Alaska Adds Subscription Service to Mileage Plan
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
2d ago
  The company announced the launch of Alaska Access, advertised as a new way “to save on travel planning and costs.”   New Bundle Includes Early Sale Access, Fare Page, and Wi-Fi Voucher According to the Seattle-based airline, the service is based on consumer demand for tailored experiences. Executives says Access will make “travel more affordable” while simplifying the overall passenger experience.   The new subscription service, priced at $5 per month, features three key benefits. First, Access members will get the first notification for airfare sales via the Alaska Airlines a ..read more
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Calhoun to Step Down from Boeing at End of 2024
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
2d ago
  The Chicago-based aerospace giant announced Calhoun would leave the company at the end of 2024.   Calhoun Ends Five-Year Run Under Dark Cloud of 737 MAX According to his official biography provided by Boeing, Calhoun first joined the company as a board member in 2009. His prior experience includes a 26-year career at GE, followed by short stints at Nielsen Holdings and Blackstone.   Calhoun’s five-year run at Boeing was marked with numerous difficulties. One year after the accidents of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, Calhoun questioned the abilities of t ..read more
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American Opens Wi-Fi Options for Flyers
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
6d ago
  The Fort-Worth based carrier announced a new plan which will soon allow travelers to browse the web via in-flight wi-fi without paying the usual fee.   Ad-Sponsored Wi-Fi Limited to 20 Minutes, Miles Available for All Options The new internet connection options will be available on domestic narrowbody aircraft outfitted with Viasat technology. The airline is planning to make both available with the launch of a new in-browser portal planning for launch later this year.   Flyers looking for a free short-term connection to the internet will be able to get connected after watching ..read more
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United Adds MileagePlus Points Pooling for Friends and Family
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
6d ago
  The airline announced a new feature to allow MileagePlus members to pool their miles together, available immediately on the carrier’s website.   MileagePlus Pooling Allows Five Members to Collect Miles Together In most loyalty programs, members are allowed to transfer miles between each other for a nominal fee. However, United will now allow groups to come together to combine miles into a single joint account.   “We’re always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members,” Luc Bondar, chief operating officer of MileagePlus, said in a statement ..read more
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United Airlines: “Safety Is Our Highest Priority”
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
1w ago
  The airline’s chief executive Scott Kirby is now reaching out to flyers to reassure them flying with United is safe, and the airline is taking the incidents seriously.   Kirby Says Incidents “Have Sharpened Our Focus” The New York Times reports the spree of aircraft incidents took place between March 4 and 14, 2024. The issues ranged from plastic wrap getting ingested and burned in an engine, to an aircraft veering off a runway at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), to three aircraft being forced to divert or turn back due to hydraulic issues.   The latest inci ..read more
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Hilton Adds to Lifestyle Market with Graduate Hotels
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
1w ago
  The hospitality giant announced the purchase of The Graduate hotel brand for $210 million, calling it a “significant growth opportunity” in the lifestyle hotel category.   Purchase Includes Brand, Licensing Agreement to Current Owner Under the agreement, Hilton will only purchase the hotel branding for worldwide development. Current owner Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners will maintain ownership of the current and pipeline Graduate Hotels under a licensing agreement with Hilton.   Operating in well-known college towns across the United States, Graduate Hotels have distingu ..read more
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United Reportedly Close to Replacing 737 MAX 10 Orders
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
1w ago
  Bloomberg reports the Chicago-based airline could be close to securing numerous Airbus A321neo aircraft in place of their long-delayed 737 MAX-10 orders.   United Could Take Around 36 Airbus A321neo Airframes Consideration of the Airbus A321neo can be directly tied to the Boeing 737 MAX door plug blowout incident aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1262. In the days after, the Federal Aviation Administration announced a prohibition on expanding 737 MAX production until further notice.   After the incident, United chief executive officer Scott Kirby told investors that the 737 MAX-10 ..read more
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NY Times: Alaska 737 MAX Scheduled for Service Before Blowout
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
2w ago
  The New York Times reports maintenance employees at the carrier asked for the aircraft to be serviced in the days before the incident.   Service Scheduled Before Flights, But Airline Executives Say Issues Were Not Related According to interviews and document reviews conducted by the newspaper, the aircraft reported two pressurization warning signals in the 10 days before the door plug blowout. The airline’s protocol requires three warnings during a 10-day timespan before an immediate service.   Technical employees at the airline reportedly asked the carrier to take the aircraf ..read more
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Southwest Blames Boeing for Capacity Cuts
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
2w ago
  CNBC reports the carrier will cut capacity, blaming Boeing and their problems with the 737 MAX for the stalled growth.   Southwest Now Expecting Fewer Aircraft, Resulting in “Re-Optimization” Alongside Southwest CEO Bob Jordan’s presentation at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference, the carrier shared feedback on Boeing’s performance in an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In the filing, the airline says they are expecting fewer aircraft than promised in 2024.   Boeing previously committed to 79 737 MAX aircraft in 2024, including 58 MAX-8 airframes ..read more
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South Carolina Airports Unite Against Credit Card Bill
FlyerTalk
by Joe Cortez
3w ago
  In a letter to South Carolina senators Lindsay Graham and Tim Scott, the leaders of the state’s six major airports are expressing their dissent to the bill.   Airport Leaders Claim Loss of Points Would Significantly Impact Travel The controversial Credit Card Competition Act of 2023 (Senate Bill 1838) was introduced to the U.S. Senate in June 2023 by Illinois Democrat Richard Durbin. The text of the bill would direct the Federal Reserve System to “prohibit certain credit card issuers with assets of over $100 billion from restricting the number of networks on which electronic credit ..read more
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