What Decisions Does An Airline Board Of Directors Make?

Jul 29 2020

Former Spirit Airlines CEO Ban Baldanza walks through what issues are decided solely by management at an airline (in his experience) and what questions rise to the level of discussion by the Board of Directors.

There are clearly things that fall under the board’s purview – mergers, hiring and firing the CEO – and things that clearly don’t like which aircraft to schedule on a given route. But where’s the line?

Continue Reading »

The Worst Airline in America Has Been Acquired Out Of Bankruptcy With Plans To Start Anew

via air plane
Jul 29 2020

Via Air had an F-rating from the Better Business Bureau and 71% of TripAdvisor reviews that were poor or terrible (at the time even Allegiant was only 27% negative and Southwest Airlines 6%).

In May 2019 they didn’t show up for an inaugural flight at a new airport and no one knew why. They weren’t returning calls from customers or even the airport.

Continue Reading »

8 Airlines Offer All You Can Fly Passes For Just $500

Jul 28 2020

Shanghai-based Delta partner China Eastern is back to 94% of prior year domestic capacity. They’re running a “Fly as you wish” deal which for $475 offers unlimited weekend flights. They report selling over 100,000 passes.

At least 8 Chinese airlines are offering ‘all you can fly’ deals. Just today China Southern, part-owned by American Airlines and Qatar Airways, introduced all you can fly.

Continue Reading »

Study Finds 16 Passengers On A Single Flight Caught Covid-19, What Does This Mean For Air Travel?

Jul 28 2020

If the passenger who hadn’t traveled to Wuhan did pick up the virus inflight, what’s remarkable is that with 15 people that had been in Wuhan in January ultimately testing positive for the virus only one other person on the aircraft got it. What’s remarkable is the lack of spread, rather than that there’s spread, considering the number of infected persons on board.

Continue Reading »

Hotels With Wall Mounted Toiletries Aren’t Taking Covid Cleaning Obligations Seriously

bottles with hair cleaner in them
Jul 28 2020

We aren’t re-using grocery bags right now, or dishware on airplanes – everything is moving towards single use because we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. Hotels need to recognize that and take it seriously and end this ill-fated experiment with getting guests to re-use each others’ shampoo.

I’m not suggesting environmental considerations aren’t meaningful – they just point towards single use biodegradable packaging, which have been in some hotels for years, not communal use.

Continue Reading »