Vietnam Airlines is studying the resumption of service to the USA as early as next year. In a remarkably candid interview, CEO Duong Tri Thanh told CNBC that the state-run carrier doesn’t expect to make money on the route, but...
The Most Comfortable Bed I’ve Ever Slept in…was in an Airport Lounge!
One footnote to my SWISS First Class Lounge review from Zurich. The Hästens bed was truly the best bed I’ve ever slept in. There are many reasons to visit the SWISS First Class Lounge in E Gates area in...
The SWISS First Class Ground Experience
The day had arrived. It was time to fly SWISS First Class. This wasn’t my first time flying SWISS First Class, but it was my first time flying SWISS First from Zurich. Had I been flying alone, I would...
Dear FA, Here’s How to Steal an iPhone
Just a word of advice: if you are going to steal a mobile phone from a passenger, you are advised to wipe it before using it. An American Airlines FA may soon lose her job for not knowing better....
In Defense of Brussels Airlines
Lufthansa wants to get rid of Brussels Airlines as a separate brand, instead dissolving it fully into its low-cost Eurowings division. While not a terrible idea, I still do no think it is the wisest one. Brussels runs a...
United CEO Offers Insight on Black History Month
United CEO Oscar Munoz penned a letter to employees reflecting upon Black History Month. It brought my attention M’Lis Ward, the first female African-American captain for a major U.S. airline. She is Denver-based Airbus A320 pilot for United. Here is...
Turkish Airlines Super Bowl Commercial with Dr. Oz
I did not watch the Super Bowl yesterday, but I was monitoring for airline or hotel commercials. Once again, Turkish Airlines provided a memorable one. Last year, Morgan Freeman did a superb job in emphasizing that Turkish Airlines serves...
Latvian Airline Announces New Service to Washington, DC
Primera Air will offer no-frills service between Washington Dulles and London Stansted starting late this summer with fares starting at $400 r/t. The airline is based in Riga, Latvia but refers to itself as a “Nordic” carrier. It began...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 4, 2018
Hello from 35,000 feet. I’m on my way to New York for a quick business trip. I trust I’ll be back home, though, by the end of the day tomorrow. Who would have thought a little story on a...
Review: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar – Amenities
Prior to this post I reviewed a suite at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas. This second post examines the amenities of the property including the pools, dining and property more broadly – but frankly, mostly food. If you are...
Review: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar – Suite
The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar (and the entire resort complex) has been hotly anticipated since its originally scheduled opening in 2011, delayed until just six months ago. The hottest new destination in the Bahamas lived up to its legend...
Bucket List: Private Luxury Tour, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
A last-minute trip to Vietnam during our slow travels through Asia lead us to the picturesque Ha Long Bay. During our trip we booked a private luxury junk boat tour with IndoChina Junk. Here is a review of our...
Disappearing Act…How I Nearly Lost My iPhone X on a Recent Flight
I mentioned in passing in my recent Turkish Airlines 777-300ER trip report that my phone flew out of my lap and into the bowels of the seat during our rough landing in Istanbul. Finding it turned out to be...
The World’s Best Airline Uniforms
I have yet to fly Hainan Airlines on a longhaul flight, which many regard as the best airline in Mainland China for onboard service and comfort. But now I have another reason to fly Hainan: the best airline uniforms...
Google Flights Predicts Delays Before Airlines, Warns of Basic Economy
While I still miss ITA Matrix 1.0 as the most powerful airfare search tool I’ve ever used, Google is slowly making its flight search tool, Google Flights, better than ever. Google Flights will now update you on flight delays,...
United Airlines Honors Ancient Paper Ticket
I’m old enough to remember paper tickets when I was a kid, but it has been many years since I have seen one. One man recently found a 19-year-old paper ticket from United…and successfully redeemed it. I deal with...
United Cracks Down on Emotional Support Animals
Following Delta’s move after the recent peacock incident, United Airlines is tightening up the requirements to bring an emotional service animal onboard. Here’s what changes, effective March 01, 2018: The customer must provide confirmation that the animal has been...
Meet the Woman Who Claimed Her Peacock as an Emotional Support Animal
Earlier this week I wrote about United Airlines refusing to allow a woman to bring her peacock onboard as an emotional service animal. New details have emerged about the passenger and her bird. The incident occurred last Sunday at...
Shame on Hyatt for Latest Petty Stunt
Hyatt may be hemorrhaging elite members, but that has not stopped the hotel chain from committing one of the biggest cardinal sins in loyalty: essentially a no-notice devaluation. At 9:01pm CT On January 31, 2018, two hotels changed categories....
Aeroplan Sent Me a Certified Letter…
After traveling in Europe for nearly two weeks, I returned home to find a certified letter from Aeroplan delivered by FedEx. Here’s the unedited letter, concerning my cancelled first class tickets on SWISS: Dear Mr. Klint: Thank you for...
