The numbers don’t lie…2018 was a comparatively bad year for commercial aviation safety. But let’s keep things in perspective. 2018 marked an all-time high in number of flights and passengers carried: 4.5 billion passengers on 45 million flights. As...
The Only Thing That Annoyed Me In Air France First Class…
The flight itself was near-flawless. The service excellent. But there was one thing that annoyed me about my first class flight on Air France: another passenger in the cabin. Let me start by saying that this is a first...
Meanwhile, I’ll Stick To Hyatt…
I read with some amusement the recent back-and-forth between View from the Wing, One Mile at a Time, and Frequent Miler over Marriott versus Hilton. My solution is simple: I’ll just stick to Hyatt. It started when Gary argued...
Analysis: Why Did DoubleTree Hotel Throw Black Guest Out?
The main issue is not why a black man was asked if he was a guest. Instead, the issue is why he was thrown out once that was established. I’ve held off on commenting on this case, because I...
Case Closed: Sweet Victory Over SWISS!
When it comes to actually honoring EU261/2004 obligations, it seems that most airlines will initially stonewall you, hoping that you will just give up. In the case of SWISS, a sharply-worded letter to the CEO did the trick. A...
Air France First Class Is Even Better On The Ground Than In The Air
Yesterday, I wrote about my incredible first class experience in the air. But the ground experience was even better. I already mentioned the incredible ground service I received, which included an escort almost from door to door. Let’s start...
A New Airline In An Unlikely Place
A new airline has sprung up in the unlikeliest of places: Yemen. Queen Bilqis Airways recently commenced regular commercial flights from Aden to Amman. Here’s a water-cannon salute from the company first arrival in Amman. It appears the airline...
Air France First Class: Wow, Wow, Wow!
I stepped onto my 777-300ER Air France first class flight from Los Angeles to Paris with dangerously high expectations. Even so, they were still exceeded. Air France first class is truly a special product. Let’s start with ground service,...
Delta Passengers Trapped On Remote Island In Alaska!
194 Delta passengers found themselves on a remote Alaskan island for more than 12 hours on Christmas Day. Delta Flight 128, a Boeing 767-300 traveling from Beijing to Seattle, encountered “potential engine trouble” ennroute to Seattle. The flight diverted...
Lufthansa Is Livid At Frankfurt Airport
On a holiday weekend that saw 50,000 more travelers than normal, Frankfurt Airport proved unable to cope. The result was not pretty. On a typical weekend Frankfurt Airport will handle between 150,000-200,000 weekend. Last weekend, over 200,000 flew through...
My 2018 Christmas Reflection
A very happy Christmas to all my dear readers. I’m spending the day with family and friends and hope you will also, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. In Germany, shops closed at 2:00P.M. on Christmas Eve and will...
All the 2018 Airline Holiday Videos
Christmas has arrived and many airlines have released holiday videos for 2018. I have compiled them into one place for your viewing pleasure. I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas. Air Canada Air New Zealand American Airlines ...
A Beautiful Gesture From A United Flight Attendant
Simple gestures of kindness carry a profound ability to lift the human spirit. Flyertalk member JV Photo, who I know is a trustworthy source, penned a thread entitled, A United FA Made Me Cry (In a Good Way). It...
’Twas The Night Before Christmas (Televangelist Jetsetter Edition)
It is the day before Christmas and I am in a creative mood… I want to keep the mood light this week, but as we reflect upon the season I cannot help but to offer some social commentary, in...
My Christmas Gift: Air France First Class
Christmas comes early for me this year: I’m finally flying Air France first class! As you know, my wife and son are already in Europe. Although I was in London last weekend, I flew right home for one more...
Is United’s New Employee Bonus Program Naughty Or Nice?
United Airlines has unveiled the latest iteration of its employee bonus program, a plan that theoretically could pay employees more but likely will pay less. The old program awarded $100/month for hitting operational targets (paid on a quarterly basis)....
What Happens When You Actually Smoke During A Flight?
The no smoking signs are ubiquitous, but so are the ashtrays (by U.S. federal law). So what happens when someone just decides ignore the signs and light up? In India, a smoker refused to extinguish cigarette on a recent...
Dense, Dimwitted Logic From A Deliberately Deceptive Delta CEO
Air Italy’s USA expansion has caused a stir amongst U.S. legacy carriers. But Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s op-ed response is riddled with deception and outright mistruth. Feel free to start by reading Ed Bastian’s op-ed without my commentary. I’m...
The Real Reason United Airlines Is Buying ExpressJet
United Airlines wants a steady stream of pilots. It also wants to avoid the labor costs it pays to mainline flight attendants. The result is a convoluted acquisition of a regional airline that really takes some unpacking to understand....
India’s Grand Plan To Save Air India
If you can’t sell it, you might as well pour $330 million more tax dollars into it, right? That’s the new plan for Air India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Parliament for 23 billion rupees ($330 million USD)...
