Posts tagged with "American Airlines"

Kanye West blesses Demegod on Get Your Lies Straight launched via 360 MAGAZINE.

GET YOUR LIES STRAIGHT

360 MAGAZINE summarizes the hottest trending topics of 2022.


Check out the hottest new single from Demegod × Kanye West entitled, Get Your Lies Straight! It’s definitely a banger just in time for the weekend.


As Monterey Regional Airport continues to increase in popularity amongst local and visiting travelers, American Airlines announces that starting in February it will begin using larger aircraft for its twice-daily flights to Dallas-Fort Worth.


Reebok × Street Fighter collaboration via 360 MAGAZINE.
Reebok × Street Fighter collaboration via 360 MAGAZINE.

On December 12, in honor of the iconic video game’s 35th anniversary, Reebok and Capcom unveil the Street Fighter × Reebok footwear and apparel capsule, dropping December 15. 


According to the Seattle Times, on Tuesday, 64yro Puerto Rican singer and musician Lalo Rodríguez was found dead at a North American public housing project. Watch him pay homage to 360!

illustration by Reb Czukoski for use by 360 Magazine

Elliott Advocacy Releases 2022 Readers Choice Nominees

Elliott Advocacy, the nonprofit online consumer advocacy organization, has announced the release of its 2022 Readers Choice Award nominees, with voting beginning today here.

Sponsored by Medjet, the leading air medical transport membership program for travelers, the Elliott Advocacy Readers Choice Award is an annual recognition of companies in various consumer sectors that offered outstanding customer support and service that year. For 2022, readers nominated and voted for their favorite companies in 16 categories ranging from airlines to wireless service providers.

Finding the best customer service is more challenging than ever during a pandemic, says Christopher Elliott, founder of Ellio=tt Advocacy. The Readers Choice Award offers guidance to consumers, helping them make smarter purchasing decisions.

The Readers Choice Award, now in its 17th year, is widely recognized as one of the premier customer service honors in America. The full list of award categories and nominees for the 2022 Readers Choice Award includes:

Travel Agency Network

  • American Express Travel
  • Ensemble Travel Group
  • Travel Leaders Network
  • Signature Travel Network
  • Virtuoso

Wireless Carrier

  • AT&T
  • Consumer Cellular
  • Cricket
  • Google Fi
  • Nextel Communications
  • T-Mobile
  • TracFone Wireless
  • Verizon Wireless
  • Sprint

Luggage

  • American Tourister
  • Away
  • Briggs & Riley
  • Eagle Creek
  • Delsey
  • Globe-Trotter
  • Hartmann
  • Samsonite
  • Travelpro
  • Tumi
  • Victorinox

Cruise Line

  • Azamara
  • Carnival
  • Cunard
  • Celebrity
  • Crystal
  • Holland America
  • Disney
  • MSC
  • NCL
  • Princess
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Viking
  • Regent Seven Seas
  • Seabourn

Apparel

  • American Eagle
  • Abercrombie & Fitch
  • Aeropostale
  • Forever 21
  • Gap
  • J. Crew
  • H&M
  • Inditex
  • Lands End

Subscription TV

  • AT&T U-verse
  • Bright House Network
  • Cablevision Systems
  • Charter Communications
  • Comcast
  • Cox Communications
  • DirecTV
  • DISH Network
  • Mediacom
  • Suddenlink
  • Time Warner Cable
  • Verizon Fios

Hotel Chain

  • Marriott
  • Hilton
  • Best Western
  • Carlson Rezidor
  • InterContinental (IHG)
  • Accor
  • Choice Hotels
  • Wyndham Hotel Group

Online Travel Agency

  • Booking.com (includes Kayak and Priceline)
  • Fareportal (includes CheapOair, OneTravel, and Travelong)
  • Expedia (includes Hotwire, Orbitz, and Travelocity)
  • TripAdvisor (includes FlipKey and Viator)

Ground Transportation

  • Car2Go
  • Greyhound
  • Kyte
  • Lyft
  • Megabus
  • Uber
  • Turo
  • Zipcar

Domestic Airline

  • Allegiant Air
  • American Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • Breeze Airways
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Frontier Airlines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue Airways
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Spirit Airlines
  • United Airlines

Travel Insurance

  • Allianz Global Assistance
  • Amex Assurance
  • Aon Affinity
  • Berkshire Hathaway
  • Generali Global Assistance
  • HTH Worldwide
  • Travel Guard
  • Travelex
  • Trip Mate

Travel Insurance (Specialty)

  • Arch RoamRight
  • Cavalry Travel Insurance (Ripcord)
  • Seven Corners
  • Travel Insured International
  • World Nomads

Vacation Rental

International Airline

  • Air China
  • Air France
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • easy Jet
  • Emirates
  • KLM
  • Lufthansa
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Ryanair
  • Singapore
  • Virgin Atlantic

Theme Park

  • Animal Kingdom (Disney World)
  • Busch Gardens (Tampa)
  • Busch Gardens (Williamsburg)
  • California Adventure Park (Disneyland)
  • Cedar Point
  • Disneyland
  • Epcot (Disney World)
  • Hersheypark
  • Hollywood Studios (Disney World)
  • Islands of Adventure (Orlando)
  • Kings Island
  • Knotts Berry Farm
  • Magic Kingdom (Disney World)
  • Six Flags Great Adventure
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain
  • SeaWorld (Orlando)
  • SeaWorld (San Diego)
  • Universal Studios (Hollywood)
  • Universal Studios (Orlando)

Car Rental Company

  • Ace
  • Advantage
  • Alamo
  • Avis
  • Budget
  • Dollar
  • Enterprise
  • Fox
  • Hertz
  • National
  • Thrifty
  • Silvercar
  • Sixt

Car Manufacturer (Domestic)

  • Buick
  • Chrysler
  • Chevrolet
  • Cadillac
  • Ford
  • GMC
  • Jeep
  • Lincoln
  • Tesla

Car Manufacturer (International)

  • Acura
  • Honda
  • Infiniti
  • Isuzu
  • Lexus
  • Mercedes
  • Mazda
  • Mitsubishi
  • Subaru
  • Suzuki
  • Toyota
  • Volvo
  • VW

Additional sponsorship for the Elliott Advocacy 2022 Readers Choice Award comes from Allianz and Southwest Airlines. Voting will be open through January 2022 and winners will be announced in February. A full list of previous Readers Choice Awards is available here

ABOUT ELLIOTT ADVOCACY:

Elliott Advocacy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that empowers consumers to solve problems and helps those who can’t. We do it through direct consumer advocacy, journalism, and by maintaining the largest database of executive contact information on the internet for consumers.

