United Airlines Takes Half-Measure To Ban Inflight Alcohol, Keeps It On 800-Mile Flights

by Gary Leff

Jun 03 2021

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have delayed the return of alcohol to their flights, ostensibly because of poor behaving passengers – although they’ve behaving badly while also not being served alcohol inflight so it seems an odd connection to make. American Airlines continues to serve alcohol in first class.

Facing a call by the international head of their flight attendants union for federal action to ban alcohol during air travel, United Airlines has joined the mix in a rather odd way.

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How Delta’s American Express Is Doing, And Why They Expect Future Bailouts

by Gary Leff

Jun 03 2021

Delta CEO Ed Bastian spoke at the Alliance Bernstein 37th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on Thursday, trumpeting the turnaround for his airline – they’re going to be profitable in June and expect to make money for the second half of 2021.

He dropped several interesting tidbits along the way about their American Express card partnership, blocked middle seats, and Delta’s strategy going forward.

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Chase Launching Network Of Sapphire Airport Lounges, Starting In Boston

by Gary Leff

chasebank
Jun 03 2021

Chase announced today that they’re introducing their own network of airport lounges, though little details are provided on forthcoming “Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club” products. To date Chase has relied on Priority Pass to offer lounge access to its premium Reserve cardmembers. They’re the third card issuer to build a network of lounges in U.S. airports.

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United Airlines Places Order For 15 Supersonic Jets, Fly Transatlantic in 3.5 Hours Or 5 Hours To Asia

by Gary Leff

concorde plane
Jun 03 2021

United Airlines has aggressively bet on new technologies, like its billion dollar order in February for electric aircraft from Archer Aviation to provide quick, efficient connections to the airline’s hubs.

Now they’ve become the first major U.S. carrier to place an order for Boom supersonic jets putting themselves down for 15 with an option for 35 more.

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American Airlines Rolls Out 3 New Promotions To Re-Qualify For Elite Status Faster

by Gary Leff

Jun 03 2021

American Airlines has 3 new promotions to accelerate earning status for existing AAdvantage elite members, and it helps put me back on track to where status can be reached this year.

Registration is required, log into your account and click on your ‘promotions’ tab and you’ll see a promotion to register for. There are actually three separate promotions and you need to accept each one separately.

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Southwest Bans Muslim Woman From Exit Row Because She’d “Bring The Whole Plane Down”

by Gary Leff

southwest plane
Jun 02 2021

A woman who flew Southwest Airlines from Fort Lauderdale to Dallas Love Field on May 22 with her sister to visit their mother who had been admitted to a hospital’s intensive care unit says she was booted from an exit row seat by a flight attendant because she’s Muslim and was wearing a hijab.

She claims the flight attendant told her she’d “bring the whole plane down in an emergency.”

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Flight Attendants Union Head Pushing For Federal Ban On Inflight Alcohol

by Gary Leff

Jun 02 2021

There’s been an increase in inflight incidents. There are several reasons for this including a disproportionate share of leisure travelers and mask mandates that increasingly make little sense.

However there’s a push to blame alcohol even though most airlines haven’t been serving alcohol in the coach cabin. There’s even now a push to have the federal government ban cocktails inflight.

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