News and notes from around the interweb:
- Two years ago a woman abandoned her dog at the Pittsburgh airport and flew to Mexico. Now she’ll pay a $150 fine and animal cruelty charges have been withdrawn. (HT: Enilria)
A Spirit Airlines passenger once flushed their hamster down the toilet at BWI, because the airline wouldn’t transport it and she thought it would be more human than just abandoning it in winter.
Don’t leave your pets behind!
This morning at approximately 5:30 a.m., ACPD officers working at Pittsburgh International Airport were called to assist with a dog that was found unattended in a stroller on airport property. pic.twitter.com/eTzN8fdQWN
— Allegheny County PD (@AlleghenyCoPD) August 4, 2023
- New Orleans Pelicans basketball player CJ McCollum used points to travel to this interview. Based on the reference to food and beverage credit, either he’s confused ($450..?) or he’s talking about the value of elite breakfast benefits? Or he’s overstating what he’s getting from Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or Chase’s The Edit (perhaps he split up his stay and used both). (HT: Roni)
- Amex is offering a 20% transfer bonus from Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy through July 15, 2025. What a waste of points it is to transfer American Express 1:1.2 into Marriott.
- Meanwhile Chase is offering a 50% bonus on transfers to Marriott Bonvoy through August 15, 2025. Better, but still lighting points on fire.
- About 20% of Uber riders tip their drivers while the figure is higher for food delivery – likely because tipping is the default in the booking path and you’d have to proactively opt out.
- Deadheading means they’re being moved to work another flight, to avoid inconveniencing far more passengers. Refusing to give up a seat for a deadhead is what got David Dao dragged off of a United flight and bloodied. Still gives the perception that the airline is being run for employees and not passengers, so communication is key here and it seems like none was really forthcoming at the gate (which would be the default, but should not be):
View on Threads
When I Uber, which is rare, I always leave a tip in cash. I hope that the company knows nothing of the tip.
You know, Gary, I was just thinking, it’d been a little while since you posted a dog-related story… it’s usually fantastic for engagement, like, inevitably bringing out the dog-lovers and the pro-euthanasia hate-groups. Well, folks, take a wild guess which side I’m on? Bah!
@ 1990 — Cats rule. Dogs drool.
@Gene — *takes a deeeep breath* ‘…forgive (him), for (he) does not know.’
There’s complexity in whether an airline designates deadheading crew as a must ride. If the airline is trying to get a pilot(s) to an airport needed for an International widebody flight then without he/she/they will be must rides and the airline will follow standard oversold procedure.
What should be the outcome of the dog case?
a. no fine, brief advice given by the judge
b. $150 fine
c. $500 fine
d. $100,000 fine
e. 20 years prison, $500,000 fine
f. deportation
g. 5 year ban on any pet ownership
h. letter of appreciation, appointment to vacancy in the U.S. Senate
Oh, now I get it, the person is an idiot, and thought ‘pitt’-bull… ‘Pitt-sburgh.’ *slaps knee* huhyuck!
Maybe CJ got $450 f&B allowance to come to NY and be interviewed?? Yes, it’s unclear what $450 he’s talking about.
In the Dao case, if the deadheaders hadn’t got on that flight, a flight the next morning from Louisville would have been canceled. And, the carryon effect could have affected hundreds more. So, I see no problem with inconveniencing a handful to not inconvenience hundreds of others. Of course, the whole Dao thing would be a nothing if they had denied boarding rather than try to remove. Dao was in the wrong, BTW.
Several years ago, a Florida (I think) police officer driving down the highway during the approach of a hurricane, thought he saw something moving in the gully next to the highway. He turned around and found that some bastard had tied his dog to the fence in order to drown the dog while he escaped the hurricane. While reluctant at first, the growling dog, standing in chest deep water, was brought to safety. The owner/bastard was located and, I think, jailed and received a hefty fine. The dog was subsequently adopted by a loving family. $150.00, that is nothing that will set a precedent to deter others.
Generally, if you as a company, end up paying out a lot of money after an altercation you initiated, you were wrong with your actions and may have been trying to keep from paying even more from a verdict in a jury trial. Dao may have been wrong but United was even more wrong and they bet that they would not win a jury trial. I have seen this personally where my employer decided to settle for around $6 million instead of go to trial but it was a fire where no one was hurt instead of having someone dragged off bloodied.
@This comes to mind — Nah, Dr. Dao is my boi. He’s a hero. Glad he got paid. #NeverForget #UA3411