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☆ Delta passenger says an 'out of control' flight attendant told his wife she had a 'stupid face' before their family was kicked off plane
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Delta passenger accused a flight attendant of telling his wife she had a "stupid face." Todd replied, "I have you on video saying my wife has a stupid face," prompting the flight attendant to say: "I don't care. You're being rude, rude, rude since the moment of the back." The couple was told by a flight attendant that they were not allowed to use the first-class storage space, according to the blog. "So then she looks at Jen and says, 'don't look at me with that stupid face.'

☆ JetBlue pilots approve contract extension that comes with over 21% in raises
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

JetBlue Airways pilots have approved a contract extension that comes with 21.5% raises over the next 18 months as the industry reverses slow progress in labor deals during a pilot shortage. That airline's pilots approved a new two-year contract that their union estimated to be worth around $463 million. If the merger isn't approved by regulators, the union will go back into contract negotiations with the airline. A shortage of aviators and high demand from airlines large and small have also limited airlines' ability to grow. United Airlines , American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are still in talks with their pilots' labor unions.

“To the people of #NY03 I have my story to tell and it will be told next week,” Santos tweeted on Dec. 22. After images surfaced showing Santos dressed in drag, Santos insisted it was “categorically false” that he had ever performed as a drag queen. A Siena College survey released Monday showed many New York voters seem to agree with Stern’s assessment. Just 16% of New York voters said they viewed Santos favorably — including a mere 15% of Republicans. Additionally, 59% of New York voters said Santos should resign while just 17% said he should not.

☆ Aging, outdated technology leaves air travel at risk of meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

As early as 2012, the FAA decided it wanted to replace aging legacy voice switches used in air traffic control communications with new, internet-based communications technology. Trying to integrate old systems with newer ones — always in real time, because the global aviation industry never sleeps — can also create its own opportunities for catastrophic mistakes. Many more things can go wrong than you might expect — highlighting the sheer complexity of the aviation industry, and underscoring how there isn’t a quick easy fix for IT-related travel disruptions. But it has had lasting effects on FAA technology. That bureaucratic myopia is its own cause of today’s technological malaise in the aviation industry.

☆ Delta curbs employee access to luxury airport lounges as it struggles with crowding
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Delta Air Lines plans to curb employee access to its plush and popular airport lounges next month, its latest attempt to ease crowding. "The employee discount on Delta Sky Club memberships also is discontinued," said the memo, which was seen by CNBC. Complimentary seats on planes are a major perk for airline staff, and they aren't just used for vacation. American and United say they aren't planning similar policy changes for their lounges, though carriers occasionally tweak employee travel policies. For example, those carriers paused certain employee travel perks to London over the summer due to congestion.

☆ FAA system outage disrupts thousands of flights across U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The FAA's outage was the second major air travel disruption in less than a month and drew bipartisan criticism. Later Wednesday, Canada's air navigation agency said its similar notification system experienced a brief outage, but said no flights were delayed as a result. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards FAA system failure created mass cancellations across the U.S. on Jan. 11th, 2023. FlightawareWednesday's FAA issue added to concern from Washington from both Republicans and Democrats, particularly about technology that the complex U.S. air system, the world's busiest, relies on. More than a third of Delta's and United's mainline flights were delayed, while about 50% of American's were running late.

FAA officials said a preliminary review traced the outage to a damaged database file, but added there was no evidence of a cyberattack and the investigation was continuing. FAA officials said they were working to "further pinpoint the causes" so the problem can be avoided in the future. One issue airlines are facing is trying to get planes in and out of crowded gates, which is causing further delays. He described confusion as airline employees and many passengers were initially unaware of the FAA's moves and flight delays. The U.S. Travel Association, which represents the travel industry including airlines, called the FAA system failure "catastrophic."

You may also access Centurion Lounges if you've got one of the following Delta credit cards:You can only access the Amex Centurion lounges when you're flying Delta, and you'll need to pay $50 per guest. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Concourse E) — coming soonCharlotte Douglas International Airport (between Concourse D and E)Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Terminal D)Denver International Airport (Concourse C)Intercontinental Houston Airport (Terminal D)Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Concourse D)Los Angeles International Airport (Tom Bradley International Terminal)Miami International Airport (Concourse D)John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)Newark Liberty International Airport (Terminal A) — not yet openNew York LaGuardia Airport (Terminal B, pre-security)Philadelphia International Airport (Terminal A)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminal 4)San Francisco International Airport (Terminal 3)Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Concourse B)Washington, DC Ronald Reagan National Airport (Terminal B) — coming soonLondon Heathrow (Terminal 3)Hong Kong International (Terminal 1)International locations Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hong Kong International Airport (Terminal 1)London Heathrow Airport (Terminal 3)Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Terminal 5)Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Terminal 2)Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3)Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Terminal B)Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (Terminal 3)Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)Mexico City International Airport (Terminals 1 and 2)Monterrey General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (Terminals A and B)Sydney Airport (Terminal 1)Centurion Studios (Escape Lounges) Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hartford Bradley International Airport (Terminal A)Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (Concourse B)John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Concourse B)Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Terminal 3)Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Concourse B)Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (Terminal 1)Oakland International Airport (Terminal 1)Palm Beach International Airport (Concourse B)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminals 3 and 4)Rhode Island T.F. With these cards, you can enter 1,300+ lounges from networks such as: Amex Centurion Lounges (widely considered to be the best airport lounges in the US)Priority Pass** (access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide)Delta Sky Club lounges (only when you have a same-day Delta boarding pass)Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio PartnerPlaza Premium loungesLufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)Can Amex Gold cardholders use Centurion Lounges?

