Shanghai Seen Emerging as Delta Hub Amid Expansion Push in China
Delta Air Lines Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson said he envisions creating an international hub in Shanghai to build on a growing relationship with China Eastern Airlines Corp.
“When you think about what our strategy is long-term, we need to have a hub in Shanghai like the one we have in Amsterdam,” Anderson told employees in a recorded message.
Anderson’s comments underscored the importance he attaches to expanding in China, where the Atlanta-based airline has added service to Shanghai and has a partnership with China Eastern in the SkyTeam alliance. A hub modeled on operations at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport would let Delta collect domestic passengers from around China and steer them to U.S. destinations.
Delta will start a daily Los Angeles-to-Shanghai route later this year, on top of service to China’s largest city from Seattle and Detroit. Last week, Delta became the first U.S. airline to accept payments from China’s Alipay, which resembles PayPal. It also is co-locating with China Eastern inside the Shanghai airport.
“As we plan for our long-term future, it becomes more clear every day that China will be a major part of our business,” Anderson said in the hotline message, which was posted Saturday. Delta didn’t respond to a request for comment about the China strategy Monday.
Chasing United
Delta is No. 2 among U.S. carriers in flying across the Pacific, trailing United Airlines. While Delta has a hub in the region in Tokyo, Chicago-based United has a head start in offering flights to secondary Chinese cities, such as Chengdu in the nation’s interior.
Shanghai, where China Eastern is based, isn’t yet close to Schiphol as an overseas gateway. The Chinese airport is the world’s 29th-busiest airport for travelers flying abroad, according to the Airports Council International. Schiphol, a hub for SkyTeam partner Air France KLM Group, is No. 5.
There is “no chance” the Chinese government would allow Delta to fly between two cities inside the country, so any Shanghai hub would be limited to connecting passengers to domestic carriers, said Michael Boyd, president of Evergreen, Colorado-based Boyd Group International.
That would still give Delta more Chinese customers to ferry into the U.S. and beyond to points such as Sao Paulo, where the airline owns a stake in Brazil’s Gol. Traffic between China and Brazil is seeing tremendous growth, Boyd said. The only question is whether a Chinese carrier would want to operate in a trans-Pacific partnership with Delta or fly its own planes, Boyd said.
“This is the natural progression of the airline business going to and from China,” he said.
American Airlines Warns of Fraudulent or phishing emails
FRAUDULENT COMMUNICATION
One of the most common types of email fraud is called “phishing”. Phishing is the practice of sending phony email messages that are disguised as legitimate and often include company logos that look real. A typical phishing email will include a false claim about a customer’s account and either a link or button that takes them to a “spoof” website that mimics a reputable company’s actual website, in hopes that they will disclose personal information such as a credit card number or account information. Some phishing emails may also have attachments which may contain potential email viruses. Traditional phishing happens exclusively via the Internet with emails and attachments, but offline phishing involves sending direct faxes and/or postal mailings to consumers or businesses as well.
Examples of Phishing Emails, Faxes, Contracts and Postal Mailings
Example Contract
Latest Email Example
Example Postal Mailing
Example Fax
Example Email 1
Example Email 2
Example Email 3
Example Email 4
Example Email 5
Example Email 6
Example Email 7
Example Email 8
Example Email 9
Example Email 10
Example Email 11
Example Email 12
Example of Phishing Email with our partner carrier British Airways
What To Do If You Receive a Phishing Email, Fax, Contract or Postal Mailing
American Airlines will never ask you to perform security-related changes to your account in this fashion or send emails to collect user names, passwords, email addresses or other personal information. If you receive an email claiming to be from American Airlines, that asks for account information, it should be considered fraudulent and an attempt to obtain personal information that may be used to commit fraud.
If you receive this type of email, do not click on any links, open any attachments, call any phone numbers listed or follow any instructions in the email. Instead, forward a copy of the email, including the header to webmaster@aa.comso that we can investigate further.
If you receive a phishing fax or postal mailing, please scan the examples and forward via email to webmaster@aa.com.
You may also want to file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Additional Characteristics of a Phishing Email
- Asks for Personal Information: Many phishing emails request personal information such as credit card or account information, passwords, etc. Legitimate emails will never ask you to perform security-related changes to your account or send emails to collect user names, passwords, email addresses or other personal information through email or over the phone.
- Official-Looking Sender’s Email Address: The “From” line may include an email address that appears legitimate.
- Generic Email Greeting: Many phishing emails begin with something generic like “Dear User” or “Dear Customer”.
- False Claims: Many phishing emails make false claims about the status of your account and ask you to update or validate your account by clicking on an embedded link in the email. Some may also include a false sense of urgency and state that your account may be in jeopardy if it is not updated immediately.
- Fake Links: Many phishing emails include links that look valid but that send you to a spoof site. Never click on these links as the URL (Web page address) shown may appear to be legitimate (www.aa.com) but may actually display a different URL when you hover over the link with your mouse.
- Attachments: Never click on attachments as they may cause you to download spyware or a virus.
- Typos and Poor Grammar: Many phishing emails contain typos and poor grammar in the content.
Top Travel Apps for International Travelers – Wilcox World Travel & Tours
http://www.wilcoxtravel.com/25687-top-travel-apps-for-international-travelers/
Packing Tips for Airline Carry On Rules
Packing Tips for Airline Carry On Rules
After airlines began charging fees for checked baggage in 2008[1], frugal travelers started cramming everything into their carry-on bags. While overhead compartments got a lot more crowded, this tactic worked well. But recently, travelers have seen stricter enforcement of airline carry on rules. Here are some packing tips to make sure your bag fits.
