News and notes from around the interweb:
- Delta SkyMiles lets you redeem intra-South Korea business class for 6000 miles each way and now Asiana low cost subsidiary Air Busan is bookable. Asiana itself remains a Star Alliance member but as it’s integrated into Korean Air that will change.
- I don’t know anyone answering the question, “What does Armenia (population 3 million) need most?” would have said a new national airline. But it’s a low cost carrier, in cooperation with Air Arabia – so the Yerevan-based airline probably won’t lose as much money as it otherwise would have.
- Hotel owners whining that guests have too high expectations when room rates are the same or higher than what they used to pay. They don’t want to serve breakfast, offer housekeeping
or change the linens. Marriott says the answer is more self-serve via their mobile app. Wyndham’s President for the Americas does at least acknowledge you have to tell guests they’re getting less for the same money. (HT: Jonathan W.)“We know that we’re going to continue to change and evolve the way this moves forward, whether it’s housekeeping or the services available in the hotel; and some may have changed permanently. And so it’s making sure that the description of that room, description of the services, and what the guests would expect are clearly there,” he said, adding that technology is aiding in that communication.
“I do think that guests will accept certain differences in the long run, but they’re looking for a clear understanding of what they’re getting for those dollars,” LePage said. “And as the dollars go up, which is what we all want, then that clarity becomes more and more important.”
- Some Hyatt members are being targeted for a free night after each of their first two 2+ night stays
- United now allows electronic travel certificates to be used for partner airline travel
- 350 free Lufthansa Miles & More miles
- Analogic awarded $200 million contract for TSA airport scanners the company’s logo on the devices is actually rather fitting.
- Casears cancels QAnon conference they’d booked. This group aside it re-raises all sorts of issues around a company’s role in deciding what events to host – especially after agreeing to host them. And how do you learn that you’re hosting a QAnon conference, anyway? The organizers don’t tell you, right? Isn’t Q a secret?
With regard to a hotel refusing to accept a conference,
shouldn’t a self-avowed libertarian be all in favor of allowing companies the liberty to avoid or “fire” whichever customers a company may want to “fire” (even pre-emptively) for any or no reason whatsoever?
Don’t for-profit corporations deserve freedom of association, freedom of expression, and freedom to try to buy elections and influence in government and beyond? Why would a self-avowed libertarian be against the freedom of corporations — including this corporate megabank — to begin, end or avoid associations with customers however the corporation wants?
I’m not a self-avowed libertarian.
The Miles&More Lufthansa link does not work.
Embarrassing that QAnon is still a thing once the guy behind it was outed
MAGA mouth breathers gotta mouth breathe and all I guess
Regarding the Caesars cancellation, it might be worth noting that the family who has the controlling interest in Caesars is from Reno and the family is not leftist by any stretch of the imagination. Let’s nip any conspiracy theories in the bud. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSyueBoC9mE&t=12s
We have heard about the reverse — that is, individuals’ reservations being canceled in favor of the property obtaining a conference booking. The hotel networks have said that this is fair game; it’s purely a business decision. It could be that a more profitable conference came along; it’s purely a business decision. Alternatively, it would seem that any hotel might make a business decision to not host a conference with which it does not wish to be associated.
If a contract to host a conference has already been entered, then the question becomes whether the contract provisions allow for a cancellation. For example, if the actual nature of the conference was to be disclosed but was in fact concealed, then a contract provision might have allowed Caesars to cancel. Or, there might be a provision that allow Caesars to cancel any booking by any organization deemed disreputable in Caesars’ sole discretion. (Sounds like a bank.) We don’t know but I would have to believe that Caesars has some escape hatch. But, if not, if Caesars breached its contract, then the contractor promoter can take appropriate action.
As a matter of disclosure, I am not a leftist either.
RE: hotels dropping housekeeping – I’m seeing intermittent enforcement of this at Hilton brand hotels. Randomly I will come back and my room will have been cleaned even though I didn’t ask for it. And since I assumed I’d have no housekeeping I left some items out I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Housekeeping or not, just be freaking consistent. Maddening to not know what to expect.
UA-NYC Wasn’t Juanita Broaddrick scheduled to speak there at the Double Down Conference? Isn’t she the one who, in an NBC Dateline interview, accused President Bill Clinton of raping her in 1978 when he was the Arkansas Attorney General and running for Governor? Wasn’t she outed as Jane Doe #5 in the Paula Jones vs Bill Clinton suit and deposed in the Ken Starr Impeachment investigation of Bill Clinton? Not a fan of Q, not even a Republican, but as an old journalist, auditor and fraud examiner it would have been interesting to hear her speak, don’t you think?
Regarding the increased implementation of advanced CT scanners by the TSA it is worth knowing what WebMD has to say about scanning:
“CT scans use X-rays, which produce ionizing radiation. Research shows that this kind of radiation may damage your DNA and lead to cancer. But the risk is still very small — your chances of developing a fatal cancer because of a CT scan are about 1 in 2,000.”
Given the history of TSA management I would expect that there will be many careless TSA operators who expose themselves and frequent travelers to unnecessary risk. In these instances I would not be surprised to see much worse odds for contracting cancer and other serious side effects.
We can expect the government and the manufacturer to vehemently deny these risks and they will likely never be held to account since the consequences would not be immediately observable or easily proven.
This is yet another example of “free market players” and the government conspiring against public health and safety.
If I wasn’t chasing 140 more nights to lifetime platinum I would definitely be changing to hyatt… Sometimes the 10$ credit is a joke when the coffee cost 7.50… Its time the higher end hotels bring back breakfast for platinum members especially if the restaurant is open.
@GUWonder
We don’t have a problem with it if there were a libertarian free market system where people were free to voluntary and consensually organize, congregate, and associate.
Unfortunately, the current system does not allow Whites/Christians/Conservatives/Populists/Libertarians to organize, congregate, and associate corporately. Every other group is allowed to show preference for its own but us. Every other group is allowed to discriminate and hire their own but us. Every other group is allowed to advertise their preference but us.
All the above mentioned groups are disenfranchised and disempowered by government regulated industries and entities. If conservatives/whites/Christians/populists/freedom lovers want to build our own hotels/airlines/banks/payment networks, we won’t be allowed to by government regulators. They will us obscure and arbitrary rules (which we don’t consent to and are forced on us) to deny entry into various fields while leftist groups are allowed to create what they want with little government interference. It’s a double standard. Until this double standard is eliminated, it’s not logical for actual libertarians to support corporate and government regulated entities denying conservative/populist/White/Christian/Libertarian groups access or agency. We support libertarianism universally only when the system is actually libertarian and we have freedom. It’s counterproductive to the cause of libertarianism to support something that is detrimental to that end. We support libertarianism for our people and only will for our adversaries when they can no longer deny us it.
I hate hospitality and service. When I book a room I just want great technology,