Boeing Says The 737 MAX Won’t Be Re-Certified Until Summer. American Says It Will Fly June 5. How Can That Be?

by Gary Leff

inside plane
Feb 12 2020

Boeing projected recently that re-certifying the 737 MAX will take until summer. Once it gets government approvals airlines still have to bring planes out of storage and prepare them for service, and they have to train pilots on new procedures – which will take time in part because of a limited number of available simulators.

And yet American Airlines and other carriers have the plane scheduled back into service in June. CEO Doug Parker updated employees on progress bringing the 737 MAX back into service during last week’s Crew News monthly question and answer session.

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Passengers Tossing Flight Attendant Thank You Notes. Should Cabin Crew Even Bother?

by Gary Leff

Feb 12 2020

An American Airlines flight attendant asked a community of frequent flyers about the value of ‘thank you notes’ written to passengers. Unanimously everyone loved the idea. But the flight attendant reported that several passengers just tossed their notes.

I wonder if this is something that people love in theory but don’t actually appreciate in practice?

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Four Big Changes To World Of Hyatt (Three Don’t Happen Until March 22)

by Gary Leff

Feb 12 2020

Annual category changes are pushing up prices at 117 Hyatt hotels, and 100 go down. Out of these 217 properties changing category 65 are SLH hotels.

Meanwhile Hyatt is adding 48 new SLH hotels to their portfolio, introducing variable pricing for cash and price awards, and implementing new peak and off peak award pricing. All of this goes into effect March 22.

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New Partnership Will “Fully Reimagine” Airport Starbucks

by Gary Leff

starbucks coffee
Feb 11 2020

Airport food locations aren’t actually run by the restaurant names you know. Restaurants will license the concept, and collaborate on menus, with concessions companies like HMS Host, Delaware North, and OTG.

HMS Host had an exclusive deal to offer Starbucks in U.S. airports since 1991. We learned last week that this exclusive deal is over, though existing Starbucks locations should remain in airports through the duration of the HMS Host-airport contract at least.

Here’s what’s next for Starbucks in airports. Hint: it may involve iPads.

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Air Italy Shutting Down, Expects Other Airlines To Operate Their Schedule For Two Weeks

by Gary Leff

Feb 11 2020

This morning I wrote that Air Italy faced an uncertain future – and possible liquidation – after losing 200 million euros in 2019, up from 164 million the year before. The carrier needed more cash, and Qatar Airways which owns 49% of the airline was blocked from taking an additional stsake in the airline by foreign ownership restrictions.

And in fact a decision has been made today to shut down the airline.

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