American Airlines Replaces First Class Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Gary Leff

Oct 08 2019

American Airlines used to serve the most wonderful baked on board cookies. The whole domestic first class cabin would fill with the smell of fresh baked goodness. It was that smell, even more than the taste, which made the flight feel like home.

After US Airways management took over, and then implemented US Airways catering standards (while meeting in the middle the distance of flights that got meals) in September 2014, baked on board cookies were eliminated. They explained that since legacy US Airways aircraft had just one oven up front, it was tough for flight attendants to heat both meals and cookies at the same time.

Continue Reading »

Houston Airport Offers $95,000 Internship

by Gary Leff

Oct 07 2019

The City of Houston had a hiring freeze – no new police, first responders in the event of floods – but managed to create a new $95,000 a year internship for someone the Mayor has “a past working relationship” with, after initially claiming to have no idea who the intern was. The position allows the candidate to decide for themselves whether to stay on at the conclusion of the 12- to 18-month internship.

Curiously, the $95,000 internship isn’t at George Bush International Airport (IAH) or Houston Hobby (HOU) but at general aviation Houston Municipal Airport.

Continue Reading »

Passenger Rushes Past Gate Agent, Declares Himself the FBI

by Gary Leff

Oct 07 2019

American Airlines flight AA1060 from Miami to Newark was delayed about three and a half hours today when a man “ran onto the plane screaming that it was his plane and he’s FBI.”

The Captain made an announcement, going farther than he should have and likely speculating baselessly, that they “think the guy was a decoy to distract from something else.” Everyone was offloaded and passengers and bags were searched.

Continue Reading »

Stinky Fruit Forces Air Canada to Make Emergency Landing

by Gary Leff

durian
Oct 07 2019

If you’ve spent much time in Southeast Asia you’ve come across Durian, sometimes referred to as “stinky fruit.” You’ll see hotels and buses with “No Durian” signs because while delicious, some people think it smells like sewage, and the odor lasts.

There wasn’t a ‘no durian’ sign September 17th on Air Canada Rouge flight 1566 from Montreal – Vancouver that was forced to make an emergency landing due to the smell of durian.

Continue Reading »

Delta’s CEO is Wrong About Airline Alliances

by Gary Leff

Oct 06 2019

Bastian is certainly right that alliances haven’t created seamless travel experiences for customers, and that alliances don’t allow airlines to do as much jointly as when they receive anti-trust immunity from governments to work together, as with a joint venture.

However he overgeneralizes the importance of this to alliances as a whole, rather than recognizing alliances simply haven’t helped Delta as much as they benefit other airlines.

Continue Reading »

Marriott’s Move to Bulk Toiletries is Already a Disaster

by Gary Leff

bottles with hair cleaner in them
Oct 06 2019

I don’t know what the substance was in the bulk toiletry and it really doesn’t matter. That these get tampered with in practice should be enough to stop the project in its tracks. And 5000 Marriott points as an apology for this is genuinely offensive.

How can the hotel expect to charge for a room that is so poorly cared for by housekeeping, and that jeopardizes a guest’s health by allowing the toiletries to be compromised in this way?

Continue Reading »