It began last week watching the prices for Lufthansa and ANA first class awards skyrocket but apparently United wasn’t done devaluing its MileagePlus miles.
Days ago business class intra-Europe over 800 miles was 27,500 miles. Now it’s 45,000 to 49,500. Short-haul business class is now 33,000 miles. The devaluation stretches to intra-Asia redemptions as well.
The Senate and House each developed FAA Reauthorization legislation, which includes four years of new funding and a number of policy changes.
Senator Joe Manchin, though, says he’s ready to try to blow up the process over the 5 new flights that are being authorized for Washington’s Reagan National airport in the bill.
It does seem highly misleading to suggest that this language is ‘buried’ in the ‘new bill’ when it’s there in order to guarantee refund rights, as requested by the administration, and has been there in the Senate language for at least two and a half months.
Last week the American Airlines flight attendants union reminded cabin crew at the airline that they aren’t allowed to strike or take other actions that hurt the company, unless first permitted by the government to do so.
They even have to make the optional credit card announcements. At a minimum, they’re warned, that if they write on social media that they aren’t going to pitch the credit card they may be fired.
If they give you a room, it’s often after a long wait to get it, eating into the time you’re able to sleep. Even airlines that will provide you a room automatically through their app may not have any rooms available (at their discount rate) to provide you. And the room you get may not be the kind of place you want to sleep.
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Star Alliance member Avianca LifeMiles has one of the most valuable frequent flyer programs for experts in award travel. They have reasonable redemption prices. There are no fuel surcharges. And when you have some coach segments along with business or first class, the price of the award drops.
Venezuelan regional carrier Laser Airlines evacuated a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 from Maracaibo after landing in Caracas on Sunday. Smoke flooded the cabin after the former American Airlines plane’s auxiliary power unit failed, and slides were deployed. All 91 people on board were evacuated.
Bonza, the Australia sibling to Canadian ultra-low cost airline Flair, is being forced to cancel flights as their aircraft get repossessed. Reportedly their entire fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was seized. The carrier no longer appears viable with all flights suspended.
A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled last week after its 49-year-old captain was reported for drunken and disruptive behavior at his layover hotel. Police were called.
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 »