LGBTQ illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

LGBTQ State Legislative Attacks

UPDATE: With Unprecedented 18 Anti-LGBTQ Bills Enacted, 2021 Officially Becomes Worst Year in Recent History for LGBTQ State Legislative Attacks 

With Anti-LGBTQ Momentum Sweeping through State Legislatures, 2021 Surpasses 2015 as Worst Year In Recent History 

Detailed Breakdown of 2021 Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation Below

With an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ measures sweeping through state legislatures across the country, 2021 has officially surpassed 2015 as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history, according to updated tracking and analysis by the Human Rights Campaign (detailed breakdown below). The previous record — set six years ago in 2015, when 15 anti-LGBTQ bills were enacted into law — was broken on Friday, as the sixteenth and seventeenth anti-LGBTQ bills were enacted into law as well as the eighteenth anti-LGBTQ bill today. In addition, 7 anti-LGBTQ bills are on governors’ desks awaiting signature or veto and several more are continuing to move through state legislatures across the country.

“The rights of LGBTQ people — and especially transgender people — across the country are being systematically threatened and undermined by national anti-LGBTQ groups coordinating with anti-equality lawmakers to wage an unprecedented war on the LGBTQ community. In fact, some of these bills are similar to or even worse than anti-LGBTQ legislation that has been rejected in previous years, including the Indiana religious refusal bill of 2015 and North Carolina’s infamous HB2. Bills that have become law so far this year range from making it a felony to provide transgender youth with life saving health care to banning transgender girls from participating in sports to erasing LGBTQ people from school curriculum to granting broad licenses to discriminate against LGBTQ people. This crisis cannot be ignored and necessitates concrete action from all those with the ability to speak out,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. “These bills are not only harmful and discriminatory, but also represent a failure in our democracy and the commitment elected officials make to protect and serve their constituents. Now is not the time for reluctance or passivity, it is time to take urgent action to protect the basic rights and humanity of LGBTQ people in America.”

The wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation — a coordinated push led by national anti-LGBTQ groups, not local lawmakers – is part of a broader strategy to score political points with the conservative base by curtailing the rights of LGBTQ people and specifically trans youth — under the guise of responding to nonexistent and baseless threats. These bills represent a cruel effort to further stigmatize and discriminate against LGBTQ people across the country, specifically trans youth who simply want to live as their true selves and grow into who they are.

Breakdown of Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Sweeping State Legislatures in 2021

  • So far in 2021, eighteen anti-LGBTQ bills have been enacted into law surpassing 2015 as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history (when 15 anti-LGBTQ bills were enacted into law), including:
    • 7 anti-trans sports bans in Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, and West Virginia
    • 4 religious refusal bills, including in Arkansas, Montana, and South Dakota
    • 2 anti-LGBTQ education bills in Tennessee and Montana
    • 1 anti-trans medical care ban bill in Arkansas
    • 1 sham “hate crimes” bill in Arkansas
    • 1 anti-all comers bill in North Dakota
    • 1 anti-trans birth certificate bill in Montana
    • 1 discriminatory diversity training ban bill in Oklahoma
  • With eighteen bills now signed into law, states have enacted more anti-LGBTQ laws this year than in the last three years combined (anti-LGBTQ bills enacted in previous years include 2 bills in 2018, 7 bills in 2019, and 4 bills in 2020).
  • More than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures in 2021, including:
    • At least 35 bills that would prohibit transgender youth from being able to access best-practice, age-appropriate, gender-affirming medical care
    • At least 69 bills that would prohibit transgender youth (and in some cases college students) from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity
    • At least 43 bills that would allow people to assert a religious belief as justification for failing to abide by the law or provide services to people of whom they disapprove
    • At least 15 bills that would prohibit transgender people from having access to restrooms or locker rooms consistent with their gender identity

Wide range of business and advocacy groups oppose anti-trans legislation

  • More than 90 major U.S. corporations have stood up and spoke out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. New companies like Facebook, Pfizer, Altria, Peloton, and Dell join companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Google, Hilton, IBM, IKEA, Microsoft, Nike, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon in objecting to these bills. Four of the largest U.S. food companies also condemned “dangerous, discriminatory legislation that serves as an attack on LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender and nonbinary people,” and the Walton Family Foundation issued a statement expressing “alarm” at the trend of anti-transgender legislation that has recently become law in Arkansas.
  • The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1000 child welfare organizations released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

LGBT flag illustration by Symara Wilson for 360 Magazine

The Business Coalition for the Equality Act 

Top North Carolina Businesses Register Unprecedented Support for the Equality Act as More than 400 Major U.S. Corporations Join Coalition to Urge Protections for LGBTQ People 

The Business Coalition for the Equality Act is believed to be the largest business coalition to ever come together to speak out in support of legal LGBTQ equality 

Today, the Business Coalition for the Equality Act announced it has grown to include more than 400 major U.S. corporations (including 13 major North Carolina corporations) calling for the urgent passage of the Equality Act–federal legislation that would modernize our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit protections for LGBTQ people, as well as improve protections for women, people of color, and people of all faiths. The announcement signals unprecedented support for the Equality Act among America’s business leaders, who join a majority of Americans, hundreds of members of Congress, hundreds of advocacy organizations, and more than 60 business associations–including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers–in endorsing the federal legislation.

