The two brands announced a new “comprehensive commercial agreement,” aimed at getting flyers to travel aboard ANA and stay at IHG’s portfolio of hotels.   ANA-IHG Agreement Includes Advertising, Loyalty Promotions The original agreement between ANA and IHG was signed back in 2006, with a focus on mutual sales and marketing by launching a co-branded hotel. With the travel industry coming back and Japan welcoming international visitors again, the two brands are deepening their relationship to keep more customers between their two brands.   Under the new plan, both companies will ..read more

  In a federal lawsuit filed on Monday, March 13, 2023, in the Southern District of New York, Melissa Arzu is suing on allegations they failed to meet standards set by the Aviation Medial Assistance Act of 1998.   Mother Claims Son Died Because of Uncharged Defibrillator Under the Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998, Congress directed the Federal Aviation Administration to determine what medical equipment airlines should have onboard in the event of an emergency, such as AEDs. It also doesn’t allow damages to airlines for passengers who attempt to help someone in medical distress ..read more

  An investigation by British magazine Which? suggests EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui and Wizz Air still owe flyers millions in unpaid compensation.   Group Reportedly Owes Money in over 3,600 Cases According to the data cited by the magazine, the four airlines may still be involved in over 3,600 outstanding cases. Which? reports Wizz Air still has 1,601 “outstanding” cases in county courts, owing flyers over $2.6 million (£2.17 million GBP). Tui was reported to owe the second highest, with 313 cases valued at over $1.53 million (£1.26 GBP), while EasyJet and Ryanair allegedly owe less than ..read more

  At the 2023 J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference, Southwest chief executive Bob Jordan announced their three-stage plan to prevent another catastrophic grounding through strategic investments and better planning.   Plan Calls for More Snow Equipment, Better Technology, and Increased Collaboration After Winter Storm Elliott wreaked havoc across the East Coast, no airline was more affected than Southwest. The airline was forced to cancel over 6,000 flights across their point-to-point network, forcing Jordan to go on an apology tour and offer affected flyers 25,000 Rapid Rewards points ..read more

  NBC News reports the regional airline is looking into the incident after it was informally documented online by an ESPN reporter.   Argument Started Over Seat Switching Policies ESPN “SportsCenter” reporter and anchor Ashley Brewer was a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 4680, departing Los Angeles for Houston. What was supposed to be a routine flight ended up getting pushed back when two attendants got into an argument.     @ashleyebrewer Aint nobody got time for that @americanair #petty #rude #delayed #dramatiktok ♬ original sound – Ashley Brewer   Accordin ..read more

  Leaders from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines answered questions from analysts about how they hope the loyalty program will drive business forward.   American Sees Spending as Future of Loyalty Program New American president Robert Isom spoke on loyalty when asked by an analysts about the American AAdvantage loyalty business. He was quick to note American’s changes in the past two years – including earning elite qualifying points from credit card spending and adding more reward tiers – as positive, flyer-friendly changes.   “The closer to that relationship that you can ha ..read more

  In an exclusive interview on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said the sharp increase in incidents are among the things “that we don’t expect to see.”   Post-Pandemic Demand, Lack of Workers Among Reasons for Air Travel Pressure With the COVID-19 pandemic ending and travel rules easing, flyers are returning in droves to the airport. However, as more flights depart airports, everyone from the gate agents to air traffic controllers are feeling the pressure.   Some of the more recent near-collision incidents recently recorded include an Amer ..read more

  The carrier hopes that this launch at MCI will strengthen its regional ties across the Midwest.   New Lounge, New Facility At present, it is the only carrier lounge located in the newly refreshed facility and – after the opening of the Delta Sky Club at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in October 2022 – the second Delta Sky Club location to be opened within the greater Midwestern region. The carrier hopes that the opening of this latest lounge will strengthen its regional presence at MCI, which is a burgeoning market for Delta. It currently operates daily connections to a ..read more

  As an avenue for active investment into SAF – a jet fuel alternative that reduces greenhouse gasses – this first-of-its-kind fund has launched with over $100 million already earmarked for use specifically by sustainability-focused technology start-ups. As well as United Airlines itself, initial contributors to the fund include Air Canada, Boeing, GE Aerospace, JPMorgan Chase and Honeywell.   How Passengers Can Get Involved Beyond these big-name investors, United is also offering its passengers the chance to make their contribution to the development of SAF and, importantly, to ensu ..read more

  American Airlines quietly made a rule change for family seating, allowing travelers to select seats next to their children at no extra charge.   Buttigieg: Parents and Children Should Sit Together “With No Extra Fees” The policy change was announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, as part of a larger fact sheet highlighting initiatives by the Biden administration. Under American’s new plan, the airline is guaranteeing children 14 and younger will be seated next to an accompanying adult for no additional fee, if they meet the following requirements:   All f ..read more