La Boquilla, a paradise in our municipality.
Saturday, May 8, 2021
MEXICO LIFE Distillery's tequila methods stay traditional yet also are innovative, sustainable Agave Azul's owners proudly say that making the classic Mexican liquor the old-fashioned way that's been handed down through generations needn't harm the environment, John Pint writes. FULL STORY
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MEXICO LIFEDistillery's tequila methods stay traditional yet also are innovative, sustainableAgave Azul's owners proudly say that making the classic Mexican liquor the old-fashioned way that's been handed down through generations needn't harm the environment, John Pint writes.FULL STORY |
Mexico News Today Friday, May 7, 2021
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The end of an era: Alaska, Delta, United scrap flexible travel waiver, leaving JetBlue as lone holdout Zach Griff
The end of an era: Alaska, Delta, United scrap flexible travel waiver, leaving JetBlue as lone holdout
As travel rebounds, you’re going to want to pay close attention to the terms and conditions of your airline ticket.
On May 1, Alaska, Delta and United all let their flexible travel waivers expire, restoring many of the most punitive restrictions to basic economy fares. Going forward, all newly purchased basic economy tickets on the aforementioned carriers will return to being non-changeable and non-refundable.
Pre-pandemic, one of the biggest restrictions with these deep-discount tickets was the fact that there were effectively “use it or lose it.” If you needed to change a basic economy ticket, you’d be forced to purchase a brand-new one, instead of applying the existing value to a new itinerary less a change fee.
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Then the coronavirus came stateside and major airlines made all tickets fully flexible, including those in basic economy. You couldn’t get a refund for voluntarily canceled flights, but you could still make changes as needed.
Now, with a summer of travel looming on the horizon, every major U.S. airline is reining in that flexibility. In April, American Airlines became the first to retire its global travel waiver, and just one month later, three of its largest competitors are pulling the plug as well. JetBlue is the lone holdout, as its waiver runs through May 31, 2021.
If you bought a basic economy ticket during the flexible travel waiver period, you’ll still be able to modify it without change fees. The updated policy only applies to new ticket purchases. Also note that there’s generally one big exception to the basic economy “no-changes” policy — if the airline significantly changes your flight schedule, you can make a change or get a refund for free.
While basic economy restrictions are back, change fees are not.
Late last year, United Airlines permanently eliminated most change fees, joining Southwest as the only major airline to forgo those pesky $200 (or more) charges for modifying a ticket. Within hours, American, Delta and others matched — but there’s one major restriction: basic economy tickets are excluded from the no-change-fee offer.
Related: How airline no-change-fee policies stack up against Southwest
Now that the flexible travel waivers are over, you’ll have to buy up to a regular coach ticket to enjoy the added flexibility. If you’re concerned about getting sick or needing to postpone your plans due to another wave of COVID-19 infections, then you might want to think twice about booking basic economy fares going forward — any itinerary modifications will require a brand-new ticket.
If you splurge for a standard coach fare, you’ll be able to make changes as needed, subject to a possible fare difference. You could also cancel your ticket and reuse the value later, but you aren’t eligible for a refund unless the airline significantly changes or cancels your flight.
Despite domestic travel rebounding, a recovery in long-haul international travel is still in its infancy. To offer a bit more flexibility for globetrotters, American Airlines is waiving change fees for all newly purchased international tickets originating outside North or South America bought through May 31, 2021, for all travel dates.
Featured photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
Threaten a Delta employee? Say goodbye to your SkyMiles account and elite status Zach Griff
Threaten a Delta employee? Say goodbye to your SkyMiles account and elite status
Zach Griff
3d ago
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Delta Air Lines is cracking down on unruly customers.
The Atlanta-based carrier tightened its SkyMiles program terms and conditions on Tuesday to include provisions around when a frequent flyer account might be terminated. The new provision — “documented abusive behavior” — is now grounds for expulsion from the program.
Travelers who threaten, intimidate or otherwise cross a line with Delta employees could have their accounts closed. That includes the possible forfeiture of all accumulated mileage credit, any unused and upcoming award or upgrade certificates and all other associated membership benefits, including Medallion elite status. You could also be banned from flying with Delta in the future.
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In a statement, a carrier spokesperson said:
“Respect and civility to others on our planes, at our airports, in our workplaces and in our society have always been a requirement for our people and our customers. Nothing is more important than their safety.”
In the update to its terms and conditions, Delta says examples of abusive behavior include personal threats, profanity, obscene language, insults or slurs directed to a Delta employee or ambassador. It also covers any intentional destruction to Delta property.
The new provision applies across the travel journey, from interactions with Delta’s reservations or customer care phone center to its gate agents, flight attendants, ground handlers and arrival teams.
That means that whether you’re upset about a refund or have an issue with a flight, it will be important to remain civil when speaking with Delta to avoid violating the new “abusive behavior” clause.
Delta’s “Big 3” competitors, American and United, don’t have the same specific call-out about terminating an account due to abusive behavior, though the rules are pretty open-ended. American says that “abuse or violation of applicable rules” could lead to AAdvantage account termination, while United’s rules specify that “any conduct detrimental to the interests of United” is grounds for expulsion.
Adding a call out for abusive behavior comes as the industry has seen an uptick in misbehaving flyers, per an NBC report. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received roughly 1,300 reports of unruly passengers from airlines since February, an agency spokesperson recently told The Hill.
The FAA has been cracking down against disruptive behavior aboard planes, fining passengers who refuse to wear masks or get belligerently drunk. The agency extended a zero-tolerance policy it implemented in January following numerous incidents on flights surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building.
Other actions that could lead to the closure of your SkyMiles account include violating a term or condition of the contract of carriage, your ticket’s fare rules or any other regulation that applies to travel with Delta.
Featured photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
Datos curiosos de Oaxaca Diario La Verdad ... Puerto Escondido, la contemplación en las Bahías de Huatulco y la relajación en Mazunte y Zipolite. 10 El Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán.
| Datos curiosos de Oaxaca ... Puerto Escondido, la contemplación en las Bahías de Huatulco y la relajación en Mazunte y Zipolite. 10 El Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. |
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