Star Alliance member Air Canada has a limited partnership with oneworld member Cathay Pacific. Brand new today, it’s now possible to redeem Air Canada Aeroplan miles for Cathay Pacific flights online. And best of all, you can easily combine Cathay Pacific flights with other flights.
Nine years, seven months, and 20 days after the September 11th attacks that took 2977 American lives, United States Navy SEALs of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group (“Seal Team Six”) executed Operation Neptune Spear, along with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the CIA’s Special Activities Division, raided Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
During that raid, bin Laden was killed. Now, nearly a decade later, the member of the SEAL team on that raid who says he’s the one that pulled the trigger refuses to wear a mask on a Delta flight, posts to social media about it, and gets banned.
American Airlines announced this morning that unless the government gives them another round of CARES Act payroll support, they will drop service to 15 cities October 7.
Except they cannot legally leave two of the cities without giving advance advance notice to the Department of Transportation, which they have not done.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker’s whole career is built on government subsidies. His airline is the most vulnerable to bankruptcy. So when the chips are down they’re playing the game that’s worked out best for him: threatening small cities where American Airlines has a virtual monopoly on air service, and announcing cuts to 15 cities that impose pain on 28 different Senators.
To avoid assigning any middle seats on a narrowbody aircraft with six seats across, that means blocking one-third of the seats in coach (67% load factor). Delta has been capping sales at 60% of the seats in coach. Starting October 1 they are going to be selling more seats, up to 75% of the seats in coach on each plane. That means filling each cabin 25% more than before.
American Airlines is suspending service to 15 cities effective October 7, and CARES Act subsidies are mentioned 3 times in the release that’s just 151 words. The airline makes clear that if a second bailout passes they’re prepared to serve these markets.
Dubai is relaxing access to alcohol for foreigners, who are able to purchase it now without a permit just by showing a passport. The move comes as the sheikhdom tries to bolster its tourism sector in the face of c a coronavirus-led depression.
Traditionally economic growth has been expected to lead to greater social liberalism. That hasn’t happened in China, of course. Here it’s economic contraction that’s doing the work.
An S7 airlines flight Tomsk to Moscow diverted Thursday morning to Omsk in Siberia after a passenger on board – opposition politician Alexei Navalny – fell ill. He became unconscious after an apparent poisoning, the second time he’s been poisoned. It’s believed that poison was placed into tea that he drank at the airport prior to departure.
Opposition to Vladimir Putin inside of Russia is dangerous, indeed.
Virgin Atlantic like all other airlines is struggling during the pandemic. They’re in the midst of a restructuring and they’ve only just restarted flying last month to 6 cities.
Previously they had only extended member elite status by six months. They’ve gone ahead and made that now a full year, extending elite vouchers too. And they’re introducing changes to their frequent flyer elite program that are actually positive. The biggest change is that award travel will earn elite qualifying credit starting September 1. You’ll be able to transfer points from a credit card, fly, and earn top tier elite.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
