American Airlines Tells Employees Their Plans For Boeing 777-200s

by Gary Leff

first class cabin
Dec 16 2022

To the extent that American keeps the 777-200s over the long-term they may retrofit the interiors of these aircraft. There’s some chance that United’s big order for 100 firm and up to 200 widebody aircraft from Boeing could take delivery slots that leads to American keeping its 777-200s longer. There’s less opportunity for further replacement.

And already American is talking about keeping (at least some of) its Boeing 777-200s over the long term. At the same time, I’d expect some of the fleet to be retired and those aircraft never to be reconfigured.

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Air France KLM: Trying To Make Our Program Better So Americans Transfer Their Bank Points

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2022

Ben Lipsey, head of Air France KLM Flying Blue who got his start in the airline industry by messaging Air Canada’s President on FlyerTalk to score an internship when he was 20 years old and eventually moved over with Ben Smith when he became CEO of Air France KLM, gave an interview where he talked about the importance of the program’s value proposition for Americans.

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More Hotels Seem To Be Playing Games With Award Nights, And Chains Aren’t Stopping Them

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2022

My sense is that Hyatt clearly enforces the rules that it has, but there are loopholes a few properties drive a truck through. Marriott does have clear rules in its program guide for hotels, which largely exempts all-suite properties from minimum availability requirements. But they aren’t as strong on enforcement. And I’m trying to figure out the broader shift that seems to me to be happening at Hilton.

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American Tweaks Status Earning, Introduces Many More Choice Benefit Levels For 2023

by Gary Leff

Dec 15 2022

American Airlines is making several changes to status-earning and adding milestones at which you’ll receive additional benefits for 2023.

They’re also removing the flight requirement to earn milestone benefits; increasing the Loyalty Points required for Gold status, while leaving all other levels the same; lifting the cap on the number of miles you can earn for a ticket; and changing mileage-earning on basic economy tickets. It’s also going to take more Loyalty Points to earn choice benefits for Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum members.

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