Tag: American Airlines
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Family of D.C. plane crash victim sues FAA, Army, American Airlines
The family of one of the 67 people killed earlier this year when an American Airlines plane and a United States Army helicopter collided over Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the government and the airlines involved in the crash.
Other families are expected to join this first lawsuit that seeks to hold the Federal Aviation Administration, the Army, American Airlines and its regional partner, PSA Airlines, accountable for the deadliest U.S. plane crash since 2001. PSA Airlines operated Flight 5342 that crashed Jan. 29.
The widow of Casey Crafton from Connecticut, who is raising three young boys without her husband, filed the lawsuit. Her lawyers also represent the majority of the families of people who died in the crash.
“Casey was a devoted father and husband, and we built a beautiful life together,” said Rachel Crafton in a statement about the lawsuit, in which she described her husband as “a loving brother, a supportive son, a committed employee, a selfless friend” and someone who “made everyone around him feel valued and respected.”
As her husband had worked as an aviation mechanic, Crafton said he “was betrayed by this system he trusted” when Flight 5342 crashed.
“As his wife, I cannot stand by and allow his life to be lost in vain,” the statement continued. “Today, we are taking legal action because the accountability of American Airlines, PSA Airlines, and the Army and FAA is the only way to ensure this never happens again and no other family has to live with the pain we have to endure each day without Casey.”
Jose Luis Magana / AP
The National Transportation Safety Board has already highlighted a long list of things that likely contributed to the crash, although the final report identifying the cause won’t be ready until next year.
The Black Hawk helicopter was flying well above the 200-foot limit, but even if it had been at the correct altitude, the route it was flying provided a scant 75 feet of separation between helicopters and planes landing on Ronald Reagan International Airport’s secondary runway. The helicopter’s altimeter may have provided faulty readings.
The NTSB has also said the FAA failed to recognize an alarming pattern of near misses at the busy airport in the years before the crash and ignored concerns about helicopter traffic around the airport. Investigators also said that overworked controllers were trying to squeeze as many planes as possible into the landing pattern with minimal separation on a regular basis. If any of those things — or a number of other factors — had been different that night, the collision might have been avoided.
Jose Luis Magana / AP
The lawsuit says the airlines failed in their duty to protect the passengers because they were aware of the helicopter traffic around Reagan airport but failed to adequately train pilots to handle it and take other steps to mitigate the risks. Other airline policies, such as allowing pilots to accept an alternative runway that intersects with the helicopter route and heavily scheduling flights in the second half of every hour may have contributed.
The lawsuit says the PSA pilots should have reacted sooner when they received an alert about traffic in the area 19 seconds before the crash instead of waiting until the last second to pull up.
Among the jet’s passengers were several members of the Skating Club of Boston, who were returning from an elite junior skaters’ camp following the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. A figure skating tribute event in Washington raised $1.2 million for the crash victims’ families.
Others on the flight from Wichita included a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas; four members of a steamfitters’ union in suburban Maryland; nine students and parents from schools in Fairfax County, Virginia; and two Chinese nationals. There were also four crew members on the plane and three people in the helicopter’s crew who were killed.
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American Airlines failed to divert 8-hour flight after California man suffered 2 strokes, jury finds
A chef from California’s Central Coast who had two strokes while traveling internationally on American Airlines was awarded more than $9 million after a federal jury concluded employees failed to follow their own protocols to help him.
In November 2021, Jesus Plasencia, a chef from Watsonville who was 67 at the time, was traveling with his wife, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis, on a flight to Madrid from Miami, according to a complaint they filed in federal civil court.
While the plane was still at the gate, Plasencia suffered a “mini stroke” and temporarily lost the ability to speak or pick up his phone, according to the complaint. His wife alerted a flight attendant and the pilot but instead of alerting medical personnel and following company policy, the lawsuit said the pilot dismissed her concerns, “joked with Plasencia, and cleared him for take-off.”
Plasencia then had a stroke while the plane was in the air; he was hospitalized after the plane landed in Spain and was in critical condition for more than three weeks before he went back to the U.S., according to court documents. He can’t speak or write and now “depends entirely on daily, significant, around-the-clock, in-home care and intensive rehabilitation,” according to the lawsuit.
On Thursday, a federal jury in San Jose said American Airlines was on the hook for $9.6 million for its employees failing to follow company protocol in the incident.
According to the complaint filed in 2023, the flight crew had asked other passengers to monitor Plasencia after he suffered a stroke during the flight, but didn’t tell the pilot about the medical emergency, so the flight wasn’t diverted.
The couple argued that because American Airlines crew hadn’t followed protocols, Plasencia was delayed getting care for nearly eight hours and could’ve potentially had a better outcome, according to the lawsuit.
“The safety and well-being of our passengers is our highest priority,” American Airlines said in a statement. “While we respect the jury’s decision, we disagree with the verdict and are currently evaluating next steps.”
Darren Nicholson of Burns Charest, who represented the couple in the lawsuit, argued that the airline didn’t follow stroke protocol, which calls for immediate medical assistance and diverting the aircraft.
