Miles & Points, Mistake Fares, and Luxury Travel
AUS
- Tweets 60,583
- Following 942
- Followers 198,200
- Likes 14,498
You Can Finally Keep Your Shoes On—TSA's 23-Year Airport Security Rule Ended Today - View from the Wing viewfromthewing.com/you-can-…
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9th Circuit Court of Appeals: @snowden was right.
We didn't need 7 years and a court to tell us that collecting phone records on all Americans was illegal, unconstitutional, and wrong.
The government perpetrators should be the ones facing charges.
Seven years ago, as the news declared I was being charged as a criminal for speaking the truth, I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA's activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them.
And yet that day has arrived.
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It's not weather. It is their failure to requalify 737 pilots to fly despite $10 billion in subsidies meant to do just that.
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Company I know hosts happy hours after job fairs/interview day.
Prospective employees think it's for their relaxation, but the company is still interviewing - watching how they behave 'off the clock' and vetting against their 'no jerks' policy.
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Looks like @AmericanAir is running @SouthwestAir focus city rescue flights tonight, an extra section with a Boeing 788:
ORD-PHX AA9610 500pm - 805pm
PHX-ORD AA9611 8:50pm - 1:15am
Inventory looks wide open.
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Boarding a @Delta flight, young woman beside me in the aisle exclaims "Oh my God, they have TVs!'
To passengers, this old A319 is modern, new - and equipped with the latest technology from the early aughts.
Seat back screens are vastly preferred over tablet holders and phones.
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Airbnb needs to display all-in pricing.
Actual cost of an @Airbnb stay tends to be ~ 50% higher than advertised nightly rate. That is unacceptable.
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Payment terminal at @AUStinAirport concession requires you to select a tip amount prior to paying.
Custom tip amount does not accept $0.00. Must tip at least $0.01.
You can call me cheap if you want but when did we start tipping for bottles of water to go?
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This is why @AmericanAir and @SouthwestAir want the government to ban @flyjsx - it's too good, and customers prefer to fly them.
viewfromthewing.com/a-record…
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With no disrespect to Dubai in this regard, food is meaningfully better in Singapore.
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On the contrary, what better demonstration that the government knows these liquids aren't dangerous?
Of course if they were they wouldn't be tossed into a bin at the checkpoint - there'd be a hazmat team responding when the liquids were found!
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People plan to spend Thanksgiving with large groups outside their own households, yet say they're unwilling to fly the Boeing 737 MAX.
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Charging an undisclosed $1000 per night on top of room charge (points) as a penalty for late arrival on award stay due to flight cancellations may be the worst hotel policy I have ever heard of. Shame on @StRegisAspen why do you hate your @MarriottBonvoy guests so much? #fraud
.@StRegisAspen Is this really how you'd want to be treated as a guest if you were staying at a hotel? This policy is SHAMEFUL. onemileatatime.com/st-regis-…
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It is nothing. Biden doesn't even instruct the Archivist to act here.
The Equal Rights Amendment had a ratification deadline included by Congress. Some argue that is illegitimate, so states like Virginia which ratified in 2020 'count' and pushed it over the top.
However, the Supreme court unanimously concluded Dillon v. Gloss (1921) that ratification deadlines are constitutional.
The DC Circuit ruled specifically against the Equal Rights Amendment having been ratified in 2023.
So...it's posturing, and not on solid constitutional ground.
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The US bans vaccinated Europeans who test negative for Covid-19.
And welcomes unvaccinated Russians, Indonesians, Peruvians, Mexicans.
We were promised a science-based administration. When will we get one?
Fully agree with my @EUintheUS colleague that banning fully vaccinated Europeans from entering America is damaging to EU-US relations in so many ways.
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Austin's equity office looked at pro-Confederate and pro-slavery names, recommends renaming... Austin. Also "Reagan Hill Drive" which they 'presume' was named for Texas Democratic Congressman John Reagan who resigned from the House when the state seceded. austintexas.gov/edims/pio/do…
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It is disingenuous to talk about '13 jobs connected to each airline job' as though paying airline employees not to work would keep other people working.
Jobs come from people flying for leisure and business. Those don't exist without demand for travel. The problem is the virus.