Of course, there isn't one best credit card to use in New York City. Show more Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 20.74% - 27.74% Variable Editor's Rating 4.65 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.65 out of 5 Stars Our editor's ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available. Details Rewards Earn 2x Miles on dining at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S. It earns 2x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel (outside of purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards) and 3x points on dining. It's the best card to use for dining out, takeout, and food delivery in New York City because you'll earn 4 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent.

☆ Unclaimed luggage is piling up at airports across the US after Southwest and other airlines canceled flights due to the winter storm: PHOTOS
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Southwest scrubbed nearly 2,700 flights on Tuesday, which accounted for 84% of all cancelations in the US that day, according to FlightAware. The chaos has left passengers' baggage mounting up at various airports. LaGuardia Airport in New York. AP Photo/Yuki IwamuraSource: Insider

☆ Analysis: Southwest got billions of dollars in taxpayer aid. Why is its service still a mess?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Southwest Airlines received more than $7 billion from that program. However, analysts say, Southwest’s service meltdown is unrelated to the taxpayer assistance the airline received in 2020. Cancelled Southwest Airlines flights are seen on the flight schedules at LaGuardia Airport, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in New York. In April 2020, airline passenger traffic plummeted 96% and stayed 60% below 2019 levels in 2020, according to the US Government Accountability Office. “The problems at Southwest Airlines over the last several days go beyond weather,” she said in a statement.

☆ 'Never flying Southwest again': Stranded and frustrated customers scramble to find flights and alternative travel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Antonio Planas | Antonio Planas Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Most Southwest Airlines flights aren't going anywhere, but frustration levels for scores of travelers across the country are soaring. In the post-Christmas rush and severe winter storm chaos, the Dallas-based airline canceled nearly two-thirds of its flights Tuesday and said that the disruptions likely won't be over for several days. More than 3,500 flights scheduled to leave Wednesday have already been canceled, with Southwest constituting about 70% of those cancellations, according to FlightAware. He said he couldn't find another seat on a Southwest flight to Dallas until Monday. But unlike some Southwest customers, she has loved ones she can lean on for accommodations.

As the storm took shape over the Great Lakes on Thursday, a weather phenomenon known as a bomb cyclone was likely to develop from a "rapidly deepening low-pressure" system, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. The cyclone could spawn snowfalls of a half inch (1.25 cm) per hour and howling winds from the Upper Midwest to the interior Northeast, producing near-zero visibility, the weather service said. "It's dangerous and threatening," President Joe Biden said at the White House, urging Americans with travel plans to not delay and to set off on Thursday. Hundreds of Texans died in February 2021 after the state's power grid failed amid wintry storms, leaving millions without electricity. Greg Carbin, chief of forecast operations at the NWS Weather Prediction Center in Maryland, said freezing or below-freezing cold would bisect central Florida, with temperatures about 25 degrees below normal.

☆ Airlines cancel 5,700 U.S. flights amid fierce winter storms
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Airline cancellations topped 5,700 U.S. flights on Friday as massive winter storms snarled airport operations around the United States and frustrated tens of thousands of holiday travelers. That followed nearly 2,700 canceled flights on Thursday, while just over 1,000 flights have already been canceled for Saturday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed ground stops or delays for de-icing at a number of U.S. airports because of winter weather. Another 10,400 U.S. flights were delayed on Friday - including more than 40% of those operated by American Airlines (AAL.O), United Airlines (UAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) - after 11,300 flights were delayed Thursday. Southwest canceled 1,238 flights on Friday, 29% of all its scheduled flights, while Alaska Airlines (ALK.N) canceled 507, or 64%, of its flights.

☆ Deep freeze grips U.S. as winter 'bomb cyclone' looms ahead of holiday weekend
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Numbing cold intensified by high winds was expected to extend as far south as the U.S.-Mexico border. The NWS map of existing or impending wintry hazards, stretching from border to border and coast to coast, "depicts one of the greatest extents of winter weather warnings and advisories ever," the agency said. The bomb cyclone could unleash snowfalls of a half inch (1.25 cm) per hour driven by gale-force winds, cutting visibility to near zero, the weather service said. Power outages were expected from high winds, heavy snow and ice, as well as the strain of higher-than-usual energy demands. The weather service said relief from the deep freeze was in sight for the northern Rockies and High Plains, where the arctic blast first materialized on Thursday.