North Carolina corporations that have joined the coalition include Cargo Transporters, Inc., ABB Inc., ViiV Healthcare Company, GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Truist Financial, Advance Auto Parts (Advance Holding), Red Hat Inc., Ingersoll-Rand Company, Food Lion, LLC, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Bank of America Corp., Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Replacements Ltd. They employ 457,002 people across the state, have 13 headquarters in the state, and generate $151.9 billion in annual revenue for North Carolina.

As a whole, the 416 member companies of HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act represent a major swath of America’s economic engine, with member companies overseeing business operations in all 50 states, company headquarters spanning 33 states and a combined $6.8 trillion in annual revenue. The 416 members of the coalition collectively employ more than 14.6 million people in the United States. The Business Coalition for the Equality Act is believed to be the largest business coalition to ever come together to speak out in support of legal LGBTQ equality. The largest former effort was the business amicus brief for marriage equality, which included 379 businesses.

“We are seeing growing support from business leaders because they understand that the Equality Act is good for their employees, good for their businesses and good for our country. Employers care about their employees’ ability to rent an apartment, send their kids to school, visit the dentist, and pick up the groceries free from discrimination. They realize that when LGBTQ employees and their family members are protected in their daily lives, it makes them more secure and confident in their jobs, and also more productive,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “Thank you to every company that is speaking up and advocating for the passage of the Equality Act. It’s time for the Senate to listen to the business community and the public and pass this long overdue legislation.”

The Equality Act ensures everyone in America, including LGBTQ people, are protected from harassment and discrimination in all areas of life. Currently, even if an LGBTQ person works for a company that provides clear non-discrimination protections and inclusive cultures, that employee and their family members can still experience discrimination in other areas of life and have no legal recourse. In the majority of states–29 states in total–that lack explicit nondiscrimination protections, these employees can be denied healthcare, loans, housing, and basic goods and services because they are LGBTQ.

The business community’s support reflects the broad and overwhelming support for the Equality Act in communities nationwide. New polling from Hart Research Associates found that 70 percent of Americans (including 50 percent of Republicans) support the Equality Act. Hundreds of members of Congress and more than 600 organizations, including the nation’s top leaders in civil rights, education, health care, and faith organizations have also endorsed the legislation.

Corporate endorsements for the Equality Act have more than doubled since the Equality Act passed the U.S. House in 2019.

Business Support for the Equality Act

American Airlines: “American’s mission of taking care of people on life’s journey includes making the case for greater equity and inclusion, two of our company’s core values that are also critical to our success,” said Molly Wilkinson, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and PRIDE EBRG Executive Sponsor. “That’s why we’re proud to join with the Human Rights Campaign and this broad coalition of businesses in support of the Equality Act, a measure that would protect Americans from the kind of discrimination, harassment and unequal treatment that runs counter to our purpose. American has proudly stood with the LGBTQ community for decades and will continue to advocate for full inclusion, equity and protection under the law, because all of our team members and customers deserve to feel welcome and safe.”

Levi Strauss & Co.: “Levi Strauss & Co. is proud to support the Equality Act,” said Anna Walker, Vice President, Public Affairs. “We have a long history of supporting equal rights for the LGBT community, from being the first Fortune 500 company to extend health benefits to unmarried domestic partners more than 20 years ago, to being the only California business in 2007 to file an amicus brief with the California Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage. The time has come in this country for full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Ensuring fairness in our workplaces and communities is both good for business and simply the right thing to do.”

Dow: “Dow has been a proud supporter of the Equality Act since it was first introduced; and we continue advocating for the full inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community in the eyes of the law,” said Louis Vega, President, Dow North America and VP Government Affairs & Advocacy, North America. “Ensuring equality and opportunity for all is not only the right thing to do as a matter of human decency, it is good for society and business.”

IBM: “A workforce that reflects the diversity of today’s society drives new ideas and innovation,” said Carla Grant Pickens, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “At IBM, we seek to hire the most talented individuals regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or other personal characteristics. We also believe that equal protections should extend beyond an employer’s four walls, which is why IBM stands with HRC in endorsing the Equality Act. It’s time that civil rights protections be extended to LGBT+ individuals nationwide on a clear, consistent, and comprehensive basis.”

Marriott International Inc.: “At Marriott, we believe that every individual, including those in the LGBTQ community, should feel welcome, safe and respected when they enter one of our properties. As a global hospitality leader, our principles of non-discrimination extend to all travelers, and include sexual orientation and gender identity. That is why we are proud to join with the Human Rights Campaign and support passage of the Equality Act, to help ensure equality under the law as well as under our own roof.”

Singing by Mina Tocalini for use by 360 Magazine

THE DALLAS OPERA LAUNCHES STREAMING PLATFORM

THE DALLAS OPERA LAUNCHES NEW STREAMING PLATFORM FOR GLOBAL AUDIENCE: THEDALLASOPERA.TV

Monthly Subscription Provides Access to Video Catalogue from tdo network, OperaKids Programs, and Performances; New Content will be Added Regularly

Premium Films—Known as Originals—to be Featured Periodically as Special Pay-Per-View Rentals

The Dallas Opera (TDO) announces the launch of its new subscription streaming platform. Available starting today, the website brings together TDO’s full catalogue of existing video content—which ranges from full opera productions for audiences of all ages, to musical conversations and original opera-themed sit-com style episodes, to artist-hosted series that spotlight their interests and careers, educational series, and more—with new original opera films created specifically for a virtual audience.

The Dallas Opera represents a new avenue of presentation and production for an opera company, beyond the physical space of an opera house. Rather than offering only streams of staged productions filmed archivally, The Dallas Opera’s platform offers primarily original content filmed exclusively for streaming, available for viewing 24/7, 365 days a year by a global audience.

“We are so thrilled that thedallasopera.TV is launching today,” said Ian Derrer, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO. “To watch this project go from idea to reality in less than a year has been amazing to see, and we’re so proud of the content that we have ready to offer our global audience. This platform truly helps redefine our company as a leader in digital content, as well as on the opera house stage. We are breaking new ground in the field while continuing to preserve the great traditions of live opera.”

