New Wide Open Transatlantic Business Class Awards With No Fuel Surcharges (AA/BA Miles)

by Gary Leff

Aug 05 2016

airberlin is a oneworld airline, partner of American and British Airways, that’s largely controlled by UAE-based Etihad. They have a great business class product for long haul travel, and they do not add fuel surcharges to their fares. That means when redeeming miles, even British Airways miles for travel across the Atlantic, there are no fuel surcharges.

airberlin is increasing its US flights by 40% going from 55 to 78 weekly flights with fantastic award space in business class for the new flights.

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New Touching British Airways Ad, Sale, and Sweepstakes

by Gary Leff

Aug 04 2016

British Airways has some of the best airline advertising in the world. A couple of years ago they they highlighted ‘the Welcome of Home’ and it was a really touching piece about a woman needing to feel connected to friends because they could die.

It made me swallow hard, but after watching it I had no idea after watching it why it’s better to transit Heathrow on BA enroute to India than to fly any of their competitors? The ad gave me no reason whatsoever to choose British Airways, and I’m pretty sure that would be true even if I were an Indian woman living in Canada like the one featured in the ad.

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Qatar’s New Atlanta Flight is Doing Swell — But it’s Great for Award Availability

by Gary Leff

Aug 03 2016

The CEO of Qatar Airways said he was launching service from Doha to Atlanta ‘to rub salt in the wounds’ of Delta which sought to shut Qatar, along with Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad (but not Delta partner Saudia, or Delta partner Alitalia which is controlled by Etihad) out of the US market and raise prices on consumers.

Delta President Glen Hauenstein argues the flight will inevitably fail because “the Atlanta-Doha market has fewer than five people a day.” Yet it’s running with an almost 85% load factor. The flight from Atlanta isn’t as full as the one to Atlanta and offers amazing business class award availability.

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