge quickly intervened. Plus: TSA sued over $82,000 cash seizure, Chicago O’Hare’s new concourse, and more.
Passengers were stunned as a bizarre air traffic control exchange sounded “like listening to ‘The Price Is Right.'” Plus, Starbucks’ new loyalty tiers aren’t revolutionary, and Frontier Airlines is giving away 5,000 free miles.
A Marriott guest was forced into an absurd debate with hotel staff, who resisted providing bottled water just to brush his teeth. Also in today’s roundup: Epstein-linked Hyatt documents surface, British Airways quietly ends its AARP discount, and why passengers clapping after landing annoys so many travelers.
News and notes from around the interweb: Jeffrey Epstein stayed on friends and family rates at Hyatt. In fairness, Hyatt’s Friends & Family rate is often is a very good deal and it earns full points and stay credit. Mildly interesting – Epstein stayed on friends/family rates at Hyatt byu/dogemaster00 inhyatt We all have hobbies. A Moroccan man climbs onto the roof of a Vueling A320 at Valencia Airport after gaining access to the airport and using the aircraft stairs to get to the top of the fuselage. Three civil guards convinced the man to come down approximately 10 minutes later. A day before the… pic.twitter.com/ELghVQup7m — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) February 1, 2026 The Trump administration still enforces antitrust, even in aviation. This is relevant as we think about JetBlue, Spirit and…
Delta hosted a fundraiser for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s son-in-law as he runs for Congress—a move with painfully obvious “regulator optics.” Also: Visa’s swipe-fee messaging, a jaw-dropping St. Barts approach video, Southwest’s new boarding turning passengers into baggage handlers and more.
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 »