Are There New Airline Carry on Rules?
Travel writer George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com wrote in USA Today[2]that before a recent flight on American Airlines, airport staff insisted he place his suitcase in a bag sizer. Despite having “taken this same 21-inch four-wheeled suitcase all around the world,” he wrote, it was rejected as being too big. One side was one inch too long.
Other airlines responded by saying they had not changed their carry on size limits, but Hobica contends that they have. Before March 2014, he says, United’s carry on bag limit was 45 inches (height + width + depth), including wheels and handles, with no side being longer than 22 inches. The new language says carry on luggage can’t exceed 9 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches.[3] It might seem like a small difference, he says, but this can mean that some bags that previously met the requirements will now have to be checked at additional cost. Hobica says a Delta passenger told him that a bag identical in size to his was also rejected as a carry on for a recent flight.
The upshot is that while most airlines’ carry on limits remain the same, it seems that some are getting stricter about enforcement. Here are some packing tips to ensure your bags meet airline carry on rules.
Research Your Airline’s Specific Policies
Airlines each have their own policies about carry on bag size, fees and definitions. Here are some major airlines’ carry on rules and maximum dimensions, as of July 2014. Remember that wheels and handles are included in the dimensions.
- Alaska Airlines: 24″ by 17″ by 10″. Exceptions made for human organs, art portfolios, paintings, delicate scientific equipment and fishing poles.[4]
- American Airlines: 22″ by 14″ by 9″. 45” combined dimensions. Beginning in June 2014, one diaper bag or duty-free item may be brought on board as a second personal item.[5]
- Delta: 22″ x 14″ x 9″. 45″ combined dimensions.[6]
- Frontier Airlines: 24″ by 16″ by 10″. A fee is charged for carry-on bags, ranging from $25 to $50.[7]
- JetBlue: 24″ by 16″ by 10″ [8]
- Southwest: 24″ by 16″ by 10″[9]
- United: 22″ x 14″ x 9″[10]
Know Which Items You’re Allowed to Carry On Separately
If your bag is bulging at the seams, you can take out certain items and bring them on board in your hands to make sure you’re meeting airline carry-on rules. Airlines typically allow passengers to carry on books and magazines, coats and outerwear, food, umbrellas and walking aids.[11]
Maximize Your “Personal Item”
Most airlines permit travelers to bring one personal item in addition to their carry on bag. This can mean a purse, backpack, briefcase or computer bag, but not more than one of these. (Some airlines permit diaper bags to be carried as a second personal item.) While your personal item must fit under the airplane seat, many airlines do not have specific dimensions it must meet. So pack as much as you can in your personal item to reduce the size of your carry on bag.
Try a Carry On Bag That Compresses Your Clothes
Forget those flimsy elastic bands in your old suitcase. Briggs-Riley sells a line of compression luggage that expands by a third and then shrinks back to regulation carry-on size when you zip it up.
Pack Your Bag Thoughtfully
To maximize space in your carry on bag, tightly roll your clothes and place the larger items in the bag first. Tuck socks, underwear and other small items in the leftover space, including inside your shoes. Make sure all liquids and gels meet TSA size limits and are easily accessible for inspection.
Lufthansa pilot union has called off strike in Frankfurt
We have been advised by Lufthansa that their pilot union has called off its strike for September 16, 2014. All operations are expected to be normal.
All Lufthansa long-haul flights from Frankfurt to depart on September 16th despite the strike
After announcement from the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots’ union that they will boycott the long-haul flights from Frankfurt on September 16th, Lufthansa published a special flight plan this afternoon. The plan is for all 40 long-haul flights scheduled to depart during the strike to take place. It is thus expected that the strike will not lead to any flight cancellations, rather just to a change in the departure times of 24 long-haul flights from Frankfurt.Passengers booked on to a long-haul flight from Frankfurt on September 16th are kindly requested to check the status of their flight prior to departure. Lufthansa is sending text messages and emails to all passengers registered for these services.
Affected passengers please check the status of their booking prior to departure at My bookings.
Passengers holding a Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian Airlines or Brussels Ticket for flights still operating from/to/via Frankfurt on September 16th can rebook their flight free of charge once.
The following conditions have to apply:
Rebooking within same booking class:
– Tickets must be issue on/before 15.9.2014
– New date of travel must be on/before 16.12.2014
– Change of origin/destination and class of service/compartment is not permitted
– All other ticket conditions must be observed as per original ticket
Lufthansa will do everything in their power to inform and advise their passengers to the best of their ability during these trying times.
United Airlines and OTG Announce Plans to Re-Imagine the Airport Experience at Newark Liberty
http://newsroom.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/index.php?s=20295&item=124475
NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines and OTG Management LLC today announced plans to transform the dining and retail experience at the airline’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and create unparalleled services and amenities for United’s customers. The program will combine leading-edge technology, award-winning dining and renowned design. The $120 million capital investment for the project will be provided by OTG, selected by United to oversee the transformation in Terminal C at Newark Liberty, including new chef-driven restaurants, expansive food halls, gourmet markets and world-class retail and duty-free shops. “Travelers today want the same high-quality dining and shopping choices in the airport that they have at home,” saidKate Gebo, United’s vice president of corporate real estate. “In collaboration with OTG, United is creating a customer experience at Newark Liberty that will provide exceptional food, beverage and retail options with the comfort and high-tech amenities that our customers have come to expect.” MORE