FSU honors students stuck in London due to airport shutdown
The fire knocked out the power to Heathrow Airport late Thursday, forcing officials to shut down the airport at least until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, disrupting travel plans for an estimated 200,000 people, including some local university students.
A post to the Fairmont State University Honors Program Facebook page states that the students are in 'good spirits' and have a place to stay for the next couple of days.
Harrison County middle school students learn about local aviation
'It may be some time before we know what's happening with our flights, but our amazing travel agent worked magic in the middle of the night when we first heard the news about the fires,' the post reads. 'As always, I am impressed by our student's chutzpah and resilience!'
Even if the airport is able to reopen on Saturday, disruptions will likely last for several more days as they work to accommodate passengers whose flights were canceled and place stranded aircrafts and flight crews back into position.
The airport announced that they plan to resume some flights Friday afternoon.
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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Travel + Leisure
How Much Are Airline Miles Really Worth? Here's What You Need to Know to Make the Most of Your Miles
Before you spend those hard-earned airline miles you've racked up through the years—or sign up for credit cards that help you earn them—you need to know how much each mile is worth. So, how do you determine their value? We break it down below with expert-backed tips for making the most of your miles. Each airline that has a loyalty program sets the value of its mile or point, and this number fluctuates whenever the airline decides to change it; there's no third-party governing body regulating their value. Still, most airlines value their miles in a similar range. If you were to redeem an airline mile for cash, each mile is generally worth somewhere between 1-1.8 cents, depending on the airline. You can find various valuation calculators online; according to NerdWallet, values currently range from 0.7 to 1.6 cents per mile on major airlines. Of the big three U.S. airlines—United, American, and Delta—Delta and United have similar values at 1.2 cents per mile, while American Airlines is slightly higher at 1.6. Still, like United miles, Delta miles never expire, while American Airlines miles expire after two years if your account has no qualifying activity. Of course, the exact valuation varies depending on what you spend your miles on. The value of your miles is also determined by how you're redeeming them. You usually get the best deal if you redeem them on flights with the airline that issued them. They won't go nearly as far if you use them to pay yourself back, purchase gift cards, or book hotels. For example, if I want to purchase a $25 Target gift card with my United MileagePlus miles, it will cost me 8,333 miles. In that scenario, each mile is worth 0.3 of a cent. I definitely get the best value if I use my Delta SkyMiles to book a Delta flight. For example, a round-trip flight in Delta's main cabin from Billings, Montana (where I live), to Paris in November would cost me 38,000 miles plus $142 in fees. If I were to pay with a credit card, that same flight would cost me $572. In that scenario, each mile is worth 1.1 cents. And I'm honeymooning at Six Senses Con Dao in Vietnam in October. A two-night stay at this five-star resort costs 266,000 Delta SkyMiles. If I booked with a credit card directly through the Six Senses website, those same two nights would cost me $1,722—that comes out to each mile being worth 0.6 of one cent. An empty airplane window seat with a view of clouds. imagedepotpro/Getty Images If anyone knows how to stretch an airline mile, it's Ben Schlappig, founder of One Mile at a Time. Schlappig has flown every major airline in the world, plus many of the minor airlines. In total, he's logged more than 5.5 million miles at cruising altitude. 'The best way to maximize value with your miles is to not assume that first and business-class travel is out of reach,' he tells Travel + Leisure . 'Premium-cabin travel might cost exponentially more if paying cash, while if you're flexible, it could only cost a mild premium if you're paying with miles.' Schlappig also recommends looking into airline partnerships—many airlines allow you to book with their partner airlines using miles. 'Not only does this open up new destinations and more award availability,' explains Schlappig, 'but these airlines also often provide a better in-flight experience.' While you can earn airline miles by flying and/or using an airline-branded credit card, many airlines also allow you to purchase miles. However, don't expect to get a good deal, especially if you're buying a small number. United MileagePlus miles start at $35 for 1,000 miles, the minimum amount you can purchase. That's 3.5 cents per mile, so it only makes sense to purchase miles if you know you can redeem them for at least that amount, or if you're short on cash. For example, if you have 20,000 miles to redeem on a flight that would cost you hundreds of dollars in cash (that you don't have), and you need 21,000 miles to purchase the flight, your best option may be to purchase the additional 1,000 miles for $35 (which, hopefully, you have on hand). Many airlines also allow you to transfer miles; however, there is usually a minimum amount and a transaction fee, which varies depending on the amount you're transferring. My brother, who doesn't fly often but has a credit card that gets him lots of miles, often gives me his miles at a discount this way—I simply pay the transaction fee. Finally, most airlines also offer the option to donate miles to charity. Keep in mind, however, that you may not get a tax write-off. According to the American Red Cross, which accepts donations of airline miles, 'The IRS recognizes the donation of airline miles or points as a gift from the airline to the charitable organization. Therefore, miles donated to the Red Cross are not considered tax-deductible by the individual donor.'
