American Introduces New First Class Meals On Cross Country Flights

by Gary Leff

Apr 08 2021

American Airlines has been testing protein boxes in domestic first class as meals which replace their serving the old coach buy on board options front. The airline tells me that next week this expands to non-premium flights over 2200 miles.

In other words premium transcon flights like New York JFK – Los Angeles and San Francisco continue to get hot meals. What’s new is that non-premium transcon flights, longer than Charlotte – Los Angeles like DC – Los Angeles or Miami Seattle, will get ‘Fresh Bites’ instead of the old coach buy on board wrapped sandwiches.

Continue Reading »

Former Model Threatened To Blow Up Plane After Learning The Price Of Inflight Wine

by Gary Leff

Apr 08 2021

Former model Hannah Lee Pierson is accused of threatening to blow up her Air New Zealand flight between Melbourne and Auckland after being told by cabin crew that a glass of wine on board isn’t free, according to court documents.

She is said to have become abusive towards flight attendants, and was ultimately handcuffed and strapped to her seat to keep her out of the galley of the aircraft.

Continue Reading »

Maui Will Require Second Covid Test On Arrival Starting Later This Month

by Gary Leff

Hawaiian resort
Apr 08 2021

All arrivals from outside the state will have to undergo a rapid test at the airport or go into 10-day quarantine. That’s in addition to the required test 72 hours prior to travel, and regardless of vaccination status (even as the state has discussed proof of vaccination in lieu of testing).

The specific date this will begin hasn’t announced yet, noting that it will take ‘at least 10 working days’ to get the program up and running, but it’s expected to start prior to end of April.

Continue Reading »

Biden Administration Talking To Airlines About Creation Of Vaccine Passports

by Gary Leff

Apr 07 2021

he U.S. federal government isn’t going to require vaccine passports for citizens, nor are citizens going to be required to get vaccinated (though failing to require vaccination in exchange for $1400 stimmy checks was a huge lost opportunity in the fight against the pandemic).

However the Biden administration is working on standards to allow for vaccine passports, and has been in talks with airlines about creating them. The White House says it will offer its guidance for moving forward “soon.”

Continue Reading »

What Hilton Is Letting Hotels Get Away With During The Pandemic

by Gary Leff

hotel
Apr 07 2021

With the greatest drop in travel demand in history, hotels in many parts of the world have struggled mightily – although in the U.S. and some other regions business has been coming back – especially in popular leisure destinations that have been largely open during the pandemic like Florida and Cancun.

Hotel chains have relaxed the rules that their properties have to follow, limiting how much each has to spend on forward-looking investments and during each guest stay. Hilton recently updated its brand standard waivers, including outlining when some services have to return.

Continue Reading »

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against The No Fly List After American Citizen Was Barred From Coming Home

by Gary Leff

tsa logo with text on top
Apr 07 2021

With the Biden administration looking to add ‘domestic extremists’ to the No Fly List. Democrats wanted to put Capitol Rioters on the list and President Obama wanted to ban anyone on the list from owning guns.

These efforts have had a lot of support from readers, but anyone who cares about civil liberties should be very, very concerned. And a new lawsuit hopes to expose some of these challenges.

Continue Reading »

Earn Star Alliance Gold Status By Transferring Bank Points, Online Shopping

by Gary Leff

flight attendants posing
Apr 07 2021

Star Alliance carrier Singapore Airlines is letting members earn status credits for things other than flying through February 2022. In addition current Singapore elites earn double status credits for qualifying spend through KrisShop, KrisFlyer Spree and at Kris+ partners.

Current non-status members can earn silver or gold status without ever flying.

Continue Reading »

The Complicated Process For American AAdvantage Elites To Get Extra Legroom Seats On Alaska Airlines

by Gary Leff

alaska airlines plane
Apr 06 2021

With Alaska Airlines joining the oneworld alliance and continuing to partner more closely with American Airlines, the two airlines have introduced reciprocal elite benefits – the most valuable of which are access for elites to extra legroom seats and upgrades.

As the partnership was being developed, American Airlines Senior Vice President Vasu Raja emphasized the need for a seamless customer experience between the two airlines so “that a customer of either Alaska or American Airlines would choose us over one of our competitors’ long haul services” as a result of upgrades, seat assignments, and other benefits. And yet….

Continue Reading »