“It is shocking that American Airlines responded so poorly to a medical emergency like this,” he said in a statement.
American Airlines was found liable by the jurors under the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that governs international air travel.
Summer Lin
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Almost 2 years in, US airlines are scaling back service to Tulum’s airport
U.S. airlines continue to pull back from serving Tulum International Airport in Mexico as demand lags, with travelers still favoring the Cancún International Airport as their gateway to the country’s Caribbean beaches.
The airport opened to passengers on Dec. 1, 2023, and after an initial surge in flights, it has steadily seen airlines pull down capacity since then. Heading into spring break this year, airlines were flying fewer seats than in the previous spring, and the downward trend continues.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines will still to serve Tulum, but with thousands fewer seats over the course of this winter compared to winter 2024-2025.
Data from Cirium, an aviation data analytics company, shows that all airlines are planning to fly fewer seats to Tulum in the months ahead.
In Dec. 2024, for example, U.S. airlines had the capacity to send 41,503 passengers to Tulum with flights from various gateways. In Dec. 2025, the combined U.S. airline capacity to Tulum is planned to be just 29,511 seats. United Airlines, which will have flights to Tulum from both Newark and Houston this winter, is the only U.S. carrier planning to send more than 10,000 seats to Tulum in the coming months.
Tourists walk along a beach with heavy clouds caused by the proximity of tropical storm Franklin that is near the coast of Quintana Roo, in Tulum, Mexico, on Aug. 7, 2017.
This kind of pulling back isn’t unusual as airlines adjust to actual demand at a new airport, but carriers cutting capacity is not a promising sign for the airport’s popularity.
“Airlines will first guess the demand for flights based on the data tools at their disposal, offer a schedule for sale to test their hypothesis, review the results, and add or pare as they see fit to ensure they are at least covering their trip costs, and the opportunity cost of deploying aircraft, crew, and fuel,” Mike Arnot, a spokesperson for Cirium, previously told USA TODAY. “Many low-cost airlines are quick to test and reduce flying from a market or exit altogether. Larger carriers will be more conservative.”
View of the Punta Piedra beach in Tulum, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, on Nov. 10, 2022.
Airlines like Delta and American have reduced the number of cities with direct flights to Tulum. Spirit Airlines, amid its financial difficulties and relatively soft demand, pulled out of the airport before even beginning its promised service at all.
It’s always possible the airport could make a passenger popularity rebound as traveler demand shifts over time, but for now, it seems likely Tulum will continue playing second fiddle to its neighbor up the road.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why airlines are pulling back from Tulum almost 2 years after opening
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The Cost of Limiting Shareholder Voice: How New Restrictions Threaten Economic Growth
Restricting shareholder proposals undermines the checks and balances that protect markets, innovation and social responsibility. Unsplash+ Illegal child marriages. Coerced sterilization. Debt bondage. Until recently, shareholders had the right to raise such human rights concerns through formal proposals to corporate boards, a right protected by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for nearly a century. Recent regulatory and interpretive changes, however, are creating new challenges for this fundamental avenue for accountability.
The sugar cane industry, for example, has become emblematic of harmful supply chain practices, involving some of the most visible and widely reported examples of concerning business practices. Companies including Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Mondelez have faced investigations into alleged labor abuses, including debt bondage. At Pepsi’s 2025 annual meeting, shareholders sought to submit a proposal requesting a report on the company’s efforts to address human rights violations in its supply chain. The company excluded the proposal, citing SEC staff’s revised interpretation of Rule 14a-8, outlined in Staff Legal Bulletin 14M (SLB14M).
SLB14M provides guidance on the application of Rule 14a-8, which allows eligible shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. The bulletin also specifies circumstances under which companies may exclude these proposals. Citing that revised interpretation, Pepsi argued that the reported abuses occurred in franchise operations (which are “expected” to follow a code of conduct), not in Pepsi’s direct supply chain, and that the franchise sales were not “significantly related” to Pepsi’s business. Essentially, Pepsi claimed that the source of the ingredients sold under its brand did not materially affect its own business because the company itself did not purchase them. The SEC agreed with Pepsi, preventing shareholders from voting on the proposal.
Pepsi did not dispute reports that its products sold in India were allegedly made with sugar obtained through a supply chain linked to debt bondage and coerced hysterectomies. Instead, the company contended that these issues were unlikely to materially impact its operations. According to the SEC’s interpretation, shareholders may only make proposals with significant financial implications for the company itself, no matter the broader social or environmental consequences.
While SEC rules often shift with administrations, this case reflects a larger trend: a narrowing of shareholder voice. Several recent developments illustrate the pattern:
Collectively, these developments constrain shareholders’ capacity to influence corporate behavior towards more sustainable or ethical practices. Critics of shareholder engagement argue that investors should focus solely on financial returns, treating social and environmental considerations as irrelevant. This is a false dichotomy on two levels. First, environmental and human rights issues often carry real financial risks. Second, systemic harm—from environmental degradation to inequality—affects the broader economy and threatens the diversified portfolios and returns of investors.
