News and notes from around the interweb:
- After two years the Zero card offering up to 3% cash back as a debit card has launched, so far only for iOS. It acts like a debit card but runs transactions through a credit card payment network.
- Rover, the pet-sitting app, is surveying members about what they’d want in a loyalty program.
- Singapore Airlines is offering elite status matches to elite members of Alibaba’s travel booking platform. American tried something similar this year. Everyone is aggressively courting Chinese customers.
- 10% – 30% targeted transfer bonuses from Membership Rewards to Virgin Atlantic I wasn’t targeted.
- Amtrak ‘only’ lost $168 million in its recently-completed fiscal year provided you exclude depreciation and ‘other expenses’ under ex-Delta CEO Richard Anderson who didn’t used to favor subsidies but whose job it now is to lobby for them.
- How America West became the world’s largest airline.
- Glare from the future American Airlines headquarters building is so bright drivers nearby Gotta Wear Shades (HT: @danluttrell)
On the Amtrak front, the job of the company is not to make money, its to transport people, just as any other national railway. This, in turn, saves the government lots of money by requiring less roads to be built. Great mass transit systems have lots of ancillary benefits. If we would actually invest in Amtrak instead of squeezing it, we would see a lot of good, but we’re being too shortsighted.
I started with America West
Earned basic elite status @ 20,000 miles flown
Far from a prefect airline its better than what the greedy Parker does/operates today
At least I felt valued and agents were reasonably empowered to help on or off the phone
And their seats were somewhat comfortable
They way rebate cards work is that they simply have a higher rate that is charged to the merchant. The card processor isn’t loosing any money, but the merchant you’re purchasing from is having their margin cut into even further. That’s why some merchants refuse to take certain types of card, because the rate is so much higher.