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1.24.12

American expands its operations at Miami with the launch of Miami - Barcelona service on April 3, operating the flight five times a week until June 14 when it becomes a daily flight.

As part of a joint business reorganization of flights, Iberia will increase its Miami to Madrid service as it grows its presence at Madrid on March 25, adding a second MIA-MAD flight four times per week. American will continue to operate one daily MIA-MAD flight.

1.4.12

Flights from Atlanta to Brasilia and Detroit to Sao Paulo will increase to daily service (January 3, 2012) - Delta Air Lines is amending its baggage policies to introduce a second bag fee for intra-Asia economy class travel on Delta operated flights. This change is being implemented to provide improved policy alignment with our Joint Venture partners and fee simplification for international travel regions.

Effective for tickets purchased on or after January 4, 2012, for travel on or after January 16, 2012, indicated in the chart below, a baggage fee of $40USD fee will be implemented for a second checked baggage item for Intra-Asia travel.

Below are the details of the amended baggage policy including effective dates, fees and travel areas. Note: For checked baggage exceptions, visit Baggage at delta.com.

Note: Exclusion
Fee for 2nd checked bag
$40* USD/CAD
Up to 2 free checked bags
For Ticketing on/after 1/4/2012 for Travel on/after 1/16/2012
Japan (JP) to/from Philippines (PH)

* Same fee applies for online or airport check-in
Note: For checked baggage exceptions, visit Baggage at delta.com.

11.17.11

American Airlines, Vail and Beaver Creek Join to Offer the Chance to Win an Amazing Ski Vacation!
The sweepstakes will run from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, 2011, and offers the following prizes:

• One Grand Prize featuring a seven-night trip for four people to Vail and Beaver Creek, which includes 200,000 AAdvantage® miles, luxury accommodations, ski rentals, lift tickets, ground transportation to and from Eagle County Airport, and more.

• Five First Prizes featuring a four-night trip for two people to Vail and Beaver Creek, which includes 100,000 AAdvantage miles, luxury accommodations, ski rentals, lift tickets, and ground transportation to and from Eagle County Airport.
  Sign Up Here!

11.14.11

AMERICAN AIRLINES IN THE NEWS...

FLAGSHIP CHECK-IN EXPERIENCE has been introduced at Los Angeles and is available to ConciergeKey members, customers of American's Five Star Service – a personal one-on-one airport assistance program on the day of travel – and First Class customers departing Los Angeles on an American Airlines three-class transcontinental or three-class international aircraft. LAX Flagship Check-in is available to from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, and is located in the east lobby with exclusive curbside access leading to a private facility.

American’s AAdvantage elite status members are now eligible for priority check-in and boarding as well as two checked bags at no charge when traveling on Alaska Airlines. In addition, AAdvantage Executive Platinum and AAdvantage Platinum members have access to exclusive security screening lanes where available and preferred seating on Alaska.

Alaska’s Mileage Plan MVP, Gold and Gold 75K members will be able to enjoy American's PriorityAAccess benefits, including priority check-in and boarding, and access to exclusive security screening lanes when traveling on American. In addition, they will be eligible to check two bags at no charge and receive complimentary access to Preferred Plus Seats and Preferred Seats.
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CUSTOMERS TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY can now check their bags with the skycap with the introduction of Curbside Check-in.
American is the only airline that makes this service available to all customers traveling to an international location, including countries that require a visa. American has expanded the enhanced service to 28 airports that currently offer domestic Curbside Check-in, including AA’s cornerstone cities — Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami and New York JFK. Thirty-one additional U.S. markets will offer the service by the end of November.
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American Airlines and Qantas Airways have received the regulatory approvals necessary to begin their joint business between North America and Australia/New Zealand. Now you will have even more travel options to the South Pacific.

10.5.2011

The Transportation Security Administration has initiated PreCheck, a program for selected frequent fliers aimed at expediting security checks, at airports in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Miami. The program has received support from airlines and the travel industry, as well as calls for a wider scope of recipients in the future.

In Atlanta, the "trusted traveler" type program is for Delta frequent fliers who travel often, are U.S. citizens, are deemed eligible for the program and who opt in. When they are flying domestically, they are directed to the South security checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where they might be instructed to go through the single lane designated for expedited screening. A traveler won't know for sure until that point.

