I hadn’t even realized there was a new Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature® Credit Card for U.S. customers until reader M.E. flagged it for me. And it’s sure a strange one!
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.
Yesterday a Delta business class award from the U.S. to Europe would have cost 50,000 points and $5.60. Now there are $1,000 surcharges and prices up to 77,500 for non-stop flights. Los Angeles – New York – London can cost 127,500 points.
Three years ago American Airlines promoted a hypothetical maybe order for electric aircraft using taxpayer bailout funds. Now they’re promoting a hypothetical maybe order for hydrogen-fueled aircraft while positioning themselves as unable to afford higher wages for flight attendants.
Airline caterer Gate Gourmet may face a strike at the end of the month, as the National Mediation Board released union UNITE HERE from negotiations and into a 30-day cooling off period. The caterer says they’ve made an “industry-leading offer” that the union has rejected.
Hopefully this messaging suggests we’re closer than ever to a new agreement that both sides can live with – and then that the union can sell the contract they negotiate to flight attendants, who have been promised that the wait will be worth it in terms of big raises and full retro pay for four and a half years since their deal became amendable.
With the whole world talking about the President’s debate performance Thursday night, whether he should still be running, and whether he’ll be replaced at the top of the ticket the campaign would very much like a return to normal discourse. So they’re back to talking about middle class pocket book issues. And nobody ever loses points beating up on airlines.
If two people sit together on a plane and hit it off, and they wind up together in the end, then it’s an adorable story – like the couple who met on a Southwest Airlines flight, had the pastor from their row officiate at their wedding, and made it all airline-themed.
Usually, though, it’s just a little bit creepy. But women, knowing men are on the hunt for a more attractive seatmate, are using this knowledge to their advantage.
Perhaps the market for premium cabin transatlantic flights has softened a bit. I’ve certainly been hearing this. And Delta is now willing to sell upgrades for even less money than American.
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.
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 »
