View from the Wing

American Airlines Has No Interest in 100 Seat Aircraft, Plans to Buy More Used A319s Instead

by Gary Leff on September 23, 2019

Sep 23 2019

The Airbus A220 has been a popular aircraft. Delta was able to buy a large number of them cheap before Airbus took over sales of the program from Bombardier. It has a low cost of operations and can fly surprisingly long distances. The wide fuselage makes it a passenger favorite for comfort because each seat gets extra width.

American Airlines doesn’t have an interest in the A220. Instead, American plans to pick up more Airbus A319s on the used market super cheap – a cost driven down, in part, by the growing popularity of the A220.

This Week American Airlines is Testing a New Signature Cocktail

by Gary Leff on September 23, 2019

Sep 23 2019

Monday through Friday of this week American Airlines will be testing a new signature cocktail for premium cabins. There are two different beverages they’re trying out and are soliciting customer feedback.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker: His Boeing 737 MAXs Are Safe Today – Other Airlines’ May Not Be

by Gary Leff on September 23, 2019

Sep 23 2019

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker says that the plane is safe to fly today – with American’s 737 MAX and using American’s pilots – suggesting that the delay in bringing the plane back into service is so that it’ll be safe even when operated by other airlines.

He dishes on how they’re scheduling the plane’s return to service, and whether or not delays have been the result of politics.

IHG Rewards Club Points Will Become Redeemable at 500 Mr. and Mrs. Smith Luxury Hotels

by Gary Leff on September 23, 2019

Sep 23 2019

Starting “early next year” IHG Rewards Club is introducing a new earn and burn relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Smith hotels. There will also be some form of elite benefits at Mrs. and Mrs. Smith properties, because IHG says that their “most loyal members” (presumably Spire Elites, but also “including InterContinental Ambassadors and Kimpton Inner Circle members”) “can expect free room upgrades whenever available and a free gift, called a Smith Extra, on arrival at each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel.”

What’s the Worst International First Class in the World?

by Gary Leff on September 22, 2019

Sep 22 2019

Now that BA has finally gotten their act together on internet – fuel surcharges on award tickets aside – I’d fly them over American, though I do think Qatar Airways QSuites is better than British Airways first class (and the new ANA business class seems like it may be as well).

Since I rank both Air China (as well as China Eastern) over American, and British Airways as well, is there any airline besides TAAG Angola at the bottom of the list if we were to put together an argument for absolute worst international first class in the world?

The Great ‘Book Direct’ and Hotel ‘Best Rate Guarantee’ Scam

by Gary Leff on September 22, 2019

Sep 22 2019

The truth is that hotels do regularly sell rooms cheaper through third parties than they do on their own website, they just work really hard to disguise it and to gate off consumers from accessing those cheaper rates – because they want to fill incremental rooms that would go unsold, but without undercutting the prices they can book the rest of their rooms at.

Gold Smuggler Caught Because He Was Unwilling to Pay Overweight Checked Bag Fees

by Gary Leff on September 22, 2019

Sep 22 2019

A man running a gold smuggling ring out of Singapore has pled guilty to corruption after airline check-in counter staff flipped on the operation. Apparently he wasn’t just shipping his gold as checked luggage, he was too cheap to pay the excess baggage fees and bribed counter staff to understate the weight of the bags on Tigerair flights to Chennai.

If he had been willing to pay for his checked bags, he might not have been caught.

The British Royals Have Their Own Private Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5

by Gary Leff on September 22, 2019

Sep 22 2019

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.

American Airlines Passenger Smoked a Joint, So the Plane Diverted to Denver

by Gary Leff on September 21, 2019

Sep 21 2019

An hour into Friday’s American Airlines AA2408 from Phoenix to Minneapolis the captain decided to divert to Denver when an “unruly passenger” who told seatmates that “he was on cocaine” locked himself in the lavatory before flight attendants got him to come out when he “eventually li[t..] up marijuana in the cabin.”

Flying While Muslim is Hard in This Country

by Gary Leff on September 21, 2019

Sep 21 2019

Two Muslim men had their American Eagle flight cancelled last Saturday because one of the men – an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member – used the plane’s lavatory while the flight was delayed on the ground, and because passengers and crew don’t like flying with Muslims.

The cause of the concern? When the man visited the lavatory he flushed twice.

American Airlines Has No Interest in 100 Seat Aircraft, Plans to Buy More Used A319s Instead

This Week American Airlines is Testing a New Signature Cocktail

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker: His Boeing 737 MAXs Are Safe Today – Other Airlines’ May Not Be

IHG Rewards Club Points Will Become Redeemable at 500 Mr. and Mrs. Smith Luxury Hotels

What’s the Worst International First Class in the World?

The Great ‘Book Direct’ and Hotel ‘Best Rate Guarantee’ Scam

Gold Smuggler Caught Because He Was Unwilling to Pay Overweight Checked Bag Fees

The British Royals Have Their Own Private Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5

American Airlines Passenger Smoked a Joint, So the Plane Diverted to Denver

Flying While Muslim is Hard in This Country

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About Gary Leff

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