“What we’ve learned over the course of the past year without live performances is that there is a thirst for quality online content, and we are so happy to lead the way in producing that for our eager fans around the world,” said David Lomelí, a tenor, TDO’s Artistic Consultant, and creative force behind the initiative. “Statistics show that viewers ages 18-34 and 34-45 are online for more than 10 hours each day, and our efforts to reach that demographic—through unique and creative offerings—have proven successful, growing in just a year from 2,000 unique views in March 2020 to more than 150 million unique views today on our Facebook channel. Our hope is that this streaming model will reach even more.”

Subscriptions to the streaming platform are available for $4.99/month with a free seven-day trial. In addition, premium content–Originals–will be offered periodically at a pay-per-view price.

Two Originals are available as thedallasopera.TV launches today: “That Which We Love”, a recital by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, and “Vanished,” a three-part art film starring countertenor John Holiday and tenor Russell Thomas with music by Gluck, Monteverdi, and Janáček assembled into a new narrative. A third original, “The Heart of the Song,” featuring conversation with and performances by tenors Javier Camarena, Rolando Villazón, and David Lomelí, will be released on May 25 for a limited viewing period.

Thedallasopera.TV Content

Video content on thedallasopera.TV will be housed in four categories—Originals, Stages, tdo network, and OperaKids—and available via an app for mobile devices (iOS and Android), on smart TVs via Fire TV and Roku, and on the website for desktop/laptop users.

Originals

·       “That Which We Love” – Isabel Leonard in recital, pianist John Arida

This program features a mix of classical and popular songs by Sondheim, Bernstein, Kern, Offenbach, Berlioz, Bellini, and others. Rental fee = $6.99 for three months. Available now.

·       “Vanished” – an art film in three parts about longing, heartbreak, and the search for love featuring John Holiday and Russell Thomas

Directed by bass-baritone and film-maker Ryan McKinny, Vanished uses a variety of special effects and cinematic techniques to create the world of imagination depicted in the film. The soundtrack includes all 22 songs from Janáček’s “The Diary of One Who Disappeared”, as well as scenes from Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice,” and Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea.”

Pianists for “Vanished” are Kevin J. Miller and Kathleen Kelly. The story is by Ryan McKinny, Tonya McKinny, and Kathleen Kelly. McKinny’s production company, Helio Arts, filmed, produced, and edited the film. Rental fee = $19.99 for all three episodes for six months. Available now.

·       “The Heart of the Song” – tenors Javier Camarena, Rolando Villazón, and David Lomelí

Three famous Mexican-born tenors and friends engage in serious conversation and humor-laced repartee as they offer a celebration of much-loved Mexican and Latin American songs. Filmed in Dallas, Zürich, and Paris, the show is produced by director Laura Prieto and producer Jeremy Tang. English subtitles are provided for the songs, which are all sung in Spanish.

Rental fee = $11.99. Available May 25-31 only.

Stages

Stages content is included with thedallasopera.TV subscriptions, and will feature a catalogue of “greatest hits” from The Dallas Opera, including full-length operas, concerts, recitals, and archival video streams and radio broadcasts.

Thedallasopera.TV platform launch includes:

·       The company’s 2019 production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, presented in the 1999 Sir Peter Hall production. Conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, TDO’s Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, the cast includes Italian tenor Paolo Fanale as Tamino, soprano Andrea Carroll as Pamina, soprano Jeni Houser as The Queen of the Night, baritone Sean Michael Plumb as Papageno, and bass Morris Robinson as Sarastro. Kyle Lang directed the production for TDO.

·       “The John Holiday Experience,” a recital by recent finalist on The Voice, was recorded April 9 at the Winspear Opera House in TDO’s first live presentation since early 2020. Holiday, along with pianists Kevin J. Miller and Neeki Bey, performs a wide-ranging program of songs by Stevie Wonder, George Gershwin, Henri Duparc, Tyshawn Sorey, Norah Jones, and others.

·       A celebration of the first five years of The Dallas Opera Hart Institute for Women Conductors, which features selections from the five annual Showcase Concerts that mark the culmination of each year’s Institute. Featuring Hart Institute participants and The Dallas Opera conducting The Dallas Opera Orchestra.

tdo network

Launched in February 2020, tdo network has amassed a viewership of nearly 157 million followers from 50 countries in the past year with its ever-evolving collection of whimsical, topical, and informative original content hosted by artists and social media influencers. Access to all tdo network content is included with thedallasopera.TV subscriptions.

OperaKids

OperaKids offers programming for children, as well as educational resources for parents and children, all produced by The Dallas Opera’s education department and included in the monthly subscription price.

Two family operas are available now, as is Kids Opera Boot CampTM:

·       “Jack and the Beanstalk” (music by Sir Arthur Sullivan and others; words and story adaption by John Davies) brings the classic fairy tale to the opera stage in a screen adaptation by Mary Dibbern and Ryan Lescalleet of John Davies’ delightful children’s opera.

·       “Dr. Miracle” (music by Georges Bizet and others/libretto by Leon Battue and Ludovic Halévy) tells the tale of young love through a series of disguises, mishaps, and eventual happily-ever-after in a screen adaptation by Mary Dibbern and Ryan Lescalleet of this opera in one act that the composer wrote when he, too, was just a teen.

·       Kids Opera Boot CampTM—an interactive look behind the scenes at the opera, where viewers can learn from a series of five video lessons what it takes to make an opera, how to make an opera set, and how to learn music like an opera singer. Each of the five episodes is designed to show students what it takes to create opera through an engaging combination of hands-on activities, fun facts, and laugh-out-loud characters. The program concludes with a performance of The Bremen Town Musicians—a screen adaptation by Mary Dibbern and Ryan Lescalleet of John Davies’ delightful children’s opera about the value of teamwork. Designed for grades K-6.

