American Airlines Basic Economy Even Worse: Will Strand Customers During a Strike

airline cabin
Aug 13 2017

When American Airlines first unveiled the details of its new Basic Economy fares — new restrictions on its existing lowest fares — I told you about some of the restrictions that American didn’t.

Customers booking Basic Economy fares are at the bottom of the list to be re-accommodated, even if things goes wrong and it’s American’s fault.

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30 Day Free Trial for Hotel Booking Site That Undercuts Booking Direct

park hyatt paris
Aug 13 2017

I covered new hotel discount site Club1 Hotels when they first launched. They were offering free memberships for a year and many readers took advantage of it.

The website was a bit clunky, but there were plenty of deals. Because it’s a membership site they’re able to sell hotels for less than hotel websites and less than Expedia, Booking.com, and others.

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Delta Emails Out Self-Serving Disinformation About Open Skies

delta plane
Aug 12 2017

The Business Travel Coalition’s Kevin Mitchell apparently sent out an email criticizing Delta’s call for protectionism against Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar. And Delta sent out an email attacking back.

There are a lot of vested interests in this debate and each side tries to advance its commercial case, including by hiring experts to represent them in the court of public opinion. There are also facts.

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88 Year Old Former Olympic Wrestler Died After Lifting Checked Luggage (And There’s a Lawsuit)

spirit plane
Aug 12 2017

A two-time Olympic wrestler spent much of his life working as a butcher. But when he retired from that job at age 72 he went to work for Spirit Airlines as a baggage handler.

After 16 years on the job, at age 88, his family says that he “lifted 500 pieces of luggage in one shift, triggering a hernia that would send him downhill.”

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Freaky: Flight Crew Fall Ill On Two Different Planes at the Same Time

jetblue plane
Aug 11 2017

A JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados returned to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday after 3 flight attendants fell ill complaining of headaches.

While the Barbados flight was on the ground in Fort Lauderdale, a JetBlue flight from Boston to San Diego diverted to Buffalo “after several crew members reported feeling ill and were taken to the hospital.”

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