Jul 20 2015

The American Express lease was approved at the June 17 Houston City Council meeting. The lounge is slated for opening “in the first half of 2016.”

American Express is spending $7 million to build out 8596 square feet in Houston Intercontinental’s Terminal D that’s the old immigration hall.

The Houston lounge will feature full complimentary food and beverage offerings. There will be a family room and there will be a shower facility. Unlike Dallas and Miami, though, there won’t be a spa.

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Jul 20 2015

British Airways started giving out ‘yellow card’ warnings to unruly customers got a bunch of attention again with BA’s introduction of these warnings for ‘ground rage’ in the fall of 2002. Apparently they believed they had a problem of customers losing their stuff even before they board.

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Jul 20 2015

The value of miles: “I am interested in what you do with that number: how does it influence when you use cash vs points, how does it effect which card you choose, etc?”

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Jul 19 2015

American Airlines has updated its same day confirmed change policy and not for the better.

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Jul 19 2015

Turkish Airlines made perhaps the world’s biggest bet on premium economy. And some of their Airbus planes have a couple of inches more legroom in economy than US airlines do.

What’s more, when an itinerary contains a forced layover in Istanbul, Turkish will provide a free hotel night even for economy passengers. A work colleague was given the Radisson Blu at the airport when flying economy to and from Eastern Europe.

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Jul 19 2015

American is testing offering ‘extended hold’ options for sale on reservations.

American will only charge for the extended hold after 24 hours, so if you select extended hold but purchase or cancel within 24 hours you won’t be charged for the optional hold.

They’re hardly first to this party, it’s been offered by other airlines including United. This is actually something I like to see — it’s added fees, but for something that wasn’t already offered free, it’s truly optional, and it’s added value.

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Jul 19 2015

Reader Stephen asked, “Can you ask AA to open saver level award space on a domestic leg of an international trip?”

He found Japan Airlines first class award space Los Angeles – Tokyo but wasn’t able to include the Houston – Los Angeles flight that he needed as part of his award.

There are two circumstances in which you can ask American Airlines to release award space, and this is one of those times.

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Jul 19 2015

American Airlines eliminated curbside check-in at 38 airports May 1. (It’s still offered at 26 airports including American hubs.)

Are skycaps still needed? I’ve only needed them once, and then I really needed it… but that was, ironically enough, US Airways’ fault.

The logic of eliminating skycaps may next apply to another position at American Airlines…

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Jul 19 2015

I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

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Jul 18 2015

If you upgrade with American using miles or confirmed systemwides, then you’re protected.

Via Traveling Better, if your flight is effected by weather, crew legality, mechanical issues, or even air traffic control — if your flight is delayed just two hours (and in fact, just one hour if you are an AAdvantage elite member or full fare passenger) then you can be protected on a joint venture partner or oneworld airline in the same upgraded class of service if their flight will get you to your destination faster than the next American flight with available inventory will.

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