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You can take the crazy lady off the plane, but clearly you cannot make her go quietly. Known menace Tiffany Gomas is the Dallas woman who went viral last year after being caught on video in hysterics on a commercial plane, seemingly hallucinating and announcing to passengers that one of their fellow flyers onboard was “not real.”…
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Vanessa Quilantan
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Flight attendants at Southwest Airlines have ratified a contract that includes pay raises totaling more than 33% over four years, as airline workers continue to benefit from the industry’s recovery since the pandemic.
The Transport Workers Union said Wednesday that members of Local 556 approved the contract by a margin of 81% to 19%. The union’s board rejected a lower offer last summer, and flight attendants voted against a second proposal in December.
Southwest has about 20,000 flight attendants. They will get raises of more than 22% on May 1 and annual increases of 3% in each of the following three years.
The union said the contract provides record gains for flight attendants and sets a standard for other flight attendants. Cabin crews at United Airlines and American Airlines, which are represented by other unions, are still negotiating contracts.
The union said the deal gives Southwest crews the shortest on-duty day and highest pay in the industry, compensation during disruptions like the Southwest meltdown in December 2022, and industry-first paid maternity and parental leave. Workers will also split $364 million in ratification bonuses, according to the union.
Dallas-based Southwest, the nation’s fourth-biggest airline, said the contract includes changes in scheduling and will help the airline’s operation.
Pilot unions at Delta, United, American and Southwest approved contracts last year that raised pay by more than one-third over several years. This week, Delta said its flight attendants and other nonunion workers will get 5% raises.
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The Associated Press
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![American Airlines Will Require Direct Booking To Earn Miles (Or With Preferred Partners) [Delayed] – Doctor Of Credit](https://reportwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/american-airlines-1.png)
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Update 4/23/24: Start date has been pushed back from May 1, 2024 until July 11, 2024
American Airlines has announced that starting May 1, 2024 changes will be made to bookings that earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points. Customers will earn miles and Loyalty Points on flights when they:
I assume that American Airlines isn’t providing a list of preferred agencies yet as they wanted to make this announcement to strong arm online travel providers into joining this program. This is what hotel loyalty programs already do, although it is slightly different in that commission on hotel bookings can be anywhere from 10-25% and hotel loyalty programs generally manage the properties rather than owning them. American Airlines also announced an increase in bag fees.
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William Charles
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In a warning to American Airlines pilots, their union, the Allied Pilots Association (APA), says it’s seen “a significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems in our operation.”
The union claims that among the “problematic trends” it’s been tracking are tools left in wheel wheels, an increasing number of collisions between aircraft while they’re being towed, an increasing number of items left in the safety area near jet bridges and “pressure to return aircraft to line service to maintain on-time performance due to a lack of spares.”
CBS News obtained pictures of a hammer the APA says was found in an Airbus A319 wheel well on March 25 at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport before Flight 1654 departed for Cedar Rapids, Iowa. According to the APA, the flight’s first officer discovered it during his pre-flight walkaround and notified the captain. The captain called maintenance, who in turn inspected the aircraft and found a “Channellock style pliers and a screwdriver also located inside the wheel well.” The union says there were no open maintenance actions when the tool was found.
Allied Pilots Association via CBS News
In a message to union members Monday, APA President Capt. Ed Sicher says, “We met with (American’s) senior management earlier this month to discuss the operational hazards we have identified. … We now have management’s full attention. We secured management’s commitment to involve the union earlier in the safety risk assessment (SRA) process, and we are likewise seeking a commitment that APA will have a seat at the table for the entire quality assurance process. … Management’s initial response to our concerns was encouraging.”
American, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, said, “Safety at any airline is a shared mission and it’s especially true at American. Our robust safety program is guided by our industry-leading safety management system” that includes collaborating with regulators and its unions.
While not commenting directly on the issues raised by the APA, the Federal Aviation Administration said it “requires all U.S. airlines to have Safety Management Systems (SMS) through which they identify, monitor and address potential hazards early on before they become serious problems.”
Complaints about mechanics being pressured to quickly return planes to service aren’t new at American, as CBS News reported in 2019.
