News and notes from around the interweb:
- Just wait until United, American, Southwest, Alaska and even Frontier have Starlink and Delta does not. They’re gambling on Amazon’s new system that isn’t up and working yet because they decided it was a better financial deal. Big risk!
I warned them. It will get much worse. https://t.co/0agUpcJziE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 19, 2026
- United is so good at this!
Officially a @united million miler! Little did I know they’d be ready for me in Las Vegas with such an unexpected but very much appreciated moment. Talk about delighting the customer, and going above and beyond! pic.twitter.com/0roHqTj712
— Peter Harris (@PGHarris) August 19, 2026
- Want.
- Sorry, but ‘straight to jail’ isn’t close to the right punishment here.
- American Airlines Admirals Clubs are now cobranded with Citibank. Citi cards offering day passes may have those passes treated differently than purchased day passes so that the lounge will accept them even when ‘no day passes because the lounge is full’ signs are out.
When I arrived at the H/K club, I saw the “no One-Day Passes” sign posted. Initially I thought that this would include my Globe card passes since they basically operate the same way, but decided to try it anyway. They said that these passes operate differently and let me in!
So basically I guess there is a distinction between the One-Day Passes and “Admirals Club Globe Pass” in terms of usability
Separately, American’s Admirals Clubs often just leave the ‘no day passes’ signs out, even when the lounges are empty. Go up to the desk and ask even if you see the sign because they might actually accept day passes.
- The truth is out there.
What did United Airlines 821 ( Boeing 787) see? 👀👽🛸 pic.twitter.com/XSAob61cvU
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) August 20, 2026
since you just talked about brand quality and reputation, the worse performing companies in the US are those with the name of the current occupant of the WH and Elon.
Amazon is rated in the top tier of US companies.
Friday morning interwebs? ‘Heck yeah, we fly there,’ Gary!
First, “Want.” LOL. (Is that like the “Would” meme?)
On WiFi topic, if I were an objective consumer/frequent flyer, I’d like to think that I just want reliable WiFi included (‘free’) on every flight. Some airlines already do this (and have been for a while, see B6, DL, etc.) Some claim to do it better (whip out that Speedtest, friends). Some do nothing (WTF, mates). That said, I wouldn’t really be concerned with the specific provider (Starlink, Leo, Viasat, etc.) Just get it done. (However, because of ‘TDS’ I have to hate Elon, now, so… /s)
On the day-pass sign lies, yeah, AA does that; UA does that. It’s pathetic. Let people use their stuff. If I didn’t have Citi AA Exec, I’d be pissed if I was trying to use Citi Strata Elite pass, but got denied (not because of crowds but because of a sign). EWR Terminal C United Clubs have done this to me, pre-emptively denying access with Explorer card passes, but allowing at Terminal A, so I’ve had to take a bus there and back just to burn the pass. Lame.
Otherwise, glad to see more special celebrations for Million Milers (of any airline). I’m actually getting close with Delta. Wonder if they’ll actually do anything, or just a ‘meh.’ (Note on napkin, extra Biscoff. I’d probable be like, ‘not great, not terrible.’)
@Tim Dunn — Woah, the tides have turned, it seems. What happened to MAGA-Tim? Ed should expect some angry Tweets from the WH, soon. (Sorry, I mean, ‘Truths.’ LOL.)
Timmy is busting out the Delta kneepads bright and early today
I noticed this the other day too with my Citi Strata Elite passes – I figured the “no one day passes” sign would disallow me from using those to enter an Admirals Club.
But I asked anyways and the agent said that those are specifically NOT included in any ban on one-day passes
lol at TD. Bezos has given a ton of money to Trump the past 2+ years. Maybe we should brand DDS Delta Derangement Syndrome after him.
If American Airlines decides that the $79 one-day pass they sold you to their Admirals Club is just a cute souvenir, simply staple a $20 bill to it—suddenly, you’re welcome! Frequent flyers call this “surge pricing,” which is hilarious, considering the lounge is emptier than your promises to never fly American again. Seasoned travelers prefer the term “green grease”—because apparently, money really does lubricate everything.
Recently, I got a better internet connection flying over former Soviet Republic of Georgia in the middle of nowhere on Cathay Pacific than I did flying over the state of Georgia on Delta.
Yes, it does matter to some people.
Recently, I got a better internet connection flying over former Soviet Republic of Georgia in the middle of nowhere on Cathay Pacific than I did flying over the state of Georgia on Delta.
And, yes, it does matter to some people.
@1990.
Please go away. Your chatter and nonsense is far worse than anything Tim Dunn has to say. Just please shut up.
funny… apparently it doesn’t include wherever you are connecting from today.
I have said before and will say again that the appropriate comparison will be when UA or AA or WN completes their WiFi installation to what DL has at that time.
DL already has more WiFi equipped aircraft than any other airline, is getting it on the 717s now, and Viasat is expected to turn on 2 new satellites – one each for N. America and the other for the Pacific. Viasat speeds will improve.
AA, DL, UA and WN each carry hundreds of millions of passenger per year. Other sources for this same statement by Elon talk about numbers in the thousands, not even millions. People simply are not going to change their loyalty for faster internet.
People truly overestimate how much people use/want internet on a flight.
@Dan @ Points With a Crew — I think you got lucky with that agent. Ideally, that is the official policy, and those four passes from Citi Strata Elite are good to go, anytime. However, like many things, I fear it’s kinda ‘up to them’ and ‘how they’re feeling that day/time.’
It’s not a Tesla, but if you have EDS maybe key the fuselage when boarding.
I have no doubt that Starlink speeds are important to some, I’m just not convinced that’s a large number.
What is the need for the term “unused” on the AA lounge sign?
@Tim Dunn – Viasat can launch 10,000 satellites and they still won’t be able to fight physics and the incredible latency that they have to deal with at 22,000 miles above the earth. Amazon won’t have significant coverage for at least another 5 years. I’m a regular AA flyer and deal with Viasat which works sometimes and sometimes not, just like Delta. What AA has today though that Delta doesn’t is SES LEO on their regional jets. It’s fantastic. They leverage OneWeb, which is probably what Delta should have done.
UA 821 is a 5th freedom flight.
@jns — The BKK-HKG segment is, at-least (UA does use same flight number for HKG-LAX as well); same with outbound (UA820, LAX-HKG-BKK).
Who was it that did an exposé on all the various ‘freedoms of the air’ recently? I think it was Ben at OMAAT, or, at least he focused on 5th freedom (RJ, KUL-BKK).
1st: Fly over a foreign country without landing (UA, SFO-LHR).
2nd: Land for refueling or maintenance without disembarking (QF, SYD-LHR via DXB).
3rd: Fly from home country to foreign country (DL, JFK-CDG).
4th: Fly from foreign country to home country (DL, CDG-JFK).
5th: Fly between two foreign countries via home (EK, DXB-ATH-JFK).
6th: Fly between foreign countries stopping at home (QR, MAN-DOH-BKK).
7th: Fly between foreign countries outside home (FR/Malta Aur, FCO-ALC).
8th: Fly domestic routes inside foreign country via home (QF, SYD-LAX-JFK, previously).
9th: Fly domestic routes inside foreign country (U2, CDG-NCE).