The Reason Hyatt Became The Only Hotel Points Transfer Partner For New Program Bilt Rewards

by Gary Leff

Jun 22 2021

The new Bilt Rewards program lets members earn points through their rental apartment, and even earn points for paying rent to any landlord. It has a credit card, and points transfer 1:1 into a variety of loyalty currencies.

At first blush it seemed surprising to see Hyatt as the only hotel points transfer partner. It makes sense for Bilt, it’s the only hotel program where a 1:1 points transfer offers value to members. But we haven’t seen Hyatt offer that many partnerships. Why add Bilt?

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Woman Gave Birth At The Miami Airport On Fathers Day, Named The Girl MIA

by Gary Leff

Jun 21 2021

On Sunday – Fathers Days – a woman gave birth to a baby girl inside a restroom near Miami airport’s gate D43 after getting off of an American Airlines flight from Chicago.

The mother, traveling with her aunt, gave birth to the baby at 10:30 a.m. The Miami airport carries the 3 letter code MIA, and uses it in its branding. The mother decided to name the girl Mia, which the airport says they’re “honored” by.

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Airlines Are Asking The Government To Send Unruly Passengers To Prison

by Gary Leff

Jun 21 2021

U.S. airlines, represented by their lobbying group Airlines For America, have jointed the biggest airline unions in calling for the Department of Justice to prosecute passengers who cause flight disturbances.

Notably though 2300 of the 3000 reports of unruly behavior the FAA has received this year have been related to masks. Isn’t it striking that the airlines and unions don’t recognize that three quarters of the incidents, then, could be eliminated by lifting the mask mandate – that no longer makes any sense in any case?

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When Will The American Airlines Operation Recover From Meltdown?

by Gary Leff

Jun 21 2021

American Airlines cancelled 3% of its flights on Sunday, and about 2% already today. Cancellations appear to continue, and I’d guess will last through the end of the month until we hit the airline’s planned 1% pulldown of capacity for the first half of July.

If you’re flying a Boeing 737 especially this hits you hardest, since that’s the fleet type that’s been hardest hit by pilot shortages.

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The ‘Breakfast Included’ Hotel Rate Scam

by Gary Leff

Jun 21 2021

Some hotels offer rates that include breakfast. You need to figure out how likely to buy breakfast you are – and how much you’ll save. Sometimes the ‘breakfast included’ price is really just the room rate plus the cost of breakfast. And if you skip breakfast even one day, for instance you leave too early in the morning on the day you check out, you come out a loser on the deal.

But some hotels during the pandemic have been pulling a breakfast rate scam on guests.

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Star Of The Bachelor Refused Upgrade, Lashes Out Over $1000 Checked Bag Fee

by Gary Leff

Brittany Hockley, who made it to the finale of The Bachelor Australia in 2018 and returned for 2020’s Bachelor in Paradise, lashed out at Etihad Airways when they refused to sell her an upgrade to business or first class – but wanted $1000 to check her luggage.

First she complained she couldn’t book her extra checked bag online. Then she discovered at the airport that Etihad wanted $1000 to carry it.

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