My uncle and I had a disagreement: I wanted to fly, he wanted to take a train. Spoiler alert: we took the train. This review covers my train trip from Canberra to Sydney. It wasn’t that I was opposed...
United Pilots Angry at Kirby’s Push for Regional Jet Expansion
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby shocked investors by proclaiming United would increase domestic capacity by up to 6% this year and next. Now he’s shocked pilots by arguing this is “entirely dependent” on their authorization of more outsourced regional jets....
It’s the Golden Age to Become an Airline Pilot
It’s a great time to be a pilot or pilot-in-training. In fact, Boeing predicts the U.S. alone will need 117,000 new pilots by 2036. The days of furloughing pilots are over. Carriers are hiring at levels unseens since 9/11 and demand...
Senators Propose New Bill to Regulate Onboard Pet Storage
As I mentioned on Wednesday, there is technically no rule or law prohibiting the placement of pets in overhead bins. That may be a spirit/letter of the law issue, but at least two U.S. Senators want to fix that....
Review: Park Hyatt Canberra
Admittedly, this hotel reminded me more of a retirement home than a Park Hyatt property. But I still liked it a lot. Have you ever been in a retirement home that has a sort of musty/old smell? That’s this...
Qatar Airways First Class vs. Qsuite Business Class
I’ve received many questions asking whether I prefer Qatar Airways First Class or fancy new Qsuite Business Class. Here’s a comparison of the two products. Qatar Airways still offers first class aboard its A380-800 aircraft. Thus far, Qsuite Business...
Rebuttal: Passenger, Not FA, Responsible for Dead Dog on United Flight
Could it really be that the FA was just doing her job and bears no responsibility for the death of a dog? Reader Anthony did not agree with the arguments I made for why the United Airlines’ flight attendant who...
Bachelorette Party Ends in Tragedy as Private Jet Crashes
A sad story from Iran, where a private jet carrying a Turkish socialite and her closest friends slammed into a mountain, killing everyone onboard. Mina Basaran, the 28-year-old Daughter of Turkish billionaire Huseyin Basaran, was in Dubai to celebrate...
Dog-Killing FA Should Be Sacrificial Lamb
The tragic story of a dog killed inside the passenger cabin of a United Airlines flight demands accountability. Who should take the fall for this horrible error in judgment? I’d like to think that other than the dog’s owner,...
What Does the United Flight Attendant Manual Say About Dogs?
In light of the horrific dog death aboard a United Airlines flight earlier this week, I reached out to a United FA to see what the rulebook actually says about stowage of pets in-flight. She provided me sections of...
United Airlines Already Has “Premium Economy” on Domestic Flights
United Airlines already has “premium economy” on domestic flights…it’s called first class. I’m not saying that to be facetious. Honestly. But the one image we have seen thus far of what United’s new premium economy class product will look...
United Takes Responsibility Immediately for Dead Dog in Overhead Bin
If there is one thing that United Airlines learned from the Dao incident, it is not to blame the customer. If you haven’t heard yet, a dog tragically died on a United flight on Monday evening. Here’s a summary...
A Somber Reminder of War in Canberra
After spending several hours on Capital Hill in Canberra at Parliament House, we headed to the Australian War Memorial, a national shrine to Australians who have served or lost their lives in military conflict. From the balcony of Parliament...
Mea Culpa: A350 Delta One Suites for 60K Miles
“To err is human; to forgive, divine” – Alexander Pope (1709) I must admit I got a tad annoyed yesterday. I scheduled a post entitled How to Book A350 Delta One Suites for Cheap(er) Using Miles for yesterday morning and went...
20% Off Award Flights to Hawaii on United Airlines
United Airlines is running a 20% off flash sale on saver award flights to Hawaii. If you’re a United Premier member or a United-branded credit card holder, a pre-sale has already began and you can book space today. If...
Brilliant: Why A Man Sued Southwest for One Penny Less
Southwest Airlines flew a 737 to the wrong airport in Branson, Missouri. One man sued for damages, but for the seemingly odd amount of $74,999.99 instead of an even $75,000. But his reasoning is sound and his strategy brilliant....
Why I Cancelled My Trip to the East Coast Last Night…
Not that it’s a big deal, but since this is my long-term travel blog I think it’s somewhat interesting to gauge how my travel patterns have changed over the years. I need to meet with a key partner in...
Sobering: “My” Helicopter Crashed into East River in NYC
A sobering reminder of the fragility of human life: the helicopter that crashed in the East River in New York City yesterday was one that I flew on last year. I heard about the crash on Saturday via several...
How to Book A350 Delta One Suites for Cheap(er) Using Miles
While searching for routes to get an Award Expert client home from China earlier this morning, I was surprised to find that Delta’s flagship A350 suites were available at a very reasonable price for next-day travel. Delta operates or will...
U.S. Airlines Fighting Over Cuba…Again
With yields weak and demand far lower than expected, we’ve seen many carriers reduce or eliminate service to Cuba. Even so, U.S. airlines are still fiercely fighting for Havana slots. Under current U.S. Department of Transportation rules, airlines are...
