Airline News

American Airlines is taking a very flexible and sensible approach to Apple's Passbook feature in iOS 6. If it takes off, then American may use the feature to push marketing and service messages to passengers.

A lot of airline passengers have iPhones and some will undoubtedly use Passbook. Delta and American want to be where the customers are.

While airlines can't directly offer lower prices than OTAs, it can withhold certain benefits, and that's what Frontier and others are trying, to attract users directly to their sites.

All Twitter users end up with some fake followers so the numbers don't really matter as long as customer service reps continue to interact with their real followers that actually want help.

Delta believes through such actions it is protecting its intellectual property, but its actions alienate loyal customers who don't want to be locked into Delta's clunky services to access their loyalty information.

The deal is catered to a small population jet-setting pet-lovers, but three months of unlimited flying for small pets at only $99 more than an one-time trip is a great deal for those that fit the niche.

It looks like Apple Passbook in iOS 6 will get some big traction from airlines for mobile boarding passes. If Apple goes ahead eventually with a full-fledged iTravel offering, then that could be a different story entirely.

While legacy carriers seem intent on alienating their most loyal customers with expiring points and fewer seat options, JetBlue and Virgin see the programs for what they are: a way to retain their best customers.

Delta's new Sky Club may be the one part of LaGuardia that fliers aren't complaining about, but one that will hopefully inspire image improvements in other airlines' club at all New York airports.

Virgin is already a favorite in the tech industry and a campaign built around some leading personalities won't hurt that standing. But will it be interesting enough to non-techies to pull in new customers?