News and notes from around the interweb:
- New twitter account Buttigieg Wins supports a presidential run for DOT secretary Pete Buttigieg.
- Two data-based critiques of the 1500 hour rule for airline pilots
- Flights Grounded and Others Are Diverted After Dubai is Hit By An ‘Incredible’ Sandstorm
A transit in #Dubai has turned to a longer stay due to an incredible sandstorm! Flights were cancelled or delayed – but the airport is lovely – so the journey continues 🙏🏼 @GWpublichealth @CCDH_GWSPH #TravelingProf #GlobalHealth pic.twitter.com/j3ZQv2BqNH
— Adnan Hyder (@ahyder1) August 14, 2022
- Homeless undocumented migrants bused to New York City from Texas will be housed at the Row NYC hotel which is the former Milford Plaza, which I know of largely from their catchy TV commercials I grew up with. (HT: @crucker)
- That eBay listing for a ConciergeKey status challenge (3 months of status for $2000) has been taken down. It appears this was someone selling access to an offer American had given their company. Oops.
not a status match, there is no CK status match. This is a ongoing corporate promo for select companies that started very recently. They were given a limited amount.
— hjjvhjvh (@hjjvhjvh) August 15, 2022
Update: they offer to sell is back under a new eBay listing..! Bold.
- Shortly before the pandemic British Airways parent IAG was set to acquire Air Europa. Then things didn’t look so good for aviation. Now, though, they’ve taken a 20% stake in the carrier.
The Concierge Key offer appears to still be active on ebay.
I messaged the seller asking if he or she will offer a group discount. We’ll see.
Its still available as I have resold a few to my relatives in Pakistan.
I was thinking of selling marriott titanium status since you get no benefits anyway the buyer would never notice
Marriott Titanium status is worth about $200 and that’s just because it gets you United Silver, otherwise it would be worthless.
If one theoretically bought a fully refundable $15k first class flight for 9 months out, that would meet the challenge portion of that offer giving them CK status until next March?
Asking for a friend of course…
Hmm, wonder how much it cost AA to buy out Gary? After Gary gets “CK” magically no more bad news about AA?
Probably cheaper than buying CK status.
i feel like AA isn’t going to let this CK status thing fly and watch all this status be clawed back/revoked and the miles forfeited.
Hey @James, chill out!
Gary’s CK status is a recent thing. Also it probably has fuckall to do with his penchant for praise, or criticism, toward AA.
You have to remember that status is airline marketing. People like to feel special, and giving them a shiny plastic card that says concierge on it makes them feel special. You could probably put any word from the French language even if it means something naughty, and people will feel special. Hey, Audi has done just that with their battery electric SUV!
Status doesn’t mean the airline loves you more or even values you more as a customer. Your value — how much you contribute to the bottom line, as in marginal profit, not revenue — is separate from your status. Gary has even written about this. Front line AAgents know about this. There’s feel-good vanity labels (gold, platinum, concierge key) and then there is your real value to the airline. At the upper end, you’re a “Do Not Miss.”
The other thing about Gary is he’s got professional connections with Comms/PR staff at the airline’s corporate offices. A part of these Comms/PR people’s job is to wine and dine you so you report favorable things about them. Now, as you know James, Gary has reported negatively on AA, so that means one of two things. Probably, it means a bit of both. Comms/PR at AA is not particularly strong, and Gary Leff is not easily bought.
There are people who do this kind of thing without fear of any material consequences. And then there are some of those who do so and see no adverse outcome while others get burned.
Well someone bought one of the CK’s. He better have money to burn because I doubt American let’s this live…
Ah yes $43 a night and look at all that staff available to take care of you! Shows how much the dollar has depreciated over the recent years….I mean it’s not like Gary is THAT OLD!!!