If you know me, you know that I don’t stray much from Star Alliance unless it is a “review” trip for the blog. Yesterday, however, I found myself on KLM and encountered an unexpected upgrade surprise. My business partner...
Review: Rocco Forte Villa Kennedy Frankfurt
A luxury hotel nestled in the heart of Frankfurt’s Sachsenhausen district offers opulent accommodations and beautiful common areas, but the service left something to be desired. My business partner John and I had some work in Frankfurt last week...
Why My German EasyPASS “Global Entry” Stopped Working
I landed in Frankfurt last week and proceeded directly to the EasyPass lanes. It was my first attempt at entering Germany with my new trusted traveler credentials obtained a few weeks prior. image: easypass.de The machine read my passport,...
Review: Dilmun Lounge Bahrain (BAH)
During my long layover in Bahrain I took a few moments to visit one of the airport’s Priority Pass lounges, called the Dilmun Lounge. It is located near Gate 16 on the departures level and open 24/7. Lounge amenties included:...
A Decadent Meal in Etihad First 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. In case...
JetBlue Strongly Hints At London Service, Citing “Obscene” Fares
Good news for us: JetBlue is hinting more strongly than ever before that it may soon start service to London with an expressed goal to bring down “obscene” premium cabin fares. obscene | əbˈsēn | offending against moral principles;...
Review: Gulf Air Business Class Lounge Bahrain (BAH)
I arrived in Bahrain at 8:55 A.M. and my connecting flight did not depart until 5:55 P.M., leaving me all day in BAH. I’ve been into Bahrain before and opted to head straight for the Gulf Air Falcon Gold...
Is Starbucks Fooling Itself In Milano?
Starbucks opened its first coffee shop in central Milan today, with more to follow. Are they crazy? First, congratulations to Starbucks on a beautiful new store. Starbucks calls it the “crown jewel of Starbucks global retail footprint” and I can...
Review: Etihad Airways A319 Business Class Abu Dhabi to Bahrain
While Etihad is nothing short of spectacular in many ways, it does not measure up to Qatar Airways on intra-Gulf flights. We departed from a remote stand, meaning a long bus ride from the gate to the aircraft. Etihad...
If American Airlines Asked Me To Pee In A Bottle…
If American Airlines asked me to pee in a bottle or hold it…I would pee in a bottle. After experiencing lavatory malfunctions on an AA flight from Phoenix to Kona, passengers were asked to urinate in bags or bottles....
American Adds Free TV On Domestic Flights, With A Catch
American Airlines has added complimentary gate-to-gate live TV from DISH on its first 100 aircraft, with more to come. But there’s a catch. The line-up includes 12 channels: Bravo CBS CNBC CNN Disney Channel ESPN FOX NBC NFL Network...
An Award Ticket Horror Story On SWISS
Let’s call this Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Award Ticket. Perhaps, with our collective deductive reasoning, we can get to the bottom of this. An Award Expert client was traveling from San Francisco to Milan with...
Review: Etihad A380 First Class Apartment
What is it like to fly in an Etihad A380 First Class Apartment on a shorter flight? This is part of my previously unpublished 2016 Gulf Carrier Mezze trip report. Although Etihad now uses a 787-9 instead of a...
An Exciting New Way To WASTE Your Singapore Airlines Miles!
As blockchain technology gains traction across the economy, one airline is providing a wonderful new way to waste your miles. Singapore Airlines now lets you convert KrisFlyer miles on a 1:1 basis into what it calls KrisPay, a digital wallet...
Review: GVK First Class Lounge Mumbai (BOM)
We laugh about Emirates First Class being gaudy and pretentious, but the GVK First Class lounge in Mumbai Terminal 2 takes ostentatiousness to a whole new level. That’s a backhanded compliment, but I did enjoy this lounge. It’s gold and...
“Genuine” Travel From A Luxury Hotel Room And Airline Lounge
What is genuine travel? Travel is fundamentally about experiencing life in the shoes of others. That means that those who seek refuge in airline lounges and western hotel chains fail to experience the essence of what it means to...
What Made 100 Passengers Sick Onboard Emirates Flight To New York?
What made so many passengers sick aboard an Emirates flight to New York this morning? Flight 203 landed from Dubai at 9:10 A.M. ET this morning with 521 passengers onboard. Emergency vehicles met the aircraft on the runway. Rather...
Airport Security Trays Carry More Viruses Than Toilet Seats
It’s not the toilet seats, flush handles, or even the floors. Nope, it is security trays that carry the most viruses at airports. Pandemic experts in Finland checked out Helsinki Airport for viruses. They scanned surfaces including staircase rails, restrooms,...
Qatar Airways’ Strategic Plan For India On Hold
Qatar Airways’ plan to create or invest in a full-service Indian domestic airlines has been placed on hold due to confusion over Indian regulatory policy. A few months ago, Qatar Airways announced grand plans to invest in a new...
Review: Grand Hyatt Mumbai
While not in the heart of Mumbai, the Grand Hyatt Mumbai is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of India’s most populous city. After spending the day exploring Mumbai, I arrived at the Grand Hyatt around 3:00pm,...
