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Racist ‘Burger King’ Banned From JetBlue Last Week Gets Kicked Off American Airlines Too

by Gary Leff on October 31, 2020

Oct 31 2020

Last week a passenger in a Burger King crown got booted off a JetBlue flight to New York JFK – and banned from the airline – after a racist rant prior to departure from Kingston, Jamaica. It all began when there wasn’t overhead bin space available for him to use.

The man tried to get up in the air again to head back to the States. He got kicked off an American flight on his next attempt to depart Jamaica. There aren’t that many airlines left. At some point could he have no options left but to swim?

JFK Airport Hit Again In $6 Million Heist

by Gary Leff on October 31, 2020

Oct 31 2020

Possibly inspired by Goodfellas, two former New York JFK truck drivers and a Delta Air Lines employee pled not guilty to a $6 million heist of luxury goods from the airport this week. Prosecutors allege they showed up with paperwork for the goods, bearing the flight details and serial numbers for the items, and they drove off with their haul. Destination: a “defunct beauty shop in Queens.”

Hotel Guest Furious When Fire Department Wakes Him Up To Find He’s Alive – And Discovered His Crack

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

The guest was arrested for possession of crack and disorderly conduct. His car had an “improper license plate” and he had no insurance, either. But he didn’t apparently have to pay extra for overstaying checkout time.

Official American Airlines Black Lives Matter Pins Now Available, See Them On Your Next Flight?

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

American Airlines courted controversy when they began allowing employees to wear makeshift ‘Black Lives Matter’ pins.

The official Black Lives Matter pin is now available for American Airlines employees. It’s called “Stand for Change” and “celebrates the diversity of our team members and our customers.” It must be ordered by any employee who wants one by November 13.

CDC Lifts Cruise Ship ‘No Sail’ Order. Will You Cruise?

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

In the context of a growing epidemic in the U.S., I wouldn’t go anywhere near a cruise ship but also don’t see much public health benefit from banning them either providing rigorous testing is in place. Will you cruise while before the pandemic ends?

[Roundup] In 2021 Loyalty Programs Will Buy An Airline And Acquire Non-Air Businesses

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 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.

After DOT Complaint, American Airlines Puts Its Terms And Conditions Back On Website

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

American Airlines has relented and put its full tariff or ‘terms and conditions’ back onto its website after a Department of Transportation complaint.

They had removed the the legalese entirely in favor of a plain language FAQ-style conditions of carriage page. But the contract of carriage incorporated the tariff by reference, customers effectively agreed to it when they purchased a ticket, but the airline had removed those rules from a place customers could easily see it. That document matters.

Bangkok Airways Selling Unlimited Domestic Flights And Elite Status For A Year For $3211

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

Thailand’s Bangkok Airways is selling an ‘all you can fly’ card valid for a year for 100,000 Thai Baht or ~ $3210. It comes with elite status for a year, and the unlimited domestic flights earn miles and status so if you use it enough you may more than pay for it in future rewards.

Six Boeing 747s Flew To The Netherlands For Storage And Weren’t Permitted To Leave.

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2020

Oct 30 2020

There’s no ‘security issue’ with a 747 taking off from the airport, which was allowed until Lufthansa brought theirs there to store. In tactics one associates more with New Jersey than The Netherlands, Lufthansa doesn’t want to do dismantling work with the on-site company, so the government wouldn’t let them leave. Now that there’s been public scrutiny however it’s been deemed ‘a mere paperwork issue’ and the supposed safety issues have gone away.

Federal Air Marshals Spread Virus, Ordered To Fly While Awaiting Covid-19 Test Results

by Gary Leff on October 29, 2020

liam neeson on a plane

Oct 29 2020

There have been thousands of cases of air marshal misconduct, and nothing has been done. Now air marshals are literally making travel less safe.

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 »