American Is Now Retrofitting 737s AGAIN To Fix Poorly Thought Out First Class Cabin

by Gary Leff

Jan 09 2020

American created ‘Project Kodiak’ to tweak first class: Fixing row 1’s legroom, fixing underseat storage, improving separation between first and coach, and adding tablet holders and USB power to first class.

Kodiak retrofits are underway. One surprise is that it appears there’s a plane with seat back video in for retrofit, ripping out TV screens. American had previously said that these planes would receive their retrofits last so that customers could keep screens as long as possible. That appears not to have been accurate.

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Customer Missed Birth Of Their Child After Being Downgraded By American Airlines

by Gary Leff

american airlines planes
Jan 09 2020

n America Airlines passenger tells the story about buying a paid transpacific business class ticket on American Airlines but being downgraded for their Chicago – Tokyo flight a few weeks ago when their inbound Boston – Chicago flight was delayed.

The passenger says their Boston – Chicago flight was running late due to crew availability (a flight attendant “had woken up late and was on her way”) and that meant arriving into Chicago 45 minutes late. They had to run to their connecting gate, but they made it while the Tokyo flight was still boarding.

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Willie Walsh Retiring As Head Of IAG, and British Airways CEO Doesn’t Get The Job

by Gary Leff

plane tails
Jan 09 2020

Willie Walsh is stepping down as CEO and from the board of of IAG, the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling effective March 26 and retiring June 30. He’s 58 years old and has talked about retiring by 60, though this is ahead of schedule. He’ll be replaced by Luis Gallego, CEO of Iberia – and not by the CEO of British Airways.

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In Leaked Employee Address Southwest Airlines CEO Promises To Never Adopt Basic Economy Fares

by Gary Leff

Jan 08 2020

Southwest though has a long history of profits and margins that have eluded much of the industry, and they haven’t gone down the same fees and restrictions rabbit hole. They are the largest domestic airline in the country. They do not have change fees or checked bag fees (for up to 2 bags per passenger). They don’t have seat fees, without assigned seats, but they do charge to be at the front of the boarding queue which means earlier dibs at seat selection.

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Government To Start Collecting DNA Samples On Travelers Detained Entering The U.S.

by Gary Leff

passport getting stamped
Jan 08 2020

Your DNA will become a precondition for international travel, at the discretion of Customs and Border Protection. That’s because the U.S. government has started a pilot program to collect DNA from people taken into CBP custody – including citizens – with plans to roll the program out nationwide. Once collected, DNA samples “will “go into a massive criminal database run by the FBI, where it would be held indefinitely.”

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Captain Has Family Detained By Airport Security For Criticizing The Airline

by Gary Leff

Jan 08 2020

When her son couldn’t use the bathroom he started to complain about his stomach. Her husband started griping to her about the airline. And flight attendants overheard the complaints.

On arrival she says they made it to baggage claim but were stopped from leaving the airport on order of the flight’s captain who instructed airport security to hold the family.

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