News and notes from around the interweb:
- A woman was found dead in the Crowne Plaza’s freezer in Chicago and a suspect has been arrested for a murder at the Crowne Plaza in Sacramento. Two stories, one day after the next, that’s just bizarre. (HT: Khalil D.)
- Malaysia Airlines is keeping first class on its new Airbus A350s. There will be 4 seats, generally one award seat but rarely two. This makes sense for Malaysia on the London route and they think it might make sense for Auckland (!) and Tokyo as well. How often does the CEO of an airline comment on award inventory??
- American AAdvantage is eliminating mileage-earning on British Airways LEVEL flights even though the new transatlantic low cost carrier is a part of their anti-trust immunized revenue-sharing joint venture (and one of the arguments airlines make for these ventures benefiting the public hinges on their loyalty plans).
- oneworld has no plans to introduce alliance-wide upgrades (like Star offers) nor a new top alliance tier above emerald
- United launched in-app baggage tracking after American already improved its app-based baggage service.
- The 15 airports pilots love to fly to
So that “Chicago” Crowne Plaza was actually in Rosemont, by the airport–not the one in downtown Chicago.
I’ve stayed at that downtown Chicago Crowne Plaza, bought some ice cream at the grocery down the street and asked the front desk whether they could freeze it for me. They said no. Great hospitality, fuckers.
I just wish Star Alliance would add a third tier. Being 1K is far less valuable when lumped together with every airline’s mid-tier flyers.