Alaska’s New Loyalty Scheme
Alaska should have gotten a 2-for-1 take care of its consultants that give you its new livery for long-haul flying as a result of the place else might Atmos Rewards come from? Or possibly we’re simply bitter that our recommendations of MileageMiles or Hawaiian Plan weren’t chosen. Both approach, the overall consensus is that since Alaska didn’t intestine its program on this revamp, it’s a giant win for customers. Sure, that’s the place we’re at now.
This new choose-your-own journey would possibly really feel extra like a board recreation and fewer like a loyalty program as Atmos Rewards will permit you, the touring public, to select whether or not you earn factors by miles flown, {dollars} spent, or segments flown. It’s like a buffet for frequent fliers — besides you possibly can solely swap your meal plan yearly, and it doesn’t matter what you select, the home nonetheless wins. It’s being offered as “flexibility,” however in actuality, it’s simply three other ways to comprehend you don’t fly sufficient to matter.
In fact, there’s additionally a shiny new $395 premium bank card, as a result of no loyalty program is full with out one. However do you have to get it? No one is aware of. Possibly a blogger or two will submit about it so you can also make an knowledgeable resolution.
It comes with lounge passes, some companion perks, and the chance to pool factors with ten of your closest frenemies—good for that awkward group chat the place nobody can agree on dates. Alaska additionally guarantees free Starlink Wi-Fi by 2026 for members, which is sweet, because you’ll want quick web to calculate out what number of factors you would and will earn on that flight you’re on.
For extra on why this alternative will not be the perfect for vacationers, please go to Thursday’s submit on crankyflier.com.
Delta Turns to Crowdstrikedsourced Community Planning
This week, Delta launched its first-ever Route Race, (though not its first marathon) daring SkyMiles members (and workers!) to select the airline’s subsequent European vacation spot for summer season 2026. The contenders? Social gathering-happy Ibiza, history-rich Malta, or rugged Sardinia — none of which has direct U.S. service right this moment. Voting runs subsequent week from August 25 to 29 by way of the Delta app, with outcomes dropping about 30 days later. It’s immersive engagement — or sensible advertising and marketing — relying on whether or not you’re casting a vote or suspecting the route’s already pre-decided.
We all know assume hope community planning is normally a spreadsheet riff of demand metrics, airplane economics, slot availability, and airport politics… not a reputation contest. So let’s not fake it is a wide-open course of. The winner will nearly definitely be whichever metropolis (or all three, which is our guess) Delta already quietly filed paperwork on, however hey — why not make everybody really feel like a junior route planner for every week? If nothing else, it’s a intelligent technique to pump app engagement whereas distracting us from the most recent SkyMiles devaluation, which might be the true prize right here.
The route may be new, however the playbook — make the purchasers do your advertising and marketing for you — is as outdated as SkyMiles inflation.
In different information, Delta introduced three new nonstop locations from Austin right this moment — Columbus, Denver, and Kansas Metropolis — and managed to take action with out polling any of us.
Air Canada FAs Return to Work
After grounding Air Canada for almost 4 days and shaking up the summer season journey scramble, flight attendants ended their strike on Tuesday, starting the method to return to work. The Canadian Union of Public Workers (CUPE) secured a victory: boarding pay, as a result of seems that roaming the cabin and calming aisle toddlers on the bottom is figure too. They’ll get 50% hourly pay for that stretch within the first yr, rising to 70% by yr 4. In union-speak, this “transformational change” isn’t just lip service — it’s precise, paid work for time not spent within the air. The strike was declared unlawful by the labor board, however a resolute group of FAs did get a deal and possibly some respect — although whether or not the vote passes stays to be seen.
Roughly half one million passengers bought stranded, rerouted, or rebooked onto flights they’ll be telling horror tales about for years, and every story will get extra dramatic and harrowing on every telling. The Canadian authorities stepped in with arbitration, as a result of nothing says “environment friendly labor relations” like Ottawa refereeing your summer season trip. Air Canada is promising to revive regular service “quickly,” which in airline-speak might imply this week, or someday earlier than the Leafs win a Stanley Cup. Both approach, boarding is now billable, so at the least the crews can be cashing in whereas passengers are nonetheless combating over bin house.
