On Delta’s Cancun – New York JFK flight DL787 on Friday, the man sitting in 31D kept asking for help from a flight attendant. Delta has been blocking middle seats, but the man seated nearest him in 31F kept removing his face mask. Four or five times cabin crew would ask him to put it on, and he’d reportedly do so only until the crewmember had left.
January through end of schedule in July Singapore Airlines is making four business class award seats available most days in both directions for Los Angeles – Singapore non-stop. This is a great way, of course, to connect beyond in Southeast Asia.
What I keep hearing over and over from American Airlines employees is that they’re worried about bankruptcy. They’re reluctant to take early retirement, and are concerned about their pensions, because they’re afraid the promised money isn’t going to be there for them. And much of that is the fault of Congress as much as the airline itself.
Major U.S. airlines have tried to shrink their workforces to reflect the new reality of reduced airline demand, offering leaves and early retirement packages to employees in hopes of avoiding furloughs.
On Wednesday American Airlines President Robert Isom told a group of flight attendants, however, that furloughs at the airline are inevitable – even though their cross-town rival has announced they won’t need to furlough anyone this year.
American Airlines reminding its customer service agents on Tuesday that passengers who want to travel with an emotional support animal have to complete all the paperwork which is now required to do so, and have it approved, at least 48 hours prior to travel – unless they buy a new walkup ticket.
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Southwest Airlines – along with other carriers – has noticed an increase in passengers treating flights as ‘BYO’ and drinking their own mini bottles they bring through security while on board.
Airlines have stopped serving alcohol in coach (and in some cases first class) both as a cost saving measure and to limit interaction between passengers and flight attendants. So passengers have taken the matter into their own hands.
Don’t expect a return to meal (tray) service on American Airlines any time soon. And when they’re ready to offer meals again expect something ‘more modern’ which in my experience is usually code for something cheaper and less extensive,
Throughout the Covid pandemic American Airlines has focused on connecting flights through its Charlotte and Dallas hubs. It’s pulled back in other markets, like Los Angeles which will no longer be its primary transpacific gateway and New York which was hit by the virus early and now faces travel restrictions (quarantines) for people coming from much of the country.
The airline’s Miami hub, though, represents opportunity going forward because of where they see their best opportunities internationally unfolding.
Summer is traditionally peak season when airlines are the busiest. It’s heavy leisure travel season, when people fly internationally to Europe and beyond. And that season ends around Labor Day. Yet air travel this summer has plateaued around 25% of last year’s passenger volumes.
Throughout June things were improving for domestic flying, at least, but the recovery in air travel largely ended after that. Covid-19 cases grew in the United States. Cities and states imposed quarantine requirements for arriving passengers that have kept people away. And we’re approaching the end of peak leisure travel without business travel coming back in behind it to make up some of the difference.
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 »