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When @AmericanAir doesn't seem to realize the passenger complaint is that they ARE updating their fleet - cramming in more seats, using less padding, and making domestic flying less comfortable. STOP updating the fleet and passengers will be happier!
We love sharing the skies with you and our team continues to update our entire fleet as quickly as we can.
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I really appreciate airlines like @AmericanAir and @airfrance that allow you to put award tickets on hold. This makes life so much easier as you check details, transfer points, coordinate hotel availability etc.
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An @AlaskaAir flight attendant just moved her own bag out of an overhead bin to make room for a first class passenger's bag up front. That. Actually. Happened. In. Real. Life.
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GOOD NEWS: There is an independent copy of the database with our lifetime stay histories. We just need to get the hackers to provide access and we can fix the problems with Marriott's SPG integration!
Massive Marriott Data Breach: 500 Million Bookings, Many With Payment and Passport Data viewfromthewing.boardingarea…
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I need to cancel a @SiriusXM subscription before it auto-bills. They won't let you do it on the website, or via online chat. The phone # on the website isn't for the cancel dept. Now on my 2nd call.
The worst business model is boosting revenue by making it too hard to cancel.
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British Airways business class pre-departure beverage, I was just denied a glass of water.
Champagne and orange juice only: "You already have a bottle of water at your seat, sir."
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Wait, the President of the United States invited the leaders of the Taliban to visit the weekend before the 9/11 anniversary?
Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday. They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to..
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Poor fellow doesn't realize the new @AmericanAir standard interior will remove seat back entertainment and squeeze seats closer together. Should I tell him?
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The Trump administration is United's regulator. American and Delta both put out political statements on the shutdown. There are consequences if they don't. This is a hostage video.
🚨 HOLY CRAP! The CEO of United Airlines is now GOING OFF on Chuck Schumer and the Democrats for shuttering the government and refusing to pay air traffic controllers
It's getting worse for Chuck!
"Let's get a CLEAN CR...without putting the American workers and economy at risk!"
"We are starting to see steep booking impacts. It's been 30 days. I don't have a partisan side - but it's bene 30 days. It's time to pass a CLEAN CR!"
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TikTokers and those of you making Instagram Reels need to hear this: the Emirates first class minibar is stupid.
You're a first class passenger why are you making your own drinks?
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Business idea: a doctor's office but where physicians see you at your scheduled appointment time.
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I have the strangest luck. My @AmericanAir flight was just selected for a very special offer. It seems to happen often on the flights I happen to be on.
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Gate agent just announced the best way to go viral on tiktok is to refuse to wear a mask and find out what happens
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The key to getting good inflight customer service: "Would you bring me another drink, and one of those card applications you mentioned in the announcement?"
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Gotta say kudos @AmericanAir to continue honoring refunds for cancelled flights, waiving redeposit fees on award tickets and refunding taxes.
Seems obvious it would work this way but many airlines showing their true colors at this time, holding customers' money hostage. #COVID19
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Dear @AmericanAir,
When you eliminated choice of cookie as dessert, flight attendants realized they'd finish service quicker placing the warm cookie on the meal tray & serving everything at once
Passengers need to either eat the cookie first or eat it cold
Stop. The. Madness.
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CEO Doug Parker finally knows how @AmericanAir customers feel.
AA: Doug Parker on 787 delays
“It's incredibly frustrating that we are not certain when they are going to come. It's one thing to know you are going to have a delay, but it would be really nice to know how long the delay is going to be, instead of these "rolling delays"”
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This isn't a @TSA checkpoint. It is the @AmericanAir check-in line at @Reagan_Airport
Didn't we just give them $10 billion so they would have enough staff?
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A private pilot took made this flight in Maryland tonight. Tail # N98131 is a single engine 1969 PIPER PA-28-140. #travel #AvGeek #COVID19
flightaware.com/live/flight/…
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Just got off the phone with an airline. Agent says "by any chance are you Gary Leff the blogger?"
"Oh I'm a big fan, you're the sanest one out there."
Phew! Didn't want her making nasty notes in my record.
But little does she know...
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Reportedly @Delta is taking all of the Airbus A330-200s and -300s that @AmericanAir (inadvisably) retired.
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Some of the @MarriottBonvoy hotels must spend more on staff figuring out how to cheat members out of benefits than they save actually cheating members on their benefits.
