American Airlines Loyalty Points program replaced Advantage earlier this year. Some data points have demonstrated its generosity, but is it too generous to stay as it is? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card...
Whew! American Airlines Still Blocking Etihad Award Space…
When I saw that American Airlines added the ability to book Etihad awards online yesterday, my heart sank. Would the floodgates now be open, quickly decimating what remains a treasure trove of award space? The answer appears to be...
After AA Cancels Her Flight, Woman Left In Wheelchair Overnight At O’Hare Airport
Olimpia Warsaw found herself all alone at Chicago O’Hare International Airport late at night. But she wasn’t waiting for a redeye. The wheelchair-bound 67-year-old who suffers from diabetes and Parkinson’s disease was left to fend for herself after...
Lovely: I Screwed Up My Gulf Air 787-9 Trip
Well, so much for that review…. Several months back when American Airlines announced it would dissolve its partnership with Gulf Air, I booked a trip in late fall. For Saturday morning, as it turned out. I figured this would...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: August 19, 2018
Greetings from LA. After a busy weak of travel last week, it was nice to be home this week. I’m not planning on going anywhere in the coming week either. Here’s a review of the week’s top stories plus...
Why AA’s Expanded Online Award Space Is Devastating News
AA is making it easy than ever before to book oneworld partner award space. That’s devastating news to savvy travelers. Last night, award space on the following partners appeared on AA.com for the first time: Cathay Pacific LATAM Malaysia...
Cracked Windshield Forces AA Flight To Divert
Yesterday afternoon a cracked windshield forced an American Airlines flight bound for Tokyo to return to Chicago. Flight 153 was operated by a 787-8 with 164 passengers and 13 crew members. The flight left at 3pm CT and returned...
Introduction: An Asian First Class Adventure to Europe
Next up, a classic trip report that has been in the queue for too long. In 2016, I had the chance for a cool trip around the world. The purpose was to sample new premium cabin products and hotels...
Customer: AA Agent is Sending Me Vulgar Text Messages!
After one customer cursed out an airline employee over the phone, she suddenly received a pair of abusive text messages from an unknown number. I’m not going to defend the conduct of Marla Margolis. She flew from Boston to...
AA Passenger Finds Dead Rat in Luggage, Told to Burn It
An AA passenger found a very unpleasant surprise in her delayed checked bag…a dead rat. Merry Cannon was happy to join her husband Leighton in Europe on a business trip. The couple lived in Arkansas with their two children...
AA Agent Saves Two Teenagers from Human Trafficking Plot
AA ticket agent Denice Miracle is being credited as the miracle that saved two teenage girls from a potential life of slavery. Miracle is an AA ticket agent at Sacramento International Airport. Her suspicions were aroused when two teenage girls...
Dear FA, Here’s How to Steal an iPhone
Just a word of advice: if you are going to steal a mobile phone from a passenger, you are advised to wipe it before using it. An American Airlines FA may soon lose her job for not knowing better....
Medical Emergency on My AA Flight
Last night I flew from Los Angeles to New York on AA…and encountered a medical emergency onboard that led to a lengthy delay and removal of a passenger. We pushed back on time and FAs screened safety the video....
AA CEO Has Already Made $19.2MN in 2018
We’re barely a week into 2018 and American Airlines’ CEO Doug Parker has already made $19.2MN. Parker is not paid a cash salary. Rather, he is paid in company stock and stock options, a practice that began in his...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 17, 2017
After another trip to New York, I’m back in Los Angeles until tomorrow…when I’ll fly to Germany for Christmas. It has been a hectic month, so I am looking forward to some downtime. American Airlines’ opened a beautiful new...