20% PRICE CUT: Pay Any Bill With a MasterCard and Earn Miles and Bonuses for Just a 2% Fee

by Gary Leff

Apr 17 2016

Plastiq, the online bill pay service that charges your credit card and then sends out checks on your behalf has dropped the price of processing payments that you charge to a MasterCard from their standard 2.5% (which is still lower than services like Paypal) down to 2%.

They’ve run promotions in the past like 1.5% but this isn’t just a limited-time offer.

Spokesperson Rebecca Sehar tells me, “This is promotional pricing in partnership with MasterCard for US payments – fairly straightforward =) No end date, as of yet, but obviously great pricing..”

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What Bernie Sanders Served for Dinner on His Chartered Delta 767 to Meet the Pope

by Gary Leff

Apr 17 2016

Bernie Sanders’ trip to Rome (there’s no airport in Vatican City, though there’s a heliport) was on a chartered Delta Boeing 767-332ER with 26 flat business class seats, 29 extra legroom economy seats, and 171 standard economy seats.

It’s worth noting that while Bernie Sanders charters from Delta, the Pope prefers American Airlines. While Papal infallibility only applies ex cathedra, promulgating official teachings of the Church, it’s interesting that his charter flight choices didn’t have persuasive power with the Bernie Sanders campaign. (In fact, Sanders has more in common with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee who has earned Delta Diamond.)

Here’s the menu detail from the flight:

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American Express Layoffs Have Begun

by Gary Leff

Apr 16 2016

American Express hasn’t even lost Costco charges yet, and it’s reeling. Here’s the inside story on how Amex lost the Costco deal. Delta is their second largest co-brand, but with Marriott buying Starwood they presumably lose the ability to issue Starwood co-brands at some point when the programs are expected to merge. Although American Express wants to find a way to keep the Starwood card post-merger.

American Express revenue is down and earnings are down. Their problem is lack of growth and paradoxically their strategy is cutting costs. They may have unnecessary expenses, and if they’re going to be a slow growth company for the foreseeable future they need a sustainable cost base. But the cuts won’t return them to growth. So the cuts aren’t a winning strategy unless the idea is to sell the company.

And it seems the layoffs have begun.

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Hungry Passenger Acquitted of Endangering Aircraft, Now He’s Going to Sue United

by Gary Leff

Apr 16 2016

Jeremiah Thede flew United from Rome to Chicago in June 2015. His flight was delayed, and he “had eaten only an apple during five hours waiting.” His credit card wasn’t working, and he repeatedly asked flight attendants if he could get something to eat once onboard.

United diverted the flight to Belfast. The passenger was arrested and charged with endangering the aircraft. The case went to trial and a jury acquitted him. He’s now talking about suing United.

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Southwest Airlines Kicked Muslim Woman Off Flight for Changing Seats

by Gary Leff

Apr 16 2016

A Muslim woman was kicked off of her Southwest flight when she switched seats with another passenger.

She was connecting in Chicago, took a middle seat, and she asked if the passenger in the aisle seat would switch. That’s the strangest thing in the story, that an aisle seat passenger was willing to take a middle seat.

A flight attendant instructed the passenger that she wouldn’t be allowed to change to the aisle. When asked why, the flight attendant kicked her off the flight.

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New Flat Bed Seat Coming to Economy Class

by Gary Leff

Apr 16 2016

There’s a new economy seat that turns into a bed. It’s possibly an improvement over Air New Zealand’s ‘Sky Couch’. I especially like the demonstration of the ‘Piuma Sofa’ with mattress pads and bedding.

The pitch to airlines is not about passenger comfort (which wouldn’t sell too many airlines). It’s an ancillary revenue opportunity, so we may actually see it installed!

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