Let’s All Pity Our Neighbors in Europe as Their Rewards Cards Go Down the Drain

by Gary Leff

credit cards
Apr 11 2015

The EU adopted new rules limiting interchange fees, or the prices that payment networks can charge, for credit and debit cards.

I asked, are credit cards about to be killed off in Europe? The economics of credit cards as we know them are predicated on fees that go to the payment networks and banks in exchange for processing transactions.

Miles from Blighty pointed out today that Capital One has stopped issuing some rewards cards and is informing existing customers that their cards will receive less in the future….

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The US Gov’t Finds Its True Role, JohnnyJet Finds Heaven, and a Trick If You Haven’t Combined American/US Airways Accounts

by Gary Leff

Apr 11 2015

News and notes from around the interweb: JohnnyJet visited Amanyara and Amangani. I’ve never taken a comped hotel stay, but I’ve never been offered one by an Aman resort, either. DOT, Commerce Department, and State Department will set up a website to hear US airlines’ hypocritical argument that the big Gulf carriers are too subsidized and shouldn’t be granted access to US markets. Because the US government should be taking steps to increase airfares, limit schedules, and depress service. The docket numbers, if you want to file anything at Regulation.gov, are: DOT-OST-2015-0082 (DOT) DOS-2015-0016 (State) DOC-2015-0001 (Commerce) Scoot, the low cost carrier owned by Singapore Airlines, is trolling Spirit Airlines for stealing their corporate branding. What it’s like to visit New York using a 1990s guide book. (HT: Marginal Revolution) If you haven’t already combined…

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So Close and Yet So Far: A Currently-Available Mistake Fare I Can’t Quite Buy

by Gary Leff

Apr 11 2015

Hipmunk is mispricing tickets on Emirates. As reader David H and another reader who asked to be anonymous mentioned to me today, you can pull up all sorts of itineraries using Hipmunk – in business and first class, all over the world – that look like the best deal you’ve ever seen. Search for New York JFK – Nairobi (via Dubai) and you come up with $115 roundtrip itineraries. Change to business class and it promises prices of just $831. That’s cheaper than even a good deal in coach. Unfortunately when you click through from Hipmunk to the Emirates website to make the booking, you’re presented with the ‘real’ price. So when you ask for an itinerary like: And you’re presented with all options running just $3.68 roundtrip (!)… .. it turns out to be…

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US Airlines Really Could Provide Better Service With The Tools They Have. Here’s a Start:

by Gary Leff

Apr 11 2015

A look at the inflight service standards from airlines around the world gives us a sense of things that can be done during a flight — that do not cost an airline anything at all — to make passengers feel more comfortable, more valued, and even… welcome.

US airlines have the tools to do these things, with simple standards. They just need to make it a priority.

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Lightning Strike Leaves Hole in Nose of Plane, Flight Continues 8 Hours Anyway!

by Gary Leff

Apr 10 2015

An flight from Reykjavik to Denver was struck by lightning. It was only on arrival in Denver that anyone realized there was a gaping hole in the nose. Icelandair flight 671 was responding normally and there was apparently no indication of a need to divert. Lightning strikes aren’t uncommon, and planes are built to withstand them, though seeing the actual damage is striking. A little speed tape and should be good as new..

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New Delta Award Discount Contains a Big SkyMiles Sleight of Hand

by Gary Leff

Apr 10 2015

Delta is running an award sale for spring travel on certain domestic and Caribbean routes where you can save 2500 miles each way on economy redemptions.

Slipped in there, though, is listing “12,500 miles” (25,000 miles roundtrip) as the new, special ‘sale price’ on some domestic award tickets — which require 21 day advance purchase and have blackout dates.

Just when I thought Delta couldn’t hide the ball even more on program changes, they appear to have moved forward…

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Delta to DOT: We Don’t Want US Carriers to Be Allowed to Compete, Either

by Gary Leff

Apr 10 2015

Cranky Flier had a great piece on the Department of Transportation’s ruling on Delta’s Seattle – Tokyo Haneda flight.

There are a limited number of permissible flights between the US and Tokyo’s close-in airports. One of the slots is currently held by Delta for Seattle service, but it was hugely unprofitable so Delta has just been sitting on the route.

Delta didn’t really fly it, so American filed to take it away. The DOT sided with Delta, but on the condition they actually operate the route. Now Delta has filed an argument claiming they shouldn’t have to actually provide service to customers in order to have the exclusive right to provide service to customers…

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