Delta Changing Rules to Make It Harder to Earn Elite Status
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Delta Changing Rules to Make It Harder to Earn Elite Status
Delta Changing Rules , to Make It Harder , to Earn Elite Status.
Delta Air Lines has announced changes
to how customers earn rewards and gain
access to the carrier's airport lounges.
CNBC reports that the changes come
as the latest sign that air travel's era of
mass luxury may be coming to an end.
.
Beginning on January 1, customers can only earn Delta
Medallion status based on their spending, similar to
a model recently adopted by American Airlines.
Many major airlines have been raising the requirements to
earn elite status amid a surge in customer spending, which
has increased the ranks of elite airline status members.
Elite status typically comes with a number
of perks, including early boarding, free
upgrades and access to an airline's airport lounge.
Elite status typically comes with a number
of perks, including early boarding, free
upgrades and access to an airline's airport lounge.
We want customers to be
able to receive status with
activity beyond just air travel, Dwight James, Deltaās senior vice president
of customer engagement and loyalty, via CNBC.
In 2024, Delta customers can earn one Medallion Qualifying
Dollar for every actual dollar they spend on flights,
car rentals and hotels booked through the airline.
CNBC reports that the airline has also raised
requirements for dollars spent through
co-branded American Express cards.
.
For every $10 spent on the card, Delta SkyMiles
Reserve and Reserve Business American Express card
members will now earn one Medallion Qualifying Dollar.
For every $10 spent on the card, Delta SkyMiles
Reserve and Reserve Business American Express card
members will now earn one Medallion Qualifying Dollar.
Meanwhile, Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum
Business American Express Card Members earn
one Medallion Qualifying Dollar for every $20 spent
Walgreens Plans , āSignificantā Store Closures.
On June 27, Walgreens announced quarterly earnings
that were poorer than expected, NBC News reports.
The company's stock fell 15% in pre-market trading.
CEO Tim Wentworth issued a press release.
We continue to face a difficult operating
environment, including persistent
pressures on the U.S. consumer and the
impact of recent marketplace dynamics
which have eroded pharmacy margins, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via press release.
Our results and outlook
reflect these headwinds, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via press release.
Wentworth elaborated in an interview with CNBC.
The consumer is absolutely stunned by
the absolute prices of things, and the
fact that some of them may not be
inflating doesnāt actually change their
resistance to the current pricing, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via CNBC.
On a call with analysts, Wentworth said that Walgreens' strategy will have to "include the closure of a significant portion of these underperforming stores.".
75% of our stores drive 100% of our
profitability today. What that means is
the others we take a hard look at, we are
going to finalize a number that we will close, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via call with analysts.
The pharmacy chain currently
operates about 8,600 stores
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
US Water System May Be , Vulnerable to Cyberattack, by China, Russia and Iran.
CNBC reports that the United States
water system has been the target of a series
of cyberattacks over the past few years. .
In response, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has been forced to issue an alert warning
that 70% of water systems do not comply
with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to the EPA, some have āalarming
cybersecurity vulnerabilities,ā including
unchanged default passwords and former
employees who retain access to vital systems.
In February, the FBI issued a warning to
Congress that Chinese hackers have embedded
themselves into the U.S. cyber infrastructure. .
Those hackers have targeted water treatment
plants, the electrical grid, transportation
systems and other vital infrastructure.
Those hackers have targeted water treatment
plants, the electrical grid, transportation
systems and other vital infrastructure.
Water is among
the least mature
in terms of security, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity
practice for Chertoff Group, via CNBC.
Stuart Madnick, an MIT professor of engineering
systems and co-founder of Cybersecurity at
MIT Sloan, warns that an attack that shuts off
water to the population is the main concern.
We have demonstrated in our
lab how operations, such as
a water plant, could be shut
down not just for hours or
days, but for weeks, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity
practice for Chertoff Group, via CNBC.
Recently, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan sent a letter
to governors stressing the urgency of the threat. .
Recently, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan sent a letter
to governors stressing the urgency of the threat. .
CNBC reports that budgets, outdated
infrastructure and an overall reluctance to take
action may prevent necessary fixes from
being made before a serious attack.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
European Union Announces , Higher Tariffs on Chinese EVs.
On June 12, the EU said it will
impose higher tariffs on imports of
Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), CNBC reports. .
The increase in tariffs is the result of a
probe launched by the EU in October.
According to the EU, the Chinese imports benefit "heavily from unfair subsidies" and threaten "economic injury" to European EV producers.
