The FAA’s air traffic controller shortage, particularly acute in New York due to inadequate staffing incentives and high rejection rates of new controllers, has led to flight delays, reduced schedules, and higher airfares, with recent political and logistical efforts to address the crisis facing resistance – from Senator Chuck Schumer.
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.
For months, the Renaissance Newark Airport has been dealing with Legionnaire’s Disease in its water system. The hotel remains open – telling guests not to shower.
They continue to take bookings – and enforce their cancellation policy. One guest was told they wouldn’t be able to shower – a hotel room doesn’t include full use of the room! – and they didn’t want to stay. There are plenty of other hotels nearby, where the room rate includes use of the shower. The hotel’s answer? They’d still have to pay.
United Airlines has released its new safety video. The timing here likely is not a coincidence. They were presumably holding onto it – but now that the FAA is lifting restrictions on the airline put in place as part of a safety audit, highlighting the airline’s safety is perfect timing.
American Airlines flight attendants voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. They’ve asked the government’s National Mediation Board for permission to do so. Their contract became amendable in 2019 and they haven’t had a raise in five years.
Outwardly, things have looked pretty bleak. But the two sides are closer to an agreement than ever.
After a number of high profile incidents, the FAA has been auditing safety practices at United Airlines. They’ve been unable to open up flights to new cities or add new delivery aircraft to their fleet, and they have had to defer already-announced service.
There was some worry that this could drag on as the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced an audit of the FAA’s audit.
With JetBlue struggling, corporate raider Carl Icahn took nearly a 10% stake in the carrier and won the right to appointment members to the airline’s board. Now he’s walking away?
A Southwest passenger complained on social media about four young girls and their parents pre-boarding their flight despite “not need[ing] assistance or extra time” and Southwest responded that “many disabilities aren’t visible” so they are “unable to question preboarding requests.”
We regret any frustration, Stephanie. As many disabilities aren't visible, we're unable to question preboarding requests. -Brytani
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) May 14, 2024
Here are the ‘disabled’ passengers in question that the airline was responding to.
An airline employee fell off a TransNusa Airbus A320 in Indonesia, and video of the incident is spreading widely. He stepped out the door of the aircraft – just as stairs to the aircraft were being removed. Fault here lies with the ground handler, which shouldn’t remove the stairs while the aircraft’s door is open.
Air France KLM’s Flying Blue program has made award space wide open across the Pond for nearly all of their transatlantic routes, starting this summer (when space has been scarce!) and through the end of their schedule.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
