ExpressJet Files Bankruptcy, Shuts Down All Operations

by Gary Leff

Aug 23 2022

ExpressJet Airlines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ceased all flight operations. Among other things they blame high fuel costs and the inability to sell hotel travel packages. However if your business model isn’t resilient to sub-$100 fuel you were doomed to fail.

Last year ExpressJet, 49% owned by United, shut down its Embraer ERJ-145 operation, kept one plane and their operating certificate, and since the fall flew as aha! to 11 cities from a hub in Reno. As I wrote at the time, “using high seat cost regional jets on leisure routes. What could possibly go wrong?”

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Bottle Of Water And A Napkin Served On 10 Hour Flight As Two “Vegan Meals”

by Gary Leff

Aug 23 2022

Air Canada has had a long, hot, miserable summer of flight cancellations, delays, and lost luggage – that puts the dreadful performance of U.S. airlines to shame. And even when their flights do take off, it’s no bed of roses, as one woman found out after being offered nothing to eat on a 10 hour flight except a bottle of water and a napkin.

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YUCK: American Airlines Bringing More 50 Seat Regional Jets On Board

by Gary Leff

Aug 22 2022

To be clear, a route operated by a CR2 is better than a route that doesn’t have air service. And in some cases that’s the relevant margin on which the decision gets made. But that may not be true for every route Air Wisconsin operates for American. It’ll be a downgrade in passenger experience, but still a better passenger experience than a wagon train or horse drawn carriage.

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Wide Open Etihad Business Class Award Space From Several U.S. Cities

by Gary Leff

Aug 22 2022

Etihad business class award space has opened wide up. Etihad has business class award space broadly available from New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare, and Washington Dulles to their Abu Dhabi hub. You can use that to get to India, the Maldives, the Mideast or really much of where you’d want to go.

More space is bookable via Air Canada than American AAdvantage or Etihad’s own program at the saver level.

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5 Reasons To Be Excited About American Airlines

by Gary Leff

Aug 21 2022

I have offered many focused criticisms of American Airlines over the past several years. I’ve long been of the belief that there is no U.S. airline with more potential to be better than it is today. But in the interest of fairness and balance I wanted to offer 5 reasons to be genuinely excited about American Airlines. They are the airline I fly most, and I’ve been at least an Executive Platinum member of their AAdvantage program for more than a decade.

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