News and notes from around the interweb:
- A claim that British Airways will use the Thompson Vantage XL seat as its new business class seat.
It turns out that the airline has decided to support British industry and has opted for the VantageXL business class seat made by Northern Ireland-based Thomson Aerospace. The seat should prove a popular choice and is already widely used by a number of premium full-service airlines, including with SAS, South African Airways and Delta Air Lines, as well as on the Qantas Dreamliner fleet.
At it’s most basic, the seat ticks all the boxes that customers have been demanding – direct aisle access and increased storage being the two most common items on frequent flyers wish lists. But what British Airways intends to do with its new seat means there are still plenty of unanswered questions.
- Alaska Airlines will let members spend points instead of cash for elite qualifying buy ups
- United will open its Los Angeles Polaris lounge January 12. A media preview event is scheduled for January 10. The LAX lounge will join Chicago, Newark, San Francisco, and Houston.
- Intercontinental is making changes to the Ambassador program. Certainly not what was expected. We’ll see if they make changes to Royal Ambassador. This is a company that oddly understands loyalty which is why it’s surprising to see them not practice it.
- How a Buddhist monk turned CEO revived Japan Airlines from bankruptcy (HT: Rapid Travel Chai)
- Once again I am regretting cancelling my Citi Prestige about a year and a half ago. (HT: Demetrius M.) A holiday gift from Citi:
- American Airlines holiday video.
So is everyone supposed to get the kindles? Haven’t received mine….tapping my foot! WTH?
Already not happy with the changes to the plan, the only good thing is the new cell coverage so I changed to Citi Prestige today for January billing so that it will cover the phones (with what they cost today that could be a MAJOR benefit that far exceeds the annual fee) but not happy about the hotel 4th night free change.
Haven’t received my Kindle either yet
A flight attendant comes to the conclusion that Thompson is the seat manufacturer that BA will choose to debut these new seats for their 350, in essentially 6 months, like they just finalized their choice? Don’t think so. It’s not Thompson, but it will have doors.
Ditto, I’ve been a member for several years and never received a gift.
Demetrius must be a big spender because I haven’t seen anyone else get a Kindle from Citi.
Just goes to show you they have to find something to do with all those Kindles Amazon has laying around.
My KIndle™ must’ve gotten lost in the mail…
@Paul – just a lot of business expenses 🙂