Frontier Places Elite on Clearance Rack: $69 and You Too Can Board Earlier than the Herd
Bear in mind a couple of years in the past when Delta stated ‘if everyone seems to be elite then no one is elite?’ Yeah it doesn’t seem to be Frontier is on the identical web page. Why spend years grinding for standing when Frontier will simply promote it to you for the price of dinner at Chili’s? For $69, anybody with a loyalty card from Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, or Spirit can grow to be Elite Gold by 2026. What does Elite Gold get you on Frontier? Truthful query. It’ll rating you a carry-on (simply the suitable to convey one on the aircraft, you don’t truly get a free piece of bags), seat choice, and the possibility to attain an “UpFront Plus” seat (as a result of there’s nothing loyalty applications like greater than pimping the opportunity of an improve you’ll by no means truly get).
It’s loyalty, Frontier-style: all of the perks, not one of the dignity.
On one hand although, you need to hand it to Frontier, because it doesn’t even fake anymore. Loyalty isn’t about flying its planes — it’s about shopping for into the phantasm that you just’re particular since you ponied up $69. In actuality, it’s a glorified Groupon (bear in mind these, boy, 2014 was a tremendous time to be alive) for vacationers uninterested in gate lice. Nonetheless, it’s low-key sensible: Frontier will get your information, your money, and possibly your soul… and also you get to inform your pals you’re “elite” whereas combating for overhead bin house with six different elites who additionally paid lower than a tank of gasoline for the privilege.
On the brilliant aspect, you possibly can all the time maintain out hope that different airways will do a standing match sooner or later subsequent yr so you possibly can really really feel necessary… however we wouldn’t rely on it.
Delta and United Accused of Shady Enterprise
Two federal class‑motion lawsuits simply landed, alleging Delta and United charged premium charges for “window seats” that, spoiler alert, don’t even have home windows. As an alternative of gazing at clouds, vacationers discovered themselves with an actual pane within the glass — squished in opposition to a stable wall hiding ducts or wiring with no view to talk of. The fits level out that opponents like Alaska and American flag these voids of their seat maps — in contrast to Delta and United, which appear advantageous making “window” imply “any seat subsequent to the fuselage” Though we aren’t positive Alaska is the one you wish to level to for instance right here, as everybody remembers its flight final yr the place “window seat” gave probably the most practical reference to the skin world that no one ever needed.
The plaintiffs say they’d skip the window price in the event that they’d recognized they have been getting a wall-mounted seat as an alternative of a view. The estimated class contains thousands and thousands of affected vacationers per airline, with some paying as much as $100 additional for a dud seat. Delta and United have so far stayed silent, possible too busy counting seat improve charges to contemplate settling. So to assist the airways out, right here’s a couple of settlement concepts:
A complimentary roll of wallpaper so you possibly can paste your personal “view.”
A streaming subscription to Bob Ross reruns obtainable in-flight solely, so at the least you possibly can image “completely satisfied little clouds.”
Lifetime precedence boarding into Group 9 — as a result of nothing says compensation like boarding final, however barely earlier than the opposite final individuals.
A commemorative eye masks with a window decal printed on it, so you possibly can DIY the view in your creativeness.
5,000 SkyPesos — as a result of throwing a small handful of SkyMiles normally fixes the whole lot.
Air Botswana picked up $64 million price of state assist.
airBaltic named Erno Hildén its new CEO.
Bamboo Airways is creating a technique so as to add traders that reportedly doesn’t embrace providing them bamboo.
British Airways will fly to a number of worldwide locations subsequent summer season.
Edelweiss will add its first A320neo early subsequent yr.
HK Specific is rising.
Icelandair desires extra A321-200LRs.
Jeju Air may be on the market. In fact it additionally may not be.
LAM confronted a $13 million lawsuit over lease on a Sprint-8 that’s on the lam.
Norse Atlantic earned a small Q2 revenue.
PSA introduced in a PSA that it named Chris McCartney its COO.
Qatar will transfer its New York/JFK operation to the brand new Terminal One.
Ravn Alaska lived a full life.
Southwest met with its unions to debate a world enlargement.
Spirit will have the ability to take your bank cards for the foreseeable future because it bought its processing deal prolonged, but it surely was pricey.
SWISS will provide a brand new first-class suite that the majority of us will spend way more time studying evaluations of than we are going to truly fly in.
Turkish was the final airline standing winner within the Air Europa sweepstakes.
Uganda Airways must get it collectively.
Wizz Air is opening a base in Tuzla later this yr.
Enjoyable Truth:
Should you minimize off your left arm, your proper arm can be left.
