News and notes from around the interweb:
- Airline data shows that the effects of elite status programs on customer buying behavior are greatest as the customer approaches a status level and when an employer is paying for the ticket. (HT: Hoyaheal)
- Tooth Fairy Gets Note from Airline Pilot After South Carolina Girl Loses Tooth on Plane
- Honestly doesn’t look bad for a coach meal, but my expectations are admittedly low.
#Nigerians are literally a major #financial stakeholder when it comes to #vacation #HOLIDAY
We pay so much for poor services we receive by United airlines @AviationGin @united must treat Nigerians right. Improve on the quality of meal 🥘 that you serve . I rejected the meal pic.twitter.com/buRwHS8up0
— Akeem (@akeem_amao) July 7, 2022
- Bulk Dispensers For Bathroom Amenities Can Be Disgusting We rate this claim as true.
- New Qatar Airways elite lounges in Doha
- New paint job for Donald Trump’s Boeing 757 (HT: JonNYC)
@ Gary — Should’ve painted it orange to go with his new outfit and skin tone.
@ Gary — It makes so much more sense to just buy F from whomever is cheapest and utilize frequent flyer benefits as rebates. The perceived benefits of status ( ie, cabin upgrades) don’t match reality. Frequent IRROPs mean you can quickly go from your free F upgrade to a center seat in the back when your flight is cancelled or misconnects. Just book F and be done with it.
While I applaud United for serving a vegetarian/vegan meal in long-haul coach without the need to pre-order it, the vegetable stir fry truly is terrible (I’ve had the pleasure of having it multiple times in the last 30 days – it did not get better the second time around).
Using frequent flyer miles, thanks to the American Airlines AAdvantage program, I am in the air to visit Billings, Montana, today for 33 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to get free ViaSat high-speed internet on my first segment of today’s itinerary DTW-DFW-BIL-DFW-DTW. The AMEX $200 airline credit covered today’s trip cost of $11.20. But unfortunately, AMEX does not cover my $12.00 one-day parking fee at DTW. I arrive in Billings at 1:12 PM, with my return BIL-DFW segment at 1:45 PM. I am looking for advice on what to see today in Billings, Montana airport in 33-minutes. It is heartwarming to know I can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Centurion lounge today while meeting the AMEX requirements of their three-hour policy as I am using confirmed connecting flights.
I hope Landlocked Aviation got paid in full BEFORE repainting Trump’s plane.
To Gene’s point, as a practical matter, buying a premium cabin ticket gives a person the same benefits as tier status . . . and the ability to upgrade (which is speculative at best) becomes irrelevant. When flying internationally and trans-con, one even receives complimentary lounge access with a premium cabin ticket. (By the way, I pay for every dime of travel myself. No OPM.)
But, if someone still desires tier status and if someone is a One World or Star Alliance devotee, then obtain tier status with a non-US carrier so as to garner lounge access in the US. For Delta devotees, your Amex Platinum card provides access to Sky Clubs.
What is the paint color code for tyranny?
The biggest benefit of status is having priority over others during IRROPS. Alternate flights get automatically selected as standby in case of a possible missed connection. In most cases, I would rather get there when I want even if it’s in a middle seat next to the bathroom in the back of the plane, and work out any far differences later. This generally requires an agent if booked on first and downgrading to coach. Other perks of status can be purchased, likely for less than the efforts of getting status.
For people traveling in basic economy, this is another reason to get to the airport early, it stops someone with high status from poaching your seat before you get a seat assignment.
John H, might your advice for basic economy travelers be called “Stop The Steal?” I wonder to what extent that Italian satellites and Chinese thermostats play in hacking airline reservation systems and in contributing to this stealing of basic economy seats. Hmmm.
High tier status trumps J tix without status. (Pun intended).
Last week my wife and I were on the last United night flight PHX-IAH, which ended up being delayed 19 hours 21 minutes.
Full J pax stood in line for rebooking for a next-day flight.
The 1K desk rebooked us fir a flight leaving 60 minutes after the original, PHX-SFO connecting to SFO-IAH with lie-flats on a 777. We paid economy, got CPU, and were quickly on our way, because of status (loyalty).
Alaska has done similar for me as an MVP Gold 75K, leaving paid J to wait in line and rebook.
@Don you know that the paint bill like all of trump’s bills will not be paid and when he declares bankruptcy it will go away AGAIN.
@ Paul,
Ask the demokkkrat Nazis….
I’m sure if Biden had a plane it’d be colored yellow because he is a chicken and only portrays fear on everyone who us around him
It’s a bit like the Waldorf in DC – someone call Father Karras. Get that hangar exorcised.
I think President Trump should apply for a vanity call sign, maybe N47DJT.