Latest news with #OneMileAtATime
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Club JSX: Why Can't Offering A Great Airline Experience Be Enough?
Aviation's newest loyalty program is receiving what might be described as a lukewarm response from the various websites that cover the business of rewarding frequent travelers. The Points Guy wrote, 'Club JSX may not offer any standout features that set it apart from the airline loyalty crowd, but it provides a straightforward way for travelers to earn rewards and save money on future flights.' JSX enables flyers to show up 20 minutes prior to departure and bypass large, crowded airport ... More terminals. Doug Gollan One Mile At A Time put it this way: '[T]his isn't exactly the most creative loyalty program out there. You're basically getting a flat 5% back, in the form of future flight credits,' adding, 'There's not all that much to this program, and no elite tiers.' Live And Let's Fly didn't bother to assess the new frequent flyer program. However, it did make the case that the public charter, which operates between private terminals, should have to return its most recent award. The blog wrote, 'World's Best Airlines survey from Travel + Leisure awards JSX best US domestic carrier, but it shouldn't really be eligible.' The writer asks, 'How could a carrier that runs such limited routes possibly beat out carriers that competently fly beyond niche markets and limited frequencies?' He adds, 'The real question is whether a tiny boutique carrier should be considered among the likes of Delta, United, Southwest, and American.' One poster responded by replying, 'Haters gonna hate. It says best, not biggest. They (JSX) win hands down.' Upgraded Points was one of the few loyalty sites that had a more positive view. JSX offers an upgraded inflight experience with roomier seating, free WiFi, drinks and snacks in a ... More single class. Doug Gollan It commented, 'This is excellent news for travelers, as they can now earn rewards on JSX flights, in addition to the points or miles they'll earn for booking flights with a travel rewards credit card,' continuing, 'What makes this program even more interesting is how easy it is to earn rewards from flying, pooling with family and friends, and even when flying on your birthday month. Plus, in a customer-friendly move, JSX says you can combine rewards, vouchers, and travel credits together on a new reservation, and they'll be used in the order of soonest expiration.' While View From The Wing's Gary Leff said he isn't signing up since JSX doesn't currently serve his home airport in Austin, he did at least get to the bottom line from my perspective: 'If they serve the routes you want to fly, there's no question they offer a better experience than competitors.' To be fair, most of the loyalty bloggers did highlight JSX enables flyers to avoid crowded terminals, offers more comfortable seating, free WiFi, checked baggage, and is pet friendly, among other benefits. And for JSX, more than that, it always felt like they were adding extra niceties – free snacks, WiFi – in an industry where announcements for enhancements are a code for taking something away - or an opportunity to charge a bit more. The point analysts lament there are no elite tiers, which would give us additional shiny cards to chase, although many programs no longer reward you with rectangular plastic. They also note that you can't double dip for points with JetBlue and United Airlines, where there was already the ability to earn points when flying JSX. For me, the letdown about Club JSX is that they even started it. Once upon a time, airlines competed with friendly service, fancy meals, and inflight lounges – yes, lounges in economy class on the airplane - instead of bonus points and new tiers of even higher status to chase. With its plan to add ATR turboprops, I am hoping JSX will bring more service to South Florida where I reside. I've only flown JSX twice – once from Miami to Dallas and then Denver to Las Vegas. For me, flying JSX is the reward. Being able to show up around 20 minutes before departure, not having to traverse terminals that require a train to the plane, comfortable seating, and not having to pay for WiFi that doesn't even work well, more than offsets chasing point. As a holder of lifetime status in three airline loyalty programs and one hotel program, I find the programs to be great. Still, they encourage us to tolerate mediocrity at the expense of simply selecting the best products, whether based on schedule, location or, with JSX, its differentiated experience.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Horrid flight as passengers stuck on 32-hour trip to nowhere — and wind up right back where they started
