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Branding Videos Are Tough During The Pandemic. American Airlines Pulls It Off.

by Gary Leff

Apr 21 2020

American is out with a new video, You Are Why We Fly. That’s not one of American’s new slogans (e.g. “caring for people on life’s journey”) but does harken back to one of the airline’s more important messages of the past: we know why you fly.

‘You are why we fly’ speaks to why they keep going in the face of unprecedented challenges, why they continue the business with fares so low and planes so empty, why employees travel from place to place and continue to interact with customers at the airport and on board even in the face of the global pandemic.

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American Airlines Extends Expiration of Systemwide Upgrades (But Some Upgrades Will Be Lost)

by Gary Leff

first class cabin
Apr 16 2020

Along with extending elite status by a year American Airlines is also extending systemwide upgrade certificates. Any systemwide upgrade expiring by January 31, 2021 will be extended to July 31, 2021.

But what about getting new upgrades when status is extended? And what about upgrades from last year that have been applied to 2020 travel?

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Social Distancing, American Airlines C-Suite Style

by Gary Leff

Apr 14 2020

American Airlines shared a message from their CEO and their President this week, along with photos of these two executives traveling around the system meeting with employees and encouraging them during difficult times for the airline.

Supposedly the photos are examples of the airline’s leadership ‘social distancing’ but they’re sure curious photo picks for that.

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American Airlines Extends Elite Status, Gives $400 Credit and Makes Million Mile Status Easier To Get

by Gary Leff

Apr 13 2020

American Airlines is extending current elite status through January 31, 2022. They’re also making elite status easier to earn this year. They’re extending Admirals Club memberships, and they’re making Million Miler status easier to earn through the end of this year, too.

Many members were getting frustrated not hearing anything about American’s plans to extend their elite status. They earned the benefits through flying last year, and won’t have the full opportunity to use those benefits in 2020, and want to know what their travel with American will be like going forward. American has answered those concerns.

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United and Delta Discussing Big Discounted Mileage Sales to Chase And American Express

by Gary Leff

credit cards
Apr 13 2020

In the years following 9/11, as airlines struggled, and again during the financial crisis airlines pre-sold miles to their credit card partners at a discount in order to raise cash quickly. United and Delta each pre-sold miles, the former for about $500 million and the latter twice totaling about $1 billion. American did it too with Citibank. These ‘cheap miles’ paved the way for banks to offer big bonuses to consumers both for acquisition and for ongoing spend.

These conversations have started again as a way to raise cash.

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How Much Are Airline Bosses Cutting Their Own Pay? Probably Less Than You Think

by Gary Leff

cash
Apr 11 2020

A new SEC filing has details on the most recent United Airlines corporate executive compensation. United’s CEO Oscar Munoz will take $0 in base salary until June 30. Incoming CEO Scott Kirby will do the same. But how much of a cut is that, really?

Executive compensation is unpopular during tough times for a company. Of course if United makes it through to the other side of COVID-19 Kirby may earn his pay more than ever before.

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Delta Wants Employees To Keep Virus Test Results Secret, While American Crew Raid Planes For PPE

by Gary Leff

Apr 10 2020

Delta Air Lines has instructed flight attendants testing positive for COVID-19 to “refrain from notifying” people they’ve worked with, and not to post to social media about it. Now they say they won’t punish anyone who violates their directive.

Meanwhile American Airlines flight attendants are reportedly resorting to raiding catering carts and emergency kits for masks and gloves.

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