How Marriott Bonvoy Became Part of Getting the President’s Personal Assistant Fired

by Gary Leff

bonvoy
Aug 30 2019

he President’s personal assistant, Madeleine Westerhout, was fired on Thursday. On Friday the story came out that she had made comments at an off-the-record dinner with reporters August 17th hosted by deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley which got back to the White House.

Apparently Ms. Westerhout, after “a couple drinks and in an uncharacteristically unguarded moment,” made comments which – once reported back to the White House – made her continued employment untenable. That’s not the part of the story I’m interested in.

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What Keeps American Airlines From Offering a Checked Baggage Guarantee

by Gary Leff

Aug 30 2019

Delta and Alaska Airlines commit to delivering checked bags within 20 minutes of each flight arriving. United and American make no such commitment. An American employee asked about what the airline can do to improve its baggage delivery times, and management provided a response in writing outlining some of the challenges that they have with bags – and how it’s supposed to work.

They also explained why bags often don’t make it when you change flights during irregular operations.

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Offensive: Hotels.com Implementing a Fee to Redeem “Free” Hotel Nights

by Gary Leff

Aug 30 2019

You earn a Hotels.com free night after staying 10 nights, and that’s an effective 10% rebate on hotel stays. As a result Hotels.com offers a useful program for two types of people. It’s great for those who do not stay regularly enough to earn elite status in a loyalty program. It’s also good for those who don’t concentrate on a single chain.

That rebate will become worth a little bit less in three months.

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Free Delta Miles, Priority Boarding, and Lyft Discounts for Washington State Residents

by Gary Leff

delta plane
Aug 30 2019

One of the challenges with Delta’s buildup in the Seattle market has been the city’s intense loyalty to their hometown airline. “Alaska Airlines” is a strange name for a carrier based in Seattle but Seattleites feel a strong affinity for the company.

Delta has done a lot to move the needle, beyond schedule and price. Like Alaska they offer a 20 minute baggage delivery guarantee. The Seattle airport Sky Club is one of their best. And there have been semi-frequent mileage offers targeted at the local market.

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Had a DUI? You May Not Be Able to Enter Canada

by Gary Leff

passport
Aug 29 2019

George W Bush pled guilty to DUI in 1976 which makes him.. inadmissible to Canada without special permission.

Canada has gotten even stricter about their drunk driving laws in the past year. It doesn’t matter if your charge was a misdemeanor in the U.S., a drunk driving conviction is treated as a serious offense in Canada. And any driving charge related to alcohol may preclude you from entering Canada.

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Man Spent 82 Days in Jail For Returning Home to the U.S. With a Jar of Honey

by Gary Leff

passport getting stamped
Aug 29 2019

It’s never a good idea to take a lot of cash with you through the airport. The government can take the cash by saying your bag smells like pot (or saying that a dog thinks it smells like pot). No charges need every be filed. This isn’t an isolated experience. Maybe your Uber driver’s trunk smelled like pot and your bag was closed up inside for half an hour. In fact flying Chicago – Los Angeles is enough of a reason for the government to suspect you of being a drug dealer and take whatever money you may be carrying. But what if the government doesn’t take your cash, and takes your jar of honey instead? A man recently spent 82 days in jail because he returned home to the U.S., bringing a jar of…

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