It was quite the odyssey. Passengers endured a mind-numbing, 32-hour flight to nowhere after a Condor flight to Greece was forced to turn around and return home following multiple failed trips. The Sisyphean journey occurred on May 24 when Condor flight DE1234 was embarking on what was supposed to be a routine 1,198-mile flight from Zurich to Heraklion in Crete, Greece, One Mile At A Time reported. Despite departing around 30 minutes late, the flight appeared to be going swimmingly. After a short two hours, the plane began its initial descent to the idyllic Greek isle. Unfortunately, the aircraft's landing was hampered by powerful winds, which forced it to circle around for a prolonged period before the pilot decided to divert to Athens and refuel. They touched down at the Greek capital at 11:24 a.m. local time — three hours after they'd originally departed Zurich. Around two and a half hours later, the crew made a second attempt to ferry the 137 passengers to Heraklion, only to be boomeranged yet again. The weather conditions were still quite severe. After circling around again, they decided to divert to Kos, a nearby Greek island, to refuel, landing at 3:28 p.m. after a 1.5-hour flight. As the aircraft was once again running dangerously low on fuel, the decision was made to divert to Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, which the crew felt was a good place for the passengers and flight attendants to spend the night. They reportedly touched down at 6:04 after an approximately one-hour flight — a whopping 11 hours after they'd initially left Zurich. The following day at 9 a.m., the crew decided to make one last attempt to get to Crete, but found themselves in a holding pattern yet again due to the wind — like de ja flew. Again, they were forced to divert to Athens, whereupon the crew decided to call it quits and fly back to Zurich, arriving a full 32 hours after their initial departure. Condor reps said that 'due to extreme weather conditions and strong winds, takeoffs and landings at Heraklion Airport were only possible to a limited extent.' During the fruitless journey, they had reportedly landed a total of five different times. To make matters worse, flyers were only given a glass of water and nothing else during the whole flight while many passengers vomited during the approaches to Heraklion because of the powerful winds. Upon arriving at Thessaloniki, meanwhile, flyers were forced to float their own hotel rooms, although they are entitled to reimbursement under European aviation guidelines. This isn't the first time passengers have experienced an inadvertent round trip. Last June, British Airways passengers flew for hours across the Atlantic Ocean — only for the plane to turn around and return halfway through their trip due to a technical issue.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
British Airways Has Banned Crew Members From 1 Activity During Layovers
British Airways crew members might be spending less time in front of the camera now. In a new edict, the major airline has ordered all employees, including pilots and flight attendants, to refrain from posting selfies, videos or other personal content on social media during layovers. Additionally, employees have been told to cleanse their social media accounts of any prior content from layover hotel stays, according to One Mile At A Time. "The concern is that someone with bad intentions could use computer software to analyze a background and identify the location of a hotel," One Mile At A Time reported. "It's standard procedure for airline crews to not publicly disclose where they stay on layovers, but at the same time, there haven't been any restrictions on posting from hotels in general." Any content taken in hotel lobbies and restaurants or at pools or parking lots is also off-limits, even if the person's profile is set to private. Those "Get Ready With Me" videos you see influencers--and some flight attendants--post are also forbidden. This policy change has been criticized by some as too harsh, but British Airways insists it simply has the safety of its crew members in mind. 'The safety of our people is really important to us and as a responsible employer, we're continuously looking at how we can improve their security,' airline reps told the New York Post. British Airways last updated its social media guidelines two years ago, when it banned employees from sharing any social media posts of themselves "professionally engaged" in their jobs. While unclear if the latest restrictions were shaped by one event in particular, Irfan Ali Mirza, 45, a British Airways flight attendant, was found dead in his San Francisco hotel room during a stopover back in April. At the time, authorities said they did not suspect foul play, and Mirza's death went under investigation. British Airways Has Banned Crew Members From 1 Activity During Layovers first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 5, 2025
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Flyers are missing out on a major perk that can help them ‘relax,' travel expert says