United Airlines is currently the subject of an FAA audit after a series of concerning incidents that included a wheel falling off a Boeing 777 as it was taking off from San Francisco and an aerodynamic panel that flew off a 737 during a flight from San Francisco to Medford, Oregon.
“While United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny, it could just as easily be American Airlines,” the APA memo says.
The union safety committee urged pilots not to rush or be intimidated “and don’t be pressured into doing something that doesn’t pass the ‘smell test.’ Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it safe.”
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The pilots union at American Airlines says there has been “a significant spike” in safety issues at the airline, including fewer routine aircraft inspections and shorter test flights on planes returning from major maintenance work.
The union also says it has seen incidents in which tools were left in wheel wells and items were left in the sterile area around planes parked at airport gates.
A spokesman said Monday that union officials have raised their concerns with senior managers at the airline and were encouraged by the company’s response.
American, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, said it has an industry-leading safety management system. An airline spokesperson said American is in regular contact with regulators and unions “to further bolster our strong safety record and enhance our ever-evolving safety culture.”
Dennis Tajer, a pilot and spokesman for the union, said the union spoke recently with senior management, “and management’s initial response to our request was encouraging. We fully intend to do everything we can to assure that American maintains strong margins of safety.”
The Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment directly on the union’s allegations or whether the agency has increased its oversight of American as a result. In a statement, an FAA spokesperson said airlines required to have systems for identifying potential hazards before they become serious problems.
The safety committee of the Allied Pilots Association said in an email to members Saturday that the union “has been tracking a significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems in our operation.”
The union said American has increased the time between routine inspections on planes. It also said American has ended overnight maintenance checks unless a plane is written up for special attention or due for scheduled maintenance and now does “abbreviated” test flights on planes returning to service after major maintenance checks or long-term storage.
The union asked its members to report any safety or maintenance problems.
“We all understand that aviation accidents are the result of a chain of events — often a series of errors — and catching just one of those errors could prevent a tragedy,” the union said in the email.
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The Associated Press
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American Airlines is relaxing part of its pet policy to let owners bring their companion and a full-size carry-on bag into the cabin.
Until this week, people who carried a pet into the cabin — which involves paying a $150 fee — could only have one other small item that fit under the seat.
Anything bigger, like a carry-on bag with wheels, needed to be checked — for a $35 fee. Or they could put the pet in the cargo hold.
Now American is letting passengers bring a pet in the cabin and also bring a regular carry-on bag or a personal item — just not both bags.
The old policy struck some pet owners as unfair, since they were already paying a pet fee.
Gary Leff, a travel blogger who first wrote about the change, recalled traveling years ago with a Yorkshire terrier.
“It was always frustrating that the dog counted as the carry-on even though I was paying the extra (pet) fee that was sometimes more than the ticket for me,” he said Friday.
Leff said he thinks American’s change will reduce the urge for travelers to falsely claim that their pet is a service animal that flies for free.
An American spokeswoman confirmed that the rules change took effect Thursday.
“We made the change to provide a more convenient and comfortable experience to customers whose pets fly American,” she said.
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The Associated Press
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American Airlines is relaxing part of its pet policy to let owners bring their animal companion and a full-size carry-on bag into the cabin.
Until this week, people who carried a pet into the cabin, which involves paying a $150 fee, could only have one other small item that fit under the seat. Anything bigger, like a carry-on bag with wheels, needed to be checked for a $35 fee. Or they could put the pet in the cargo hold.
Now American is letting passengers bring a pet in the cabin and also bring either a regular carry-on bag or a personal item — just not both bags. The old policy struck some pet owners as unfair, since they were already paying a pet fee. Passengers must still pay a fee, but their pet no longer counts as a carry-on.
An American spokeswoman confirmed that the rules change took effect Thursday. She couldn’t explain the reason because the airline’s corporate offices were closed for Good Friday, and decision-makers were not available.
Gary Leff, a travel blogger who first wrote about the change, recalled traveling years ago with a Yorkshire terrier.
“It was always frustrating that the dog counted as the carry-on even though I was paying the extra (pet) fee that was sometimes more than the ticket for me,” he said Friday.
Leff said he thinks American Airlines’ new policy will reduce the urge for travelers to falsely claim that their pet is a service animal that flies for free, enabling them to bring a carry-on as well.
