The agent upgraded the guest, and then tried to pocket an upgrade fee in cash. But since the guest was already upgraded, and they wouldn’t want them complaining to management, the guest kept the room they were already in. It seems clear to me that the agent processed the upgrade (whether they were supposed to or not) angling to line their own pockets. And the solicitation to pay in cash is always a giveaway.
I experienced the most interesting gate agent strategy I’ve ever seen – a passenger threat that helps align incentives with passengers to get the plane out on this, but that seems like the last thing the airline would want to be telling its customers: if you don’t do what I say, we’re going to lose your bags.
Southwest Airlines will begin assigned seating for bookings made in the second half of next year, for flights operated in the first half of 2026.
They’ve announced what this means for their A-List and A-List Preferred elite members, and how this will affect Companion Pass.
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.
No one will invest in building an engine for Boom Supersonic. So they’re going to fund the development themselves. They’ve raised money in a ‘down round’ to pay for this. Two years ago they’d supposedly come to an agreement with three companies to provide an engine.
I had the opportunity to test the Capital One Landing at Washington’s Reagan National airport again, and this time under ‘real world’ conditions over the past week.
I am always skeptical that execution of food will be as good when the executives aren’t there, and under pressure to turn out dishes at the type of volume necessary for a full house of travelers.
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.
A United Airlines passenger arrived in the country and somehow lost his shoes at customs. He decided to leave his shoes behind, rather than looking for them, because he was afraid of missing his onward connection. He had two domestic flights to take, including a stop at Chicago O’Hare, and he made the entire journey just in his socks.
The Aloft Rogers-Bentonville hotel in Arkansas apparently has a laminated sign in guest rooms outlining the property’s “Hotel Towel Policy.” It says that guests will be charged a variable fee up to $50 per dirty towel.
Airline first class hasn’t been for the wealthy in 40 years. Domestically, it went from a place filled with upgraded upper middle class middle managers to a place filled with people who have $40 or, sadly, people who have $40 available on a credit card.
Whether or not first class is ‘worth it’ depends, of course, on how much you value it and on your available funds but the modest increment means the extra cost is frequently easy to justify.
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 »
