How would you get back from Yerevan to Los Angeles? I’m making five stops using three tickets. The sane person would take Aeroflot via Moscow or Austrian via Vienna. But I’m a travel blogger…and I’m cheap. Everything came together...
Review: China Southern Lounge Guangzhou (CAN)

Thanks to rolling delays due to poor weather in Beijing, I ended up spending seven hours in the China Southern lounge in Guangzhou. It wasn’t great, but could have been worse. Guangzhou is a behemoth airport and it took...
How Delta And Alitalia Saved The Day After Air France Delay

Delta and Alitalia really saved the day after an Air France delay my clients in jeopardy of missing an important family event. My Award Expert clients were flying from Washington to Tel Aviv via Paris on Air France in...
Why Do We Believe Stories We Want To Be True?

In a world of fake news, I fell prey to it yesterday…not only did I buy it, but I transmitted it to thousands. Today, I must apologize. Perhaps I am asking a deeper ontological question than is warranted for...
My Wicked Taxi Driver In Yerevan…

I wanted to keep yesterday’s report on my weekend in Yerevan positive, but my stay did end on a down note. And while perhaps it should not bother me, it really does… When it was time to go, I...
Editorial: Ex-Cathay Pacific CEO Should Run American Airlines

Update: It appears that Hogg did not defy Beijing in such a dramatic fashion. In fact, the circumstances behind his termination remain unclear. The original article below remains unaltered. Leadership is built on integrity. Former Cathay Pacific CEO Rupert...
Avianca Brasil Will Leave Star Alliance

Troubled Avianca Brasil will leave Star Alliance on 01 September 2019. Avianca Brasil has experienced many setbacks over the last nine months. After filing for bankruptcy last December, it faced a prolonged aircraft repossession battle with creditors. Then in...
Aeroflot Announces A350 Routes

Aeroflot Russian Airlines has announced its first six A350 routes, covering flights to Asia and the United States starting next spring. Aeroflot ordered 14 A350-900s. Initial deliveries were due this year, but production delays have pushed back the first...
A Splendacious Weekend In Yerevan, Armenia

I spent the weekend in Yerevan, Armenia…it turned out to be a lot of fun. This was not my first trip to the Armenian capital. In fact, I even wrote about my last visit here back in the UGPRD...
Review: Thai Airways A350 Business Class

My first experience onboard a Thai Airways A350 was a great one. The difference between Thai’s old and new business class product is like night and day. Throw in good service and a decent meal and you have a...
When The Cats Take Over The Airport Lounge…

Imagine walking into an airline lounge and hearing, “I’m sorry, my cat is sitting there. You’ll need to stand.” Would you just laugh at the pathetic hilarity of the situation or react in a more aggressive way? I frequently...
Did Avianca Bribe Government Officials With Free Tickets + Upgrades?

Avianca is performing an internal investigation into allegations that it bribed government officials from several nations with free tickets and upgrades. While the list of nations has not been disclosed, such conduct, if verified, runs afoul of both the...
A Late Night Carb Fest On Austrian Airlines

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. I found...
How A Father-Son Team Exploited American Airlines To Scam Millions

A father-son team face a combined 15 years in federal prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft in a scheme that targeted American Airlines employees. Terry Lynn Anderson, 69, and his son Rocky Freeland Anderson, 38, had quite...
Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Bangkok (BKK)

Modern, hip, and bright, the Singapore Airlines Lounge is a nice alternative to the Thai Airways Business Class Lounge In Bangkok. Rather than rows of uniforms chairs, this lounge offers a mix of comfortable chairs, most with power outlets...
Review: Bangkok Airways Lounge Bangkok (BKK)

The Bangkok Airways lounge is a comfortable and well-appointed Priority Pass Lounge at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Style is subjective, but I really liked the furniture, artwork, flooring, and wallpaper in this lounge. Perhaps that is a tertiary issue, but...
Review: Thai Airways 747-400 First Class Tokyo To Bangkok

The service in Thai Airways Royal First Class is laudably impressive, even on a short overnight flight. That’s my main takeaway from my 747-400 flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. After spending several hours in the ANA Suite Lounge, I...
Virgin Galactic’s Swanky New Spaceport Lounge

Virgin Galactic has revealed its beautiful new spaceport in New Mexico, which will serve as a pre-flight lounge for intergalactic flights. Over 600 people have already paid nearly $80 million in deposits to secure their tickets on the first...
Cathay Pacific CEO Becomes Sacrificial Lam(b)…

Cathay Pacific CEO Rupert Hogg has suddenly resigned, raising more questions than answers. Who forced him out? And why did he take the fall for matters far beyond his control? Hogg, who has been with Swire Group, Cathay Pacific’s parent...
Would I Have Been Thrown Off United Flight Under New Passenger Removal Policy?

New guidelines for United pilots make it more difficult to throw off a passenger whose conduct is questionable. Would it have saved me from my “photo incident” ejection? I focused on United’s updated alcohol guidelines for pilots yesterday and...