The economic opportunity in sustainable business practices
The sugar supply chain demonstrates both the risks and opportunities for companies and investors. Brands derive tremendous value from reputation. The perception that Pepsi products are linked to labor abuses can erode consumer trust and is a significant concern for the company. Addressing these issues presents an opportunity to safeguard brand equity and strengthen customer loyalty. For shareholders, engagement extends beyond a single company’s prospects. Human rights and sustainability issues influence global economic conditions, which in turn impact the returns of diversified investors. By encouraging companies to adopt responsible practices, shareholders can help stabilize markets, support GDP growth and mitigate systemic risk.
The path forward: strengthening market-based solutions
Notably, this regulatory shift is occurring under a Republican-controlled administration and Congress, which has historically advocated for private property rights. Policymakers should ensure that proposal mechanisms remain consistent with free-market principles, enabling investors to allocate capital efficiently and hold companies accountable. If financial market rules are being revised, it should not be forgotten that the strength of our economy is based on a free capital market, which allows investors to fund a broad array of enterprises that create authentic value over the long term.
Limiting shareholder voice affects far more than greenhouse gas emissions and DEI. It alters the balance of power in capital markets, shifting decision-making from investors to executives and politicians. Investors are losing the power to push back when corporate executives risk the future of the company or the economy to boost profits. And this doesn’t just harm investors. This means our markets will become less effective allocators of capital, as decisions are made by unrestrained executives driven by short-term incentives or politicians swayed by political maneuvering, rather than by a commitment to the integrity of capital markets.
The innovation opportunity
Recent SEC actions show the practical consequences. In March, SEC staff allowed Wells Fargo to exclude a proposal on workers’ rights and collective bargaining, a proposal that observers note likely would have been allowed a few months prior. Limiting shareholder engagement reduces opportunities for market-driven innovation in workforce development, climate solutions and sustainable growth strategies. Climate issues illustrate the stakes vividly. Analysts project that unchecked greenhouse gas emissions could reduce global GDP by 50 percent between 2070 and 2090. Economic modeling suggests that decisive global climate action could lead to a $43 trillion gain in net present value to the global economy by 2070. Investor engagement can accelerate the transition to cleaner energy and sustainable business models, creating economic opportunities while mitigating systemic risks. Ignoring investors’ voices on these matters rejects the role that capital has played in creating the economic engine of the U.S. economy.
Workers depending on 401(k) plans, such as those in the American Airlines plan, could face real financial consequences if investor oversight is curtailed. Estimates suggest that the current trajectory of emissions could depress the entire equities market by up to 40 percent. The fossil fuel industry’s shortsightedness and the current administration’s policies are exacerbating the environmental crisis and creating economic and retirement instabilities.
Limiting shareholder voice threatens far more than individual investors. It weakens the very mechanisms that keep U.S. markets dynamic, resilient and capable of driving long-term growth. The muzzling of investors is part of a larger story: environmental data is being scrubbed from federal websites, critical scientific inquiry is being stalled and dissenters are being penalized. Historically, U.S. markets and democracy alike have relied on open debate and the free flow of information. Undermining shareholder oversight is part of a broader erosion of transparency that threatens both markets and the very norms that underpin a free society. Shareholder input is not a political preference but a market stabilizer, an innovation driver and a critical check on corporate governance. Preserving this function is essential to sustaining the economy, the integrity of capital markets and the broader social and environmental systems on which long-term prosperity depends.
Rick Alexander
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PSA workers protest for higher wages at Charlotte Douglas
PSA workers protest for higher wages at Charlotte Douglas
On Monday, some PSA flight attendants held a rally to demand better pay.
Demonstrators, with signs, lined the intersection of Wilkinson Boulevard and the entrance to Charlotte Douglas Airport.
ALSO READ: PSA Airlines hires nearly half of staff for new Charlotte HQ, still seeking 170 more
The gathering was one of several protests held nationwide against PSA, which is a regional carrier owned by American Airlines.
It follows years of negotiations between employees and the company.
“Members are fired up; they want something to be done because they’re continuing to struggle every day,” said AFA spokesperson Sean Griffin.
Union leaders will continue to negotiate with the airline in Washington, D.C.
VIDEO: Hickory protesters rally against spending bill on Independence Day
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American Airlines to pay record $50 million fine over its treatment of disabled passengers
American Airlines has agreed to a record $50 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating laws that protect airline passengers with disabilities.
In an investigation into the carrier, the Transportation Department said it uncovered numerous infractions, including cases of American providing “unsafe physical assistance” to passengers. The alleged treatment “at times resulted in injuries and undignified treatment of wheelchair users,” the agency said in an announcement Wednesday.
The agency also accused American of mishandling or damaging thousands of passengers’ wheelchairs from 2019 to 2023, leaving them without their mobility devices.
“The era of tolerating poor treatment of airline passengers with disabilities is over,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Wednesday. “With this penalty, we are setting a new standard of accountability for airlines that violate the civil rights of passengers with disabilities. By setting penalties at levels beyond the mere cost of doing business for airlines, we’re aiming to change how the industry behaves and prevent these kinds of abuses from happening in the first place,” he said.