An avid flyer who has an impressive record of having traveled on 700 different flights over the last decade, half flown in business class, shared the one perk many fliers are missing out on — without even realizing it. When someone has as much experience in the air as Dennis Bunnik, CEO of Bunnik Tours — he not only knows the best travel practices, but he knows hidden perks like how airlines have free pajamas to give out to business class flyers. Comfort is key when on a flight, and according to Bunnik — 'There are a number of airlines that offer them, and they're fantastic,' he revealed to Business Insider in a recent interview. 'One, it keeps your clothes crease-free and clean. [And two], it helps you relax.' Some airlines reserve PJ sets for first-class passengers only. However, according to One Mile At A Time, some airlines like Virgin Atlantic, United, Emirates, Air India and Etihad supposedly have complimentary pajamas for those sitting in business class on long-haul international flights. Free pajamas to change into on a flight sounds ideal — especially since there are many outfit choices that experts advise flyers against wearing. 'Airlines won't always tell you this, but there's a hidden dress code,' former flight attendant and YouTube sensation Barbara Bacilieri told What's The Jam. 'And breaking it could get you denied boarding, delayed at security or worse — put in danger during an emergency.' Skimpy outfits like mini dresses and skirts are big no-nos because they can be dangerous in an emergency. The expert said to also avoid wearing heels and 'even metal accessories, like jewelry, or big belt buckles.' These items can all potentially pop the evacuation slide in the event of an emergency. Another piece of dangerous clothing that shouldn't be worn in case of an SOS flight situation is leggings because the fabric that most brands use puts travelers at risk of catching on fire, aviation safety specialist Christine Negroni explained to HuffPost. In the event of an onboard fire, leggings 'will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns,' Negroni told the outlet. In addition to stretchy pants being a potential fire hazard on a flight — American Airlines flight attendant Andrea Fischbach said the popular pant choice is also very constricting. 'You want to get the most comfortable you can be to avoid cramping, swelling, and anything that can affect you later,' she told Who What Wear.
New York Post
01-06-2025
- New York Post
Fliers are missing out on a major perk that can help them ‘relax,' travel expert says
An avid flier who has an impressive record of having traveled on 700 different flights over the last decade, half flown in business class, shared the one perk many fliers are missing out on — without even realizing it. When someone has as much experience in the air as Dennis Bunnik, CEO of Bunnik Tours — he not only knows the best travel practices, but he knows hidden perks like how airlines have free pajamas to give out to business class fliers. Comfort is key when on a flight, and according to Bunnik — 'There are a number of airlines that offer them, and they're fantastic,' he revealed to Business Insider in a recent interview. Dennis Bunnik has been on 700 flights within the last decade. Instagram / dennisbunniktravels 'One, it keeps your clothes crease-free and clean. [And two], it helps you relax.' Some airlines reserve pj sets for first-class passengers only. However, according to One Mile At A Time, some airlines like Virgin Atlantic, United, Emirates, Air India and Etihad supposedly have complimentary pajamas for those sitting in business class on long-haul international flights. Free pajamas to change into on a flight sounds ideal — especially since there are many outfit choices that experts advise fliers against wearing. Fliers can ask flight attendants for their free pjs if they aren't offered them. Getty Images 'Airlines won't always tell you this, but there's a hidden dress code,' former flight attendant and YouTube sensation Barbara Bacilieri told What's The Jam. 'And breaking it could get you denied boarding, delayed at security or worse — put in danger during an emergency.' Skimpy outfits like mini dresses and skirts are big no-nos because they can be dangerous in an emergency. The expert said to also avoid wearing heels and 'even metal accessories, like jewelry, or big belt buckles.' These items can all potentially pop the evacuation slide in the event of an emergency. Another piece of dangerous clothing that shouldn't be worn in case of an SOS flight situation is leggings because the fabric that most brands use puts travelers at risk of catching on fire, aviation safety specialist Christine Negroni explained to HuffPost. In the event of an onboard fire, leggings 'will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns,' Negroni told the outlet. In addition to stretchy pants being a potential fire hazard on a flight — American Airlines flight attendant Andrea Fischbach said that the popular pant choice is also very constricting. 'You want to get the most comfortable you can be to avoid cramping, swelling, and anything that can affect you later,' she told Who What Wear.
