Brutal Hurricane Harvey continues to wreak havoc on Texas. Thousands of people are in desperate need of assistance and even some evacuation centers are now flooded. United Airlines is stepping up to help with seven humanitarian relief flights to...
Flying Lufthansa First Class with Hollywood Stars, Oligarchs, and Executives
Yesterday I flew Lufthansa First Class from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 8-seat cabin was filled with a mix of A-list stars, a former Lufthansa executive, and a wealthy Ukrainian family. It made for an interesting flight… I am...
So Much for Flying Air Berlin…
I am on a business trip to Europe to this week and had planned to travel on Air Berlin from Los Angeles to Dusseldorf yesterday. Unfortunately, the carrier’s bankruptcy complicated my plans. Although this trip has been scheduled for...
Retro Concept: Boarding Pass No Longer Required at PIT to Clear Security
Starting next week you will not need a boarding pass to access the secure gate areas at Pittsburgh International Airport. I think that is a great thing. When I was young, flying was a big deal in my house....
My Amenity Kit Seatmate Did Something Deplorable
Yesterday I wrote about an amenity kit incident onboard my Alitalia flight from Rome to Los Angeles. Something happened later in the flight that I am struggling to process. First, let me preface this story by saying that it...
Review: Uzbekistan Airways A320 Business Class Tashkent to Dushanbe
Great service and a decent meal characterized a short 189-mile flight from the capital of Uzbekistan to the capital of Tajikistan on Uzbekistan Airways. After leaving the lounge and being “chauffeured” by bus to the aircraft, we boarded via...
My Seatmate Goes Ballistic When I Touch His Amenity Kit
Hello all, live from 38,000 feet onboard my Alitalia flight from Rome to Los Angeles. Time for a confession: I made a mistake today. At least, I think I did… During boarding, FAs distributed amenity kits. Amenity kits are...
United CEO Comments on Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey has hit Texas harder than expected, impacting millions, displacing hundreds of thousands and taking the lives of at least five people. The storm has shuttered United’s fortress hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston until at least...
The Airline Meal I’ve Had Most Often
Those of us who fly often tend to settle into a routine. Admit it. Same security line, same seat in the lounge, same seat onboard, same meal. For my Meal of the Week segment this week, I pay homage...
Miracle: Alitalia Award Space Opened to Los Angeles!
It may be my first and only trip on Alitalia, but I’m ecstatic it will be from Rome to Los Angeles instead of Rome to Mexico City. Who would have thought that Alitalia would open up an award seat...
A 20-Minute Flight from Amman to Tel Aviv on Royal Jordanian
I recently flew from Amman to Tel Aviv on Royal Jordanian, a 69-mile flight. Is business class worthwhile on such a short hop? The uniqueness of such a flight did not go unnoticed: Jordan is one of two Arab...
Review: Uzbekistan Airways Business Lounge Tashkent (TAS)
While not Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, the CIP Hall at Tashkent Airport offers an impressive lounge service for premium class passengers and those willing to pay for it. This service is free for business class passengers on...
Five Things You Cannot Miss in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tashkent is a fascinating city in the heart of Asia. It was the fourth most populous city in the Soviet Union and a hub of research and learning. But the ancient Silk Road city has an oddly modern look....
Aerolineas Argentinas Club Condor Class: To Call A Spade A Spade
Warning: this post is facetious. By the time you read this I’ll be onboard my Aerolineas Argentinas flight in Club Condor (business) class. I’m absolutely excited to try this airline, especially after reading the description of business class on...
Airline Call Center Agents Mobilize to Keep Jobs in the USA
I spent 90 minutes on the phone with United’s overseas call center in the Philippines yesterday…to make an award ticket change that should have taken two minutes. It underscores the importance of airline call center agents joining forces in...
Tashkent Metro: A Soviet Relic
One of my favorite activities when visiting a large city in the former Soviet Union is checking out the Metro system. The well-preserved Metro system in Tashkent, Uzbekistan did not disappoint. I have visited Soviet Metro systems around the...
I Made My Connection in Cancun…in 12 Minutes
I appreciate that many of you chimed in with helpful advice in my recent post on making a short connection in Cancun. After weighing the risks of a tight connection versus the ease of a non-stop flight and spending...
The Surprisingly Efficient High Speed Train System in Uzbekistan
Ben and I spent a day in historic Samarkand, located 344km (214 miles) from Tashkent. We used Uzbekstian’s high speed Afrosiyob train to reach there, a 2hr journey that could not have been smoother. I outlined the headache of buying...
Smart or Stupid? KLM 747 Lands in Hong Kong in Midst of Typhoon
Early yesterday morning a KLM 747-400 touched down at Hong Kong International Airport in the midst of a fierce typhoon. It would turn out to be the only plane that landed during the storm. Typhoon Hato tore through Hong Kong...