The airline came under public fire over a 2023 video that showed crew members mishandling a passenger’s wheelchair. The video, which was viewed millions of times on social media, shows a baggage handler sending a wheelchair crashing down and off a ramp.
Disability-related grievances on the rise
The Transportation Department in 2022 established an Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights. Current federal regulations require that airlines:
- Return passengers’ wheelchairs and mobility devices to them in a timely manner, and in the condition in which they were received.
- Help passengers with disabilities get on and off aircraft and move through the airport.
Although incidents of airlines mistreating customers with disabilities are not unique to American, Transportation Department regulators determined that the carrier was “one of the worse performers among U.S. airlines in terms of both the total number of wheelchairs- and scooters- mishandling claims and the rate of mishandling claims,” according to the announcement.
“The problems that we have uncovered in our investigation are not confined to one airline,” Buttigieg said in a call with reporters. “We have other active investigations into a number of U.S. airlines for similar violations.”
“We believe today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that they need to improve their operations and their compliance with the law to ensure that all passengers fly with the dignity, respect and safety that they both deserve and are entitled to,” he added.
Disability-related grievances last year rose by more than a quarter compared with 2022, the Transportation Department reported in July.
Though they would like to travel by plane, many disabled Americans forego air travel out of fear of not being sufficiently accommodated by airlines, according to an April study from the Century Foundation.
American Airlines to pay record fine
According to the settlement, American Airlines will pay a $25 million fine to the U.S. Treasury Department. The remaining $25 million will be invested in airline equipment to reduce incidents of wheelchair damage and in a wheelchair tagging system designed to better track the mobility devices. Additionally, funds will go toward compensating passengers whose rights the agency said were violated from 2019 to 2023.
American said it is committed to improving the travel experience for customers who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. For example, the company has installed wheelchair lifts at more than 20 stations, including at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, two of American’s largest hubs.
Through September, the mishandling rate for all mobility devices on American flights had fallen 36% over the last two years, according to the carrier.
“Today’s agreement reaffirms American’s commitment to taking care of all of our customers,” Julie Rath, American senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery, said in a statement on Wednesday.
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American Enforcing Boarding Groups, Turning Hyatt Disappointment to Success, New EWR Terminal B & More
You can stay in touch with us on Facebook/Twitter/Threads, or you can join the discussion in our Facebook Group. You can also subscribe to get all news/deals via one daily email, or choose instant notifications for time sensitive deals. As always, thank you for reading!
News Roundup
This is a roundup of news and other interesting pieces that I’ve come across over the last few days. I thought they are worth sharing so I hope you enjoy reading them.
American Airlines is trying to make sure everyone boards when they’re supposed to
“We are in the early phase of testing new technology used during the boarding process. The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team,” a spokesperson for the airline said in a statement. The trial has been active in Albuquerque and Tucson, Arizona, for a few weeks. The airline plans to expand to more airports soon, including Washington Reagan National Airport, according to American.
➡️ Read moreTurning a Hyatt Disappointment into Travel Compensation Success
The booking was for my impending July 2023 trip to Japan. The only problem is: As of the writing of this article, there is no longer such a thing as the Hyatt Regency Osaka. That is because a group called Seibu Prince Hotels purchased this particular location on June 30, 2023, and withdrew it from the World of Hyatt program. The hotel now goes under the moniker “Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay”. In fact, until just this year, this change left Hyatt without a single location in Osaka. That is, until June of this year (2024) when Hyatt opened a Caption by Hyatt hotel in Osaka.
➡️ Read moreEasy Money – Getting Started with the TD Cash Credit Card
“I recently picked up the TD Cash credit card during a recent apporama, one on my to do list for years. Indeed, the TD Cash is a solid, not-exactly-sexy product which I just hadn’t gotten around to pursuing. But I like complementing no-brainer cards from the major banks with more niche options. With this new card just showing up in my mailbox, I figured I’d share my experience so far with a bank and card less trafficked in our points and travel hobby.”
➡️ Read moreFree American Airlines Status Match to Executive Platinum — Available Now
American had been selling access to the Instant Status Pass program. And of course each year they offer a status challenge to Hyatt elites. But this offer is free to anyone with United, Southwest or Delta status. Interestingly, your United or Southwest status can be ending with the end of the current status year (e.g. December 2024 or January 2025) but for Delta you need to have requalified for next year. They will even match up to Executive Platinum.
➡️ Read moreNewark Liberty ‘vision plan’ includes new Terminal B
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials held a press conference Thursday at Newark Liberty International Airport Terminal A, revealing plans to reimagine the airport. The effort would center on the construction of a new, world-class Terminal B, to replace the current facility that opened in 1973.
➡️ Read moreNYC pizzeria named the very best in the world
Once again, for the second time, Una Pizza Napoletana, the Lower East Side spot by Anthony Mangieri, was crowned the best pizzeria in the world by 50 Top Pizza, an online guide that focuses on the top pizza parlors across the world and releases an annual ranking annually. The destination at 175 Orchard Street first earned the title in 2022, when it actually shared it with I Masanielli from Caserta, Italy. The next year, in 2023, the parlor landed in the number two spots—but it has found its way back up again in 2024.
