American Airlines is offering a 17% raise and increased profit sharing to its flight attendants immediately, without waiting for a new contract. The union just has to allow them to pay cabin crew more, and doesn’t have to give anything up in return. That’s the message that airline CEO Robert Isom sent in the form of a video directly to flight attendants today.
The union has opened what they’re calling a “Strike Command Center.” To prepare for a strike, the union is telling flight attendants… you’re on your own and expect not to be able to pay credit card bills.
Sara Nelson’s flight attendants union AFA-CWA doesn’t allow crewmembers to directly elect its Master Executive Council officers and international officers.
Ms. Nelson took the issue to its annual board of directors meeting late last month. She lost on voice votes. She said this was “about putting power in each individual member’s hands.” Instead, union power will remain in the hands of insiders.
Delta and Starbucks launched a mileage partnership in fall 2022 where you would link your accounts and then earn 1 SkyMile per dollar spent at Starbucks (2 miles on days you flew Delta). This largely copied an Air Canada – Starbucks program in Canada.
They’ve now ‘optimized’ the program.
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.
You get this card for the bonus and that’s worth it, you get an Admirals Club membership, and you get loyalty point bonuses if you earn enough loyalty points in the AAdvantage program (you do not have to spend on this card to earn these). It’s probably worth charging an Avis rental to the card. And then you may keep it if you want to retain Admirals Club and the loyalty point bonuses.
Air Canada delayed a flight from Vancouver to Costa Rica for 24 hours in 2020. It took three years, but the Canadian Transportation Agency – which generally didn’t require the airline to offer refunds to customers even when an airline cancelled their flight during Covid – awarded two passengers who complained $1,000 each.
Six months later, Air Canada still hasn’t paid. Instead, they’re suing the passengers.
American Airlines and flight attendants go back to mediation in Washington, D.C. next week for what the union characterizes as a “last ditch” effort to avoid a strike. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants is telling crewmembers to “prepare for” a strike, and there’s certainly a looming threat and with negotiations dragging on that threat becomes more real. But for now it appears mostly posturing, and a deal seems likely.
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 had several terrible days operationally last week as they battled storms around Dallas and ran low on reserve crew.
On Sunday night an American Airlines passenger, stuck on the ground on a plane in Dallas for three hours, reports being forced “to dial 911 for someone to help us get off [the] plane.”
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 »
