Airbus has taken a majority stake in the Bombardier CSeries program. And they plan to build planes in the U.S.
Could United and JetBlue Merge? And British Airways Bed Bugs
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.
United Could Have Problems Squeezing More Money Out of a New Deal With Chase
United and Chase renewed their credit card agreement two years ago and there’s already talk of the next extension, which suggests that they made a 5 year deal which historically was standard although we’re seeing more 7 and even 10 year deals in the co-brand space.
The financial analyst most bullish on credit card revenue for airlines now believes that United’s bargaining position may have slipped as a result of Chase’s success with its own products and American Express’ investments in its Platinum card in the broader competitive space.
Delta: Subsidies for Me But Not For Thee
The Partnership for Fair and Open Skies is putting out a statement against Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar in response to Emirates pointing out just how many Boeing aircraft they buy — a direct contrast with Delta.
However Delta at the very same time is directly at odds with Boeing over subsidies, with Boeing arguing that Canada shouldn’t be able to subsidize aircraft manufacturer Bombardier, and Delta arguing that they should be able to benefit from these subsidies.
These two things are not at all inconsistent.
Supreme Court Will Decide if Credit Card Rewards Matter For American Express Anti-Trust Case
In the biggest case for loyalty programs since Northwest v. Ginsberg, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear Ohio v. American Express, reviving an anti-trust case brought by retailers and 11 states which argued that American Express violates anti-trust rules in its merchant agreements.
At issue is whether benefits to consumers — like rewards and credit card protections — count when determining whether the market is competitive (do we look at both sides of a two-sided market, or only the merchant-network relationship)?
Two Delta Passengers Walk Down Jetway and Onto the Las Vegas Tarmac
Two passengers off of Delta’s flight DL5684 in Las Vegas were questioned and the plane’s baggage swept after 2 passengers “went down the jetway and.. went down the stairs” at the end of the jetway and onto the tarmac rather than boarding the San Jose-bound Embraer.
Womens March Co-Chair Kicked Off American Airlines Flight, Says Pilot Was Asserting White Privilege
Womans March co-chair Tamika Mallory was kicked off an American Airlines flight from Miami to New York yesterday which was taking to attend Reverend Al Sharpton’s daughter’s wedding.
She had a middle seat on the flight but managed to change herself to an aisle seat using a kiosk. However she was called to the gate and given a new boarding pass for a middle seat. She challenged this and says the gate agent was “nasty” and “disrespectful.”
How to Spot Hidden Cameras in Your Hotel Room and American’s Fake Stroopwafels
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.
Another 1000 Free Marriott Points — Boom! Tweet By 8pm Eastern
Marriott will give you 1000 points for answering a simple question on Twitter.
Man Who Tried to Bomb Asheville Airport Caught When He Tried to Earn Cash Back
A man tried to bomb the Asheville, North Carolina airport last week. Law enforcement had a real challenge identifying the perpetrator, until a loyalty program membership gave him away.
Even a careful would-be terrorist bomber can’t resist the allure of 10% earn.