SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 -- Nobody asked me, but ...

I can't believe there is an entire generation of adults born after 9/11. Doesn't seem possible.

Twenty-two years later, all I remember about that day and the days afterward is the emptiness and existential sadness. And whenever I think about 9/11, all I feel is emptiness and existential sadness.

Nobody asked me, but ...

Tough week to be an airline chief executive. Qantas boss Alan Joyce was unceremoniously ousted on Tuesday two months before his planned retirement due to a scandal that has engulfed Australia. Turns out the airline was selling tickets for flights it never intended to fly and Joyce fell on the ceremonial CEO sword and handed over immediately to Vanessa Hudson, his designated successor. Lots of luck, Ms. Hudson. Qantas is now the most hated brand in Australia, which seems about right.

Meanwhile, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary got pied--twice!--in Brussels on Thursday when two environmental activists caught him by surprise in full view of cameras. It couldn't happen to a more obnoxious and smugly self-important Skygod. But to his credit, O'Leary took the pies to the face with good humor.

Nobody asked me, but ...

Consider this astounding statistic: At a Delta Air Lines investor presentation earlier this summer, the carrier claimed that spending on its co-branded American Express cards is now approaching 1% of U.S. GDP. That's a quarter of a trillion dollars, give or take.

Now my question: Why? Why? What behooves travelers to keep investing in the worst frequent flyer program around? SkyMiles award prices are extortionate. The Amex-Delta cards are awful. And even the Delta-adjacent American Express Platinum Card is being devalued: Next year the $695-a-year card will only get you six Sky Club annual admissions instead of the current unlimited benefit. And this: Additional Platinum cards will go from three for $175 a year to $195 each annually. But, wait, there's more: Delta will announce more SkyMiles cuts next week. And yet you keep spending with Delta and Amex. Again, I ask: Why?

Nobody asked me, but ...

Qatar Airways has been in constant expansion mode ever since it first entered the U.S. market in 2007. Yet, oddly, it will drop Philadelphia-Doha flights next month. The move comes after American Airlines announced that it will move its New York/JFK-Doha nonstop to Philadelphia next month. So what, you say, Qatar Air and American are in the Oneworld Alliance together. Yeah, true, but they don't have an immunized joint-venture agreement that would legally allow them to make such coordinated flight maneuvers. The carriers would have us believe these moves are coincidental. Sure, right ...

Lawyers fighting the JetBlue-Spirit merger said the redacted part out loud late last month. In a section of a legal filing meant to be redacted, opponents of the merger say JetBlue will raise prices by as much as 40% if the combination is approved. JetBlue issued a non-denial denial because everyone expects JetBlue to raise fares if it gets its corporate mitts on Spirit. It's only the percentage that's in question.

Nobody asked me, but ...

Speaking of JetBlue, founder David Neeleman's new carrier, Breeze Airways, has impressed absolutely no one since launching two years ago. But the weird airline is gaining quite a reputation for bogus fare sales. Its Black Friday promotion last year was $1 upgrades, a savings of $4 over its then-current pricing.

And this week Breeze grandly announced a "50% off base fares" promo. But it was a blatant lie. On one $188 fare I checked, the discount was just $28.47. How does a 50% sale devolve to a 15% price cut? It goes to Breeze's claim that it was only offering 50% off "base fares." The 50% discount didn't include taxes or Breeze-imposed fees. Also not included: $84.75 worth of what Breeze categorized as "trip add-ons." So the base fare was just $56.95. Another example: a $291 one-way fare between Hartford and Los Angeles. It exempted $70.45 of "trip add-ons"--that's Breeze's dodge to cover what you pay for upgrades from its basic coach fare--and a "technology development charge" of $46. Exempt the taxes, too, and the "50% discount" on the $291 fare was less than 35 bucks.

Nobody asked me, but ...

A month after wildfires all but consumed the historic old whaling town of Lahaina, Maui is open for business again. And the island, which is almost totally dependent on tourism for its economic life, is desperate for revenue. The problem will be getting visitors to return. Even if you want to go to Hawaii, there are other islands to visit and they are equally attractive.

Take my former brother-in-law. Before the wildfires, he was eager to return to the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua after a long absence. When the fires came, he switched the Maui portion of his trip to Kauai. I called him last week and told him he'd be good to go for a Maui visit. His answer: He's okay with Kauai and why go through all the hassle of changing bookings again.

Nobody asked me, but ...

Seven years after it announced Polaris business class, United Airlines in July finally finished deploying the cabin on its international aircraft. The seats themselves were outdated even when announced, but Polaris did win some raves for its Polaris airport lounges, in-flight wine flights, bedding and other "soft" product enhancements. Of course, while United dragged out the seat deployment, the new C-suite regime under chief executive Scott Kirby slashed the best parts of the soft product for cost reasons. The airline plans a new Polaris announcement next week. Makes you wonder what's left to cut ...

Meanwhile, two years after United announced the Next project to retrofit its domestic cabins, there are only about a half-dozen planes in the fleet with the new interiors. That is actually good news since the retrofit cuts first class legroom and makes coach even more uncomfortable.