While travel demand is roaring back, many hotels, airlines, cruise operators and airports are still racing to hire and train workers. That means the level of customer service will likely take a hit, industry experts say. One potential bright spot can be found at sea: During the summer, several cruise lines had to cancel voyages due to staffing shortages, but major disruptions have been largely resolved. “It’s highly unlikely your holiday cruise will be canceled due to lack of staffing,” said Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, a Tripadvisor-run travel site. “This year, I moved my annual holiday travel to earlier in December,” said Abby Rhinehart, an educational researcher in Tucson, Arizona.

☆ Flight delays and cancellations will likely impact millions of Christmas travelers. What to do when your airline experiences disruptions.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The National Weather Service has warned of a strong winter storm expected to affect holiday travel. But, some airlines offer to rebook on their website or mobile app and waive any fees, so it's sometimes easier to make changes online than in person. Carriers offering both are Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines, according to the DoT dashboard. It never hurts to request a meal or hotel during flight disruptions, and you might get lucky with a goodwill gesture from the carrier. For example, in the case of a winter storm, it's likely many passengers will end up stranded in random cities across the US.

☆ JetBlue and American announced 11 all-new routes as the pair beefs up its controversial Northeast Alliance — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

JetBlue Airways and American Airlines announced 11 new routes as part of their Northeast Alliance. Walter Bibikow/Getty ImagesJetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Hyannis near Cape Code in the spring of 2023. Just dance/ShutterstockJetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Bermuda in the spring of 2023. Aleenah AnsariJetBlue will start once-daily flights between Boston and Vancouver in the spring of 2023. American will start once-daily flights between New York and Knoxville on May 5.

Airport workers across the country are rallying and walking off the job Thursday to draw attention to their current working conditions and legislation that could improve them. Workers at 15 U.S. airports, including ones in Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and Phoenix, plan to participate in on-site rallies. Formal strikes — which could disrupt operations — are planned at Boston's Logan International Airport, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and the Newark Liberty International Airport. The rallies are in support of the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act, introduced in June by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. It would set a minimum wage of $15 for airport service workers, as well as ensure the workers have paid time off, holidays, adequate health care and other benefits.

☆ Delta pilots would get more than 30% in pay raises under new contract deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Delta Air Lines and its pilots' union have reached a preliminary agreement for raises topping 30% over four years, a milestone deal that could sharply drive up aviators' pay across the industry. Delta pilots voted in October to authorize a strike if a deal wasn't reached, while pilots at several airlines have picketed this year demanding contract improvements. Delta and the union were edging toward a deal in mid-November, CNBC reported. It also includes a one-time payment of 4% of 2020 and 2021 pay each, plus 14% of 2022 pay. The Delta agreement said pay rates will exceed United's and American's pay by at least 1% over the course of the agreement, which still needs union and pilot approval.

☆ Delta is making it harder to get into its airport lounges after they were flooded by travelers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Sky Lounge during a tour of Delta Air Lines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the Queens borough of New York, US, on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesDelta Air Lines is making the most exclusive corners of the airport harder to get into. Starting Jan. 1, the price of an individual membership to Delta's Sky Clubs will increase from $545 or 54,500 miles to $695 or 69,500 miles. The airline recently rolled out special VIP lines for certain Sky Clubs so its most loyal customers aren't forced to wait for entry. In July, it said customers can get into Sky Clubs within three hours of their departure time, a measure aimed to avoid crowding.

☆ Delta is making big changes to who can access its popular Sky Club airport lounges
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some Medallion members can no longer access the lounge when traveling internationally in select cabins. According to Delta, starting January 1, only Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and Silver Medallion members can buy annual memberships to the Sky Club. Sky Club members flying on a basic economy ticket, as well as Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion Members flying internationally in Delta's Main Cabin or Comfort+ can no longer access the Sky Club, effective February 2. Access can be granted through other means, like having an eligible American Express credit card or a Club membership, according to Delta. These are huge changes for the airline, especially since anyone can currently purchase a Sky Club membership.

“We can’t stress this enough — plan ahead and arrive early if you’re traveling during the #Thanksgiving holiday travel period,” the airport tweeted. Travelers at Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in New York, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesNewark Liberty International Airport echoed LGA in suggesting passengers should plan ahead and aim to arrive at the airport early. “Due to the increased number of travelers during the holiday, allow extra time for travel, check-in and security.”John F. Kennedy Airport also said passengers traveling Sunday should plan ahead and arrive early. JFK tweeted from its verified account, “Budget extra travel time to arrive at #JFK Airport, park in your reserved spot, check in, and get through security.”

☆ These Airports Are Plagued by Delays, Long Security Lines and More. Here’s How They’re Fixing It.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Allison Pohle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The worst airport is the one you are stuck at when things go wrong. But some airports perform objectively worse than others, according to the WSJ airport rankings, which tracked performance at the 50 busiest in the U.S. Newark Liberty International was the worst-ranked among the 20 busiest airports, while New York’s LaGuardia took the bottom spot for the midsize group.

☆ The Airports Where Delays and Long Lines Are Worst
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Allison Pohle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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