Pro-Hamas demonstrators stormed Makhachkala Uytash Airport in Dagestan, responding to “rumors..that an Israeli aircraft was preparing to land.” Their mission: “Kill Israelis and Jews.” Meanwhile, they stormed a hotel going room to room in search of Israelis.
Since Southwest is no longer selling Early Bird check-in on every flight, and not selling it on the flight I wanted to buy, I simply… didn’t buy the Southwest Airlines flight. And I won’t buy Southwest flights without it most of the time, and certainly not for a two and a half hour flight.
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.
World-recognized cellist Amit Peled played the Israeli national anthem Hatikvah on board a Southwest Airlines flight.
A crewmember introduced the performance, “We’re going to show you a little love with some music. For this kind gentleman up front Amit, we are going to play for the people of Israel. His daughter is there. She is safe. We’ll dedicated it to her and all the people that are at war for Israel right now. So, enjoy you guys.”
On a United Airlines flight from Newark to San Francisco, a severe vomiting incident caused the plane to divert to Chicago, despite it being a smooth ride with no turbulence. While the airline termed it a “biohazard” and moved passengers due to the mess, the vomiting individual was allowed to continue on the flight to San Francisco, raising questions about the safety and decision-making of the airline, especially since they were already at a United hub with alternate travel options.
GHA Discovery, a coalition loyalty program serving 40 smaller hotel chains, has experienced significant growth and success, particularly following a comprehensive relaunch two years ago. Despite challenges like having a smaller footprint, especially in the U.S., the program boasts impressive third-quarter numbers, with 25 million members, increased cross-brand revenue, and doubled year-to-date revenue, making it a notable contender in the hotel loyalty space.
American Airlines and JetBlue dissolved their partnership following a Department of Justice anti-trust suit victory, leading to the cessation of joint ticketing, frequent flyer benefits, and key operational elements.
Three more consumer benefits end this week.
“Lost in Charlotte” delves into the challenges frequent flyers face at Charlotte Airport, notorious for 30 minute connections. However, the article also highlights two saving graces that can transform the travel experience, offering hope amidst the chaos.
American Airlines is imposing new hurdles for identity verification when redeeming miles over the phone.
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.
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 »
