Marriott IT Is Still the Gang That Can’t Shoot Straight

by Gary Leff

outside marriott hotel
Sep 10 2019

The internal e-mail address that Marriott is using to process claims is changing. The old one is set to expire. However the website hasn’t been updated to use the new e-mail address, and this generates a message to the customer. Oops.

Here’s hoping Marriott IT can update the web form before IT expires the old address, or else Best Rate Guarantee claims will go into the ether the way so many customer service requests did last fall after Marriott, Starwood, and Ritz-Carlton loyalty accounts got combined with the launch of the new program.

Continue Reading »

Airport Video Captures You Wherever You Go

by Gary Leff

Sep 10 2019

Did you realize that all of your airport movements are being captured on video? At most airports all public spaces are being recorded. Those recordings aren’t just used for security either. Airlines have access to them. Whenever a story about bad passengers comes out, or airlines acting badly towards passengers, there’s video and airlines review it to see what really happened and potentially defend themselves.

The quality of video is surprisingly high in some airports around the world.

Continue Reading »

Privacy Policies are Useless Because Your Biographical Data is Worthless, Here’s What Has Value

by Gary Leff

man in suit looking at computer screen
Sep 09 2019

Your frequent flyer accounts are more than rewards for your behavior. They’re also data that’s valuable, too. So is your credit card spending. Banks don’t just give you points, get transaction value, and make money on interchange (merchant swipe fees) and revolve (interest). They generate intelligence about your buying behavior that can be rented out to companies that want to sell more to you.

When data is hacked, we hear about biographical information that’s taken – name, address, e-mail address, and we worry about social security numbers. That’s not even the really valuable stuff.

Continue Reading »

I’m So Excited, I’m Flying Spirit Airlines!

by Gary Leff

spirit plane
Sep 09 2019

United and American were $225 for coach, and I wouldn’t be able to leave until 8 p.m. Spirit had a better flight time and was much cheaper. I can’t tell you how excited I am to leave my comfort zone and try Spirit again though honestly things already aren’t starting super well.

The first thing about booking travel with Spirit is that it’s complicated. Seriously, there’s a lot to think about.

Continue Reading »

New Oral History of 9/11, From the Voices Inside the White House Bunker to What Was Said On United 93

by Gary Leff

Sep 09 2019

A former Politico editor, Garrett M. Graff, has a new oral history of 9/11 coming out on Tuesday, “The Only Plane in the Sky” and here are a couple of excerpts.

The President was on board Air Force One. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice learned about the incident in real time during her daily briefing. The Vice President was in charge in the White House’s underground bunker built for use during a nuclear attack.

Continue Reading »

I Can’t Believe I Have to Write This Post

by Gary Leff

Sep 08 2019

The single nuttiest idea in aviation history was published in the Dallas Morning News, an argument by Matt Andersson, the founder of an airline startup (Indigo Airlines), to merge the nation’s airlines into one and have the government run it. Oh he wants to eliminate frequent flyer points, too.

Continue Reading »