The influx of subsidized Chinese imports
at artificially low prices therefore
presents a threat of clearly foreseeable
and imminent injury to EU industry, European Commission, via statement.
A 38.1% tariff will be imposed on battery electric vehicle producers who refused to cooperate with the bloc's investigation.
A 21% tariff will be implemented for carmakers in China who complied
but have yet to be "sampled.".
On June 11, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce called the higher
tariffs a "protectionist act.".
The findings disclosed in the EU
ruling lack factual and legal basis, Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement.
This is a naked protectionist act,
creating and escalating trade
frictions, and 'destroying fair
competition' in the name of
'maintaining fair competition.' , Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement.
This move by the EU not only damages the
legitimate rights and interests of Chinaās
electric vehicle industry, but will also disrupt
and distort the global automotive industry
chain supply chain, including the EU, Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Elon Musk Drops Lawsuit , Against OpenAI.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
The suit alleged that OpenAI initially worked
to develop artificial general intelligence
"for the benefit of humanity" but later strayed
from that goal to become a for-profit entity. .
Musk, who had a hand in launching
OpenAI, was suing "for breach of contract
and fiduciary duty," CNBC reports.
In March, experts told CNBC that the suit had a murky legal foundation because there was no formal written agreement signed by each party.
On June 11, Musk dropped the lawsuit.
It was dismissed without prejudice.
His decision to drop the lawsuit comes
one day after he threatened Apple over
its new partnership with OpenAI.
His decision to drop the lawsuit comes
one day after he threatened Apple over
its new partnership with OpenAI.
He called the partnership "an unacceptable security violation" since Apple has
"no clue what's actually going on.".
Itās patently absurd that Apple isnāt
smart enough to make their own
AI, yet is somehow capable of
ensuring that OpenAI will protect
your security & privacy!, Elon Musk, via X.
Musk went on to say that if Apple
"integrates OpenAI at the OS level," the company's devices will be banned at his businesses.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Apple Is Reportedly Building , a Dedicated Passwords App.
On June 6, Mark Gurman from 'Bloomberg' reported that Apple intends to build next-gen iPhones and Macs with a built-in password management app.
On June 6, Mark Gurman from 'Bloomberg' reported that Apple intends to build next-gen iPhones and Macs with a built-in password management app.
The new app will be called Passwords, Engadget reports.
The app will be revealed at the
Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
While Apple already offers password
services via the iCloud Keychain.
it can be tedious to find
or change passwords with it.
A dedicated passwords app would make the whole process easier and likely encourage some people to stick with Apple.
Similarly to subscription password managers 1Password and LastPass, Apple's app will
split passwords into categories.
Similarly to subscription password managers 1Password and LastPass, Apple's app will
split passwords into categories.
Such categories include "accounts, WiFi networks and Passkeys," CNBC reports. .
Users will be able to
import passwords from other apps.
Two-factor verification codes
will also be supported.
It's not clear if Passwords will let you
store files and images as its rivals do.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
American Airlines Is Sued for Discrimination , After Removing Black Men From Flight.
Three Black men filed a lawsuit against
the airline on May 29, NPR reports.
The men allege that they and five
other Black men were subjected to
"blatant and egregious racial discrimination"...
... when they were removed from
a flight in January "without any valid
reason, based solely on their race.".
The eight men reportedly did not know one another and weren't seated by each other on the flight. .
The lawsuit claims that an American Airlines representative singled out each of the men, asking them to leave the plane and book another flight.
In fact, once they reached the jet bridge,
they saw that several other Black men were
also being removed from the plane. In fact,
it appeared to Plaintiffs that American had
ordered all of the Black male passengers
on Flight 832 off the plane, Via lawsuit.
Later, the men discovered that they had been removed from the plane because a passenger complained about body odor, although none of them were approached about body odor. .
When the men told another American
Airlines staff member that they were being
racially targeted, the employee said she
"did not disagree," the lawsuit claims.
Ultimately, the passengers re-boarded the flight because there were no other flights available to their destination that evening.
Plaintiffs then had to re-board the plane
and endure the stares of the largely
white passengers who viewed them
as the cause of the substantial delay. , Via lawsuit.
They suffered during the entire
flight home, and the entire incident
was traumatic, upsetting, scary,
humiliating and degrading, Via lawsuit.
American Airlines is "currently
investigating the matter, as the claims do
not reflect" the company's "core values."
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published