About The Dallas Opera

Thedallasopera.TV is made possible through the McCasland Strategic Opportunities Fund with additional support by The Dallas Opera donor family.

SEASON SPONSOR: The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation; Texas Instruments; the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture;

the Texas Commission on the Arts; and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.

Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. NorthPark Center, the official shopping center of The

Dallas Opera The Dallas Opera is a proud member of OPERA America.

LGBTQ illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Ten Anti-LGBTQ Bills Sit on Governors’ Desks

Ten Anti-LGBTQ Bills Sit on Governors’ Desks, Poised to Undermine Rights Across the Country

As a fast and furious effort led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states continues to intensify, ten anti-LGBTQ bills currently sit on the desks of governors across the country waiting to be signed into law. These bills are only the latest examples of a concerted effort in state legislatures to undermine LGBTQ rights that has already resulted in the passage of several anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation in recent months.

“State legislators across the country were elected to represent all of us, not just some of us and yet they continue to send hateful and discriminatory anti-LGBTQ bills to the desks of governors to sign into law, threatening the well-being, health, and fundamental rights of thousands of LGBTQ Americans in states from coast to coast,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. “From anti-transgender sports bans to erasing LGBTQ people from school curriculum, these bills are driven by fear and would have a significant negative impact on the lives of so many LGBTQ people. The governors of these states are responsible for protecting their citizens, and they must refuse to sign these baseless and unconscionable cruel bills into law.  Otherwise, they should and will be held accountable for the consequences.”

These bills include blatant attacks on transgender youth, including prohibiting transgender kids from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity, allow student organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of free speech, erase LGBTQ people from history books, and add substantial hurdles for transgender people who want to change the gender on their birth certificate by first requiring gender-affirming surgery.

Below is a roundup of the ten anti-LGBTQ bills currently sitting on the desks of governors:

  • ALABAMA
    • House Bill 391 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
      • The Alabama Senate and House passed House Bill 391, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. The bill now heads to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk for signature or veto.
  • ARIZONA
    • Senate Bill 1456 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATION BILL
      • The Arizona State House passed Senate Bill 1456 – discriminatory legislation that affects not only sexual education material, but all learning materials in the classroom and makes it harder for LGBTQ kids to see themselves in school curriculum.
      • The bill, which would make Arizona’s sex education laws some of the strictest in the nation when it comes to teaching about LGBTQ issues, now heads to Governor Doug Ducey’s desk for consideration.
  • ARKANSAS
    • Senate Bill 389 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATON BILL
      • The Arkansas Senate passed Senate Bill 389, a bill which would require a school district to notify parents before “providing a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum” in any kind of instruction, including but not limited to education on sexuality.
      • In addition to making it harder for students kids to access sex education, it could also preclude discussion about sexuality more broadly, including in literature and history classes, for example. A district could be forced to notify parents, provide curriculum materials, and allow parents to opt students out of learning about important modern and historical events, from the A.I.D.S. epidemic to the Stonewall riots to even Supreme Court jurisprudence. This bill disproportionately disadvantages LGBTQ youth who may not have supportive families and put children at greater risk of health consequences.
  • KANSAS
    • Kansas Senate Bill 55 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
      • The Kansas Senate passed Senate Bill 55, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
  • MONTANA
    • Senate Bill 280    – BIRTH CERTIFICATE BILL
      • The Montana Senate passed SB 280, a bill that adds substantial hurdles for transgender people who want to change the gender on their birth certificate by first requiring gender-affirming surgery.
    • Senate Bill 215 – RELIGIOUS REFUSAL BILL
      • The Montana House passed SB 215, an expansive religious refusal bill that could grant a license to discriminate against Montanans and visitors, including LGBTQ people, people of faith, and women, across a wide range of goods and services in the state.
  • NORTH DAKOTA
    • House Bill 1503 – ANTI-ALL COMERS BILL
      • Many public colleges and universities have long had “all-comers” policies that require student organizations receiving financial and other support from the institution not to discriminate against students based on race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.
      • These policies allow all members of the student body to participate in student organizations and prevent such organizations from discriminating against students with state funding. The Supreme Court upheld these all-comers policies as constitutional in the Christian Legal Society v. Martinez decision in 2010.
      • North Dakota HB 1503, in part, undermines inclusive “all-comers” policies at North Dakota public colleges and universities, by allowing student organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of free speech.
    • House Bill 1298 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
      • The North Dakota Senate passed House Bill 1298, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
  • TENNESSEE
    • Senate Bill 1229 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATION
      • The Tennessee Senate passed Senate Bill 1229, a bill which would require a school district to notify parents before “providing a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum” in any kind of instruction, including but not limited to education on sexuality.
      • In addition to making it harder for students kids to access sex education, it could also preclude discussion about sexuality more broadly, including in literature and history classes, for example. A district could be forced to notify parents, provide curriculum materials, and allow parents to opt students out of learning about important modern and historical events, from the A.I.D.S. epidemic to the Stonewall riots to even Supreme Court jurisprudence.
      • SB 389 also disproportionately disadvantages LGBTQ youth who may not have supportive families and puts children at greater risk of health consequences.
  • WEST VIRGINIA
    • House Bill 3293 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
      • The West Virginia Senate passed House Bill 3293, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

Wide range of businesses and advocacy groups oppose anti-trans legislation

  • More than 65 major U.S. corporations have stood up and spoken out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. New companies like Facebook, Pfizer, Altria, Peloton, and Dell join companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Google, Hilton, IBM, IKEA, Microsoft, Nike, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon in objecting to these bills.
  • The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1000 child welfare organizations released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular.

The NCAA opposes efforts to limit participation of transgender students

The NCAA Board of Governors released a public letter making clear that it “firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports.” Moreover, “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.” This puts the 30 states with discriminatory anti-transgender legislation under consideration on notice that their actions will have repercussions for their states.

