Shameful: FAA Prioritizes Cronyism Over Safety Giving In To Pilot Union Demands

by Gary Leff

Aug 27 2023

The federal government is considering banning air carrier operations that diverge from the model of American Airlines, United, and Delta in order to operate niche service from small cities and private terminals. And the only reason they’re doing this is as a concession to lobbying by unions and an incumbent airline – groups that don’t want to compete with more pilots and innovative business models.

The FAA is considering requiring carriers currently operating as scheduled charters to instead operate as scheduled air carriers, effectively putting upstarts out of business. The loudest lobbying voice with the ear of the powerful wins?

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American Airlines Award Travel Pricing Is Unfair To Many AAdvantage Members

by Gary Leff

Aug 26 2023

American Airlines eliminated saver and anytime award travel in favor of dynamic pricing. And always and everywhere that airlines have done this, they’ve devalued their miles. I don’t think AAdvantage members realize how much their miles are devalued, though, if they live in an American Airlines hub and are trying to redeem for non-stop flights.

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Flight Attendant Had Enough Of Passenger’s Demands, “Not Gonna Sit Here And Be Berated”

by Gary Leff

Aug 26 2023

A TikTok video shows a Southwest Airlines flight where a passenger is ordering around a flight attendant, first saying she needs her son seated by her, then that the crewmember needs to store her bag for her, and also that she needed help getting her seatbelt belted.

The passenger complains, “somebody’s using God’s name in vain behind me.” As the flight attendant helped the passenger with her seatbelt, it appears that the passenger’s phone fell. The flight attendant picked it up off of the ground for her, and the woman said “Thank you that hit my foot.”

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Southwest Airlines Flight Makes Extra Stop In Wichita To Drop Off A Flight Attendant

by Gary Leff

Aug 26 2023

Southwest Airlines flight 872 from Dallas Love Field to Kansas City Friday morning made an unscheduled stop in Wichita today in order to drop off a flight attendant. Passengers weren’t told this was happening until just before boarding.

A passenger on board shares that the “17-year veteran pilot apologize[d]” to everyone on board for the extra long trip and offered that the situation was a “first for him too.”

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Hertz Is Selling EV Rentals All Wrong

by Gary Leff

Aug 25 2023

Hertz got huge publicity announcing an order two years ago for 100,000 Teslas. Since then they’ve taken on other electric vehicles as well. The problem, though, is that people aren’t reserving them.

I regularly search car rentals and find that Hertz electric vehicles are often my cheapest option among the big rental companies. Hertz also has a special deal on EVs currently going on.

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