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You did not deliver the promised bundle that they purchased. Consequences/reviews aside, as an ethical matter they are definitely owed something non-de minimis.
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I'd point out that he was able to get tested without having symptoms. If only that was available to the rest of us we could make real progress against COVID-19.
Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.
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Biden administration not allowing Texas diesel fuel to be delivered to Puerto Rico in an emergency because of maritime special interests.
Remember when Senator Maria Cantwell made Pete Buttigieg pledge allegiance to the Jones Act as a condition of confirmation as DOT Secretary?
The Puerto Rico ports director confirms: there’s a ship holding off the southern coast of Puerto Rico with diesel for P.R. but it can’t be delivered because the ship has a foreign flag. The shipper has requested a Jones Act waiver from the federal govt; the request is pending.
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When it is automatically added to the bill it is not a tip, it is a mandatory surcharge - the price on the menu is not the price. Right @POTUS?
I have no problem thanking the kitchen with a tip. But just tell me when you bring the check, please.
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Flying @United and the wifi works!
Predeparture beverages were served. Live CNBC in the background.
Woman beside me slept the first two-thirds of the flight, just woke up, and flight attendant came over to offer meal choice.
Surprisingly nice domestic flight of under 3 hours.
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The world moves fast - sometimes too fast. There's one place you can slow everything down and re-center yourself, giving up all sense of control: @AmericanAir Baggage Claim.
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Check into my hotel, I've been here 100 times before. First thing they tell me is they aren't doing daily housekeeping (though Hyatt says it is offered to elites and I requested it in the app).
"What about trash," I say?
"Leave it in the hall" they say.
This. Is. Not. A. Dorm.
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How dumb is it that Zoom requires updating their software right as you're signing into a meeting at the time that meeting starts?
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My @AmericanAir flight is delayed Me to gate agent "what are we hearing is the issue with the aircraft?" Gate agent: "If I told you I'd get fired." #CustomerService
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Good advice: Live close to work, commuting sucks. Don't spend too much on cars and 'stuff'. Take vacations, go to dinner, spend time with friends. Spend money hiring people to do chores that suck. Marry someone you like. econlib.org/more-bang-for-yo…
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This is the old @AmericanAir I know, finished boarding at T-13 and still no time to offer PDBs.
And let me make this unequivocally clear: a shrink wrapped turkey and cheese croissant is not a first class meal.
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Dear @United
Why are you selling something that consumers are entitled to whether they buy it or not?
Doesn't this mislead customers into thinking they're only entitled to refund when their flight cancels if they pay more?
Best,
Gary
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Not everyone likes the new @AmeicanAir AAdvantage elite status changes, and I'm dying...
disaadvantagestatus.com/
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Every time I fly @United the inflight internet is unusable and I'm reminded why I don't fly United.
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Just had the absolute best @AmericanAir flight attendant in first class. Predeparture beverages, drinks constantly topped off. Addressed everyone by name and remembered names. Thanked everyone at end of flight
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Golds are getting upgrades and long haul international flights are going out with empty seats in premium cabins. The world really is turned upside down.
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My life = officially complete.
I have been quoted by @chrissyteigen - and in order to do that, she actually had to read my blog.
#achievementunlocked #lifegoals #winning
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It’s taken an hour to send a tweet that @AmericanAir @PanasonicAero inflight wifi is so poor I can barely send a tweet. Though on my outbound flight the system never once connected at all.
$35, when other airlines have begun including functional internet for free, is appalling.
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My @AmericanAir flight boarded early, aisles were clear at T-15. No PDBs offered.
We pushed back late. There was plenty of time. Yet at T-10 drink orders were taken..for when we're up in the air.
I'll live! But if AA wants to sell a premium product, try by first delivering one.
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Today is my last day as an @AmericanAir #ConciergeKey member. I am not traveling.
I need to think of a reason to get reservations help by email and to call the CK line, over and over, since I will never have this status again.
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If a terrorist can't take a non-stop @etihad A380 or @qatarairways A350 to the U.S. they're not gonna come. We all hate connections!
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Matt at @americanair gate 27 in SAN is an embarassment.
He informed me all strollers must be gate checked. I showed him ours collapses and fits inside the sizer.
He got mad, declared it would be gate checked or we would not travel. Now we'll see if he even boards it for spite.
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We overuse Zoom now for calls where the phone will do just fine.