A fight driven by national anti-LGBTQ groups, not local legislators or public concern

These bills come from the same forces that drove previous anti-equality fights by pushing copycat bills across state houses — dangerous anti-LGBTQ organizations like the Heritage Foundation, Alliance Defending Freedom (designated by Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group), and Eagle Forum among others.

  • For example, Montana’s HB 112, the first anti-transgender sports bill to be passed through a legislative chamber in any state, was worked on by the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Trans equality is popular: Anti-transgender legislation is a low priority, even among Trump voters

A new PBS/NPR/Marist poll states that 67% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, oppose the anti-transgender sports ban legislation proliferating across 30 states.

In a 10-swing-state poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group last fall:

  • At least 60% of Trump voters across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should be able to live freely and openly.
  • At least 87% of respondents across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should have equal access to medical care, with many states breaking 90% support
  • When respondents were asked about how they prioritized the importance of banning transgender people from participating in sports as compared to other policy issues, the issue came in dead last, with between 1% and 3% prioritizing the issue.

Another more recent poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group revealed that, with respect to transgender youth participation in sports, the public’s strong inclination is on the side of fairness and equality for transgender student athletes. 73% of voters agree that “sports are important in young people’s lives. Young transgender people should be allowed opportunities to participate in a way that is safe and comfortable for them.”

States that pass anti-transgender legislation suffer economic, legal, reputational harm

Analyses conducted in the aftermath of previous divisive anti-transgender bills across the country, like the bathroom bills introduced in Texas and North Carolina and an anti-transgender sports ban in Idaho, show that there would be or has been devastating fallout.

  • The Idaho anti-transgender sports bill that passed was swiftly suspended by a federal district court. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) came out against the Idaho bill and others like it and subsequently moved planned tournament games out of Idaho.
  • The Associated Press projected that the North Carolina bathroom bill could have cost the state $3.76 billion over 10 years.
  • During a fight over an anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, the Texas Association of Business estimated $8.5 billion in economic losses, risking 185,000 jobs in the process due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sporting event cancellations, a ban on taxpayer funded travel to those states, cancellation of movie productions, and businesses moving projects out of state.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Basketball illustration by Mina Tocalini for use by 360 Magazine

North Carolina Introduces Anti-Trans Sports Ban

On Fifth Anniversary of HB 2 ‘Bathroom Bill’ Passage, North Carolina Introduces Anti-Trans Sports Ban.

North Carolina puts forward another anti-transgender bill, again invoking the rhetoric of protecting women and girls from transgender people.

Late Monday, the North Carolina House introduced House Bill 358, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports (including college sports) consistent with their gender identity. The timing of this bill introduction could not have been more ironic, as it came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Governor Pat McCrory signing the now-notorious House Bill 2, which mandated discrimination against transgender people in bathrooms.

Like HB2, the “Save Women’s Sports” bills rely on false narratives based in fear, rather than facts or science. Like HB2, these sports bans are fear mongering and an attempt to score political points by singling out already marginalized people for additional discrimination.

“In a moment of sad irony, North Carolina legislators have shown they clearly did not learn their lesson from the HB 2 ‘Bathroom Bill’ fight that threatened the state to the tune of billions in revenue, taxpayer-funded litigation, and a tarnished reputation–in addition to the personal reputational harm Gov. Pat McCrory suffered that cost him his job,” said Human Rights Campaign State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Kate Oakley. “By introducing an anti-transgender sports ban bill, they are playing with fire once again, and engaging in a fight that is doomed to the same fate. This legislation is simply the latest iteration in a failed series of attempts to thwart equality for LGBTQ people. Two conservative governors have either threatened to veto or vetoed anti-transgender sports ban legislation out of the same fears that were realized in North Carolina five years ago. Let North Carolina’s ‘bathroom bill’ fight be a lesson to all states and governors considering anti-transgender legislation this session. North Carolina does not want to go down this road again.”

The legislative fight to pass discriminatory anti-transgender legislation has been fast and furious, led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states – quite like the bathroom bill push in 2016. There are 174 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country so far this year. Of those, 95 directly target transgender people and about half of those would, like HB 358, ban transgender girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. As was the case in the HB 2 fight, legislators across the country invoke hypothetical scenarios of harm but have failed to provide actual examples of issues in their states to attempt to justify these attacks, laying bare the reality that these are attacks on transgender youth that are fueled by discrimination and not supported by fact.  Collegiate and professional sports organizations have had trans-inclusive policies for years without incident, and there is no reason North Carolina or any other state needs a ban on transgender participation in sports.

Wide range of business and advocacy groups, athletes oppose anti-trans legislation

  • Earlier this month, more than 55 major U.S. corporations stood up and spoke out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. New companies like Facebook, Pfizer, Altria, Peloton, and Dell joined companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Google, Hilton, IBM, IKEA, Microsoft, Nike, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon in objecting to these bills.
  • Nearly 550 college athletes have stood up to anti-transgender legislation by demanding the NCAA pull championships from states with anti-trans sports legislation
  • The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups-representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1,000 child welfare organizations-released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular.

States that pass anti-transgender legislation suffer economic, legal, reputational harm

Analyses conducted in the aftermath of previous divisive anti-transgender bills across the country, like the bathroom bills introduced in Texas and North Carolina and an anti-transgender sports ban in Idaho, show that there would be or has been devastating fallout.

  • The Idaho anti-transgender sports bill that passed was swiftly suspended by a federal district court. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) came out against the Idaho bill and others like it and subsequently moved planned tournament games out of Idaho.
  • The Associated Press projected that the North Carolina bathroom bill could have cost the state $3.76 billion over 10 years.
  • During a fight over an anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, the Texas Association of Business estimated $8.5 billion in economic losses, risking 185,000 jobs in the process due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sporting event cancellations, a ban on taxpayer funded travel to those states, cancellation of movie productions, and businesses moving projects out of state.

