I was bracing for a mess when I arrived in Lisbon and had to enter the Schengen Area using the new Entry/Exit System (EES). Instead, the entire process took about five minutes. My EES Experience At Lisbon Airport Was...
United Airlines Passed On Scandinavia Again, And Patrick Quayle Explains Why
Last week, I told United CEO Scott Kirby that I thought the airline would announce new service to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. He broke into a big smile and walked away without answering me. Well, now we know: United...
Why United Airlines Is Betting You’ll Choose A Narrowbody Across The Atlantic
United Airlines is betting heavily on the Airbus A321XLR for its next phase of international growth, using the narrowbody not merely to replace aging Boeing 757s, but to open longhaul routes that would not be viable with a larger...
United Airlines Announces Its Biggest International Expansion Ever, Adding 10 New Cities And Five A321XLR Routes
United Airlines is unveiling what it calls the largest international expansion in its history for 2027, adding 10 new cities across Europe and Asia, including Okinawa, Luxembourg, Ibiza, Toulouse, Ljubljana, and two Italian islands, while finally revealing where its...
United Airlines Packed Its 2027 Route Teaser With Clues: Here Are My Final Predictions
United Airlines is at it again. For years, the carrier has turned new international route announcements into a game, hiding clues in increasingly elaborate teaser videos and inviting us to figure out what is coming before the official reveal....
A Narrowbody Across The Atlantic? TAP Air Portugal’s A321LR Business Class Worked For Me
I continued my indirect trip home with a TAP Air Portugal flight from Washington to Lisbon on the A321LR in business class, a short but pleasant flight. I’ll offer first impressions of my flight here and a full review...
This Is The Worst Thing To See On Your Boarding Pass, And It’s Not SSSS Or Your Sequence Number
A recent story argues that the worst thing to see on your boarding pass is a high sequence number. I disagree. Sequence matters, but there is something I find far more concerning: no seat assignment at all! Why “See...
Delta Air Lines Passenger Says Flight Attendant Tried To Serve Food From The Floor, Then Threw A Glove At Him
A Delta Air Lines passenger says a flight attendant tried to serve food after dropping it on the floor, then later threw a glove at him when he objected. Police met the aircraft after landing. The problem is that...
Editorial: Pittsburgh’s New Terminal Opens With Issues
Matthew wrote this week a glowing review of the gorgeous new Pittsburgh International Airport terminal, and visitors may be impressed; locals see massive issues. The New Terminal When Pittsburgh International Airport opened in 1992, it’s X-terminal design meant that...
Boeing Asked FAA To Be Stricter On 767 Wings, FAA Declined
Boeing told the FAA its 767 wing inspections start too late. The FAA said no, blamed the wrong company, and assumed the repairs were done right.
Orlando’s Biggest Bonvoy Hotels Changed Hands
Ryman is paying $1.38 billion for two Orlando hotels that netted $10.4 million. Someone has to make up the difference, and it will not be Ryman.
Review: United Airlines 737-700 Economy Class
I enjoyed a short but productive fight on a United Airlines 737-700 in economy class, a fairly rare aircraft for me on the routes I tend to frequent. United Airlines 737-700 Economy Class Review (PIT-IAD) I don’t get on...
Air France Denies Its Paris Lounge Sauna Became A Sex Den, But The Explanation Doesn’t Add Up
Air France has now publicly denied that it closed the sauna in its Paris Charles de Gaulle lounge because passengers were engaging in sexual activity inside. Fair enough, but I stand by what I reported: that is what an...
I’m Flying From Pittsburgh To Los Angeles Via Portugal And Germany Just To Ride One Last Lufthansa A340-600
I decided to fly home from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles via Washington Dulles, Lisbon, and Frankfurt…as one does. The reason: to fly on a very special Lufthansa aircraft one more time. Booked! One Last Lufthansa A340-600 Journey (TAP Air...
Miss Congeniality: American Airlines Passenger Gobbles Down Three Hard-Boiled Eggs While Turning Seatmates Into Personal Assistants
I have seen passengers bring some unusual food onboard airplanes over the years, but I never ceased to be amazed: this time over three hard-boiled eggs, carefully transported in pink plastic egg carton and consumed one by one during...
Scott Kirby Admits United’s Product Isn’t The Best. His Solution? Build A U.S. Global Juggernaut
I asked United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby about his reported merger overtures to both American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. He would not confirm the conversation with Delta, but his answer revealed something more interesting: Kirby wants to build...
Scott Kirby Asked Me To Guess United’s New Routes. His Reaction To My Predictions Was Intriguing
United Airlines will announce another batch of new routes next week, and after hearing Scott Kirby and Toby Enqvist tease at least one new longhaul route from Denver, I’ve been thinking about what else might be coming. Some guesses...
Inside United Airlines’ Massive Denver Training Center, Where 860 Pilots Can Train Every Day
I was in Denver yesterday for the ceremony marking completion of the first phase of United Airlines’ expanded Flight Training Center, and the scale of the operation is impressive: nearly 700,000 square feet, 86 training devices, and the ability...
So Cool: Historic Pan Am And JAL Boeing 747s Transformed Into Luxury Hotel
I’ve stayed in, or at least visited, some unusual aviation-themed hotels and restaurants over the years, but somehow this one escaped my radar: a new hotel in Malaysia has transformed not one, but two historic Boeing 747s into luxury...
Pittsburgh International Airport’s Stunning $1.7 Billion Transformation
Pittsburgh International Airport now boasts one of the most beautiful airports in the USA, and after finally traveling through it myself, I came away very impressed. The old airport was still perfectly functional, but the new terminal is brighter,...
