News and notes from around the interweb:

• Starwood’s Eastern Explorer Rewards — a partnership with China Eastern similar to Crossover Rewards (Delta) and Your World Rewards (Emirates) — is now live for registering. (HT: Loyalty Lobby)

  

• Shopping bonuses: 1500 miles from Alaska Airlines, United and 1500 miles from American (HT: Mommy Points)

• “When merging cultures, here’s how Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are working to get it right”

• Scott McCartney of the Wall Street Journal on whether there’s anything left to the end of year mileage run

  Gary Leff, a miles expert and co-founder of the frequent-flier online community InsideFlyer, notes that United offers to sell additional qualification miles when you book tickets. The price varies, but can pay off for travelers.

  “People don’t talk about [mileage runs] like they used to,” Mr. Leff says.

  Still, he believes status runs in business or first class make sense these days. You can earn double the elite-qualifying miles, but the price may not be twice as expensive as coach.

• The worst airline in the world Pakistan International Airlines is flying a military C-130 on a domestic route. After they lost a plane in a crash they needed something capable of operating from more challenging domestic airports. They’ve subbed-in a C-130 before, and it really is a cargo plane with passengers on benches.

• Is Donald Trump’s continued ownership stake in the Trump Hotel DC once he becomes President a violation of his lease with the government?

• My commentary on the Boeing Air Force One controversy, sales to Iran, and the future of the Chinese market.