Feb
12
2025
They’re seeing surging leisure rates, a move to last-minute bookings, and are managing a major tech overhaul for the business. Swelling Bonvoy membership is driving revenue – from both hotel owners and banks. How that will pair with growth from lower-end chains, and in light of still-sluggish business travel, remains unclear.
Feb
12
2025
The plane suddenly veered sharply right before realigning with the centerline. The jolt forced pilots to engage maximum braking, and the aircraft came to a stop just short of the runway’s end. Cockpit audio has the captain declaring, “We aborted the takeoff, we hit a car in the middle of the runway.”
Feb
11
2025
United Airlines and Delta Air Lines both offer burgers as one of their domestic first class catering options. American Airlines is joining the burger bandwagon.
Sliders and fries are heated at the same temperature as the rest of American’s entree choices, for a period of 30 minutes. Condiments apparently do not accompany the meal tray but are available on request.
Feb
11
2025
A couple of weeks ago I revealed exclusively that American Airlines CEO Robert Isom had pivoted to begin talking about a premium focus in the airline’s strategy. In employee remarks following the airline’s fourth quarter earnings call, Isom talked about attracting customers willing to pay more for better services.
He said that the airline is going to have a “rededication and a renewal to focus on the customer experience.” And he talked about this as “the next order of business, we’re going to organize around this.” And says “you’re going to hear some things very soon.” The start of this appears to be today’s news.
Feb
11
2025
Airlines used to treat award travel customers better than customers on paid tickets. After all, passengers traveling on points had shown a lot of loyalty to get there. It was their reward, and the trip was something to be celebrated!
That’s not really true anymore, but until now only Delta has been willing to say so explicitly.
Feb
11
2025
When you tip at a hotel, where’s the money actually going? Often, this varies by location. In some places around the world, it’s common for service charges to be considered tips and pooled to be distributed to staff. In other places you can be pretty confident that tips are going to the person intended.
But not everywhere!
Feb
11
2025
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Following the disastrous collision of a military helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet landing from Wichita at Washington’s National airport on January 29, the FAA restricted the helicopter flight path around the airport. It appears that the Blackhawk was flying at an altitude above where it was supposed to be at the time the two aircraft collided. The FAA has also reduced throughput at the airport with runways 15-33 and 4-22 closed for the duration of the salvage operation, and all flights currently using the airport’s main Runway 1-19. The change is being reported as a reduction in allowable arrivals from 28 to 26 per hour. The number of allowable movements per hour is actually a little more complicated than that. 14 C.F.R. § 93.123(c) sets the maximum number of takeoffs and landings at…
Feb
10
2025
A United Airlines passenger wound up restrained on board Sunday night’s redeye flight 1494 from San Francisco to Chicago O’Hare after this “big dude kept coming up the aisle towards the front of the plane” getting into “heated confrontations with the crew,” according to a passenger on board. At one point the man got within “an inch” of “their noses” and “eventually started yelling really loudly.”
Feb
10
2025
Delta made international headlines, having to tell candidates for flight attendant roles that they need to wear underwear when showing up for an interview. It turns out that the airline is doing a lot more judging by appearance at hiring events.
