American & JetBlue Grow Reciprocal Frequent Flier Benefits
The Northeast Alliance between AA and JetBlue continues to grow despite the current lawsuit from the DOJ, and today the two carriers announced increased benefits for elite members of their frequent flyer programs.
The additions include:
- Priority check-in if you’re not checking in on the app like 90% of the world
- Up to two free checked bags (except for AA Gold members who receive just one free checked bag on B6)
- Extra legroom seating at check-in (Main Cabin Extra for Mosaic members and Even More Space for AA Elites)
- Priority Baggage Handling (we assume includes access to the front of the line at the baggage office when your stuff is lost)
- Priority Boarding (with Mosaic members on B6; with Group 875 on AA)
- Free same day flight changes (good luck finding another flight with availability)
- AAdmirals Club members can access AAdmirals Clubs when flying JetBlue
Both carriers continue to grow their frequent flier alliance despite JetBlue not joining oneworld. Currently JetBlue Mosaic members and American Executive Platinum members receive a free alcoholic drink when seated in the back; the carriers have not yet made that reciprocal although once JetBlue elites take part in AA’s main cabin experience, it’s likely they’ll insist a free drink be part of the flight.
Air New Zealand to Begin Flying to New York
Air New Zealand will begin flying from Auckland to New York/JFK later this year, traveling 8,828 miles each way, making it the fifth-longest flight in the world just behind Singapore’s flights from JFK and Newark to Singapore, Qantas’s Perth – London nonstop, and any regional departure from JFK, when you include ground time. The 3x-weekly service will begin Saturday, September 17, and operate on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday each week.
The flight is blocked at 16:15 going east and 17:35 headed west and will be operated by a B787-9 aircraft. The flight to New York lands just 15 minutes after it leaves, with the flight to Auckland landing two days after departure. The flight will be given flight numbers 1 and 2, which used to be NZ’s service from Auckland to London/Heathrow via Los Angeles.
The Dreamliner operating the ultra-long haul flight will have 275 seats – 27 lie-flats in front, 33 in premium economy, 13 Skycouches, and 202 in economy.
Air New Zealand also announced it plans to resume service to both Chicago O’Hare and Houston/IAH later this year.
Alaska Offering Double Pay to Flight Attendants
Alaska Airlines is offering double pay to flight attendants as an incentive to pick up extra trips this spring as the carrier braces for increased travel demand as the weather warms.
The airline offered cash bonuses and as much as triple pay to pilots and flight attendants last year when Omicron was raging through its ranks, but it wasn’t enough, and Alaska was forced to cancel thousands of flights. It’s attempting to be more proactive now and schedule staff ahead of time while eventually adding more flight attendants to its ranks thanks to those pesky federal rules that actually require them onboard.
The airline recently hired 165 new flight attendants who completed their training with another 700 more expected to come online later this summer.
- airBaltic suspended service to Baku (GYD) and Yerevan (EVN).
- AllianceJet added its third aircraft — a B737-800.
- Comair shifted its South African maintenance contract from Lufthansa Technik to SAA Technical.
- Delta took delivery of its first A321neo. The carrier charged Airbus 300,000 SkyMiles for the ferry flight from Hamburg to Atlanta.
- Eastar Jet exited court-supervised bankruptcy, much to the chagrin of its nemesis, WestJet.
- Ethiopian CEO Tewolde GebreMariam retired.
- Hawaiian lowered its 2022 capacity guidance down 3% more than expected, to down 3-6% compared to 2019.
- JetBlue completed a seasonal slot swap at London/Heathrow with Qatar.
- Q Airways plans to begin operation later this summer with the first flight going to the basement of a pizza joint in DC.
- Qatar added wet-leased A330s to its fleet for the summer to operate cargo service to the United States.
- SAS CFO Magnus Örnberg will leave the the airline later this spring.
Did you hear about the lion who was a cannibal?
He got embarrassed and swallowed his pride.