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Pup Patrol At Pensacola Airport Brings Smiles To Staff And Passengers
The dog days of summer are alive and well at Pensacola International Airport in Florida thanks to the Pup Patrol. Each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Pup Patrol therapy dogs and their handlers circulate in the airport, offering stress relief, photo ops and trading cards to passengers. 'We want Southern hospitality integrated into the customer journey and Pup Patrol is our favorite program that does that,' said Bryant Liggett, marketing and communications specialist at Pensacola International Airport. 'From the smallest little kids all the way to the elderly, the Pup Patrol literally brings joy to every single person that comes across them.' Take Kira, a 6-year-old Shetland sheepdog handled by Connie Fleming. On a typical shift, Kira might stop a child from crying or sit in the lap of a nervous traveler until it's time to board her flight. The well-behaved Sheltie is always happy to meet new friends. 'Kira shakes hands with people,' Fleming said. 'She sits pretty, she jumps through my arms, she does a few obedience commands, she picks things up and hands it to me. And of course, those kinds of things people find so delightful. They just love it.' The dozen dogs on Pup Patrol represent a variety of breeds, including Cavalier King Charles spaniel, beagle, Australian shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Tibetan spaniel, Labrador retriever, goldendoodle and mixed breeds. All are registered therapy dogs, mostly with the nonprofit Alliance of Therapy Dogs. 'It really turns out to be a good thing for the public because they see dogs they've had, or dogs they would like or dogs they are interested in,' Fleming said. 'We have people every single day tell us, 'You just made my day.'' Pup Patrol's Lasting Impression Pup Patrol trading cards, which share photos of each dog and fun facts about them, are a hit, too. Recently, Fleming saw a little boy sitting on the floor of the concourse with his collection of trading cards spread out in front of him. He would spot a dog on Pup Patrol, grab their card and run to show it to them. Most passengers pause to pose for photos with the pups, according to Fleming. 'We usually have four or five dogs here, which creates an immediate impression. People come flocking to see the dogs,' she said. 'They love taking photographs of the dogs. If we had a dollar for every photograph that was taken, we'd all be rich.' The 'puparazzi' go particularly wild when the dogs dress up for holidays — from major holidays to wearing roses on National Red Rose Day — as well as special events, like when Pensacola hosts the science fiction and comics convention Pensacon. Most dress as 'Star Trek' characters (Kira is even named for a character in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'). Pensacola International Airport has received 500 emails from grateful passengers praising the Pup Patrol. The dogs are also a hit with airport staff, according to Fleming. 'The staff that passes by stops and pets them, they know all the dogs by name. It's absolutely wonderful,' she said. 'And I did have one of them say, 'Guess what? I just had my shift changed so I could be here on Thursday mornings.'' Like other handlers on the Pup Patrol team, Fleming loves sharing her dog with other people. In fact, Kira also volunteers as a therapy dog at nursing homes and at the University of West Florida. The well-trained dog also competes in agility and square dances with Fleming. Ultimately, Fleming finds volunteering with Pup Patrol incredibly rewarding. 'It just makes you feel so good when you see people look up and smile,' she said. 'You talk to someone you don't know but all of a sudden you have something in common with them. In a world that is sometimes a little unhappy and very stressful, to see people actually relax and smile and think about happy things while the dogs are there — it just makes you so proud.'
Skift
01-08-2025
- Skift
IHG Pursues Business Travelers Through Emirates and Other Deals
IHG's new deal with Emirates is as part of broader push to capture the underserved corporate segment. Expect more partnerships that offer fast-track loyalty status in exchange for direct bookings. IHG signed a partnership agreement with Emirates this week, the latest move in the hotel group's multiyear strategy to capture more business from small- and medium-sized enterprises that lack the resources of large corporations but still need travel arrangements. The deal allows business travel customers of both companies to access benefits from the other, creating what IHG executives describe as a community of services for companies with fewer than 500 employees. The goal is to encourage more direct bookings, avoiding commissions charged by online travel agencies. Participating companies whose employees are members of Emirates' loyalty program can now re
