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.
Taiwan-based EVA Air, a member of the Star Alliance, operates a bus route. In Texas. Sadly, the service ends August 31.
The termination of this bus service actually makes previously-booked paid travel between Houston and Taipei refundable, because you might have relied on the free bus to Dallas.
American Airlines has been getting close with Qatar Airways, so close they appear as though they’re violating anti-trust laws; so close there’s speculation that Qatar could once again try to buy a stake in American Airlines and this time it would be welcomed.
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.
When SkyWest proposed to mimic JSX’s model, in order to provide Essential Air Service flights, the big pilot union went ballistic. They see an end-run around hard-fought limits on entry into the pilot profession. People were able to fly with fewer than 1,500 hours – in fact, they were getting paid to build up hours that would qualify them to fly for major airlines. These hours are even better and safer that what most commercial pilots fly to qualify – real operations, not just 1,000 in clear weather flying Cessna doing touch-and-go’s at the same three or four airports.
Before the pandemic American Airlines was about to start construction on a dedicated business class lounge in Philadelphia.
With American’s returning focus to Philadelphia, after having lost its partnership with JetBlue and vision for growth in New York, they’ve re-engaged on a Philadelphia Flagship lounge. However I do not currently expect the lounge to be complete for summer 2024.
Airline inflight wifi in the United States is converging around free, or for those carriers that charge the price generally hovers around $8 per flight. The exception to this is American Airlines, where connectivity for a single device on a flight can cost over $20.
Instead of paying per flight, I pay $49.95 per month covering a single device on their narrowbody aircraft (both ViaSat and Intelsat, formerly Gogo, equipment). American has just announced two new pricing options, and I’m confused?
JetBlue’s deal to buy Spirit Airlines isn’t just being challenged by the government. There’s a civil suit as well, because why not piggy back on government opposition for a payday? Only lawyers made an oops in redactions – and as a result exposed “internal company estimates of plans to hike fares on Spirit planes by as much as 40%.” And this could make JetBlue’s defense of the deal against government anti-trust charges that much harder.
Last week I wrote that Maui’s mayor said it was time for tourists to return to the island. Just stay away from the western part. They need visitors to Wailea. They need visitors to Kihei.
And many of you slammed me, calling me insensitive to the tragedy that had occurred on the island. Now the Governor is asking for people to return, locals are asking him for a state of emergency, and local unemployment has increased ten-fold.
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 »
