The new Wanna Get Away Plus fares from Southwest Airlines (re)open a nice benefit for some travelers, though the overall offering does not appear especially compelling for most travelers.
fees
Carry-on bags now cost more with Aer Lingus basic economy fares
The cheapest fares on Aer Lingus no longer include a carry-on bag allowance. The carrier will now charge passengers flying intra-Europe on Saver fares to bring a bag into the cabin; a smaller personal item remains free.
JetBlue to eliminate change fees, adjust carry-on rules
JetBlue is eliminating change fees from most fares and also removing the option for its Blue Basic passengers to bring a carry-on bag into the cabin as part of its latest fare families update.
Holding the line: Intelsat sees minimal near-term change with Gogo Commercial Aviation acquisition
We’re just a couple weeks into the formal transition process of the Gogo Commercial Aviation division into the Intelsat operation, but the teams involved have never been more optimistic about the future of in-flight connectivity and the value they can deliver to airlines and passengers.
Reciprocal upgrades coming to American, Alaska Airlines
As the west-coast alliance between Alaska Airlines and American Airlines continues to evolve some frequent flyers got good news this week: upgrades will be available to top tier elites across both loyalty programs.
American Airlines drops change fees for long-haul flights
Earlier this year the US carriers went through a round of cuts to change fees, but they focused mostly on domestic or regional routes. American Airlines took that a step further today, announcing that the new policy would also apply to First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Main Cabin (except Basic Economy) tickets for all long-haul international flying when travel originates in North or South America. Typically those changes cost $200.
JetBlue to stop blocking seats in January
JetBlue was one of the last carriers to keep seats blocked on board. Headed into the new year, however, that era will come to a close. As of 8 January 2021 all seats on board will be available for sale.
Delta Air Lines makes most domestic SkyMiles awards fully flexible
As the US carriers continue to tweak their new “no change fees” policies Delta Air Lines made a major move for its SkyMiles members. Effective immediately most domestic SkyMiles awards will be fee-free for changes or cancellation. SkyMiles rewards are now a spectacularly flexible method for booking travel on Delta Air Lines.
United drops change fees. Forever.
United Airlines is ready to change. Or, perhaps more accurately, the company is ready for passengers to change their plans more often. In a major policy shift the carrier will no longer charge travelers a fee to change their booking on most domestic tickets. And, unlike the temporary waiver of this fee in place over recent months, this change is set to last forever.
Norwegian set to restart European services from 1 July
Norwegian is the latest airline to announce plans to put its planes back in the skies over Europe. The carrier will add several routes from its hubs in Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen as it seeks to meet growing passenger demand.