The Department of Transportation announced a proposed rule today to require airlines to disclose to consumers in advance if their flight will permit passengers to make voice calls using wireless devices.
This is a strange regulation to open comment on for a number of reasons. Not least of which because there’s no inflight cell phone calling allowed in the US today.
United’s Newark, Washington Dulles, and Houston flights to Hawaii have offered flat business class seats, and have not been eligible for complimentary elite upgrades.
Chicago and Denver flights are going to fall under this rule as well.
Here’s an overview of status matches, asking a loyalty program to give you status based on the status you hold with another program.
Travel providers are interested in acquiring their competitors’ best customers, but elite status has a lock-in effect. Sure, you might want to defect from United to American or from Delta to Alaska, but it’s pretty tough to do that and start from scratch with a new airline. You’re well treated as an elite, and it’s rough out there often times flying without any status.
While frequent flyer programs have gotten less competitive over the past three years, and many blame airline consolidation, in many ways airline product has gotten more competitive.
The major US legacy airlines have even been improving the experience in coach with better snacks and inflight entertainment. Delta takes their next step December 15.
Le Monde and The Intercept revealed in an investigation based on documents from the Edward Snowden leak archive that US and UK intelligence officials routinely monitor communications inside commercial aircraft.
One document suggests that inflight mobile phone use was an exciting new avenue for surveillance in 2010.
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.
Alaska Airlines didn’t just add online booking for their generous new awards on Japan Airlines. They seem to have updated their allowable awards for travel on Emirates.
There’s no question this happens far more often with passengers, like this American Airlines customer who “pulled his pants down, arched his back,” and made a mess of his seat before being sent to the lavatory where he promptly passed out on the floor. Need I add that you shouldn’t ever go into an aircraft lavatory without shoes?
Nearly every inflight disturbance involves alcohol.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a really unique program, which you should know about even if you never set foot in the home base of Seattle or for that matter in Alaska.
Low cost transatlantic carrier Norwegian has fares between New York and Stockholm from just $192 roundtrip all-in, with all taxes, for January and February. The trick here is that several of the airline’s international websites create the possibility of savings through currency arbitrage.
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 »
