News and notes from around the interweb:
- The evolution of the Starbucks loyalty program
- Southwest accidentally emailed Rapid Rewards members telling them they had earned a companion pass.
- Even more Jet Airways planes likely to be repossessed
- Right after Miami airport concessionaire started adding an 18% tip to restaurant and bar bills in the airport a crackdown is now eliminating the practice because it turns out to be illegal there.
- Just another day on Spirit Airlines
- United and Expedia continue to tussle in court. Skift the latest round as a win for United as Expedia is unable to get a temporary injunction over the airline pulling fares from the travel agency site for travel October 1 onward. However the judge ruled that Expedia was likely to prevail on the merits of the case but hasn’t been able to show the level of harm necessary to justify an injunction prior to a trial on the merits.
Expedia Dancers Failed to Get Their Win in Court Flickr: Juggernautco
This Expedia-United conflict is just another reason I don’t like the travel provider switch over at Ultimate Rewards. Grrrr.
“Reportedly, many international travelers passing through the airport weren’t accustomed to America’s tipping policies and would not leave gratuity. (Only half of passengers through Miami are on domestic flights, the Herald notes.) ”
Perhaps this is evidence of where MIA stands in international standards. Domestic standards need not apply there as MIA is not part of the dreadful US tipping culture. Rather, perhaps vendors need to pay their workers a competitive wage rather than relying on customers; filling the gap for their parsimonious behavior.
I tip if occasionally I would have received an extraordinary service.
I do not tip because it is ‘expected’ or because employees are not properly paid.
As international traveller I cannot keep track of all the local peculiarities.
I can understand the workers’ frustration at MIA. Their employers are paying them peanuts, expecting them to make it up on tips, a typical despicable part of the US tipping culture. But many of the international passengers are not familiar with that, so they don’t leave the tips, or leave small rounded-up tips. The losers are the employees.
I’m frankly very, VERY tired of tipping people for doing the job they’re hired to do. Am especially disgusted when a check is delivered to me with a tip already added… when all the waiter did is the standard take-my-order and bring-my-food. I’m just tired of feeling guilt if I don’t add 20% to the bill. Can we please just all agree to stop tipping in USA?