American Airlines may have nixed its plans to limit how AAdvantage loyalty program members can earn miles or points based on booking channels, but the carrier still intends to move forward with its plans to reward agencies it designates as “preferred,” according to copies of emails the carrier sent to corporate clients and travel agencies that BTN reviewed.

The memos, signed by American SVP of partnerships and retailing Scott Laurence, do not provide any specifics about the program, but noted that agencies would “soon receive additional information about our preferred agency program and upcoming incentives to reward agencies who continue to promote and book travel through New Distribution Capability technology.” 

Corporate clients were told they also would “soon receive additional information about our preferred agency program, and our sales and distribution strategy.”

The preferred agency program was announced in February, with plans first to begin May 1 but postponed to July 11, and would have required agencies to book at least 30 percent of their American volume through NDC channels by April 21 to qualify as preferred. That figure would increase to 50 percent by Oct. 31 and 70 percent by April 30, 2025. It was unclear how those percentages would be measured. 

The emails also reiterated comments made by American CEO Robert Isom on Wednesday during an investor conference that the carrier no longer planned to change how AAdvantage members earned miles or points. Isom also noted that the carrier had moved “faster than we should have” in terms of its NDC strategy, and it “didn’t execute well.” 

That mea culpa came one day after American announced that chief commercial officer Vasu Raja, a key architect of the carrier’s distribution strategy, would leave the company in June.  

Each memo noted Isom’s comments that the carrier was “revisiting our policies” to give corporate travelers and agencies’ mutual customers “the best experience on American, and to ensure we’re easy to do business with.”

Additionally, Laurence noted that American is “holistically adapting our approach to prioritize that no matter where travelers book, they shouldn’t be negatively impacted by our policy changes in the future. The decisions we make are with our mutual customers in mind, and making our agency and corporate partners’ experience the best it can be.”

American did not provide any further information about the preferred agency program.

DUBAI, UAE – Emirates has joined the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Turbulence Aware Platform. It will also be the first airline to integrate the IATA platform within the latest version of Lido mPilot, the mobile navigation solution from Lufthansa Systems.

Bringing these platforms together offers a wealth of data, combined with new technologies that make up-to-the-minute, highly accurate turbulence information and forecasts available for pilots, equipping them with the means to plot the best paths around affected areas for enhanced safety, efficient navigation, and optimisation of flight plans.

In conjunction with the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform, the airline has equipped more than 140 aircraft with the required onboard software to automatically share turbulence reports with all airlines contributing data to the platform. All new aircraft joining the Emirates fleet over the course of the next few years, such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-9, 777-8 and B787, will be enabled to participate in the programme.

Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Flight Operations Emirates Airline said: “Actively participating in IATA’s Turbulence Aware platform and equipping our pilots with a complement of the latest industry technologies such as the mobile navigation solution Lido mPilot from Lufthansa Systems are part of our commitment to ensure operational safety, efficiency, and customer comfort on every flight. We’re also proud to contribute data around turbulence through our Middle East network and extensive links across Africa, Asia, Australia, and other regions. It will help build sophisticated industry knowledge to effectively manage turbulence and evolving weather patterns with even more precision. This is only the beginning, and we are progressing with plans to integrate more cutting-edge technologies to elevate the flying experience even further, so our customers can enjoy smoother journeys.”

“Mitigating the adverse effects of turbulence is an industry wide challenge and obtaining accurate and live data is key in this endeavour. The cooperation between IATA Turbulence Aware, Emirates and Lufthansa Systems will further improve the quality and quantity of real time data made available to the industry, allowing for smoother and safer air travel for all,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President Commercial Products and Services.

“IATA Turbulence Aware data enhances the value of Lido mPilot by providing pilots with real-time, accurate and comprehensive information on turbulence, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate more efficiently. By integrating this data into Lido mPilot, Emirates Airline can increase safety, reduce fuel consumption and minimize passenger discomfort, ultimately improving their operational efficiency and customer satisfaction,” said Andreas Medlhammer, Product Owner Pilot Charting Apps at Lufthansa Systems.

IATA’s Turbulence Aware is a global, real-time detailed and objective information resource for pilots and aviation professionals to manage and mitigate the impact of turbulence on operations. Turbulence is the main cause of passenger and crew injuries and leads to higher fuel usage. The platform pools anonymized turbulence data from thousands of flights operated around the world. The information generated from this data enables pilots and dispatchers to choose optimal flight paths, avoiding turbulence and flying at peak levels and altitudes to maximize fuel efficiency, ultimately reducing carbon emissions. Till date, Turbulence Aware ensured a safer flight for over 700 million passengers, a number that will continue to rise as new airlines join the program.

Lido mPilot is an all-in-one mobile navigational charting application from Lufthansa Systems and has been configured based on Emirates’ specific operational requirements. Lido mPilot provides pilots with easy access to terminal charts, a dynamically generated enroute map, and an Airport Moving Map (AMM).  Its data-driven, interactive maps, and the latest weather features relevant to each flight being operated ensure enhanced situational awareness and the most pertinent information for pilots.

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.