American Airlines Knows Their Lifetime Status is Weak, Considers How to Fix It

by Gary Leff

american airlines
Jul 16 2019

American AAdvantage used to have one of the most generous lifetime elite status programs, but three changes to the program have made it less valuable. Meanwhile Delta and United have improved their offerings over the years. Both airlines are now more generous with lifetime loyalty than American, and when a program is less generous than Delta that’s saying something.

One well-regarded source, however, suggests that the airline recognizes this and is considering solutions to improve lifetime status.

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American Airlines is Right, Passengers Don’t Deserve Seat Back Entertainment

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Jul 16 2019

Many customers think that American is wrong, watching entertainment on their phones isn’t the same as a seat back screen if they even know they have to download the American Airlines app prior to takeoff in order to do so. Planes with seat back video look newer and fresher, while even brand new aircraft without screens look old and cheap — there’s a reverse halo effect that can drag down premium revenue too.

However I’ve finally been convinced that American was right. Passengers don’t deserve seat back entertainment. And all it took was one short video going viral on twitter to show me that was the case.

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Marriott Brings Back Your World Rewards, Extra Points Earning and Elite Recognition With Emirates

by Gary Leff

private airplane bar
Jul 15 2019

The recognition benefits here aren’t strong, what’s useful is 4 p.m. late checkout with Marriott and and additional points earning when spending money with the other partner.

What’s significant is to see the continued expansion (in this case return of) the model of rewarding and recognizing elites of another brand in order to get access to their customers, much as American and Hyatt are now doing with their partnership.

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Man Stayed at New York Hotel, Claimed To Own the Building – and a Court Agreed

by Gary Leff

new yorker hotel
Jul 14 2019

New York’s rent control laws are truly bizarre and now a man who checked into a hotel and as a result claimed to own the hotel has even managed to get a housing court to agree.

Fortunately the hotel in question, the in Hell’s Kitchen, has managed to get a judge to temporarily block the guest from representing himself to banks as the owner of the property — but still couldn’t get the man’s deed vacated and the judge even suggested that he may now have the right to occupy the room he reserved.

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Lufthansa CEO: Only the Wealthy Should Fly

by Gary Leff

airplanes on tarmac
Jul 14 2019

Lufthansa’s CEO is attacking low cost carriers easyJet and Ryanair, calling the cheapest flights they offer “economically, ecologically, and politically irresponsible.”

Airlines prefer to be protected from competition by government regulation and that inures to the detriment of the flying public.

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The Worst Airline in America is Making a Comeback This Fall

by Gary Leff

via air plane
Jul 14 2019

Back in May Via Air effectively threw in the towel. First they didn’t show up when they were supposed to start air service at an airport. They stopped paying the airports they were serving. They started cancelling flights. Customers were showing up at the airport but there weren’t staff. Comments left on this blog suggest they may not have been paying their employees.

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