The agency will study the efficiency and security effectiveness of the TSA PreCheck program for at least 60 days to determine whether to roll it out nationwide to more airlines, airports and travelers.

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Making good on its vow to offer its airline partners more tailored solutions for entertaining and informing passengers, Gogo has worked with Delta Air Lines to jointly launch a new, customized in-flight portal for all customers using Wi-Fi on Delta aircraft.
The portal, dubbed Delta Connect, will offer an expanded range of free content for passengers such as more choices for entertainment and shopping as well as flight and destination information, said the US major.

Delta Connect partners include luxury shopping service Gilt.com and restaurant reservations site OpenTable.com. Passengers will also have free access to partners that provide information on destination oriented concerts, festivals and events as well as news and entertainment.

Additionally, Delta has joined American Airlines in offering Gogo's wireless IFE solution. The 'entertainment on demand' offering is initially being offered on Delta's 16 Boeing 757-300 aircraft. Choices will include an introductory price for television programming starting at $.99 and movies available for $3.99 from major Hollywood studios.

Delta's domestic fleet is equipped with Gogo's air-to-ground (ATG)-based in-flight Wi-Fi solution, and the carrier is in the process of fitting regional jets with the service.

A Gogo Wi-Fi purchase is not required to access Delta Connect content or the video service, said Delta, noting that entertainment on demand will be available for laptops and expanded to tablet and mobile devices by early 2012 on 757-300s.

Additionally, Delta said passengers on board its 32 Airbus A330s can expect "a redesigned in-flight entertainment experience" with more entertainment choices - including a Delta Sky Kids section - by the end of 2011.

 

9.8.2011

Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and US Airways have raised last-minute ticket fares on certain U.S. routes by as much as $10 per round trip. Analysts say the rise was caused by a perceived increase in demand for business travel, which usually uses last-minute tickets, and note that tickets requiring advanced booking favored by leisure travelers did not see fare increases.

8.31.2011

8.26.2011

Airlines are offering extended change-fee waivers due to Irene
Airlines have begun extending their waivers for change fees to include flight destinations along the East Coast as Hurricane Irene continues to move northward from the Bahamas. Passengers on Delta Airlines flights to and from Boston, New York and nine other cities can rebook free of charge. Ticket-change fees have been waived for American Airlines passengers headed for 14 cities likely to be affected by the coming storm.

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American Airlines gears up for AAdvantage Million Miler program
American Airlines is revamping its frequent-flier program and will offer lifetime memberships to its most-traveled customers. At 1 million Million Miler miles, AAdvantage members will receive lifetime AAdvantage Gold status and 35,000 AAdvantage bonus miles. At 2 million Million Miler miles, AAdvantage members will receive lifetime AAdvantage Platinum status and four one-way systemwide upgrades.

8.25.2011

Southwest Airlines will have service to Atlanta from five cities beginning February 12, 2012.

The airline will have two daily roundtrips to Austin and Denver. From Chicago Midway and Baltimore/Washington, Southwest will have four daily roundtrips. It will also fly to Houston Hobby with three daily roundtrips.

Southwest Airlines, which has acquired AirTran, has started to blend the two airlines’ loyalty programs. Top-tier members of both programs will begin to enjoy some reciprocal benefits.

Southwest A-List and A-List Preferred Members who book AirTran will get free upgrades to business class, no baggage fees and all the benefits that AirTran’s elite members enjoy.
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Delta Amends Travel Options for Customers Whose Travel Plans may be Affected by Hurricane Irene.
(August 24, 2011) - Delta Air Lines is offering travel options for customers whose travel plans may be impacted by Hurricane Irene.

Affected areas include:

• Jacksonville, NC (OAJ)

• Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR)

• New Bern, NC (EWN)

• Wilmington, NC (ILM)

8.24.2011

Effective Tuesday, airline travelers involuntarily bumped from a flight were eligible for double the amount they were previously, up to $1,300 depending on the value of their ticket and the length of time they have to wait for another flight.

