Korean Air Will Postpone Devaluation Of SkyPass Frequent Flyer Program [Updated With 2 Year Extension]

by Gary Leff

korean air
Jan 06 2021

In December 2019 – shortly before the start of the pandemic – Korean Air announced a huge devaluation of their frequent flyer program with revenue-based mileage-earning and a new distance-based award chart coming in April 2021.

Korean Air has offered one of the more lucrative frequent flyer programs for many years, and access to outstanding award inventory not made available to its partners. However they’re also part of a joint venture with (and partially owned by) Delta, so devaluation of their mileage program was almost a given – at least until the pandemic hit.

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Delta Picks ViaSat To Push Forward A Plan American Nixed Two Years Ago

by Gary Leff

delta seat back life
Jan 05 2021

Delta decided to drop Gogo internet from its main domestic fleet, and replace it with ViaSat. They reiterated their commitment to move forward with free internet, and believe ViaSat will be best to drive their project streaming content to seat back entertainment screens… an effort American Airlines considered and rejected, despite an internal push for such a project.

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Qantas CEO Says Australia Will Re-Open To Visitors In July. Government Says Not So Fast. What’s The Truth?

by Gary Leff

sydney opera house
Jan 05 2021

Qantas started selling international tickets – for New Zealand at the end of March based on an expected ‘travel bubble’ reciprocally permitted visits between the two countries – and July 1 for the rest of their international route network including the United States. The CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, said he expected the country to re-open to international travel at that time.

The government of Australia was none too amused with Joyce’s announcement but they didn’t deny it.

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Marriott Has A Gap Between Promises And Reality, And The Gap Is Growing

by Gary Leff

outside marriott hotel
Jan 05 2021

Before the pandemic there was no greater loyalty program with a gap between what it promised and what it delivered than Marriott Bonvoy. On paper it took the best features of Starwood Preferred Guest with the scale of properties of Marriott and merged them together. And yet the program has simply failed to deliver elite benefits consistently at the property level.

The irony of course is that before acquiring Starwood, Marriott Rewards wasn’t very generous with elites but they were consistent. The Marriott brand across the board was consistency. Now they’re the Forrest Gump of loyalty: you never know what you’re going to get until check-in. This have only gotten worse.

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Why Marriott Suite Night Awards Don’t Clear

by Gary Leff

Jan 04 2021

Just because a room is available for sale doesn’t mean a member requesting a Suite Night Award will be upgraded to it if Marriott forecasts that the room will be sold.

A room can be available 24 hours prior to check-in, but Marriott’s systems will still hold back the inventory to possibly sell to someone rather than upgrade the member into that room.

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