➡️ Read moreGuru’s Wrap-up
Let me know if you enjoyed these articles and comment with any opinions you might have. You can also share any other interesting articles about deals, travel, credit cards and more.
Use the social media buttons below to share this article. Your support and engagement is always greatly appreciated.
DDG
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Citi In Talks To Become Sole Issuer Of American Airlines Credit Cards – Doctor Of Credit
Currently American Airlines has two issuers of credit cards: Barclays & Citi. Barclays. This stems back from when Barclays issued the US Airways credit cards and American Airlines acquired US Airways in 2013, the deals were then renewed in 2016. Barclays is allowed to advertise inflight/in airports and Citi has the rest of the acquisition channels.
CNBC is now reporting that American Airlines & Citi are in talks for Citi to become the sole issuer of the American Airline cards in a new long term deal. When the US Airways merger was under way American Airlines did offer Citi the ability to become the sole issuer, this would have also allowed Citi ThankYou points to transfer to American Airlines as well but Citi was unhappy with the asking price. It seems if the deal is completed that Citi would also purchase the back book from Barclays.
William Charles
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American Airlines Cardholders: 50 Miles Per $1 Donated To Stand Up To Cancer – Doctor Of Credit
Update 8/18/24: Available again for 2024.
The Offer
- American Airlines is offering bonus miles when you donate to Stand Up To Cancer.
- 25 miles per $1 donated
- 50 miles per $1 donated for American Airlines cardholders
Our Verdict
Miles aren’t elite qualifying unfortunately. Might still be useful for anybody that highly values miles.
Hat tip to Parts_Unknown-
William Charles
Source link - American Airlines is offering bonus miles when you donate to Stand Up To Cancer.
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Why Are Airlines Introducing Unlimited ‘All You Can Fly’ Deals?
Wizz Air is launching an unlimited flight model. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images Wizz Air, a Hungarian-based budget airline, hopes to attract more customers with a new “All You Can Fly” deal for travelers interested in taking unlimited flights across Europe. The subscription is currently available at a discounted annual fee of 499 euros ($547) that will rise to 599 euros ($657) on Aug. 16. If the deal sounds too good to be true, that’s because there are some hidden caveats. Subscribers must book flights up to three days before departure and will have to pay an additional flat fee of 10 euros ($11) per booking. The deal also only covers one personal item, meaning customers will have to shell out for carry-on or checked baggage.
The airline’s “All You Can Fly” deal, which will allow a total of 10,000 members to catch flights across European cities like Paris, Madrid and Vienna, shares parallels with a similar deal launched by Frontier Airlines last year for North American consumers. Members of Frontier’s GoWild! subscription also need to pay extra for luggage and additional add-ons like snacks, drinks and reserved seats and must reserve international flights 10 days in advance.
Wizz Air is hoping the initiative will entice new clients amid financial and reputational struggles. The company earlier this month reported 45 million euros ($49 million) in operating profits from April to June, a 44 percent drop year over year that was largely influenced by grounding of nearly one-fifth of the airline’s fleet due to engine inspections. And in February, the consumer group Which? found the carrier ranked the worst short-haul airline by U.K. passengers.
How are airlines faring amid inflation?
Airfare overall has managed to avoid any sharp increases despite inflationary pressures. While core inflation in July was up 3.2 percent from last year, airline fares in the U.S. were down by 2.8 percent, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Airline fares decreased by 1.6 percent month over month, making July the fifth month in a row it has dropped.
This decline can be partially attributed to a decline in jet fuel prices, Stephen Brown, the deputy chief North America economist at Capital Economics, told CNBC. Average aviation jet fuel prices for August are down by 17 percent year over year, according to data from the International Air Transport Association.
Those interested in saving even more money on air travel through Wizz’s new deal should take advantage while they can, as unlimited flight subscriptions have been historically short experiments for airlines. In 2009, JetBlue debuted an unlimited $599 “All You Can Jet” offer that proved too popular, with the airline running out of supply and suspending sales of the pass mere hours after releasing it.
American Airlines (AAL), too, rolled out unlimited lifetime tickets in the 1990s that were acquired by a few dozen travelers for $250,000 each, with the option to pay another $150,000 to add a companion feature. In the late 2000s, the airline terminated the program after realizing how much the lucky ticketholders, some of whom accumulated more than 30 million miles, were costing them in lost revenue.
Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
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Hyatt 90 Day Status Match For American Airline Elites + Challenge – Doctor Of Credit
The Offer
- Hyatt is currently offering a 90 day status match for American Airline elites and a challenge to keep status until 2/28/26
- AAdvantage elites: Stay 10 nights at Hyatt hotels within 90 days of registration and keep Explorist status
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro & Higher: Stay 20 nights at Hyatt hotels within 90 days of registration and keep Globalist status
Our Verdict
Paid and award stays both work. Wouldn’t recommend signing up until you know you can satisfy the night requirement OR you need the elite status for an upcoming stay. It looks like there is also the reverse available (e.g Hyatt elites get status with American Airlines).
