In this post:
AA pilots vote to strike
Just when we didn’t have enough strikes to worry about in the UK, now American Airlines pilots have voted overwhelmingly to strike. The good news is that they have not actually set any dates yet as by law in the US, both sides need to sit down with mediation to be confirmed as being at deadlock so it could take some time for anything to happen. Often in the US, these votes are more of a bargaining tool than actually, meaning there will be a strike (I hope so as I have a few AA flights coming up).
The strike is partly over pay as Delta recently awarded their pilots a 34% deal, although it will be delivered over a number of years. The strike is also about better rostering to make the airline more efficient and resilient when things go wrong.
An American Airlines spokesman told USA Today,
“We understand that a strike authorization vote is one of the important ways pilots express their desire to get a deal done, and we respect the message of voting results … We remain focused on completing the handful of matters necessary to reach an agreement our pilots deserve.”
Virgin Atlantic Mastercard 30,000 point bonus
Virgin Red and Flying Club members can now earn up to 30,000 bonus points with the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card between 2 May and 13 June 2023.
Members that sign up for a Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card will automatically receive 15,000 Virgin Points for their first purchase. However, for a limited time only, members that apply for the credit card between 2 May and 13 June can receive a bonus 15,000 points when they spend £3,000 or more within the first 90 days.
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card Representative example:
- Purchase rate: 26.9% (variable) on card purchases
- Equivalent to: 69.7% APR representative (variable)
- Based on a credit limit of: £1,200
- £160 annual fee
On top of earning a bonus of up to 30,000 Virgin Points, members that sign up for the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card get 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent, plus three extra Virgin Points for every pound spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Atlantic Holidays. And when members spend £10,000 or more, they’ll unlock an upgrade or companion voucher with Virgin Atlantic which is valid for two years. (see video below for full details or read this article)
For those who want a fee-free credit but still want to earn Virgin Points on their spending, Virgin Atlantic also offers a fee-free card (Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card). Instead of 1.5 points per £1 you spend, you’ll earn 0.75 points per pound and 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
You can see more about Virgin Atlantic’s Mastercards in this video:
Find out more about Virgin Atlantic Credit Cards here, and Virgin Red here .
Virgin Atlantic’s new kids pack and meals
Virgin Atlantic is rolling out enhancements for children with a new onboard meal selection and a new kids pack.
Working with iRowType, the new kids’ pack will be introduced across the airline, with packs continuing to be handed out to Virgin Atlantic’s younger flyers at the gate at all UK airports. These new packs have all been reinvented for children to use onboard, or to take away and use on their holidays. The new kids’ pack includes:
- A red branded reusable bag for future travels
- Children’s UV400 sunglasses to wear on their holiday
- A colourful sensory poppit toy
- Holiday journal to capture memories
- An additional activity book for entertainment on the flight
- Selection of colourful pencils for all the colouring in
Virgin Atlantic has also introduced a new meal option with smaller travellers in mind. The brand-new children’s meal includes a Pip organic smoothie, a giant cookie, cheese dippers, and a healthy fruit bowl. The children’s entrée includes chicken goujons, sweetcorn, and potato wedges. For those children travelling in Upper Class, there will be an additional entrée of creamy mac and cheese. (sounds good, may have to order myself a kids meal!!)
