FAA Warns Airlines: Covid Disinfecting Could Make Planes Less Safe

by Gary Leff

Nov 06 2020

In the past when airlines struggled financially one of the first areas they cut back was cleaning, going over a year even without a deep clean. Despite Covid-19 being a bigger threat to airlines than 9/11 and the Great Recession combined, airlines have stepped up their cleaning to give passengers confidence to fly. It’s a welcome change that I hope continues even after the pandemic is done.

Nonetheless the FAA has concerns over some of the chemicals being used, and how they’re applied.

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Fight At The Las Vegas Airport!

by Gary Leff

Nov 05 2020

A fight broke out at the Las Vegas airport on Wednesday. They’re near slot machines, and not a gate, so it doesn’t appear to be passengers losing it over their flight. And there’s no reason to suspect it’s election-related.

What’s amazing is that there are actually two fights and they’re happening simultaneously beside each other. First you see a passenger in green going ‘fists of fury’ on a passenger dressed in brown, but notice to the right that there’s another group – a passenger in a black and red shirt doing his best Rowdy Roddy Piper on another passenger in all-black.

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Emirates Ending First Class Awards Booked With Partner Miles April 1, 2021?

by Gary Leff

first class seats
Nov 05 2020

Alaska Airlines sent out a program update to Mileage Plan members informing that “Beginning April 1, 2021, Emirates will no longer allow partner access to First Class award bookings.”

It’s possible that this restriction – no first class awards with partner miles – is for Alaska Airlines only. However that’s not what this update says.

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American Airlines Rolls Out Offers To Buy Higher Elite Status For Cash

by Gary Leff

Nov 05 2020

Every year, for many years – perhaps two decades – American Airlines offers the opportunity to buy status to members who haven’t quite requalified, and in recent years has offered an opportunity to buy up to the next level as well.

The offer is back this year, at around the same time, but just feels different. Didn’t requalifying for status based on your flying this year? Your status is being extended anyway. So the only relevant question is whether you want to buy up to a higher level.

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