Expedia’s CEO Gets a $95 Million Payday — But is the Travel Booking Giant About to Fall?

by Gary Leff

expedia dancers
May 01 2016

Think it’s lucrative to get fired as United’s CEO?

Staying on is even better if you’re Expedia’s CEO – in place since 2004 – who got $94.6 million in 2015 including “2.7 million stock options valued at $83.6 million that vest over five-and-a-half years”

40% of the options though require boosting the company’s stock price nearly 50% over the next 4.5 years. That’s actually modest growth, but while conventional wisdom paints the consolidating online booking industry as a success engine it’s actually incredibly vulnerable.

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REVEALED: How Much Hilton Reimburses Hotels When You Book Awards

by Gary Leff

May 01 2016

A new Chinese 6% VAT tax on hotel stays went into effect today. Hilton’s website now reflects the VAT, as it should. However their award searches are showing not just the number of points for the award but also this new VAT based on the payment Hilton HHonors makes to the hotel.

This is an error, of course, since Hilton HHonors awards include tax. But it tells us a lot of the economics of the program.

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Here’s How a Man Stole Millions of American AAdvantage Miles — and How You Can Protect Yourself

by Gary Leff

robber being caught red handed
May 01 2016

An Iranian student in South Florida named Milad Avazdavani has been charged for “hacking into the AAdvantage accounts of high-mileage customers and siphoning off enough points to charge trips and cars worth more than $260,000.”

In each case the AAdvantage accountholder’s email address was changed and transactions were made from a computer at the same IP address. Changing email address is a flag for potential fraudulent activity made soon thereafter when redemptions are being made in the name of someone other than the accountholder. When a single IP address is linked to name changes and third party redemptions across a number of accounts that’s a pretty good giveaway.

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Drunk Passenger Swears at Crew, Jokes About Bomb Onboard. You’ll Easily Guess What Happens Next!

by Gary Leff

easyjet
Apr 30 2016

A week ago 25 rowdy Scottish passengers had to be removed from a Jet2 flight. Some had apparently broiught their own alcohol onboard which is a real no-no.

Flying a European low cost carrier can be an… experience. Fellow passengers aren’t median business travelers like you’ll find on national flag carriers in the morning at the beginning of the week and early evening at the end of the week.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that Wednesday’s easyJet Belfast – Barcelona flight 6671 led to two women being taken away on arrival after they “allegedly swore at crew and joked about having a bomb on board, with one reportedly yelling ‘we are all here for a f***ing party’.”

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