Earlier this month I wrote about the battle for Havana slots. Like a game of musical chairs, demand outstripped supply and it was up to the U.S. Department of Transportation to divvy out the slots. Yesterday, the U.S. Department...
Delta’s Definition Of “Neutral” Is Different Than Mine
Delta chartered three airplanes on a complimentary basis to transport students to Washington, DC for the “March for Our Lives” protest last Saturday. Oh great, he’s wading into politics again… I take Sundays off on the blog, not just...
My Thought Process In Building A Multi-City Award Trip
We receive many interesting requests at Award Expert, my award booking service, including some that require a bit of creativity. Let me tell you about a recent trip. The client lived in Philadelphia. His destination: Beijing. He wanted to...
Oops: Delta Rescinds Prohibitive Award Booking Rule
Delta rolled back a prohibitive award booking restriction, leaving in place…a prohibitive award booking restriction. As I reported earlier today, Delta unrolled a draconian new restriction on SkyMiles bookings, prohibiting all redemptions within three days of travel that does...
Delta: Legitimate Fraud Protection or SkyMiles Devaluation?
Delta SkyMiles international award tickets now carry a draconian new restriction: they must booked at least three days in advance if they do not start or end in the U.S. or Canada. Is this a legitimate fraud protection or...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: March 18, 2018
A trip is on the horizon…I’m anticipating a trip to Europe coming up, perhaps as early tomorrow. But for now, another week in LA. I didn’t even spend this many consecutive days on the ground when my son was...
Mea Culpa: A350 Delta One Suites for 60K Miles
“To err is human; to forgive, divine” – Alexander Pope (1709) I must admit I got a tad annoyed yesterday. I scheduled a post entitled How to Book A350 Delta One Suites for Cheap(er) Using Miles for yesterday morning and went...
How to Book A350 Delta One Suites for Cheap(er) Using Miles
While searching for routes to get an Award Expert client home from China earlier this morning, I was surprised to find that Delta’s flagship A350 suites were available at a very reasonable price for next-day travel. Delta operates or will...
U.S. Airlines Fighting Over Cuba…Again
With yields weak and demand far lower than expected, we’ve seen many carriers reduce or eliminate service to Cuba. Even so, U.S. airlines are still fiercely fighting for Havana slots. Under current U.S. Department of Transportation rules, airlines are...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: March 04, 2018
I’ve been grounded all week and am thankful for it. No plans to travel next week either. Plenty of time with family and friends instead. Lots of work too. There have been a handful of trips I’ve turned down,...
Delta Loses NRA Tax Battle, Will Likely Win War
What does a memo from the Delta CEO and newly enacted tax reform legislation tell us about the power dynamic between Delta and its home state? Yesterday, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal singed into a law a $5BN tax reform...
Other States Court Delta After NRA Tax Dispute
As Delta Air Lines and the State of Georgia continue to fight over fuel subsidies in light of the recent NRA dispute, other states are actively courting Delta. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam: Rep. Tim...
Analysis: Delta’s Tax Break (Subsidies) Threatened by NRA Stance
See what happens when you wade into politics… Yesterday, I wrote about the backlash Delta was facing over its convoluted stance on the National Rifle Association. In response to the recent Florida school shooting, Delta removed its group discount...
In Eliminating NRA Discount, United and Delta are Taking a Stand
United Airlines and Delta joined rental car companies in eliminating discounts for National Rifle Association (NRA) members over the weekend. This, folks, is taking a stand. It is not a neutral position. Whether you want to celebrate this move...
Did This Lady Deserve To Be Kicked Off A Flight? Oh Yes.
Lucky asks, “Did this lady deserve to be kicked off a flight?” My answer is yes, though not for the reason she was. I know a thing or two about getting kicked off a flight without just cause. Indeed,...
In Defense of the Cursing Delta Agent
There is no excuse for a Delta agent cursing out a vile passenger. Note the nuance of my previous sentence–I am calling the passenger vile, for reasons I will explain below. But there is simply no excuse to curse...
Review: Delta Sky Club Honolulu (HNL)
I don’t fly Delta all that often, but before my recent flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles I had a chance to visit the Sky Club there. The Sky Club used to be a Continental President’s Club, but was...
Qatar vs. Delta – Who Really Won?
Later today U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will announce a sweeping deal that will put to rest the dispute between U.S. carriers and Qatar Airways. But who is the real winner here? Qatar Airways will agree not to...
Bravo! Delta Restricts Emotional Support Animals
I’ve written before about emotional support animals…and how some airline passengers routinely abuse federal law to avoid pet fees. Now Delta Air Lines is saying enough is enough. Complaints over animal defecation, urination, and biting have risen 84% over...
Delta Accused of Anti-Semitism in FA Lawsuit
“Delta has encouraged and maintained an anti-Jewish, Hebrew and ethnic Israeli attitude among management, who…operate under an express assumption that ethnic Jews and Israelis cannot be trusted.” So claims a lawsuit filed in New York by four Delta FAs...
