American Airlines Nailed Domestic First Class Breakfast In A Way Few Airlines Do

by Gary Leff

Apr 09 2022

Before the pandemic one of the American Airlines breakfasts on regional jets was a smoked salmon plate. American’s regional jets don’t have ovens in the galleys so it was a perfect meal to serve cold. I always thought that it was a better choice than an egg dish with sausage on mainline.

In the fall I had a smoked salmon plate on my Los Angeles – Honolulu flight. I was thrilled at the choice, but there was no tomato and I was given a miniature bagel. I’ve often criticized American Airlines for failing to pay attention to the details. On this flight they’d really figured it out.

Continue Reading »

What Does Hyatt’s New All-Inclusive Chart Mean For Legacy Hotel Redemption Prices?

by Gary Leff

Apr 09 2022

As you can see from this chart, only Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta has changed pricing, going from 20,000 points per night to 25,000 points per night. Hyatt tells me, though, that Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta will be moving to Category B at 20,000 points in the next week.

I have to give Hyatt a lot of credit here. My first instinct is to wonder whether assigning existing all-inclusives to a new award chart would be an opportunity to raise the price of redemptions. Surely at most programs it would be! And they have not done this here.

Continue Reading »

5 Weeks Of Quarantine Required? No Wonder There’s Just 32 Non-Stop Flights To China This MONTH

by Gary Leff

china memorial
Apr 08 2022

According to data from Cirium’s Diio Mi, there are only 32 non-stop flights scheduled between the U.S. and China this month. That’s a total of just 11,634 seats.

Going full Wuhan in Shanghai isn’t working. But without having used the last two years well to prepare for inevitable virus spread, which was ultimately the point of a suppression strategy, what’s the exit plan for China?

Continue Reading »

Court Rules US Domestic Flight Delays Can Be Subject To EU Compensation

by Gary Leff

Apr 08 2022

ike many carriers, United Airlines and Lufthansa operate a ‘joint venture’ where they share revenue for their operations across the Atlantic. There’s not supposed to be any difference between traveling on a United flight or a Lufthansa flight. Both airlines put their flight codes on the other carrier’s flights. That means United sells Lufthansa flights as though they were United flights with a United flight number, and vice versa.

But if Lufthansa is going to sell United flights as though the fights were their own, then those flights become subject to European consumer protection rules.

Continue Reading »