Even with the new policy, however, traveling with a pet takes a lot of planning and research ahead of time, and many factors could prohibit Fido or Felix from being allowed into the cabin. For one thing, there is a maximum total number of pets allowed per cabin, which varies depending on the type of aircraft.
On United, the total maximum of four pets is allowed in Economy class on the Airbus 319, while Economy on the Airbus 319 allows a total maximum of six pets. In all instances, individual passengers are allowed to bring a maximum of pets in one single carrier.
Other U.S. airlines that allow pets on board include Delta, American, Southwest, Alaska and Frontier. On most, pet carriers count as carry-ons, according to the American Kennel Club.
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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.
The longest zipline in the U.S., which will take you across two states, will be opening this spring. The Catamount Zip Tour runs two hours over the Hudson Valley and into the Berkshires. It features three dual ziplines, and you can control how fast you’re going. ➡️ Read more
A fully autonomous aviator, equipped with artificial intelligence, could help alleviate a looming pilot shortage, according to the head of a company working on the tech. ➡️ Read more
Several guests staying at the Rio Las Vegas claimed their room was broken into while they slept and had thousands of dollars worth of property stolen. “The feeling of being violated while we were sleeping is still kind of haunting me,” said Mindy Smith, who stayed at the property in February. ➡️ Read more
In general, when a member reaches a given status, most loyalty programs provide that status for the remainder of a given calendar year, all of the next, and perhaps the beginning few months of a third. The earlier one reaches status the first year, the longer the benefits of that effort last, reflecting a larger potential return on the investment. ➡️ Read more
One of the Capital One application rules that has shown some cracking over the last year is the long held belief that Capital One will only approve you for one card every six months. It didn’t matter if they were business cards, personal cards or a mixture of both. If it was within six months since your last approval you would be automatically denied for any other application. ➡️ Read more
The airline will initially base just 20 captains and 20 first officers there, which would probably be enough for one ultra long haul route (that requires four pilots) or two shorter long haul flights (that require two pilots). The base is expected to grow over time. ➡️ Read more
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 ad engagement is always greatly appreciated.
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DDG
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Incredible deal, availability seems to be very good as well. I suspect this will sell out quickly so book ASAP.
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William Charles
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American Airlines has launched a big award sale, offering flights on many routes for just 5,000 AAdvantage miles. Besides domestic flights, you can also snag some great deals on short-haul international flights.
“Now it’s even more rewarding to be an AAdvantage® member with our biggest miles redemption offer yet” American Airlines says in the promotion page. “With half a million seats on offer, book one-way flights from only 5,000 miles to the US, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America.”
This is the type of promotion where you book first and think later. Main Cabin tickets can be fully refunded back to your mileage account if your travel plans don’t work out.
The promotion is only available on flights operated by American Airlines or American Eagle® regional carriers. You will have to pay taxes and fees as well, but that’s just an extra $5.60 one-way for domestic flights.
These are some of the one-way flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America that you can currently book for just 5,000 miles:
Here are some of the ne-way flights in the US that you can book with this promotion:
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DDG
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Southwest Rapid Rewards shopping portal | American AAdvantage shopping portal
American Airlines AAdvantage and Southwest rapid rewards shopping portals are offering bonuses:
These bonuses are on top of standard earnings. As always, compare against other portal rates to ensure you’re getting a good deal.
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Chuck
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CHICAGO — United Airlines said Friday that it is raising its fees for checking bags, following a similar move earlier this week by American Airlines.
Starting with tickets booked Saturday, economy-class passengers on domestic flights will be charged $5 more. That will bring the price to $35 if they pay online at least 24 hours before the flight, and $40 after that.
The fee for a second checked bag will also rise $5, climbing to $45 in advance online and $50 at the airport.
Passengers in premium cabins, holders of United-branded credit cards and customers with elite status in the airline’s frequent-flyer program will still be able to check a bag for free, United said.
Earlier this week, American Airlines raised its fee for a first checked bag on domestic flights from $30 to $35 if paid in advance and to $40 at the airport. It also hiked the fee for a second bag from $40 to $45. American also increased bag fees for short international flights.
