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American Airlines Selling Off Its Stock Of Krug, The End Of Flagship First Dining?

by Gary Leff on December 22, 2020

Dec 22 2020

The future of American Airlines premium lounges is in question. Their international business class Flagship lounges have been closed for 9 months, and won’t re-open until international business class demand returns.

Inside three of American’s Flagship lounges are Flagship First Dining facilities, sit down dining rooms with cooked-to-order menus and private bars for first class passengers. They served Krug champagne, but the Krug is being sold off at a discount in nearby Admirals Clubs.

Man, Woman Open Door Of Taxiing Delta Jet, Head Down Slide With Their Service Animal

by Gary Leff on December 22, 2020

Dec 22 2020

About about 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning two passengers on Delta Air Flights flight 462 from New York LaGuardia to Atlanta opened an emergency exit door on the Airbus A321 after pushing back – and exited the aircraft down the slide with their large service dog.

Congress Agrees To Second Airline Bailout. United’s CEO Prepares To Ask For A Third.

by Gary Leff on December 22, 2020

flight attendant with brass knuckles

Dec 22 2020

Now that the second airline bailout is done – the CARES Act contained $50 billion plus invaluable tax relief for U.S. airlines – United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is already positioning for a third bailout. United Airlines is telling the employees they’re recalling from furlough to expect to be furloughed again after March.

EMT Falls Ill After Treating Passenger Who Died With Covid-19 On United Flight Last Week

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

Three medical professionals on board administered chest compressions before the fire department arrived to the scene and removed the man to a hospital, where he passed away. There’s now video from onboard the plane during the time he was being treated by passengers.

EMTs among the passengers put themselves at risk to treat the man, whose mask had been removed, but that had been given an oxygen mask from the aircraft. One of them has since fallen ill with Covid-like symptoms.

Family Of Two Year Old Kicked Off United Over A Mask Is Back In The Air, Without The Kid

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

For parents of two year olds who have difficulty maintaining a mask throughout their flight, fly Delta which permits young children in that situation to be exempt from the requirement.

Flying Delta is exactly what the family did next but, oddly, without their daughter. They “had to get down to Palm Beach” but the two year old stayed home and mom Instagrammed a beach shot.

Donald Trump Wants An Airport Named For Him

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

trumpl plane

Dec 21 2020

President Trump is asking about what airport will be named for him once he leaves office. However he’s concerned that whatever airport is chosen, it needs to be nice enough. He didn’t accomplish the infrastructure investment he campaigned on, but worries that a dilapidated airport will bear his name.

Grover Norquist raised a ton of money for the ‘Reagan Legacy Project’ to have something named for Ronald Reagan in every state. Trump has reportedly hoped for an organized effort like that around renamings for him.

How To Get An N95 Mask And Use It Correctly

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

If you’re going to travel, wear a good mask that fits and learn how to use it. N95 masks are available, and increasingly so, I do not believe you should be wearing a cloth mask in the airport or in other crowded settings.

More Companies Can Really Use Loyalty To Turn Themselves Around

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

With Four Seasons Hotels even about to launch new elite rewards, it’s become clear: loyalty holdouts lose out. The principles of loyalty marketing apply to all travel businesses, and to other industries too.

How much it makes sense to invest in a customer depends on a product’s margins, and the extent to which elite benefits versus rebates matter to a customer depend on their profile and subjective preferences – but the basic principles are the same across customer groups and even industries. What form the program takes can vary, but recognizing and rewarding customers matters.

The World’s Most Restrictive Airspaces – Here’s Where You’ll Never Fly Over

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

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.

You Stopped Buying Tickets This Year. Airlines Are Taking Your Money Anyway.

by Gary Leff on December 21, 2020

Dec 21 2020

You haven’t been buying airline tickets, but the airlines are taking your money anyway. $15 billion in the latest Congressional spending package goes to the airlines, a second bailout. In exchange they have to bring back workers that have been involuntarily furloughed, and can’t furlough again until April 1.

$15 billion, retroactive to December 1, will be provided to cover four months of airline payroll. That’s $375,000 per furloughed worker at an annual run rate of $1.5 million per job, perhaps the most expensive jobs program in history.

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 »