The economy and reputation of North Carolina suffered very real harm caused by HB2. Here’s just a snapshot of the overwhelming outcry at the time of the bill’s passage:

  • Over 200 major business leaders, from Apple to Zola, signed an open letter to NC Gov. Pat McCrory opposing HB2, because discrimination is bad for business. The letter was first announced on March 29, 2016, when it was hand-delivered to Pat McCrory by HRC President Chad Griffin, Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro and transgender advocate Candis Cox.
  • On April 5, 2016, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman announced that the company will seek an alternative location for its new “global operations center.” PayPal’s investment was expected to bring 400 skilled jobs to North Carolina, with an annual payroll impact of more than $20 million. In its statement, Schulman said, “The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture.”
  • On April 8, 2016 Bruce Springsteen cancelled his concert in North Carolina over HB2, saying, “Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry-which is happening as I write-is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”
  • On May 4, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice determined North Carolina’s discriminatory HB 2 violates federal civil rights law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. At a press conference on May 9, Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke directly to the transgender community, saying “We see you. We stand with you, and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward.”
  • On July 21, 2016, the NBA decided to stand up to North Carolina lawmakers who refused to repeal HB2 by pulling its 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, NC. Despite the NBA’s repeated warnings that it would have to consider moving the high-profile game out of the state if the anti-LGBTQ law was not repealed, the state’s General Assembly shamefully adjourned after 100 days of inaction.
  • In North Carolina, basketball is king-but that didn’t stop the NCAA from standing up for their LGBTQ players, employees and fans by vowing to move tournament events from the state because of HB2. The NCAA announced that they would move all 2016-2017 championship games out of the state on September 12, 2016.
  • On Election Day, NC Governor Pat McCrory, who signed HB2 into law, was defeated at the ballot box — the only incumbent governor from either party to lose on Election Day. Polling by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research showed that HB2 was the most cited issue leading to McCrory’s defeat in those who voted against McCrory.
  • In February, the North Carolina Sports Association sent a letter to lawmakers warning of a loss of NCAA championship games through 2022 if HB2 is not immediately repealed. In the letter, the sports association warned that the NCAA decision could cost the state at least another half a billion dollars in economic activity when other sports organizations follow the NCAA’s lead in moving events out of the state. In November 2016, Forbes estimated that the state had already lost hundreds of millions of dollars due to HB2.
  • In March, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex revealed it had lost $23.5 million in revenue from various championships and conventions because of HB2.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people  are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Emotional Support Animal Airline Laws Changing January 11th

In 2020, the Department of Transportation made a new determination that only service dogs would continue to be protected under the American’s with Disabilities Act, thus categorizing emotional support animals as pets.

So far, only Southwest Airlines have stated that they will continue to accept ESA’s at no charge. Both Alaska and American Airlines have stated that they will no longer accept emotional support animals on flights. However, several airlines accept pets for a fee. Those who have already booked flights this year with their ESA should look into each airline policy, as some will still be accepting ESA’s from existing reservations.

“Basically what it comes down to is the animal’s training. They are saying an individual with PTSD who has a trained dog can have the animal with them during air travel, but if the individual has PTSD and doesn’t have the luxury of being gifted a service dog, or can’t afford the costs of obtaining a service dog which can run upwards of $50,000, then their PTSD doesn’t qualify/isn’t valid,” said licensed mental health professional Prairie Conlon. Prairie Conlon, LPC, NPC  and Clinical Director of CertaPet was disheartened about the news.

“That’s textbook discrimination on several levels. I’m honestly astonished that they pushed this through. There are so many other options, such as tightening restrictions and requiring basic training, that could have solved the issue,” continued Conlon.

“So many news sources keep referring to the peacock incident of 2018 and of course they are saying good riddance, as am I. But what they fail to realize is that that incident did cause a lot of change and those types of animals haven’t seen ESA status for air travel since then. Stop referring to the peacock. It’s not a valid argument anymore. Nobody is fighting for the peacock to be an ESA.” 

CertaPet, an emotional support letter service, released this statement:

“We at Certapet think this is a great disservice to those facing mental health challenges that get emotional support from their animal.  We understand that there have been incidents that have discredited emotional support animals and the service they provide, but those situations could be prevented by increased regulation.  We think emotional support peacocks are ridiculous too.  Providing clear guidelines for certification and vetting companies in the industry would have been simple steps to solve this challenge for all stakeholders. Certapet is a trusted telehealth platform that has been providing real mental health services for many years. These imposter companies exploiting individuals with mental health issues should be penalized.

Eliminating emotional support animals altogether is a quick, cheap fix that disregards those who really need and use the treatment appropriately. The DOT has chosen the easy and harmful path over the correct one. We hope to have continued discussions with airlines as they make choices on their own company policies and encourage them to make the right decisions. Mental health is a serious issue and removing access to a researched and proven treatment is a disgrace.”

ABOUT PRAIRIE CONLON

Prairie is a licensed mental health professional and is considered the world’s leading expert on Emotional Support Animals. She is the Clinical Director of Therapeutic and consults for CertaPet, one of the largest telehealth companies in the nation. Prairie has a Master’s Degree in professional counseling and a Postgraduate Degree in Military Behavioral health counseling. She is certified as an equine-assisted psychotherapist. Prairie is a certified Accelerated Resolution Therapist and helps train future trauma therapist in this modality. She consults for several nonprofits for veterans and first responder trauma, including The Lone Survivor Foundation and Horses that Heal. She is the founder, developer and lead researcher of emotional support animal Assisted Therapy (ESAAT) which is a set of techniques utilized to decrease anxiety, panic attacks, depressive symptoms, and sleep difficulties with the use of an Emotional Support Animal.

ABOUT CERTAPET

We are the #1 Emotional Support Letter Service, and we make sure your letter is 100% compliant with state and federal regulations.

