A passenger tried to thank the flight crew with a sweet gesture. Hours later, those same crew members ended up in a hospital. That's not how anyone expected a transatlantic flight to end, but here we are.

Welcome to Saturday's newsletter, where good intentions go sideways and airline policies make less sense by the day. Let's get into it.

Which major airline is currently offering a 30% discount on award tickets in select markets through their Spontaneous Escapes promotion?

The answer is waiting for you near the bottom... keep scrolling.👇

Here's a cautionary tale about accepting food from strangers - even when you're at 35,000 feet and they seem genuinely appreciative.

Last week, a passenger on a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles handed the crew what looked like ordinary gummy candy as a thank-you gift. Sweet gesture, right? The crew accepted the treats and waited until after landing to sample them.

Turns out, those weren't regular gummies. They were THC-infused edibles - and strong ones at that. Multiple crew members ended up hospitalized after consuming them, unaware of what they'd actually eaten.

The silver lining here is that the crew had the good sense to wait until after the flight was complete. Had they consumed these during the flight, we'd be talking about a much more serious safety incident. Instead, this is just a bizarre story about well-meaning passengers who apparently didn't think through the implications of gifting cannabis products without disclosure.

British Airways hasn't commented publicly on the incident, but you can bet crew members are going to be a lot more skeptical of passenger gifts going forward. For all our British Airways coverage, including route updates and redemption opportunities, check out our dedicated page.

Remember when Southwest announced they were moving to assigned seating? We covered that extensively when the news first broke. Now we're seeing how the airline is implementing this in practice, and passengers are not happy.

Picture this: You're on a Southwest flight with 18 completely empty rows. You're squished in a middle seat. Logically, you try to move to one of those wide-open rows for more comfort. A flight attendant stops you cold: "Sir, you cannot move like that!"

That's the reality passengers are experiencing as Southwest strictly enforces its new assigned seating policy. Even on half-empty flights where spreading out would make everyone more comfortable, the airline is insisting passengers stay in their assigned seats.

This represents a fundamental shift in Southwest's culture. For decades, the airline's open seating policy was a defining characteristic - and the ability to move around once everyone was boarded was an unwritten perk passengers loved. That flexibility is now completely gone.

Some passengers report being allowed to move after initial boarding, but enforcement seems inconsistent. What's clear is that Southwest is taking the assigned seating transition seriously, even when it defies common sense. We've been tracking all the Southwest changes as they unfold.

Here's something Marriott corporate doesn't want you to know: Some of their franchised hotels are quietly listing rooms on Airbnb for hundreds of dollars less than what you'd pay booking through Marriott's own website.

We're not talking small differences. Properties are undercutting Marriott.com prices by $200-$450 per night in some cases. And despite Marriott corporate's efforts to stop this practice, it keeps happening.

The issue comes down to franchise ownership. While Marriott sets brand standards and operates the loyalty program, individual property owners make their own decisions about distribution channels. Some see Airbnb as a way to fill rooms without paying Marriott's commission fees.

The catch? You won't earn Marriott Bonvoy points for these stays, and you won't receive elite status benefits. You're essentially getting a cash discount in exchange for giving up all loyalty program perks.

For travelers who don't care about points or status - or who are booking with cash anyway - this can be a significant money-saver. But it undermines Marriott's loyalty program and creates an uneven playing field for customers who book the traditional way.

If you're interested in maximizing Marriott stays the traditional way, check out all our Marriott coverage including points strategies and status benefits.

While we're on the topic of deals, Singapore Airlines just launched its monthly KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes promotion, offering 30% off award tickets in select markets.

This isn't a system-wide sale - it's targeted to specific routes and travel dates. But if your travel plans align with what's on offer, you can save a significant chunk of miles on one of the world's best airlines.

Discounted awards are available in economy, premium economy, and business class. The catch is that availability is limited, and these promotions tend to move quickly. If you've been sitting on KrisFlyer miles or Chase, Amex, Citi, or Capital One points that transfer to KrisFlyer, this is worth checking out.

Need help finding the best award availability? Award Travel Finder tracks premium cabin awards across all major programs, including Singapore KrisFlyer.

Quick detour from points news to something that affects every traveler: Denver International Airport's concessionaires are systematically overcharging passengers, violating the airport's own pricing rules.

Denver has a law requiring airport retailers to mark up prices no more than 15% compared to similar items sold outside the airport. An investigation found that basically every business in the airport is breaking this rule - in some cases, dramatically.

McDonald's items are priced 114% higher at Denver than at off-airport locations. That's not a 15% markup - that's more than double the price.

The good news? Now that this has been exposed, the airport will likely enforce its pricing rules more strictly. The bad news? If you've been flying through Denver regularly, you've been overpaying for months or years.

This is one more reason to maximize lounge access with your credit cards. Capital One, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Amex Platinum all offer Priority Pass or proprietary lounge access that can save you from paying these inflated airport prices. We track all the latest lounge access benefits if you want to compare options.

The answer is 🇸🇬 Singapore Airlines - they're offering 30% off KrisFlyer award tickets through their Spontaneous Escapes promotion this month. If you've been hoarding transferable points, this is a great time to check Singapore's award calendar.

Hit reply and let me know your thoughts - I read every response and I'm genuinely curious how this is playing out for frequent Southwest fliers.

That's all for today! See you tomorrow with more miles, points, and travel news.

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now:

Before we wrap up, I wanted to share some timely opportunities I've been tracking (courtesy of our friends at AwardTravelFinder). These deals won't last long, so let's dive in.

The points and miles world is unusually quiet today - no major transfer bonuses or buy points promotions to report. Sometimes patience pays off in this game.

Friday Flight Deals finds the best flight deals when paying cash beats using points.

Browse all deals at FridayFlightDeals.com →