Over at travelingbetter.com, EXP asks, As a layman, this is what I don’t understand: All of the reports that I’ve read indicate that rather than a merger, it’s actually AA that’s “swallowing” US. So, if AA is the stronger party (~75% equity vs. ~25% for US, keeping the name, the logo, the HQ, etc.), why does Doug Parker get to run the new company, essentially pushing out Tom Horton? If that’s indeed what ends up happening? Back in July, American’s Tom Horton was spreading the word that the merger was really his idea. That’s why July was the turning point for me in believing the merger was going to happen. Previously I thought it would be enough to forestall the merger that the combination wouldn’t actually make for a better, more profitable airline. But the…
Why in the World is US Airways Increasing Award Prices NOW?
It’s been 3 years since US Airways made major adjustments to its award chart. During that time they’ve been dubbed ‘the official consolidator for Star Alliance premium cabin fares’ because of the speed at which they’ve been printing miles on the cheap — through major promotions and offers to sell miles at a deep discount (through outright purchase or transfers from one account to another). In other words, the thinking has been that US Airways has offered up so many miles that they’ve become a way to buy miles and obtain ‘distressed inventory’ (which partners release as awards) across the Star Alliance. Basically they haven’t just been rewarding loyalty with miles, they’ve been selling partner award tickets for cash with miles as the intermediate form of currency. Given the production of so many Dividend Miles,…
Starwood/Delta News Even Bigger Than We Thought: Benefits and Earning Goes Both Ways
Yesterday news leaked that Delta was introducing benefits for Starwood Preferred Guest elite members: Golds and Platinums can earn 1 Starpoint per dollar spent on tickets (or a fixed 500 points per segment in some cases) and Starwood Platinums will receive many of the benefits of entry level elite status — priority check-in, priority boarding, and free checked bags. It turns out the leak was incomplete (and in one instance incorrect), and now we have the rest of the story. First, the relationship is reciprocal, because Delta elite members will also earn miles in addition to Starpoints on their Starwood hotel stays. And second because the rumor that Starwood Platinums would receive day of departure upgrades on Delta (after every last elite in the queue had cleared) was incorrect. Presumably that was discussed at one…
How To Make Sure You Really Have a Ticket When You Redeem Your Miles
This one seems obvious, right? You redeemed your miles for a ticket, therefore you have a ticket. The airline even sent you a confirmation e-mail so everything is all set, right? Not necessarily and certainly not guaranteed if you used United miles to book the award. I wrote about this problem back in May (“United Award Tickets on Asiana Sometimes Cancel Themselves and How to Make Sure You Don’t Get Shafted“) and then again in July (“When You Purchase a United Award Ticket That Doesn’t Mean You Actually Have a Ticket“). It’s a Long-Standing Legacy Continental Problem I learned quite awhile ago, under the old Continental system, that sometimes flights you book using your miles — especially when those flights were on partner airlines — just ‘disappear’. They were confirmed, they were promised to you,…
Bits ‘n Pieces for February 6, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: Cathay Pacific is offering snake plush toys for online booking. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has issued a non-binding ruling that Asiana flight attendants should be allowed to wear pants. Delta Skyclubs offering reasonably priced bottles of Dom Perignon. But if it’s the ’03, it’s too hit-or-miss to take the chance still. American’s Board of Directors is expected to vote in favor of a merger with US Airways at the beginning of next week. Expectation is American Chairman Tom Horton to stay on as non-executive Chairman for a specified term and then leave the company.
Starwood Introducing Points-Earning and Status Benefits on Delta
Two weeks ago I noted a Starwood trademark for the term “Crossover Rewards” and this morning was alerted by this Milepoint thread that we now know what those are: benefits for Starwood elite members when flying Delta. Whether other travel providers will be included in the future is, as-yet, unclear although my guess is that Delta is first on-board and will remain so for awhile, as the exclusivity is what would have been enticing for them, a way to drive Starwood elite member business to the airline while Starwood provides more value to their members. Loyalty Lobby has the terms and conditions. While details aren’t online yet, they’ll be coming at both Delta.com and spg.com/crossover rewards. Starwood Elites Will Earn Points for Flying Delta Starwood Gold and Platinum members will be able to link their…
What Not to Do in First Class (or Any Cabin of the Plane, Really)
You should definitely not behave this way. And you should definitely not behave this way if you are a pilot who wants to keep his job. And you should definitely not behave this way if you are a pilot who wants to keep his job and have just returned from suspension for similar behavior. After drinking several whiskeys, the pilot grabbed the woman, who was sitting next to her husband in first class, announcing, “I want to f**** her,” according to The Sun. He attempted to get into the cockpit — even though he wasn’t part of the crew that day — declaring, “I want to rape the flight deck,” The Sun reported. He then collapsed in front of his passengers on the plane traveling from London to Japan, where he was scheduled to pick…
Hyatt’s Spring Promotion: 3000 Points Every 3 Nights
Loyalty Lobby speculated on Hyatt’s promotion yesterday but I’ve gotten it confirmed: Hyatt Gold Passport’s spring promotion will be 3000 points every 3 nights, up to a maximum of 45,000 points, between March 1 and May 31. In addition to earlier speculation, Hyatt Visa cardholders will earn an additional 20% bonus on top of that (meaning each set of 3 nights will earn them 3600 bonus points). Registration for the promotion will begin February 15. The link for this is not yet available. Club Carlson is offering triple points. Starwood is giving 2000 points every four nights. Hilton is double points or miles. I’d say that Marriott’s MegaBonus which offers a free night after two stays (capped at category 4) is probably the richest current promotion, with Hyatt’s second. Although for my purposes — I…
100% Bonus on Transferred Miles from AviancaTaca LifeMiles
In December I explained Why You Want to Get Started With the AviancaTaca LifeMiles Program Right Now. LifeMiles is one of the best programs in the Star Alliance. There are some frustrations, like inability to book flights in more than one class of service on an award. But they sell miles cheap, their award chart is reasonable, they offer one-way awards, and the website is decent. Plus there are no fuel surcharges. I consider the better non-U.S. programs a great hedge and refuge against the risks of revenue-based frequent flyer redemption changes. And the AviancaTaca LifeMiles program regularly offers 100% bonuses on purchased miles and then lets you effectively buy miles even cheaper with their cash ad points awards (where you need just 40% of the miles required for a given award ticket). Now, through…
More Business Class Seats — and a Better Seat — Coming to Tahiti
Tahiti is one of the toughest frequent flyer awards, largely because there’s just not a lot of air service there. From the mainland U.S. the only two options are Air Tahiti Nui (which offers daily service) and Air France (which offers thrice-weekly service). Hawaiian Airlines also serves Papeete from Honolulu once a week on Saturdays. It turns out that the best miles for getting to Tahiti are Delta’s, because they partner with both Air France and Air Tahiti Nui. American miles can be used for Air Tahiti Nui. Folks wanting to use United or US Airways miles will wind up having to fly all the way to Auckland (not an easy award to get in its own right!) and then from there to Papeete using Air New Zealand’s twice a week service. I was fortunate…
