121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore the propeller era. In evaluating the FAA’s decision to ground the 737MAX, it’s helpful to review...
Korean Air Ejects Passengers With Peanut Allergy. Fair?

Two teenage boys were thrown off a Korean Air flight after mentioning their peanut allergy. The story again raises the question of how should these situations should be handled. The Patel brothers were traveling from Atlanta to Manila via Seoul...
Breakfast In LAX Oneworld Lounge

For those who love a liquid breakfast, I can’t think of a better lounge than the oneworld lounge at LAX. Two words: coffee and juice. If you know me, you know I’m obsessed about that for breakfast. And while...
Ethiopian Airlines “Believes In Boeing”

Ethiopian Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam was either unequivocally supportive or a master manipulator of words in recent statements about Boeing. Addressing the two-week mark since the crash of ET 302, Gebremariam stated: Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines...
United Airlines Grants Lifetime Global Services Status To Medal Of Honor Recipients

The Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious military award in the USA. Recipients of the award enjoy a host of benefits both inside and outside the military. United Airlines is adding to that list with free...
A Model Flight Attendant For United Airlines

It’s so easy to complain when something goes wrong, but I want to use this space today to offer great praise for a wonderful United flight attendant. She is truly a model flight attendant for United Airlines. When I...
A New 54-Mile Flight On British Airways In The Middle East

British Airways will add a new 54-mile extension onto its service to Manama, linking the Bahraini capital to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Starting on December 01, 2019, BA will add a tag from Manama, Bahrain to Dammam, Saudi Arabia....
FYI: Air India Award Space Currently Not Bookable With United Miles

If you’re trying to book an Air India flight using your United miles, you cannot…at least for the time being. United Airlines has had some issues with its Star Alliance partner award inventory lately. For several weeks, bookings with...
United 787 Diverts To Small French Island After Mechanical Scare

A United Airlines’ 787-9 bound for Los Angeles diverted to Noumea due to the “smell of smoke” onboard. Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia, a French territory located east of Australia and north of New Zealand. The flight,...
Review: Sofitel Luang Prabang – Garden Suite

This is a year of renewed discovery for our family and we had yet to visit Laos after countless trips to Southeast Asia. We selected the Sofitel Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage protected site – it was stunning....
I’m Not Flying Southwest to Hawaii Even With Companion Pass

Southwest Airlines has started flights to Hawaii, initially offering limited availability as cheap as $99 round-trip. But even with the Companion Pass, I won’t take Southwest to the islands. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
24 Hours in Luang Prabang, Laos

During a recent trip to Southeast Asia, my family wanted to visit one of the more mysterious countries we have left unexplored. This guide will help you plan a productive 24-hour visit to beautiful, Luang Prabang, Laos. If you...
Why It Pays To Sleep Through Meal Service In Economy Class…

Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. My journey...
I Flew The “Boring” Option Home To LA…

After spending hours (upon hours) trying to come up with an interesting way back to Los Angeles, I ended up booking “boring” United Airlines. That turned out to be a great choice. Sometimes boring is a good thing. Sometimes...
Garuda Indonesia’s Threat To Cancel 737 MAX 8 Order Is Likely A Bluff

In my own import/export business, I’ve learned the great power of a bluff. I’ve got the feeling that is what Garuda Indonesia doing in “canceling” its large Boeing 737 MAX 8 order. It was Winston Churchill who was first said,...
A Flight Attendant Freed From Detention Demonstrates Power Of Social Media

A Mesa Airlines flight attendant has been freed from federal detention thanks to an onslaught of social media pressure. I had prepared another post today on this topic, a very opinionated one, that I can thankfully spare you from...
The Joy Of Flying, Even In Economy Class

While it is true that I treated my economy class trip on Lufthansa as something of a joke, I want to make one thing clear: flying in any cabin is an incredible joy that should not be taken for granted....
Review: Lufthansa A380 Economy Class Los Angeles To Frankfurt

My opinion of Lufthansa Economy Class is nearly identical to Lufthansa Business Class. It’s a perfectly serviceable product, but there are better options available. Boarding was an absolute zoo at LAX. Lines stretched hundreds of feet down the terminal waiting...
Do New United Airlines Mobile Boarding Pass Colors Offer A Hint On New Livery?

As we await the next “evolution” of the United Airlines livery, a new style of mobile boarding passes may offer a clue as to what to expect. For years, United mobile boarding passes have looked like this in the...
United Airlines Unveils Two New Gender Booking Options

Following through on its promise, United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to offer additional non-binary gender options for new flight bookings. You’ll now have four gender choices when you book a ticket on united.com: Male (M) Female (F)...