Getting involuntarily bumped from a flight is very rare. Fewer than one passenger in 10,000 on the largest U.S. airlines are affected on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Atlanta-based Delta had 1,419 involuntary denied boardings in the first six months of the year, or 0.29 per 10,000 passengers. When it comes to keeping involuntary bumping to a minimum, Delta ranked third among the 16 largest U.S. airlines.

Under the new rules:

• Involuntarily bumped passengers are entitled to cash compensation equal to double the one-way value of their tickets, up to $650, if the airline was able to get them to their destination within a short period of time (within one to two hours of their originally scheduled arrival time for domestic flights and one to four hours for international flights).

• Passengers delayed for a lengthy period of time (more than two hours after their originally scheduled arrival time for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights) are entitled to four times the value of the one-way price of their tickets, up to $1,300.

• Inflation adjustments will be made to the compensation limits every two years.

Other new passenger protections that took effect Tuesday:

• Airlines are required to refund any fee for carrying a bag if the bag is lost.

• Airlines must prominently disclose all optional fees on their websites, including fees for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations, or advanced or upgraded seating.

• The existing federal ban on lengthy tarmac delays is expanded to cover the international flights of foreign airlines at U.S. airports. There is now a hard four-hour time limit on tarmac delays for all international flights at U.S. airports.

• The three-hour tarmac delay limit for domestic flights at large-hub and medium-hub airports is extended to flights at small-hub and non-hub airports as well. Exceptions to the tarmac delay time limits are allowed for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons. Carriers must ensure that passengers stuck on the tarmac are given adequate food.

8.18.2011

8.8.2011

The U.S. Congress has reached an agreement to temporarily extend full funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through September 16 and as a result, the FAA authority to collect federal aviation taxes will be reinstated.

In accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance, the application of these taxes will be reinstated as of 12:01am on Monday August 8.

Below is a list of the ticket taxes being reinstated.

For tickets sold beginning 12:01am on Monday August 8 the following taxes will apply:

• The 7.5% tax generally applicable to domestic transportation (as well the 7.5% tax on amounts received from the sale of "frequent flyer miles".)

• The $3.70 domestic segment tax.

• The $16.30 international arrival/departure tax.

• The $8.20 departure tax for flights between Alaska/Hawaii and the mainland US.

Please refer to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service website for further information regarding the treatment of taxes for tickets previously issued.

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7.28.2011

Due to inaction by the U.S. Congress, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill was not passed. As a result, the FAA began experiencing a partial shutdown at midnight on Friday, July 22, 2011.

However, it's important to note that only non-essential FAA employees are impacted. The FAA has indicated that this will not have any impact on flights or flight safety. Air traffic controllers will remain on the job (TSA employees, who are not part of the FAA, also remain on duty).

The biggest "impact" on consumers is that with no reauthorization, there is no authority to collect taxes on airfares except for airport fees. As of midnight Friday, airlines are no longer collecting taxes on airfares, and most believe that the FAA will not be able to retroactively collect those taxes. Note: Most airlines are using this as an opportunity to raise airfares.

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Hawaiian Airlines announced Tuesday (7.26.2011) that it will change its baggage service fee for the first piece of checked luggage on interisland flights from $10 to $17, effective September 1. All other baggage fees for travel on Hawaiian Airlines will remain unchanged.

The last time Hawaiian Airlines increased its bag fee for interisland service was September 2009.

Exemptions will be made for club members, first class, active duty military personnel traveling on military or government fares, assisted devices or car seats, infant carriers or strollers

7.18.2011

American Airlines announced that it has expanded its code-sharing agreement with Cathay Pacific. American will offer flights through code sharing on Cathay Pacific's daily flights from Chicago to Hong Kong, as well as from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

7.5.11

Virgin American and Google have teamed up to offer the airline's passengers the opportunity to check out Chromebook computers. From now until the end of September, Google will provide Chromebooks and free Wi-Fi to travelers on certain Virgin America flights.

An expansion plan for the security checkpoint area at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, will reduce waiting times during peak travel periods from 50 minutes to 20 minutes. The airport board recently voted to spend $307,000 to renovate concourse screening areas.

7.1.11

United Continental Holdings said it will phase out Continental Airlines' OnePass loyalty program by the end of this year. OnePass miles will automatically roll into United's Mileage Plus program. Travelers who are enrolled in both the United and Continental programs can link their accounts.