Alaska Airlines raised its bag fees for most economy passengers in January, and JetBlue followed earlier this month.
Bag fees have become a dependable source of revenue for airlines since American introduced them in 2008, when jet fuel prices were surging. In 2022, the last full year for which statistics are available, U.S. airlines took in $6.8 billion in checked-bag fees, led by American at $1.4 billion and United at $1.1 billion.
Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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AP
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United Airlines said Friday it is increasing checked bag fees on all flights in North America, joining other carriers that have recently boosted such charges.
Economy class passengers on domestic United Airlines flights will now pay an additional $5, raising the cost for their first checked bag to $40. The fee for a second checked bag will also rise $5, climbing to $45 in advance online and $50 at the airport.
The new policy is effective for tickets purchased on or after Saturday, February 24, United said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
The airline, which said it hadn’t raised checked bag fees since 2020, noted that most passengers can save $5 on each checked bag if they pay in advance at least 24 hours before their flight. United Chase credit card holders, MileagePlus Premier members, active military members and customers traveling in premium cabins can still check a bag for free, United said.
Earlier this week, American Airlines raised its fee for a first checked bag on domestic flights from $30 to $35 if paid in advance and to $40 at the airport. It also hiked the charge for a second bag from $40 to $45 and increased bag fees for short international flights.
Alaska Airlines raised its bag fees for most economy passengers in January, and JetBlue followed earlier this month. Bag fees have become a dependable source of revenue for airlines since American introduced them in 2008, when jet fuel prices were surging. In 2022, the last full year for which statistics are available, U.S. airlines took in $6.8 billion in checked-bag fees, led by American at $1.4 billion and United at $1.1 billion.
Over the first nine months of 2023, domestic airlines charged nearly $5.5 billion in baggage fees, Bureau of Transportation data shows.
United passengers bemoaning the fee increase may find consolation in hearing the airline is increasing the size of its overhead bins. “United is in the process of updating all of its mainline aircraft with new, larger bins designed to have room for everyone’s carry-on bag,” the company said.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Both American Airlines & jetBlue have increased bag fees.
Normally when one airline increases bag fees we see all of the others quickly follow and increase their own fees.
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William Charles
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New York (CNN) — Checking a bag on American Airlines will now cost you more than at every other major US airline.
The carrier announced Tuesday that the price of the first checked bag on most flights is increasing to $40 for customers that didn’t prepay online. It will cost $35 if paid online during check in. That’s as much as a 33% increase from what it previously cost on American Airlines: $30 for both methods.
Flights within and between the United States, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands are all affected by the price increase. American has also hiked the price of a second checked bag to $45 (up from $40.)
Other routes are also getting price increase, too: Checked-baggage fees on flights between to and from the US to Canada, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America destinations now costs $35 (up from $30) and the second checked bag fee is $45 (up from $40).
Changes are effective for flights booked beginning Tuesday. Passengers that bought tickets prior to this will pay the previous prices. Flyers that have an airline-branded credit card, buy tickets in premium cabins or have status are largely exempt from the price increases.
American said in a press release that it hasn’t hiked bag prices since 2018. It’s also decreasing prices on oversized and heavy luggage, which the airline says are its “lowest fee ever.”
American’s largest rivals, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, charge $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for a second on similar routes. However, it’s not uncommon for them to follow since that has happened in the past.
The price increase comes at a time when airlines are battling rising fuel and labor costs. American (AAL) revealed in its earnings last month that its net income plunged 98% for the last three months of 2023.
US airlines make a ton of money these fees. In 2022, they made a record $6.8 billion on baggage fees, according to the most recent data from Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
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Jordan Valinsky and CNN
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As always make sure to compare to other portals to ensure you’re getting a good deal.
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William Charles
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American Airlines was sued on Monday in a proposed class action claiming the airline shut down accounts for some customers who received multiple credit card bonuses. The lawsuit was filed by two customers who said the carrier stripped them of 1.1 million miles back in 2020. Many other accounts were shut down in late 2019.
Ari and Shanna Nachison said American wrongly accused them of fraud for opening multiple AAdvantage accounts, with cards issued under co-branding arrangements with Citibank and Barclays. They claim that while some card applications prevented multiple credit card bonuses within a 48-month period, theirs did not.
