Mar
03
2018
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Strategy to Save 20% on Hotels and Mercedes Amex Card Ending
Unreal $600 Business Class Roundtrip, Cairo – New York
Mar
03
2018
Italian carrier Meridiana has been in the news for its rebranding as Air Italy. The Qatar Airways-backed carrier is taking on bankrupt Alitalia to become Italy’s national airline. It’s upgrading its fleet and services and has a massive growth plan.
And right now there’s a $600 roundtrip business class fare between Cairo and New York JFK.
Why We’re Beating Chase With Sapphire Reserve
Mar
03
2018
It was supposedly a card that finally figured out how to attract millennials when the truth is it was just a card that offered more total value than most that had ever come before and whose initial marketing was primarily online so new applicants skewed younger.
The value was so rich that word on the street was Chase didn’t even ever expect to make money on a new cardholder until they held the product for 6 or 7 years.
Devaluation of Citi Prestige Trip Delay Benefit
Mar
03
2018
One of the great benefits of many premium travel rewards cards is trip delay coverage. If your flight is delayed — the length of delay required varies — you can send the bill to your credit card company’s insurance provider for things like transportation to and from a hotel, your room night, and meals.
Hyatt Cracks Down on Elites Lending Out Their Elite Status
Mar
03
2018
Hyatt explicitly lets members gift their elite status to friends when they book awards in someone else’s name.
But booking a paid reservation for someone else using your own account is verboten. Frequently some members will book a stay in their own name and add a friend as a second guest on the reservation.
United Replacing $300 Performance Bonuses With Quarterly Reaping
Mar
03
2018
United Airlines sent a memo to employees yesterday telling them they would no longer receive their quarterly bonuses of up to $300.
Instead when United hits at least one of four performance metrics they all get entered in a lottery.
Governors: You Don’t Really Want to Lure Delta Headquarters Away From Atlanta Anyway
Mar
02
2018
As governors around the country flirt with the idea of luring Delta’s headquarters out of Georgia now that lawmakers there are refusing to give them fuel tax subsidies they’ve lobbied for — and some are even offering to back the truck up as it were (Connecticut’s governor says they “are committed to doing whatever necessary to help make this relocation a reality.”) — consider that Delta doesn’t just devalue SkyMiles they renege on deals with governors, too.
American Releases Video to Educate Employees on Their O’Hare Gate Dispute
Mar
02
2018
United Airlines has 14 more gates than American at Chicago O’Hare. American is opening 5 new gates that they paid for, reducing the gap to 9. But the new O’Hare expansion plan re-opens the gap and returns United to a 14 gate advantage.
American isn’t losing gates. They are complaining that United is gaining gates. But American is refusing to sign a new lease under these terms.
Trump’s Personal Pilot Isn’t as Bad an Idea to Head the FAA as You Think
Mar
02
2018
The aviation world was apoplectic this week at the suggestion that President Trump’s personal pilot John Dunkin could be named to head the FAA. It may have just been payback for the FAA eliminating navigation waypoints named for Trump in 2015. However Trump has been on record for awhile saying the agency should be headed by a pilot.
Why American Airlines is Brilliant Not to Hedge Fuel
Mar
02
2018
In this week’s “Tell Me Why” podcast for American Airlines employees, airline CFO Derek Kerr explains why they do not hedge fuel.
I offer a slightly different formulation of Kerr’s answer and it evinces surprising humility and self awareness.
