Why Is It So Hard to Upgrade Internationally on Delta?

by Gary Leff

Oct 15 2015

Delta is tough for international upgrades. They can be tough for domestic ones too, now that they’re monetizing 58% of their forward cabin premium seats.

Though they’ve gotten more generous with top tier elites the past couple of years offering confirmed upgrade certificates from any fare (which they didn’t used to do, and lagged both United and American with their international elite upgrade benefit as a result), they’re still pretty tough.

Still — there are things you can do to find upgrade seats.

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Saturday American Becomes the Biggest Airline in the World, and I’m Taking a Front Row Seat

by Gary Leff

Oct 14 2015

I’m planning to fly American Airlines — on a legacy US Airways route — on Saturday morning. That’s the day when US Airways flights become American flights, and so American Airlines as a single airline will be the largest carrier in the world.

I’m flying out and back to a former US Airways hub city on the day the two airlines are combining as one in order to see the merger integration in action. On the whole airlines do not have a very good track record at this, although indications so far are that American’s is going very well.

I’ll be on a 6 a.m. flight so I can watch the start of the day, I’ll leave security on arrival and poke around, and take in the airport experience as passengers fly and employees operate as American Airlines for the first time.

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United is Trying to Sell Customers on How Great Their Mileage-Earning Is. Don’t Believe It.

by Gary Leff

Oct 14 2015

I got an email from United yesterday telling me that this year’s new revenue-based mileage earning program is great because on a recent expensive short flight I earned an extra 456 miles.

Only flyers on the whole aren’t better off, earning more miles than behind. And the miles they’re earning are worth less. But if United says they did it for your own good often enough they’re hoping you believe it.

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United Airlines Introduces Meals Midday and on Redeyes Plus New Meal Choices

by Gary Leff

Oct 14 2015

United announced meal service upgrades today with the biggest changes for domestic premium cabins.

There will be new choices on premium cross country flights between Newark and Los Angeles/San Francisco and in international business class. Domestic first class flights over three hours that depart between 1:30 and 3:59pm will get lunch. And Hawaii and cross country redeye departures will get a meal service.

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The Moment a Woman Gave Birth on a Flight to Los Angeles

by Gary Leff

Oct 14 2015

A woman gave birth prematurely last week on a China Airlines flight from Taipei to Los Angeles. This is surprisingly common, with a woman giving birth earlier this month on a Jazeera Airways flight (that child will receive free flights until age 18).

The plane was diverted to Anchorage but managed to arrive in Los Angeles only 3 hours late. Meanwhile, the crew did a phenomenal job delivering the baby — and it was caught on video..!

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Game Over? Justice Department Sides With Consumers in US Airline vs. Middle East Carrier Dispute

by Gary Leff

Oct 13 2015

Back in February, the big US airlines — United, Delta, and American — began a campaign to get the federal government to limit flying to the US by the big Middle Eastern airlines Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar.

3 federal agencies have been considering this. The Justice Department, though, has provided guidance on the law and it doesn’t look good for the protectionist requests by the major US airlines.

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