Hat tip to Dans Deals
William Charles
Source link - Hyatt is currently offering a 90 day status match for American Airline elites and a challenge to keep status until 2/28/26
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American Airlines AAdvantage Promotion, Earn Up to 20,000 Bonus Miles (Targeted)
American Airlines AAdvantage Promotion
American Airlines has a targeted promotion for select AAdvantage members, offering up to 20,000 bonus miles for flights between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30. These bonuses have been sent out by email, but you can also check your account online to see if you are eligible to earn these extra miles.
How to Check Your AAdvantage Promotions
If you don’t see one of these offers in your email then you can check your American Airlines AAdvantage account online:
The Offers
Some of the offers I have seen so far include:
- Earn 20,000 bonus miles with 8 premium flights
- Earn 15,000 bonus miles with 6 premium flights
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles with 8 premium flights
- Earn 8,000 bonus miles with any 2 flights
- Earn 4,000 bonus miles with any 2 flights
Important Terms
- Must register for the promotion by July 22, 2024 and before booking your flights.
- Fly qualifying flights between August 1 – September 30, 2024.
- Flights marketed and/or operated by codeshare partners don’t qualify for this promotion.
- Promotion is valid for cash tickets only. Award flights are not eligible.
- Bonus miles will be awarded within 14 days after the qualifying flight segment is posted to your AAdvantage® account.
Guru’s Wrap-up
If you are planning to fly with American Airlines within the promotion period, then this could be an added bonus, although not a huge one. The bonus details vary by account, so you need to check your own offer.
Registration and travel window is the same for everyone. You nee dot register by July 22 and travel between August 1 – September 30, 2024.
DDG
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American Airlines: Download Button & Get 1,000 Miles For Spending $25 – Doctor Of Credit
You can help support this site by using our links to Amazon & eBay.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Keep in mind that if you do use our links, you won’t be able to earn cash back/miles/points from shopping portals.
In the interests of our readers you can find out what shopping portal is offering the best rates on eBay here & Amazon here.
William Charles
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American Airlines Discounted Award Sale – Doctor Of Credit
The Offer
- American Airlines is having an award sale. Book by July 2, 2024. Travel dates vary by location.
Our Verdict
Some nice routes and discounts, see if anything works for your travel plans.
William Charles
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‘Another very scary moment’: DC-area lawmakers react to another close call at Reagan National Airport – WTOP News
On Wednesday morning, an American Airlines flight bound for Boston from Reagan National Airport in Arlington had to abort its takeoff to avoid colliding with another plane. The incident has a congressional delegation from the D.C. area expressing concerns about the Senate’s vote to increase air traffic at the airport.
On Wednesday morning, an American Airlines flight bound for Boston from Reagan National Airport in Arlington had to abort its takeoff to avoid colliding with another plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration said American Airlines Flight 2134’s takeoff was aborted by air traffic controllers because another aircraft had been cleared to land on an intersecting runway. The FAA is investigating the incident.
As WTOP’s news partner 7News reported, it is estimated the two planes came within 1,300 feet of each other.
The American flight was taking off on the 7,159-foot Runway 1 and had reached speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour, as another plane — a smaller, twin-engine King Air — was in the process of landing on the shorter 5,204-foot Runway 33. The two runways intersect about three quarters up Runway 1.
In recordings, air traffic controllers can be heard urgently directing the American Airlines pilot to stop the takeoff and turn off the main runway to avoid crossing paths with the smaller plane.
“American 2134, cancel takeoff clearance!” an air traffic controller said. “Zero alpha alpha, go around! Go around!”
“Rejecting the takeoff, 2134,” a pilot replied.
“Zero alpha alpha, we cannot go around. We were already on the ground,” said the pilot.
“American 2134, do you want to go back to the gate?” said the air traffic controller.
“Yeah, we need to talk to maintenance, but yeah, I think we were above 80 knots, so we’re going to have to get an inspection,” said the pilot.
According to records from FlightAware, the American Airlines flight ultimately took off at 2:21 p.m. and landed in Boston at 3:52 p.m., about four hours late.
This is the second incident like this to take place in recent months. On April 18, a JetBlue and Southwest Airlines plane were also told to stop to avoid a collision on the runway. In that incident, those two planes came within 400 feet of a crash, and one aviation safety expert said at the time there was no room for error.
“Could have been much worse”
The incident has a congressional delegation from the D.C. area expressing concerns about the Senate’s vote to increase air traffic at the airport.
“This was another very scary moment,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland.
Van Hollen is among a congressional delegation made up of lawmakers from D.C., Maryland and Virginia who spoke out against a FAA reauthorization bill which would allow add five more landings and takeoffs out of the airport.
