Flights continue to be cancelled nationwide, with more flights cancelled in the U.S. than anywhere else (even China) and more Southwest flights cancelled than any other airline.
Extreme winter weather is the proximate cause. In some cases this has been exacerbated by an airline’s ability to respond to that weather (sufficient staff and systems for recovery). Here’s the email that Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan sent internally to employees on Christmas evening.
Overall the property – from Globalist recognition, to details in the room, to the club lounge – exceeded my expectations.
The Hyatt Regency JFK at Resorts World will be my new go-to for New York JFK airport overnights, and the cost of a roundtrip Uber will be worth it for the speed and convenience compared schlepping over to the shuttle pickup and then waiting for a hotel shuttle.
The Soho lounge is the equivalent of a British Airways First Class lounge – it’s not a true first class lounge. Long haul first class passengers have access to a different one (here, the Chelsea lounge). Instead it’s the oneworld emerald lounge, for top tier elites, a bit more exclusive than the business class lounge.
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.
On December 23, Emirates flight EK319 from Tokyo Narita to Dubai became a miserable experience for 500 passengers and crew on the Airbus A380. The plane went mechanical, and missed taking off before the airport’s midnight curfew by just a few minutes. The airline didn’t bother getting hotel rooms for passengers – or, reportedly, even crew. In fact they told passengers they couldn’t leave the airport, handed out sleeping bags, and directed premium cabin passengers to the lounge for the night.
Like yesterday, Southwest Airlines again led the world in most flight cancellations. They aren’t just short pilots and ramp agents. With half of the airline’s flights delayed – again – customers all over the country have needed help getting rebooked. And the airline’s phone system chose today to melt down.
Marriott offers complimentary breakfast at most of its brands to Platinum elites and higher. Hoewver they don’t really say what breakfast means. And some hotels have figured out that the terms and conditions of the Bonvoy program don’t actually define ‘complimentary’ so they interpret it to mean “charged to the customer, but just for less money.” The Tribute Portfolio Royal Palm South Beach Miami is one of those hotels.
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.
I’ve had several readers ask why Southwest Airlines is cancelling so many more flights than other carriers this holiday, and why their operation in Denver is worse than United’s – so it’s not just weather. I initially assumed that the way Southwest routes its planes – throughout its system, rather than isolating them with back-and-forths – tends to cause cancellations across the system when there are localized disruptions.
However it turns out they’re having a bigger problem in Denver. There are a lack of employees working the ramp. And this has led to extreme measures at Southwest – which aren’t working.
Emirates has instituted a ~ 20% increase in miles required for premium cabin awards on many non-stop itineraries to and from Dubai, while so far leaving connecting itineraries and fifth freedom routes unchanged, though that could change. This was done with no notice, and after already raising business class award pricing earlier this year. But they aren’t done, according to the airline.
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 »
