South African Airways is expected to shortly receive a 5.5 billion rand ($376 million) infusion for the new fiscal year. But the beleaguered carrier says that is not enough to keep the lights on. SAA has debt of 12.7...
American Airlines Saboteur Mechanic May Have Terrorist Ties
Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani, the American Airlines mechanic who admitted to sabotaging an AA 737-800 in Miami, may have terrorist ties says prosecutors. The startling allegation prompted a judge to deny bail to the 60-year-old defendant. When he was...
SFO Runway 28L Will Open One Week Early!
The last 10 days have been irksome for many San Francisco travelers thanks to a closure of SFO Runway 28L. But the pain will end tomorrow night, a whole week ahead of schedule. Runway construction on 28L begin on September 7th at...
The Diamond-Studded Emirates A380 Lounge
Emirates has unveiled a diamond-studded lounge onboard its A380…but don’t worry, it is only a rendering. You might recall that Emirates shared a crystal-encrusted 777 last year on its social media channels: The aircraft was aptly named “Bling 777”...
KLM Replaces Brussels Flight With Full-Service High-Speed Train
KLM will trial a high-speed train service between Amsterdam and Brussels next March in place of one of its flights. But the Dutch carrier promises more than just a seat. KLM currently flies five times per day between Brussels...
Watch An Air China 777-300ER Catch Fire Over Washington Dulles
An Air China 777-300 was forced to return to Washington Dulles after a flames erupted from the left engine after takeoff. An eyewitness captured the entire scene on video using a mobile phone. Air China Flight 818, bound from...
Pain, Regret, And An 18-Mile United Flight
When I wrote about the special 18-mile United flight yesterday, I had no idea how much of an emotional roller coaster I was about to embark upon. It was a painful day. But ultimately an instructive one. United Airlines...
Review: Virgin Australia 737-800 Business Class
While perfect for domestic short hops, I found Virgin Australia’s 737-800 Business Class product a bit constraining for a six hour journey to Bali. I understand that Bali is a leisure destination for Australians and most are far more...
Germany Unites Around New Taxes, Higher Airfares (But Protections For Lufthansa)
Germany is moving closer toward raising taxes on domestic flights in hopes of reducing demand and eventually greenhouse gas pollution. But Lufthansa stands to benefit from the new taxes. Like other nations, Germany finds itself falling short of the...
Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Brisbane (BNE)
Since waiting for the Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane is like Waiting for Godot, I occupied my long layover in BNE by relaxing in the Plaza Premium Lounge. The Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane has been delayed almost as...
An 18-Mile United Mainline Flight Is Flying Today
United Airlines is operating a special flight from Burbank to Los Angeles today, a flight of only 18 miles. With the ongoing runway work at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), United is ferrying one of its Airbus A319s from...
Review: Virgin Australia 777-300ER Business Class
I may not have slept well, but I liked everything else about my Virgin Australia 777-300ER flight in “The Business” from Los Angeles to Brisbane. In one of the rare sweet spots on the Delta award chart, I booked...
Why Fiji Airways Is Angry At “Aggressive” Qantas
Fiji Airways is angry at Qantas, the Australian airline that owns a 46% stake in it. Is the anger justified or just another example of protectionism? Earlier this year, Qantas started flying 4x/week between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji, the...
Air India’s New “Diet” Crew Meals: Fat Shaming Or Cost Cutting?
Air India is introducing new low-fat “diet” meals for crews. Is this another not-so-subtle attempt at fat-shaming or just another cost cutting cutting move for a cash-starved airline? Effective immediately, Air India cabin crews (flight attendants and pilots) will...
My “Op-Up” Dinner In TAM Business 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. Working for...
Prosecutors Say Man Scammed Delta Out Of 42 Million Miles
A travel agent “extraordinaire” has been indicted for allegedly committing fraud against Delta Air Lines. Prosecutors say the man scammed 42,000,000 miles from Delta. I see the case differently… Prosecutors have alleged Gennady Podolsky gamed Delta’s SkyBonus program to reap...
United Airlines Strategically Retools Winter Schedule
United Airlines is adjusting its winter longhaul schedule this weekend. The story is not just the upgauges and downgauges, but the strategy behind them and the versatility of the United fleet. First, let’s starts with the changes, which include...
Review: Austrian Airlines Lounge Vienna (VIE – G Gates)
The Austrian Airlines lounge in Vienna is a nice place to escape the crowds and enjoy a light meal and perhaps even a nap. Our flight to Yerevan was outside the Schengen area, therefore departed from the G Gates...
Review: Point The Way Café LAX (Priority Pass Restaurant)
Point The Way Café, the newest Priority Pass restaurant at Los Angeles International Airport, is worth a stop if you find yourself near Terminal 6. The restaurant accepts non-American Express issued Priority Pass cards between the hours of 1:00PM...
United Airlines Refreshes Mobile Boarding Pass
United Airlines has refreshed its mobile boarding pass, offering more info in a clearer format. With the latest (v4.7) version of the United app, when you look at your boarding pass on your mobile device screen, you will now...
