ACT FAST: Many European Cities from Around the US From Just $414 Roundtrip

by Gary Leff

Jun 07 2016

There have been several amazing airfare deals in the past few weeks. Fares are down from a year ago, with fuel prices low and profitable airlines competing more vigorously against each other — at least on specific routes or for specific periods of time.

Now United and American are both offering coach roundtrips between several cities in the US and several cities in Europe for a little over $400. That’s amazing, considering a not insignificant portion of that cost winds up being taxes.

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Why Even After American’s Changes They’re Still Better for Me Than Delta… Barely

by Gary Leff

Jun 07 2016

With changes to the AAdvantage program that make it so much more like United MileagePlus and Delta SkyMiles, elite frequent flyers at American especially are re-considering their loyalty.

Some members will do better with the changes (higher spending; those flying 75,000 – 99,999 miles a year with average or better spend) and many will do worse (especially lifetime elites).

American thinks these changes are going to be good for revenue, but American has been performing better than United financially already and Delta doesn’t think its frequent flyer program changes are a driver of their revenue premium.

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What American’s New Frequent Flyer Changes Mean to Me — And To You

by Gary Leff

Jun 06 2016

We’ve known that revenue-based mileage earning has been coming for some time. American announced that they were going to follow Delta’s and United’s model for earning miles from flight activity back in November. Now we know it starts August 1.

On average it’s bad for flyers, you need to spend more to break even mileage earning than you do under mileage-earning based on distance. American conceded to me in November that fewer miles would be earned under the new system than are earned today.

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Watch Flight Attendant Threaten Passenger With Arrest After Not Getting Meal Choice

by Gary Leff

Jun 06 2016

A passenger tweets his experience in first class on American Airlines yesterday flying from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to Miami.

It’s a 2-hour, 900 mile flight with meal service up front. The customer didn’t get his first choice of meal, didn’t understand why, and apparently took it personally.

Then the flight attendant melts down, telling the customer to ‘shut up’, putting his finger in the customer’s face, and threatening the customer with arrest.

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American Reveals Revenue-Based Earning Date and Changes to Elite Status

by Gary Leff

Jun 06 2016

American is announcing several changes to their elite program today that go into effect next year. And they’ve announced the date on which American will start awarding miles based on the cost of a ticket rather than distance flown.

There will be minimum spend required for elite status, a new 75,000 mile elite tier, a new upgrade priority order, and upgrades on domestic award tickets for Executive Platinums. I spoke with AAdvantage’s Bridget Blaise-Shamai this morning about the changes they’re making.

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Now You Can Search Hotel ‘Book Direct’ Discount Rates in One Place

by Gary Leff

Jun 06 2016

Just like Orbitz was launched by the major airlines as their own comptitive response to online travel agency sites like Expedia, several hotel chains got together to start an online booking site of their own.

Room Key is a metasearch site that displays hotel rates for their founding hotel chains and commercial partners. When you select a hotel, you’re directed to the hotel’s website to complete the booking. As a result you still earn points and status credit for your stay and you don’t get treated as an online travel agency customer.

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The Supreme Court’s 10th Justice Can’t Handle His Credit Cards

by Gary Leff

Jun 05 2016

The Solicitor General of the United States is often referred to as the 10th Justice (the Supreme Court is made up of 9 justices — 8 associates and a Chief Justice) because the federal government’s representative before the Court argues before the court more than any other, uniquely does not have to ask the Court’s permission to file an amicus brief, and is often even asked to do so by the Court so that they may benefit from the S.G.’s perspective on a case.

Donald Verrilli, Jr. replaced Elena Kagan as Solicitor General after she was elevated to the Court itself. And he’s been paying interest on credit card debt for years — despite assets which would easily allow him to pay off his cards.

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After 31 Years Black Boxes from the Eastern Airlines Crash in the Andes Have Been Found!

by Gary Leff

Jun 05 2016

One of the great aviation mysteries is what happened to Eastern Airlines flight 900, which crashed into the mountains near La Paz, Bolivia in 1981. On-site investigations didn’t commence for months after the crash and the airframe wasn’t discovered for 25 years. The cause of the demise of the Boeing 727 was never positively confirmed.

On New Year’s Day 1985, Eastern 980 — a flight from Asunción to Miami via La Paz and Guayaquil — departed from Asunción at 5:57 pm with 19 passengers (including the wide of the US Ambassador to Paraguay and 2 pilots) and 10 crew.

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