What this also allows United to do over time is have fewer agents, or at least fewer agents per passenger. Instead of having agents deployed at airports across the terminal in case customers need them, and having down time throughout the day, they can locate agents centrally and optimize staffing based on predicted needs.
That makes this the perfect ‘United under Scott Kirby’s leadership’ initiative: it fosters on-time performance while reducing cost.
Iceland and Hungary welcome people who have recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months. This makes a lot more sense than welcoming people that have tested negative in the past 72 hours. A recent negative test doesn’t mean someone is free of the virus at the time they arrive. But someone that’s recovered from the virus probably doesn’t have it and can’t spread it.
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.
Booking an American Airlines flight may now be the most convenient way to get Covid-19 testing at home whether you plan to travel or not (and current ticket purchases generally don’t incur change fees if you choose not to travel).
In theory the European Union has the strongest consumer air travel protections. Its EU261 requires cash compensation for many flight delays. But airlines drag their feet paying compensation, and Americans can’t sue for EU261 compensation in U.S. courts according to a new ruling.
Your year-long Bangkok City Center stay is in a club room, so you get club level benefits including breakfast, light snacks, evening hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Think of it like rent, without having to pay extra for utilities for housekeeping, and meals thrown in. You even get complimentary parking. And they throw in club lounge meeting room use, too, so call it your office.
They rebate 20% of the price (200,000 Thai Baht) as a statement credit for use in the hotel’s restaurants and bars, or for room service and even hosting events. That’s over $6500 in room service, on top of the club lounge food.
They even throw you a birthday party.
When the FDA gives its initial approval for a Covid-19 it will not be full approval (emergency use) so the FAA will consider its use by pilots separately even if pilots are considered essential or frontline workers for jumping to the head of the queue for access.
When passengers see a messy cabin, they tend to leave it that way themselves and perhaps even in worse condition (Cf. lavatories). It’s the ‘broken windows theory’ of policing applied to an aircraft cabin. Slovenliness begets slovenliness. But the reverse is also true. Hold up your end, keep things looking respectable, and your fellow passengers are more likely to do so as well – and an airline’s employees and contractors will have a much easier time maintaining the plane for the people flying in your seat next, too.
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.
If you’re reasonable, nice, and persistent – in other words, if you’re easy to help and easier to help than not help – you’re going to do well complaining in almost any circumstance whether it’s the cable company, an airline, or the DMV.
A bureaucrat may go out of their way because they sympathize with you or at least because you’re nice, nicer than most of the people they deal with. A hotel may offer you compensation because they genuinely feel they’ve shortchanged you in some way, or because it’s cheap to make you feel better about your experience. An airline’s rules are so complex you might get what you want just by finding someone who doesn’t search the rulebook for a reason not to give it to you (call center roulette).
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 »
