News and notes from around the interweb:
- New Airbnb customers get a free night worth up to $300 and how to do very bad things with it.
- American is finally releasing business class award and upgrade space on its Dallas – Hong Kong flight. Lots of it. Too much. Either it’s a mistake and won’t last long, or the route is already on the chopping block with new management. Or both.
- Etihad is adding a second New York JFK – Abu Dhabi flight. Award availability is amazing (as are most Etihad flights). They’re going to be using a Jet Airways aircraft, rather than one of their own (still suites in first class) and eventually this Etihad flight will be operated by Jet Airways. I find Etihad an excellent use of American Airlines miles for travel to the Middle East, India, and the surrounding region.
- Dunkin’ Donuts is testing a new revenue-based frequent
flyerbuyer program. - Now that American and US Airways have combined, they are a gigantic company and they have a ton of cash — $10 billion. If the Department of Justice hadn’t just gone all medieval on the idea of big airline mergers, I might expect them to go shopping with some of that cash (for Alaska Airlines or JetBlue perhaps). Instead, some analysts expect paydown of debit and dividends.
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Revenue-based doughnut rewards? Bah! The days of easily-obtained first-class eclairs are over.
No eclairs upgrade on 500 donut chicklets for you!
I doubt that AMR-LCC will start acquiring another airline until they’re done with their “own” merger. Probably either a buyback or a dividend. More importantly, it probably leaves DL to buy up Alaska while AMR-LCC is still busy.
Do you think we will magically see JFK/ORD-HKG award space on CX drying up all of a sudden for AA redemptions?
@Ben L. – That’s what everyone said when Dougie started angling to take over AA.