Rapper Says American Airlines Flight Attendant Refused to Let Him Use First Class Overhead Bin

by Gary Leff

Jan 29 2018

In December two basketball players claimed they were kicked off of an American Airlines regional flight for stealing blankets from first class. American apologized because they’re apologizing to anyone who claims they had a racial issue with the airline however a blog reader was on the flight and disputed the passengers’ account.

Now rapper Joey Bad Ass says an American Airlines flight attendant scolded him for using first class overhead bins even though he was a first class passenger.

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72 Year Old Man Says He Doesn’t Know Why Emirates Beat Him on Flight to Chicago

by Gary Leff

Jan 29 2018

A 72 year old man taking his first-ever flight on Emirates from Lagos to Dubai to Chicago last week was hospitalized after being “bound and beaten” on the flight.

David Ukesone was flying on EK235 to meet his family after receiving a US Green Card. They turned up to meet the man but he didn’t get off the plane with other passengers. He was removed by police officers who were told the man had been unruly, though no charges were filed.

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Delta Attacks Boeing as an “Arms Dealer” to Gulf Airlines

by Gary Leff

Jan 29 2018

This week’s Airline Weekly (subscription only) interviews Delta CEO Ed Bastian. Delta doesn’t order new Boeing aircraft, but argues that foreign competition is bad for US jobs.

Despite a path towards declaring victory and going home in their fight against Gulf airline rivals, Bastian pushes back on criticisms over Delta’s purchase of subsidized Bombardier C-series jets by calling out Boeing for their willingness to sell planes to the Gulf carriers.

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You Can Now Redeem American Miles for Virgin America Flights – Great Availability

by Gary Leff

Jan 29 2018

When Alaska Airlines obtained a single operating certificate with Virgin America, as far as the FAA was concerned they were a single airline. And I started to look at use of American AAdvantage miles on nominally Virgin America flights. However I didn’t see flights — which were offering award space — available to American AAdvantage. That’s changed.

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US and Qatar About to Announce Settlement in Open Skies Dispute

by Gary Leff

qatarplane
Jan 29 2018

This will eliminate an area of friction between the U.S. and Qatar, and allow Delta to claim victory, without Qatar Airways having to give up anything of significance.

Since the agreement covers only Qatar and not Emirates or Etihad it’s unclear what the future of the Delta, American, and United campaign looks like. Qatar is likely the most subsidized of the 3 carriers. Qatar’s CEO is the most likely to say offensive things. So they’ve been the target of US airline racist attacks. Will they be emboldened by progress, or stalled by the removal of their juiciest enemy?

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Instagram Fitness Star Booted from American Airlines Flight to New York

by Gary Leff

Jan 28 2018

Jen Selter who is apparently a well-known fitness model but whom I had never heard of got into an altercation with an American Airlines flight attendant on Saturday during a delayed Miami – New York LaGuardia flight.

Lecturing the flight attendant and telling him to ‘relax’ was mistake number one. Telling the flight attendant that indeed she wanted to be kicked off was mistake number two.

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I Flew American Airlines Basic Economy for the First Time — and Liked It

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Jan 28 2018

Basic economy isn’t supposed to be a new cheaper fare. It’s supposed to be new restrictions on what used to be the cheapest fare. That way people who don’t like the restrictions are supposed to spend more money to avoid the inferior experience.

But American offered me such a spread between Basic Economy and regular coach fares that I couldn’t justify spending more money, and I wound up flying Basic for the first time.

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American Airlines On-Time Departures Taken to a New Level of Absurdity

by Gary Leff

Jan 28 2018

American Airlines believes that the number one thing that they can do to make planes arrive on time is to depart on time. So they’ve made it a company priority to the exclusion of most other things to ensure that flights leave exactly on time or even early.

If gate agents don’t bother processing upgrades, let alone coming onboard to move customers up when a first class passenger no shows, that’s acceptable because D0. If seats leave empty with passengers on the standby list that’s ok. If flight attendants don’t have time to offer predeparture beverages in the 30 minutes the flight is boarding that’s fine too.

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