As Airline Satisfaction Climbs to Record Highs, Line Blurs Between Low-Cost and Traditional Carriers, J.D. Power Finds

Alaska Airlines Ranks Highest among Traditional Carriers for 12th Consecutive Year; JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines Tie for Highest Rank among Low-Cost Carriers

Is this the golden age of air travel? According to the J.D. Power 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, SM a combination of newer planes, better ticket value and improved customer touchpoints have driven overall satisfaction with airlines to its highest point in history, up 11 points (on a 1,000-point scale) from last year’s record-setting performance. The surge is driven by significant improvements among traditional carriers, while satisfaction slowed with low-cost carriers.

“Airlines continue to deliver on the operational side of air travel,” said Michael Taylor, Travel Intelligence Lead at J.D. Power. “New technology investments have dramatically improved the reservation and check-in process. Fleets are newer and travelers generally feel that they are getting great value for their money. These improvements have been most profound in the traditional carrier segment, where customer satisfaction has climbed considerably.

“While low-cost carriers have historically had the highest levels of customer satisfaction in our study, due to a strong sense of value for money among customers, that line is starting to blur as traditional carriers improve their services and operations,” Taylor added. “The one area where both traditional and low-cost carriers can still improve, however, is in in-flight services. It continues to be the lowest-ranked factor in the study, as many airlines still struggle with in-flight entertainment, connectivity, in-seat power, and food service.”

Following are some of the key findings of the 2019 study:

  • Record-high customer satisfaction: Overall satisfaction with airlines increases 11 points to 773, continuing an eight-year trend of satisfaction improvement.
  • Improvement is driven by traditional carriers: This year’s significant gains in customer satisfaction are driven by the traditional carriers, whose segment satisfaction score improves 22 points from 2018. The low-cost segment—while still having higher overall satisfaction than the traditional carrier segment—declines 6 points from 2018, thus driving a segment convergence in satisfaction.
  • Tech investments in reservation and check-in systems pay off: The reservation and check-in experiences are the most satisfying portions of the airline experience, driven by investments in digital check-in technologies, self-service kiosks and a concerted effort among airlines to improve the efficiency of the pre-flight process.
  • In-flight service remains a stumbling block: In-flight services, such as seatback entertainment, food service, and Wi-Fi continue to be the lowest-ranked part of the air traveler experience. Specific in-flight amenities that have the greatest positive effect on customer satisfaction are fresh food, seatback games and seatback live television.

Study Rankings

Among traditional carriers, Alaska Airlines ranks highest for the 12th consecutive year, with a score of 801. Delta Air Lines (788) ranks second and American Airlines (764) ranks third.

Among low-cost carriers, JetBlue Airways (817) and Southwest Airlines (817) rank highest in a tie. For Southwest, this is the third consecutive year at the top of the J.D. Power ranking.

Among Canada-based airlines, Air Canada (729) saw its customer satisfaction score declined 5 points from 2018. WestJet (758) saw its score increase 11 points but remains below the low-cost carrier average.

The North America Airline Satisfaction Study, now in its 15th year, measures passenger satisfaction with airline carriers in North America based on performance in seven factors (in order of importance): cost and fees; in-flight services; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; check-in; and reservation. The study measures passenger satisfaction among both business and leisure travelers and is based on responses from 5,966 passengers who flew on a major North American airline between March 2018 and March 2019. The study was fielded from April 2018 through March 2019.

For more information about the North America Airline Satisfaction Study, visit http://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/jd-power-north-america-airline-satisfaction-study.

Join the conversation on social media using #AirlineStudy and follow J.D. Power on FacebookTwitter, and LinkedIn.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth, and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

Dallas Mavericks Hosts SEATS For SOLDIERS Tonight

The Dallas Mavericks, American Airlines and Nick & Sam’s are proud to partner again for the 14thAnnual Seats for Soldiers, a one-of-a-kind experience to honor our nation’s heroes. More than 100 wounded service members from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio will join reserve troops from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to enjoy dinner at Nick & Sam’s Park Cities, as well as courtside seats at the Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz game, tonight Nov. 14, at American Airlines Center.

“Our annual Seats for Soldiers night is a reminder that we don’t get to enjoy the game we love without the incredible sacrifices our soldiers make,” said Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. “This game is one small way for the Dallas Mavericks and our season ticket holders to say ‘Thank You’ and acknowledge the bravery of the men and women in uniform.”

The concept for Seats for Soldiers originated with Dallas Mavericks season ticket holders Neal and Jamie Hawks, who, along with other front-row season ticket holders, have donated their seats – valued at $350,000 – year after year to host the wounded service members. After the game, the soldiers get the opportunity to meet and take photos with Mavericks players, coaches, dancers, ManiAACs and DJ Poizon Ivy.

The day begins with American Airlines providing charter transportation from San Antonio to Dallas/Fort Worth though Fuel Smart, the airline’s team member-led fuel conservation program that helps provide flights for injured service members, veterans and their families using funds generated through team members’ everyday actions to save fuel. In addition, American’s pilots and flight attendants volunteer their time for the occasion.

“Giving back to the men and women who serve our country is a tremendous honor for the 130,000 team members of American Airlines,” said David Seymour, American’s senior vice president – Integrated Operations, and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. “American is honored and humbled by the sacrifice these individuals have made and it is our privilege to partner with the Mavs and Nick & Sam’s to give them a much-deserved night of great food and NBA basketball.”

After arriving at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the group of soldiers will be treated to a four-course dinner at Nick & Sam’s Park Cities, prior to attending the Mavs vs. Jazz game. This year’s menu, created by Nick & Sam’s Corporate Chef and Partner Samir Dhurandhar, features a first course of shrimp and grits, creole crab cakes with a Cajun remoulade, prime beef egg rolls, and a sushi platter consisting of kung pao lobster rolls, crispy tuna and shrimp tempura rolls. The second course is a Caesar salad. The main course features an Allen Brothers 10 oz. prime filet with sides of mashed sweet potatoes, green beans with almonds and creamed corn maux choux. The meal concludes with Dallas Mavericks seven-layer cake, pecan pie and pumpkin pie. Beverage service will also be provided, all free of charge to the service members, and the Nick & Sam’s staff will also volunteer their time to host the group.