Ari Nachison said he lost 564,463 miles, while Shanna Nachison said she lost 550,664 miles.
They say that American Airlines had cited violations “related to the accrual of ineligible miles and benefits; through fraud, misrepresentation and/or abuse of the AAdvantage Program” in emails announcing the account closures.
The lawsuit filed in the San Jose, California federal court seeks damages for people whose AAdvantage accounts were terminated based on alleged fraud for obtaining signup bonuses from AAdvantage credit cards issued by Citi and Barclays.
The case is Nachison et al v American Airlines Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 24-00530.
HT: Reuters
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DDG
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As always make sure to compare to other portals to ensure you’re getting a good deal.
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William Charles
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The airline said it was “reaching out to learn more” amid complaints over the matter.
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A recent video of American Airlines crew members mishandling a passenger’s wheelchair went viral on social media, sparking some people with disabilities to speak out about their negative travel experiences.
The video, which has been viewed 3 million times on TikTok, shows a baggage handler sending a wheelchair crashing down and off of a ramp. Wheelchair users say it’s not uncommon for them to be mishandled or broken during air travel.
Cory Lee, an avid traveler who uses a wheelchair and writes a blog, Curb Free with Corey Lee that highlights accessible sites around the globe, said flying is easily the worst part of travel. He estimates that his customized, powered wheelchair, which costs $40,000, is damaged about half the times he flies.
“It’s the part that I dread the most out of anything,” Lee told CBS MoneyWatch. “I’ve had so many terrible experiences on planes and in airports being transferred out of my wheelchair.”
In 2022, the 10 largest U.S. airlines lost, damaged or destroyed more than 11,000 wheelchairs and scooters, according to the Department of Transportation. That represents 1.5% of all wheelchairs and scooters boarded onto planes.
American Airlines said it’s investigating the incident captured on video.
“This visual is deeply concerning, and we are gathering more details so that we can address them with our team,” the carrier said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. The airline added that it routinely trains team members on how to properly handle wheelchairs and is committed to improving the experience of people who fly with them.
Lee said his wheelchair has been damaged countless times, often necessitating costly repairs in foreign destinations. After landing in Barcelona, Spain, while on a trip last summer, for example, he realized that one of his chair’s wheels had been broken en route. That required him to find a repair shop in Spain and spend $300 to reattach the wheel. He filed a claim with the airline and was later reimbursed.
Airline personnel have also dropped him in helping him in and out of his chair, Lee noted.
Courtesy of Cory Lee
Indeed, for disabled passengers, the risks go beyond damage to their wheelchairs. In August, United Airlines agreed to pay $30 million to the family of a quadriplegic man who went into a coma following an incident as he was being wheeled off a plane. The family of Nathaniel Foster Jr. alleged in a lawsuit that United “failed to abide by the standard of care owed to disabled passengers” after an agent “aggressively” pushed his wheelchair while helping him deplane in 2019.
Under Transportation Security Administration regulations, wheelchairs and other mobility devices are not allowed in aircraft cabins. That means people who use wheelchairs must be transferred from their chair to an airplane seat.
Advocates for people with disabilities want airlines to install wheelchair-friendly seats in planes to ease some of the frustrations of travel. All Wheels Up, an organization advocating for accessible planes, is pushing for solutions that would allow people who use wheelchairs to independently maneuver themselves onto planes, such as by installing a wheelchair spot on planes.
A bill for airline passengers with disabilities, The Mobility Aids On Board Improve Lives and Empower All (MOBILE) Act, was introduced in June to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. It would task the Secretary of Transportation with researching alternatives to allow wheelchair users to fly seated in their wheelchairs, among other things. It would also require the Department of Transportation to track and publicly report detailed information on any damage airlines cause to mobility devices.
Lee said his “ultimate dream” is to be able to stay in his wheelchair when he flies.
“Other forms of public transportation, like trains, the subway and busses, have a wheelchair spot that I am able to use,” he told CBS MoneyWatch. “Air travel is the last mode of transportation I cannot stay in my wheelchair for. It hasn’t improved at all for wheelchair users, it has been the same for decades.”
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