It isn't necessary to see each other for every discussion.
And no, if you insist on video, I am not changing out of my t-shirt for the meeting.
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US shpuld eliminate negative test for emtry by air for those who get boosted.
Not only is their risk low (and those that have recently recovered from Covid are exempt already) but the public health benefit of encouraging boosters would *far* outweigh any risk.
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I hate the British Airways website so much. I hate it with a passion that burns hotter than a thousand suns.
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Massive flight delays, the result of March 2020 thinking.
It's like we've learned nothing about Covid-19 and still act as though fomites are a primary vector of spread.
The FAA Air Traffic Control Tower is undergoing a required sanitization & deep clean. Travelers should be aware that AUS will be experiencing delays for both arrivals and departures.
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Senior airline executives should get out into the terminal far more often. They should join their loyalty program and experience their product, and they should experience competitors as well.
It was great helping customers this morning at @JetBlue T5 at @JFKairport on a busy #4thofJuly travel day.
ALT Rob helping customers check in at JetBlue T5.
ALT Rob and a customer smiling as they check in to a JetBlue flight at JFK T5.
ALT Rob helping a group of customers at JFK T5.
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Passenger sits down in the window seat on @SouthwestAir - I am already in the aisle.
He says, 'what you don't like the View Of The Wing?'
Har har.
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Prioritizing paid members seems... reasonable.
They aren't selling one-off passes for $79 or admitting military members on a complimentary basis (a nice space available gesture).
Hard to characterize @AmericanAir as a bad actor when they're even declining ancillary revenue!
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The @AmericanAir response to this refund request is the best thing you've ever seen on twitter.
@AmericanAir you guys better stop the fuckshit and give me my mother fuckan money back. I’m not fuckan playin wit y’all n this bullshit. I want the contacts to your legal department and your customer relations department is solid shit in a box.
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Never ever take the bus to the LAX-it lot at @flyLAXairport for rideshare pickup.
If you can't walk there, just stay inside the terminal. Sleep there if you must. And wait until it is time to fly out of LA.
If you spend your life without taking the LAXit bus you will thank me.
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`Since this was the planned catering, it is 'literally' the experience you wanted them to have.
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Passengers aren't the customer of these terminals.
Construction gets funded by selling off concessions rights to private companies, who want to maximize retail shopping.
Even fully public airports (eg DFW, OHare) have removed moving walkways so passengers don't skip the shops!
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DFW Airport unwilling to say the word 'Houston'
We got an unexpected rare visitor Monday! 🇯🇵 A @FlyANA_official flight spent the night at DFW due to weather diversions in other parts of the state. We were happy to welcome them and help them on the way to their intended destination!
📸 @strawbmommy
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They knew how to TAKE the reservation they just didn't know how to HOLD the reservation. And that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can TAKE a reservation.
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I had an emergency root canal this afternoon, and I can honestly say I'd rather do that than fly an @AmericanAir 737 MAX in economy IAD-LAX. #avgeek #travel
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I knew it was gonna be bad from the surly greeting off the jetway. No PDBs. Meal served with the cookie on the initial tray at room temperature. Inoperative seat power. No second pass on drinks. Remind me why does @AmericanAir have a premium revenue problem?
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Rahul Ligma and Daniel Johnson being escorted out of Boeing headquarters.
They ran the 737 MAX program.
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Everyone has a prenup.
Most just use the default one written by the state.
Some people negotiate their own.
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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at age 99.
His Royal Highness, husband to Elizabeth II, was a discerning connoisseur of air travel:
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So disingenuos, @AmericanAir Basic Economy isn't a lower fare, it is a way to raise avg fares by making the cheapest too miserable to book
We offer Basic Economy fares in some markets. Check out the info here; bit.ly/AABasicEconomy
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Y'all realize that isn't a real person's drivers license, it is McLovin' - a fake ID from the film Superbad (2007)?
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When passengers pay for first class, it's to have things go smoothly, to make things easy and more comfortable. When first class becomes self-serve, BYO food, it's no longer premium and won't command price.
Why First Class Meals Matter, And American Airlines Is Headed The Wrong Direction dlvr.it/Rbxdzm via @garyleff
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End the liquid ban. The @TSA needs to let travelers bring more than 3 ounces of hand sanitizer through security checkpoints.
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