China Southern In Discussions To Join oneworld Alliance

by Gary Leff

airline canada
Nov 24 2022

In 2015 Delta Air Lines made a $450 million investment in Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines. That left fellow SkyTeam member Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines out in the cold. Two years later, American Airlines followed with a $200 million investment (for a 2.76% stake) in Chinese state-controlled China Southern.

China Southern left SkyTeam. They introduced AAdvantage mileage-earning and redmeption and entered into a joint venture with British Airways. BA’s largest shareholder, Qatar Airways, took a 5% stake in China Southern as well.

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How The Big Airline Pilots Union Misleads You For Their Own Gain

by Gary Leff

cockpit with pilot
Nov 23 2022

For years the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the major pilots union, has lobbied for federal rules that make it difficult to become a pilot. Fewer pilots keeps wages high, and gives unions leverage during contract negotiations – they can’t just be replaced if they strike (or if an airline were to lock them out). But with a shortage of pilots, some of those rules have come under scrutiny.

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Brazil Brings Back Air Travel Mask Mandate

by Gary Leff

Nov 23 2022

Brazil is bringing back its air travel mask mandate. They say a surge in Covid-19 cases makes this urgent, but the rule isn’t going into effect right away. It starts Friday, November 25. Paper masks will be permitted as long as they are two-ply in airports and inflight, and there will be no limits placed on inflight service.

They won’t be limiting indoor gather at bars to watch the World Cup.

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When Delta Says SkyMiles Are Low Value, You Should Believe Them

by Gary Leff

Nov 23 2022

Delta is advertising a ‘deal’ between the U.S. and Japan for 121,000 miles roundtrip in coach. And Delta says you can find this special price if you book March 28 – April 5, 2023.

The ‘regular price’ of roundtrip domestic coach awards used to be 25,000 miles. Delta now considers it a ‘discount’ to pay 26,000 points roundtrip for Minneapolis – Los Angeles, a price they say is available January 25 – 31, 2013. When Delta literally promotes how low value their miles are, you should believe them.

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Court Orders Iberia To Start Weighing Carry On Bags

by Gary Leff

Nov 22 2022

Iberia’s flight attendants object to the larger overhead bins that the Spanish airline and British Airways sister carrier has been putting in Airbus A350-900 planes. Customers are able to fit more bags into XL bins, making them heavier. And flight attendants went to court seeking an order that they don’t have to lift those bins closed.

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IHG Hotels Chose NOW To Launch NFTs..?

by Gary Leff

Nov 22 2022

IHG is ‘entering the metaverse’ by offering NFTs for auction bundled with stays and benefits. Oddly, they spent actual money to create the NFTs engaging British contemporary artist Claire Luxton. They’re doing this as though Facebook isn’t right now laying off 11,000 employees, and Justin Bieber’s ‘Bored Ape’ hadn’t fallen in value 92%.

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