News notes from around the interweb:
- Delta pauses automatic elite upgrades and instead will process upgrades at the gate (in the same priority order) to ensure social distancing and address any weight and balance issues on largely empty flights.
- God Save the Points says now is the time if you want to start a blog (just know now is not the time where travel rewards blogs are making money). Here’s what I’ve learned about growing a blog and making money online.
- The six-foot social-distancing rule was too confusing for Manitobans, so the airport started to use metrics everyone here can understand: “Please stay one polar bear apart.” (HT: Tyler K.)
- United Airlines customer service agents in Denver are making face masks. Singapore Airlines cabin crew are serving hospital patients. They’ll act as nurse assistants, providing care to low risk patients, in order to free up resources for health professionals to treat COVID-19.
- Air France and KLM have found religion on customer refunds for cancelled flights, but only for travel that includes the U.S. thanks to the DOT putting the smack down.
As expected, Air France joins KLM with the new refund policy. Still only talking about POS in the US, not necessarily all flight ex-US. pic.twitter.com/MPhFHIicre
— The Flying Dutchboy (@FlyingDutchBlog) April 8, 2020
- United Airlines continues to insist that if they can’t get better slots at the Manila airport, then consumers everywhere shouldn’t get improved air service between the U.S. and Philippines. This is stalling the proposed codeshare between American Airlines and Philippine Airlines, and represents a very ‘Trumpian’ approach to trade policy.
All I’ll say is that United’s slots at MNL ARE terrible so I don’t blame them for angling for better slots.
There is a Florida corrollary to the Manitoba safe distancing rule: Keep the length of 1 alligator between you and everyone else at all times.
Manitoba (and Canada) being metric, it is unlikely that anyone under 50 would understand “foot” anyway.
The Philippines has been screwing United for years now. Other airlines get multiple slots. Philippine airlines gets as many slots as they want. And United only gets one slot. Manila has a new terminal and could easily accommodate another slot for United.