United Introducing New ‘Pick Up Pan’ Drink Service for Short Flights

united-plane
Dec 13 2018

There’s a change in policy coming to short United effective January 1. Instead of trying to offer a full drink service to economy passengers, flights attendants will pre-pour a selection of beverages and place those onto a “pick up pan” for customers.

It’s a quicker drink service that is easier to complete and also means less choice for customers. Flight attendants will choose what to pour, though they’re encouraged to offer coffee on morning flights.

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American Announces Several New Domestic and International Routes From 7 Hubs, Some Surprising

airplane first class
Dec 13 2018

Yesterday United Airlines made a big announcement of new flying from San Francisco. Today American Airlines is out with their own announcement of new flying as well.

American is expected to grow at both Dallas Fort-Worth (in 2019 with new gates coming online) and Charlotte (in 2020 with new gates coming online) and at Washington National (by operating larger regional jets at the dreaded gate 35X is replaced with a new regional concourse). The airline says these are their most profitable hubs.

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American Airlines Elite Status Clearance Sale

Dec 13 2018

American Airlines will let you buy back your status if you aren’t going to requalify. On the one hand it’s expensive. On the other if you were going to mileage run to reach the status level, this saves you time.

American may realize their prices are too high, or at least that they have plenty of time to market to members in different ways. If a member doesn’t buy, why not put elite status on a clearance sale?

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50% Off: Redeem Awards to Spain for 8500 Miles Each Way

Dec 12 2018

Iberia is offering transatlantic redemptions on sale for just 17,000 miles each way.

This is useful because Iberia is a transfer partner of both Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, and you can move British Airways points over to Iberia provided your Iberia account has earned miles and been open for 90 days.

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Alaska is Surveying Lounge Customers: Should They Partner With American, Delta, or United?

Dec 12 2018

What’s Alaska’s path forward? It’s interesting to see their survey about what their customers want in airport lounge partnerships.

The airline is having customers compare features and membership price points for combining an Alaska Lounge membership with access to United Clubs, American Airlines Admirals Clubs, and Delta SkyClubs as well as with an unnamed partner lounge network.

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8 Things I Just Learned About American Airlines Plans for Flights, Planes, and Product

first class cabin
Dec 12 2018

American Airlines hosts a ‘state of the airline’ event for employees after its earnings calls. There senior management shares their vision for the company and employees can ask questions. In addition to those questions that are asked live, there are followup questions that get asked – and answered – in writing.

The airline has shared written responses to several employee questions, and some of those contained information I did not know (although in some cases may have assumed).

Where do they want to fly bigger planes? Will they be updating business class seats on certain aircraft? How far along are they installing satellite wifi?

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Ex-Starwood Senior VP of Technology Dishes on Marriott’s Data Breach

robber being caught red handed
Dec 12 2018

There are reasons to be skeptical that the breach took place in 2014, rather than there were records in the data warehouse which could have been taken that dated to 2014.

Regardless of what did or didn’t happen, and whom to blame, we’re clearly not getting the full story from Marriott. And since it’s our very sensitive personal information they failed to safeguard, we should be demanding it.

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