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.
Marriott CEO Tony Capuano lays out a plan to make sure that hotels get their share of taxpayer loot the way airlines did in the next crisis. He is working with the heads of other hotel chains to make future requests for cash about the employees. He also explains how they’ll become more transparent with customers as they work to keep pandemic cuts in place into the future.
American Airlines updated its rules (‘contract of carriage’) to make clear that it has almost no responsibility to you, the customer, when they delay or cancel flights.
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.
There have been plenty of stories about the end of the Alitalia brand over the past few weeks. But not so fast! Replacement Italian state airline ITA is going to be allowed to buy the Alitalia brand before it launches next month. They still won’t, however, be able to acquire the frequent flyer program so loyalty program members get the short end of the stick.
The President of the AAdvantage program is leaving American Airlines after just over a year in his current role. His farewell message to employees has been leaked.
No one is going to intentionally stick a camera in a hotel room to catch me in the shower, but the video camera might be there anyway, and it’s really creepy.
Cameras are often concealed inside of devices you’d expect to find in a room like a clock radio, a smoke detector, or inside an air conditioning vent. A viral TikTok video shows how to find any hidden cameras in your hotel room or Airbnb.
In April, anti-mask Alaska state senator Lora Reinbold – who had been fined for reusing to properly wear a mask in the state capitol – was banned from Alaska Airlines after she refused to keep her mask above her nose and employees claimed to feel threated by her in the altercation that ensued.
Now, with Alaska Airlines her only option for getting to and from her state’s capitol, she’s asked to be excused from voting through the end of the legislative session. Over the summer she’s flown Delta between Anchorage and Juneau – via Seattle! – but that service is only seasonal.
President Biden has issued an order telling the TSA to double fines for passengers refusing to wear masks on planes and other forms of transportation. This is purely symbolic, because fines – which start at $250 for a first offence – are rarely imposed let alone paid.
The President demanded that air travelers show some respect and that this is the reason for the increased fines.
President Biden on Thursday announced sweeping national vaccine mandates, which are still to be written. Timing remains uncertain, but federal workers will have to be vaccinated. So will federal contractors. And most health care workers. And anyone employed by a company with over 100 workers (though weekly testing will be an alternative). Federal workers, of course get a 75 day grace period and only then will begin the ‘standard H.R. process’ such as it is.
This announcement puts a move made by United Airlines just the day before in a new light. United Airlines was specifically called out as an example by President Biden.
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 »
