Tag Archives for american airlines.
On the one hand, it isn’t the airline that left the loaf. On the other hand, the customer didn’t get what they expected. Does the airline owe at least a partial refund, or like the contract of carriage says it’s just transportation from A to B with no promises there won’t be this sort of exposure along the way?
American Airlines is replacing its small business loyalty program Business ExtrAA with the new AAdvantage Business which is now available. Instead of having a completely separate program, small businesses will earn AAdvantage miles in their own account on top of the miles earned by travelers, and they’ll redeem miles just like consumers will.
That’s a simpler system, and there’s one clear benefit for travelers: they will earn one additional loyalty point towards their status per dollar spent when adding an AAdvantage for Business account number to their reservation.
There are elevated terrorism threats with Hamas calling for attacks on Jews today. The world is in a state of crisis, as Iran and Hezbollah try to draw the U.S. into war in the Mideast, after Hamas massacred Israeli civilians.
American Airlines, though, saw the real threat: flight attendants visiting corporate headquarters.
American Airlines flight attendants, led by union President Julie Hedrick, delivered a letter of ‘no confidence’ in management to Senior Vice President Brady Byrnes on Thursday. The airline’s reaction to union members at ‘Skyview’ corporate headquarters was to put out a memo to security to “BOLO” – Be On The Lookout – for anyone wearing a union t-shirt.
The American Airlines flight attendants union has reduced pay demands ever so slightly, but extended out the period of time they’re talking about to get up to a 50% bump in wages in order to sell it to their members.
They’re still outside the zone of possible agreement, though. And they’re saying they are “holding firm on” wages after taking a strike authorization vote in which over 99% of voting crew supported going on strike. They want a 50% increase in wages – firm – and they’re threatening strike to get it.
American Airlines is adding a seasonal route network from the Northeast to summer seaside destinations in and around Cape Cod as well as Maine and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Previously most of these destinations would have been served to American’s customers by JetBlue, but that partnership is mostly through winding down after a district court judge ruled against it in an anti-trust case.
American Airlines advertises meals as one of the benefits of first class travel. Specifically, “Meal service on flights over 900 miles during meal times.” They say they are “elevating your dining experience” and that meals in premium cabins “are healthy, delicious” – so it’s not just food, it’s good food that’s good for you, too. Of course airlines advertise one thing to convince you to buy a ticket, and to spend more. And they deliver something else. One of the most common occurrences is advertising their most comfortable seats to get you to spend more to upgrade from coach to first class, and then delivering something entirely different. For instance this was a pitch to upgrade to first class on a standard domestic Airbus A321. They show you that you’re getting their lie flat seat…
Every piece on the new DC lounge highlights the fireplace feature of the lounge. It helps make the space. However American Airlines has shut off the fireplace in the lounge, staff say, ‘for the environment’.
American Airlines flight attendants are sticking “We Are Ready” tags on their bags, highlighting a willingness to strike for a better contract. But flight attendants aren’t actually ready.
With an increase in Admirals Club membership fees and premium credit card annual fee American Airlines is investing more in the food in its lounges. The offerings still significantly lag what you’ll find in a Delta Air Lines Sky Club, but they’re better than they used to be.
The airline’s food (whether in lounge or in air) isn’t a reason not to book American, and I suppose that’s what they’re going for.
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 »
