emirates

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Emirates Will Introduce a New Cocktail Bar In Business Class

by Gary Leff

private airplane bar
Dec 11 2019

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines was the first airline in the world to put showers in international first class. Even though Etihad, whose home airport is a mere 72 miles away in Abu Dhabi, added showers to their Airbus A380s the Emirates shower suite remains the gold standard.

They also installed a bar at the back of business class. They’re hardly the first airline to do this, but they dedicated significant real estate to the bar. It’s tended throughout the flight, there are snacks and good libations on offer.

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Marriott Brings Back Your World Rewards, Extra Points Earning and Elite Recognition With Emirates

by Gary Leff

private airplane bar
Jul 15 2019

The recognition benefits here aren’t strong, what’s useful is 4 p.m. late checkout with Marriott and and additional points earning when spending money with the other partner.

What’s significant is to see the continued expansion (in this case return of) the model of rewarding and recognizing elites of another brand in order to get access to their customers, much as American and Hyatt are now doing with their partnership.

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Premium Cabin Airline Seats Haven’t Improved in 30 Years

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Jun 15 2019

Thirty years ago airlines offered a mostly flat comfortable seat at the front of the plane with upgraded dining. They called it first class. They also offered a middle cabin featuring recliners and 38 to 40 inches between seats, along with upgraded privileges like priority boarding. They called it business class.

Today airlines offer mostly flat seating up front with upgraded dining. They call it business class. They offer a middle cabin featuring recliners and 38 to 40 inches between seats, along with upgraded privileges like priority boarding. They call it premium economy.

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American Airlines Refuses to Lend Part to Air Italy, Forces 35 Hour Delay For Spite

by Gary Leff

qatarplane
Jun 09 2019

This past Saturday, Air Italy’s flight IG938 from San Francisco to Milan went mechanical. American Airlines had the part Air Italy needed, but they wouldn’t sell it. The scheduled 7:10 p.m. flight didn’t actually depart until early Monday morning,

American says they needed the part themselves, and an airline has to be “an approved carrier and have a partnership with us to borrow parts, and we don’t have a partnership with Air Italy.” In other words precisely because American is in a spat with Air Italy they won’t list the airline as an approved partner, and won’t lend parts.

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42 Year Old Mother, Teacher Died After Swallowing Cocaine in an Airport Lounge

by Gary Leff

airport chairs
Jun 04 2019

The lounge is after security and passport control, so it’s unlikely she’d have been stopped prior to her flight. However if she was thinking at all clearly she may have been worried about holding onto the cocaine while heading through immigration formalities at the Dubai airport.

So this woman traveling solo decided to swallow $75 worth of cocaine while drinking champagne in the Priority Pass-accessible Aspire Lounge at the Manchester airport.

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Emirates Chairman Speaks to the Possibility of Merging With Etihad

by Gary Leff

airplane docked
May 06 2019

The CEO of Emirates teased merger speculation with Etihad in 2017. Etihad’s CEO teased it last year. The two airlines have been cooperating more closely. Etihad is lending pilots to Emirates.

Now Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is speaking out about the possibility of a merger – and suggesting it could happen in the future, but not right away.

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