Van Hollen said the second near miss incident is a reminder of why the Senate’s decision to add more slots at Reagan National was “so misguided.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, was one of the main backers of the amendment, which proponents said would bring more direct flights to the D.C. region from other parts of the nation. WTOP reached out to Sen. Cruz’s office for comment on the latest near miss.
In a joint statement, Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner said they are “deeply relieved no one was injured” but called what happened further evidence that the airport is “severely overburdened and at capacity.”
“It shows why the Senate’s decision to jam even more flights onto the busiest runway in America as part of the FAA reauthorization bill — a move we fought against for months — was so dangerous and reckless,” the senators said.
On X, Congressman Don Beyer, of Virginia, said what took place “could have been much worse.”
“We warned Congress repeatedly about the safety risks of putting more traffic on DCA’s congested runways,” Beyer said.
Van Hollen said a desire for additional flights in the region could be better handled by adding the flights to nearby Dulles International Airport and BWI Marshall Airport.
“It makes much more sense to make better use of those airports rather than cram more and more flights into National Airport and onto the busiest runway in the country,” Van Hollen said.
According to Van Hollen, as they await the outcome of the FAA’s investigation, he said he will work with his Virginia colleagues to see if there is a way they can “claw back” at the additional slots at Reagan.
“This (incident) should be a warning to those who are pressing to open up even more slots,” Van Hollen said.
WTOP’s Dan Ronan contributed to this story.
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Mike Murillo
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US Treasury sets $492 million minimum price for airline warrants auctions
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Treasury Department has set a minimum of $492 million in total it is seeking in next week’s auctions to sell warrants to purchase shares in U.S. airlines the government received in exchange for COVID-19 assistance.
Congress approved $54 billion in COVID-19 air carrier bailouts in 2020 and 2021. Airlines were required to repay $14 billion of that total and Treasury received warrants to purchase stock at the share price of the time of the awards.
American Airlines received $12.6 billion in government assistance, followed by Delta Air Lines $11.9 billion, United Airlines $10.9 billion, and Southwest Airlines at $7.2 billion.
Seven other airlines received smaller awards, including $2.2 billion for Alaska Airlines.
Treasury plans to auction its warrants in the 11 airlines starting Monday. The air carriers declined comment or did not immediately answer if they plan to take part in the auction.
Treasury set reserve prices of $221 million for its Delta warrants, $159 million for United, $59 million for American Airlines, $30 million for SkyWest, $17 million for Alaska Air, $2.9 million for Hawaiian Airlines, $1.9 million for Frontier Group and $1.7 million for Southwest.
The Treasury is seeking at least $50,000 per airline for its warrants in Allegiant, Spirit Airlines, and JetBlue. Those warrants and others are priced below the current trading prices of the carriers’ stocks.
The warrants expire between April 2025 and June 2026.
The U.S. government also extended $25 billion in low-cost loans to airlines. Treasury said “the proceeds of these sales will provide additional returns to the American taxpayer from the financial assistance and liquidity that Treasury provided to these airlines during the pandemic.”
The pandemic prompted a historic collapse in air travel demand. U.S. air passenger travel fell by 60% in 2020 to its lowest since 1984, down more than 550 million passengers, as airlines slashed costs and struggled to survive.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio)
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Bette Nash, world’s longest-serving flight attendant and aviation industry icon, dies at 88
After serving the skies for nearly 67 years, Bette Nash, the world’s longest-tenured flight attendant, has died at 88 years old.
“It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of our dear colleague, Bette Nash, the longest-tenured flight attendant at American Airlines,” according to a memo to flight attendants on Saturday obtained by ABC News.
Nash died on May 17 in hospice care after a recent breast cancer diagnosis, though she never officially retired from her role with American Airlines.
Nash began her career in Washington, D.C., in 1957 with Eastern Airlines, which later became American Airlines. Despite being able to choose any route in the world, Nash primarily worked the DC-NY-Boston Shuttle so she could be home every night to care for her son who has Down syndrome.
In 2022, she was honored with the Guinness World Record title for longest-serving flight attendant.
“With her quick wit, magnetic personality and passion for serving others, Bette set an example not just for the flight attendant profession but for all of us in the airline industry,” Brady Byrnes, senior vice president of Inflight & Premium Guest Services for American Airlines, said in the memo.
When Nash first started her aviation career, passengers would purchase life insurance from a vending machine before boarding — and flights cost $12 between New York and Washington. D.C., she told ABC News in a 2022 interview.
At the time, Nash reflected on the strict restrictions regarding weight and personal relationships she and other flight attendants had to endure to maintain their careers.
Nash said the airline would check on her at home to ensure she wasn’t living with a man because flight attendants had to be single. The airline also weighed her before shifts and could suspend her if she gained too much weight, she said.
“You had to be a certain height, you had to be a certain weight. It used to be horrible. You put on a few pounds and you had to keep weighing yourself, and then if you stayed that way, they would take you off the payroll,” Nash said during a flight in 2017 with ABC affiliate WJLA’s cameras onboard.
Before her passing, Nash attended regular flight attendant training per Federal Aviation Administration rules.
