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.
American Airlines appears to be using safety cards that just say “737” on 737 MAX aircraft now. No wonder customers don’t seem to complain they’re flying on the MAX…?
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.
Earlier this month I stayed at the Thompson Washington DC Hotel. It’s in a neighborhood where I haven’t spent much time before, and my first experience with the brand that Hyatt acquired when it acquired Two Roads Hospitality.
I didn’t have a fantastic stay at the property. I am not longing to return. But I’d absolutely stay here – for instance this would be my go-to pick if I had a meeting at the Department of Transportation, or for a leisure stay if I were going to a Nationals ballgame and wanted to use points.
Hotel chains advertise prices that don’t include mandatory fees. The headline rate is what consumers compare when they’re searching. It’s only when they go to book that they see the price is higher than what was presented to them. That makes comparing prices difficult. And it puts hotels that are transparent, advertising the full cost of a stay, at a disadvantage.
At some point we have to ask, though, what does the room rate even cover if it doesn’t come with electricity?
Big business used to be viewed as the enemy of the left, but now aren’t they its vanguard? Or does that just mean the ideas have been co-opted and are no longer cool? And now that Delta Air Lines offers diversity training as a benefit to elite frequent flyers, doesn’t that mean by definition that it’s all become passé?
A Delta Diamond Medallion shares event Delta is holding for elite frequent flyers next week where airline CEO Ed Bastian will host a discussion on the importance of and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion
Covid-19 vaccines are phenomenal. And they’re about to open up a lot of travel possibilities: so-called ‘vaccine passports’, only we don’t know how long those passports will be valid as a result of virus variants and uncertainty over how long they provide protection.
Much of the world is ordering not just first injections but also booster doses, in case these passports need to be extended. The U.S. hasn’t done this yet.
Watch your stuff! Airports have more surveillance than just about any other place in the country. There are numerous law enforcement agencies on site, from the TSA to Customs and Border Patrol to the DEA. There are cameras everywhere. Yet passenger belongings are being stolen all the time, and almost no one gets caught.
The fired United Airlines flight attendant who is suing Marriott under a variety of theories stemming from a positive Covid-19 test, quarantine at the Courtyard Wilmington Downtown, and the hotel sharing his behavior with the airline including that he was allegedly maskless in the lobby among other guests despite his Covid-19 diagnosis is getting quite a bit of coverage.
Much of the detail in the suit is a total distraction. I detailed several problems with it yesterday. A law professor shares another.
Hyatt’s The Driskill hotel in Austin is old Texas. It first opened in 1886, owned by cattle baron Jesse Driskill. The next year the hotel in the state’s capitol hosted the inaugural ball for Governor Sul Ross, and subsequent governors’ balls have been held there since.
This week a 77 year old guest on the property, who had stayed for 16 days, set fire to his room before checkout. He then went to the airport, and caught his flight to Houston.
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 »
