5 To 8 Hours To Speak To An American Airlines Agent? Here’s How To Get Help Now

by Gary Leff

older gentleman taking a selfie with smartphone
Apr 20 2021

Travel has been picking up, and airlines haven’t always scaled their call center capacity to match. Add in some bad weather – take Denver, for instance, on Monday where there was snow and more delays than any other airport in the world – and wait times to speak to an airline agent really grow. This has been an issue across airlines, and even wait times for elite frequent flyers who get call center priorities have been longer than usual at times lately.

American Airlines customers, especially, reported long wait times on Monday and into Tuesday – 5 to 8 hours, even – and customers are bringing receipts.

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New Radisson Rewards Changes As It Splits Into Two Programs On June 17th

by Gary Leff

Radisson Red Minneapolis - Oui Bar and Kitchen
Apr 20 2021

Two weeks ago Radisson hotels shared that Radisson Rewards would split into two geographically-distinct programs on June 17, 2021. This is being required by the U.S. government to keep data on Americans separated within the Chinese-owned chain.

When this happens there will also be changes to award redemption, and there will be status matching and points transfer between the programs.

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10 Insights Into American Airlines Strategy From Leaked Recording

by Gary Leff

american airlines planes
Apr 19 2021

Last week American Airlines held ‘Crew News’ conversations between executives and its pilot and flight attendant groups. They featured both introductory remarks by Chairman and CEO Doug Parker, along with questions by front line employees answered by Parker and members of management brought in as subject matter experts. A recording of these meetings was shared with View From The Wing.

Here are 10 insights from these discussions regarding American Airlines strategy.

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American Airlines CEO Tells Employees That Republican Voting Laws Target People Of Color

by Gary Leff

Apr 19 2021

At an American Airlines employee meeting last week, a pilot asked CEO Doug Parker why the company needed to interject itself into political issues – like state election law – to please people in media and on twitter. After all, customers fly American to get from point A to point B, not for its position on voting rules, so why upset people on the other side?

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Big Capital One Improvements To Transfers To Other Programs And New Airport Lounges Opening

by Gary Leff

Apr 19 2021

Capital One has done more than any other issuer, I think, to improve the benefits across several cards but most especially the Venture card which has a 100,000 mile initial bonus offer right now. On top of other new benefits, Capital One introduced transfer of its miles to several airline programs at the end of 2018.

Now Capital One has introduced new airline transfer partners and improved the rate that mileage transfers to some of those programs, and provided new details on its forthcoming network of airline lounges and new travel booking portal.

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Singapore Airlines Brings Back First Class Service Starting In June

by Gary Leff

Apr 19 2021

There’s a future for international first class, and it’s sooner than many had thought. Singapore Airlines had zeroed out first class from sale through March 2022, but now they’re bringing it back in June.

Singapore Airlines had stopped selling first class last year because it wasn’t clear which routes would see a plane that offers a Suites or First Class cabin again, and when.

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