Using United’s New Lower-Priced Domestic Awards to Your Advantage With Free Stopovers

by Gary Leff

11k miles
Apr 08 2019

When you want to book a one way award using United miles from the US to anywhere in the world (including just domestic), grab a second one way award in another region for some time in the future and just add a United domestic flight at the end for around 5000 miles.

I still think the elimination of award charts is awful, but there are still ways to get outsized value using United miles both because partner awards are still pricing based on (effectively hidden) charts and because United will allow you to book those at a discount based on their new lower-priced domestic awards.

Continue Reading »

Why Eliminating Award Charts Puts Frequent Flyer Programs on a Collision Course With Themselves

by Gary Leff

insideairplane
Apr 07 2019

Airlines have historically been able to offer outsized value to consumers through their frequent flyer programs. Instead of merely offering a rebate on spending, where points are a modest currency that can be used to buy tickets at retail.

A problem arises, however, when there just aren’t many unsold seats. With airline consolidation and capacity discipline, load factors are at historic highs.

Continue Reading »

Flight Attendant Dumps a Tray of Drinks on American Airlines CEO Doug Parker

by Gary Leff

parker talking to somebody
Apr 07 2019

An American Airlines flight attendant shares her Phoenix – Dallas story. The airline’s CEO Doug Parker was on the flight. She was serving predeparture beverages – sparkling water, gin and tonics – when her drink tray went flying.

However she had “a tray of about 8 drinks on it” when a passenger right in front of her “stops in the aisle and backs up,” they “hit[..] the tray and the drinks go flying.” And they went all over… CEO Doug Parker!

Continue Reading »

Gate Agent Joins Cheer Squad in Dance Routines During Flight Delay

by Gary Leff

spirit plane
Apr 07 2019

he flight was delayed and a brief delay becomes an extended delay. And then the team’s coach gets on the speaker and instructs the girls to dance.

A Spirit agent trying to make announcements about delays for another flight at a nearby gate was drowned out. And since the agent doesn’t make ends meet working for Spirit along, and moonlights as a nearby resort’s activities director, he knew the songs and dance moves.

Continue Reading »

What’s the Real Policy for Tipping Airline Customer Service Employees?

by Gary Leff

hand holding hundreds of dollars in cash
Apr 06 2019

In January there was much buzz about the Frontier Airlines policy of supplementing flight attendant wages with customer tips.

Most airlines don’t permit flight attendants to accept tips, and they have mixed feelings on the subject — some simply want more money (although tipping may ultimately mean lower salaries), while others worry the emphasis would then shift from safety to service. But what about other agents you encounter at the airport?

Continue Reading »