“Bette was an industry icon, and those who flew with her knew her as a role model and consummate professional,” the airline said in the memo, adding, “Fly high, Bette. You’ll be missed.”
Copyright © 2024 ABC News Internet Ventures.
ABCNews
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Shopping Portal Bonuses From Southwest, United, American, Alaska Portals (Up To 6,500 Miles) – Doctor Of Credit
The Offer
- Alaska Airlines shopping is offering 400 miles when you spend $100+ or 1,000 miles when you spend $400+. This bonus began on 5/1 and ends on 5/8.
- United Airlines shopping is offering 500 miles when you spend $100+ or 2,500 miles when you spend $400+. This bonus begins on 5/6 and ends on 5/13.
- American Airlines shopping is offering 500 miles when you spend $200+ or 2,000 miles when you spend $800+. This bonus begins on 5/6 and ends on 5/13.
- Southwest Airlines shopping is offering 500 miles when you spend $100+ or 1,000 miles when you spend $200+. This bonus begins on 5/6 and ends on 5/20.
Our Verdict
Some nice deals here, especially with the higher tiers. Always be sure to compare portal rates as it might be more worthwhile to use another portal if their rate is much higher.
Chuck
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Boeing’s weakness has a lesser known rival from Brazil gearing up to compete, and American Airlines’ CEO is a fan
While Boeing struggles with regulatory hurdles and delivery delays, a smaller competitor known for its regional and business jets may be raising its ambitions to compete—possibly at its own peril.
Brazil-based airplane manufacturer Embraer is reportedly exploring the idea of creating a next-generation narrow-body jet, the Wall Street Journal reported. Embraer’s new aircraft would take on Boeing’s 737 Max jets and Airbus’ A320 aircraft. It would mark the smaller company’s first attempt at direct competition against the two aerospace giants, which effectively control the market for planes with more than 130 seats.
Embraer’s ambitions picked up after a 737 Max operated by Alaska Airlines lost a panel in midair in January, sources told the Journal. That incident prompted U.S. safety regulators to limit Boeing’s production.
While Embraer denied reports that it would build a competing plane, a spokesperson told the Journal that it “certainly has the capability” to do so.
Embraer already has a cheerleader in American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, who complimented the manufacturer on the carrier’s quarterly earnings call last month. American’s fleet includes three types of Embraer Regional Jets, all with fewer than 100 seats.
“I want to give a shout out to Embraer,” he said. “They have delivered day in and day out, throughout the pandemic, no matter the concerns of their supply chain.”
When asked about delivery delays from Boeing, however, Isom had a different message: “Get your act together.”
Analysts at Bank of America led by Ronald Epstein echoed Isom’s sentiment, cheering on the possibility of Embraer taking a shot at the duopoly between Boeing and Airbus in a Friday note. The BofA analysts pointed out that between 1999 and 2019, Embraer was largely on time and on budget with its projects.
“They really are an engineering marvel,” they wrote. “Therefore, we have no doubt Embraer could develop an excellent jet to compete in the same class as the 737 Max and the A320neo, on budget, on time and at a fraction of the cost of the other OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).”
Morningstar equity analyst Nicolas Owens told Fortune that Embraer is one of a few, if not the only company, that could enter this market. But that doesn’t mean it will—or that it should.
Owens said that while Embraer is a capable company, it is a fraction of the size of Boeing and Airbus and would be overwhelmed by the incredible cost of designing a new plane, scaling up production, and then convincing exceptionally skeptical carriers to take a chance on the new model.
Embraer’s biggest plane at the moment, the E2, is smaller than the 737 and A320, and only about 100 of them have been produced since 2018, Owens said. Meanwhile, Boeing and Airbus are building 100 planes between them per month.
“Embraer has some of the know-how in terms of design and technology, but not the hands-on know-how of what it takes to scale up building an even-larger jet,” Owens told Fortune in an email. “I don’t know where they’d get the startup funds to launch this product that wouldn’t see revenue for almost a decade.”
Even the more optimistic analysts at Bank of America argued that Embraer would need to be creative to bring a competing plane to market, possible financing it through risk-sharing partners, direct investment by partners, or some other strategy. It would also have to deal with capital, geopolitical, and market access problems.
It was the latter of these issues that made the difference the last time a competitor tried to take a shot at Boeing and Airbus, explained Owens in an April note. After spending more than 10 years and billions of dollars launching an aircraft to compete with the duopoly, Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier was forced to sell its CSeries jet at a steep loss to Airbus after Boeing petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce to hit it with a tariff for selling the plane below production cost. Another example lies in Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi, which last year folded a 16-year effort to develop a regional jet.
The newest company to take on Boeing and Airbus, the CCP-backed COMAC, still relies on many U.S.-based parts and has a long while before it can produce them at any sizable quantity, Owens said.
While Embraer’s ambitions are high, the reality of bringing a new plane to market may be too much to overcome, Owens wrote in a note for Morningstar.
“Boeing and Airbus are the only two capable suppliers of globally competitive aircraft larger than 130 seats, and we don’t see any globally competitive new entrants entering the market anytime soon,” he predicted.
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
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