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Brian Sumers, in his subscription newsletter, interviewed former American Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja and shared a story about American Airlines canceling its order for Airbus A350 widebody aircraft. The account sheds light on the unconventional approach taken by Raja.
A well-known luxury travel influencer expressed frustration over a claim that Qatar Airways was the first to outfit business class cabins with suites featuring doors. The influencer had written that JetBlue was the pioneer, leading one of her readers to cite a conflicting report.
Southwest Airlines has introduced a limited-time promotion offering customers the opportunity to receive two months of free companion travel. To qualify, customers must book one round trip or two one-way flights by September 5 and complete their travel by November 20. Upon meeting these conditions, participants will earn a companion ticket valid from January 6 to March 6, 2025. Registration for the promotion is required.
Friday night’s Delta flight 112 from Boston to Rome turned back over the Atlantic two hours after departure, diverting to New York, when a passenger reportedly had “severe bouts of diarrhea all over” their seat.
The Department of Transportation has urged airlines to revert to the practice of offering meal vouchers during long delays, specifically those deemed 'controllable' such as mechanical issues. This policy is now part of customer commitment documents and incorporated into contracts of carriage, making it enforceable. Policies are also summarized on a DOT dashboard.
Twenty years ago, a flight attendant gave a passenger $20, and it changed her life. A Reddit user by the name of "itspritt" posted in the Alaska Airlines subreddit seeking assistance in finding this flight attendant.
A United Airlines passenger recently reported finding insects in their premium class meal. The incident occurred on Flight 2679, with the passenger seated in 4B. The passenger, identified as Alexander, shared an image of the meal on social media, stating: "An office w bugs in polaris class food.. Flt 2679 seat 4B."
As credit card rewards remain a primary concern for consumers, the aesthetic appeal of the cards themselves has become an increasingly significant factor. The discussion around this topic reveals that many individuals care about the look and feel of their credit cards, even if they hesitate to admit it.
Last week, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) announced its transition from Star Alliance to SkyTeam, with Air France KLM acquiring a stake. This move included an easy status match for customers, granting SkyTeam elite plus status without requiring proof of current status or residency.
Rove plans to introduce a new credit card with transferable points and aims to establish itself as a transfer currency partnering with several banks. The Y Combinator-backed company outlines its card’s value proposition, which includes no annual fee, 2x points on all purchases, 3x points on travel, and 4x points for referrals for 30 days. Referral bonus spending is capped at $2,500 per month per referral, with each additional referral extending the 4x point period by another month.
Dallas-based 37-year-old food influencer Maria Baradell flew American Airlines coach from Chicago O’Hare to Barcelona on August 18th and made bread at her seat inflight to enjoy at her destination.
When a guest at Marriott’s Courtyard Crystal City/Washington National Airport expressed dissatisfaction with the hotel's upgrade policies, the general manager responded by explaining why upgrades are not readily offered to elite members.
Oman Air’s oneworld Launch Appears Imminent
Hyatt has recently acquired Mr and Mrs Smith, a booking platform known for its curated selection of independent hotels. This acquisition allows customers to earn Hyatt points and stay credits when booking properties that are part of the World of Hyatt program through Hyatt channels. Additionally, points can be redeemed at these hotels, although the redemption value is often considered low compared to prevailing rates.
Airline passengers have long faced a choice when traveling with pets: pay a pet-in-cabin fee for small dogs or cats, which includes placing the pet underneath the seat in front and counting it as a full-sized carry-on bag, or pretend to have an emotional support animal. The latter option is free, allows passengers to bring their carry-on bag, and does not require the animal to stay in a bag underneath the seat.
Starwood hotels previously offered points to guests who skipped housekeeping, a program termed ‘make a green choice,’ ostensibly for environmental benefits but primarily aimed at reducing housekeeping expenses.
A Delta Air Lines passenger was removed from a flight departing Sarasota, Florida, due to his Donald Trump t-shirt. The shirt depicted Trump extending his middle fingers with the caption “Hawk Tuah Spit On That Thang.” After another passenger complained, airline staff instructed the man to change his shirt if he wished to fly. He initially complied by turning the shirt inside out and boarded the aircraft.
News and notes from around the internet:
Earlier this month, I traveled to Honolulu and back on Hawaiian Airlines. They operate Austin – Honolulu non-stop three days a week, and since I hadn’t flown Hawaiian in a year and a half, it seemed worth sharing some observations.
On August 30, 2024, Congressman Ritchie Torres criticized the CEOs of United, Delta, and American Airlines for "effectively boycotting Israel" due to their flight suspensions. He highlighted that the U.S. government has not deemed these flights unsafe and noted that El Al continues its operations.