Air France KLM’s Flying Blue was already the best loyalty program in SkyTeam (although some partisans might argue for Korean Air Skypass) and has made several improvements over the past couple of years – better expiration rules, the addition of free stopovers, lower redemption prices.
They seem to be one of the few rewards programs to have re-discovered that better programs are more profitable programs.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Marriott’s transition to reset member expectations away from upgrades to suites, and to shorten the time period for upgrades, is now rolling out.
After a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, and the plane quickly got on the ground back in Portland, the airline provided money to passengers. They are each receiving a refund for their flight and $1,500.
The announcement that overhead bins were full, and everyone still remaining to board would have to gate check their carry on bags, came at the worst possible moment for one American Airlines passenger. She was carrying her mother’s ashes.
When she explained that to the gate agent, she says she was told to “take them out of the bag and hold them.” She doesn’t share whether her own reaction to this was intemperate, but says that she was “yelled at” and threated with arrest.
Diversity recruiting for pilots isn’t a bad thing. There aren’t enough pilots, so you want to go recruit people that wouldn’t ordinarily become pilots. There are really two separate questions that follow, Are lower standards being applied to the pilots you’ve recruited? If so, do those lower standards matter? I’m in favor of recruiting aggressively for talent, looking for it where others aren’t. And I’m in favor of supporting that talent, helping them to acclimate to a culture where they might not otherwise feel comfortable. Here’s what major airline pilots usually look like, see if you notice anything here: The @Delta_Pilots took an unprecedented step in passing a vote of “no confidence” in Delta for scheduling issues that have impacted customers & pilots. Time for a new industry-leading pilot contract & a better @Delta https://t.co/FNtY6iWG9l#DeltaPilots…
A college student had a brief burst of fame last summer for graduating from U.C. Berkeley while living in Los Angeles and using miles to commute to school to save money.
Leveraging miles and points for your commute turns out to be a tool for the professional classes, too as one Wall Street Journal reporter uses his points to live in cheaper Ohio and commute to New York.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Ecuador is under a 60-day state of emergency, including national curfew and military control of prisons and patrols of the streets, after explosions and looting following prison uprisings and the escape from prison of gang leaders. At least 8 people are dead in Guayaquil, and many schools and offices are closed. The government has declared war on gangs, which are being called terrorist organizations.
With the departure of JetBlue’s CEO I noted just how badly this airline does compared to competitors. Enilria (airline, backwards) thinks it’s time for them to declare bankruptcy,
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
