American Airlines Backs Off Illegal Plan To Stop Serving Joplin, Missouri And Sioux City, Iowa

by Gary Leff

Aug 29 2020

On August 20th American Airlines announced plans to drop air service to 15 cities unless the government forked over another $6 billion in subsidies. The cities were spread across 14 states (28 Senators!) and many of the airports slated to lose service October 7 are represented by members of the House Transportation Committee.

However the plan was too clever by half. No one at American Airlines realized the problems dropping service to 3 of the cities on the list, and just as I’ve predicted they are now backtracking.

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The Game Theory Of A Weak American Airlines Flight Attendants Union

by Gary Leff

Aug 29 2020

Furloughs shrink the union budget, but non-paying union members can’t vote. Taking the newest hires out of the equation protects old guard union leadership. The union was already weakened, having squandered its cash, and has been downright docile during the Covid crisis. But the company has lost all of its leverage by furloughing flight attendants, rather than holding out the potential to minimize furloughs in exchange for a concessionary contract.

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Mass Layoffs Of Marriott Ambassadors Agents Who Take Care Of Chain’s Best Customers

by Gary Leff

picture with stairs around it in a hotel
Aug 28 2020

A significant number of Marriott Ambassador agents have been notified that their positions are being eliminated, generally effective October 1. This isn’t the first round of layoffs for Ambassador agents. The hotel chain shed customer service agents who work with top guests back in March, effectively eliminating the ‘dedicated agent assignment’ for customers who stay 100 nights and spend $20,000 each year with Marriott.

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New United Program Cancels Flights When Not Enough People Buy Tickets

by Gary Leff

united plane
Aug 28 2020

This is a major move that’s unlikely to get the coverage it deserves. United Airlines now has a system to cancel flights that don’t have enough passengers, and a quarter of passengers are being delayed over four hours to save them money. When you buy a United Airlines flight, then, you’re no longer guaranteed they have an intention of operating it.

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The Crazy Way Canada And Europe Have To Re-Certify The Boeing 737 MAX In The Covid Era

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Aug 28 2020

Canada and Europe are doing their own test flights to re-certify the Boeing 737 MAX, which Boeing now refuses to call the MAX, instead of just relying on the FAA.

But the U.S. wouldn’t let Canadian and European inspectors into the U.S. to test the plane with Boeing – because coronavirus (the regulators might bring the virus into the U.S.). So regulators get picked up in Vancouver by Boeing, flown to Beoing field and back.

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Europe Will Protect Incumbent Airlines From Competiton At Its Airports Through Winter

by Gary Leff

plane tails
Aug 28 2020

Europe has reversed course and announced an intention to protect incumbent airlines from competition at its airports at least through winter. Immediately after the company that coordinates takeoff and landing slots for 46 airports warned airlines that they were going to have to use their slots in the U.K. and Europe or lose them this winter, the European Commission introduced a proposed regulation to extend the waivers. I take it then that Airport Coordination Limited’s warning was more political pressure than prediction.

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The Secret Service Has To Pay Resort Fees To Trump Hotels

by Gary Leff

Aug 27 2020

Ethics norms notwithstanding I don’t have an issue with the government paying for rooms at Trump properties, even when they’re less convenient for doing business than other hotels and even when they’re more expensive. That’s the price of doing business with Trump and he was elected President under the U.S. system. If this bothers them it may influence their re-election vote.

I do, however, have a problem with resort fees.

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Delta Is Modifying Aircraft With Hand Sanitizer Stations, Doing More Cleaning Than Other Carriers

by Gary Leff

Aug 27 2020

Highlighting the investment in hand sanitizer stations is cool, it’s more than others are doing – although perhaps others will feel the need to copy. And they should be applauded on that alone, along with sanitizing efforts between every flight. There’s really no need for the rest of the Delta-style exaggeration that seems to come with the news..

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United Airlines Is Outsourcing Management Jobs To India

by Gary Leff

united planes runway
Aug 27 2020

Like American, United set a goal of reducing management head count by 30%.

Yet United Airlines is actually hiring – just in Gurgaon, India. And they aren’t offshoring the way you normally expect, looking for cheap coders or call center employees. They’re hiring for more analytical, and traditionally white collar, positions. This includes Senior Analyst, Manager, and Senior Manager roles

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