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,...
Introduction: A Mezze of Gulf Carriers
My next trip report shows that I am either mentally deranged or truly love flying for the sake of flying. Before the last American Airlines AAdvantage devaluation, I could not help myself, booking a deliberately complex routing from Mumbai...
Another Aviation Crisis Is Looming
I’ve written before about the pilot crunch affecting commercial airlines around the world. But that’s not the only problem: another crisis looms that airlines are scrambling to prepare for. As many retire and the aviation industry continues to expand,...
United Wants To Send “Hardest Working Person In America” To Tahiti
United Airlines wants to send you to Tahiti in business class, put you up in nice hotels, and give you some spending money…if you work hard enough. It’s a contest, but one of the best ones I have seen...
Quick And Easy: Joining German EasyPASS “Global Entry” Program
During my transit through Frankfurt last month, I had an opportunity to join the German Trusted Traveler Program called EasyPASS. EasyPASS is the German equivalent of Global Entry and available to U.S. citizens, whether you have Global Entry in the...
How Could An Airline Lose An Emotional Support Dog?
Serious question: how could an airline lose an emotional support dog? Isn’t the very point of an emotional support animal to provide emotional support to the owner, therefore the animal is always with the owner? But LATAM is making...
A Heartwarming Homecoming At LAX
Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love. -Hamlet, Act II, Scene ii Just watch the video below. I really don’t think any...
Why China Is Angry At United Airlines
A good compromise leaves both sides mildly discontent, but when one side has a stronger 剑 (sword), compromises do not hold up long. Mainland China is angry at United Airlines. It views the carrier’s “compromise” on the sticky Taiwan issue...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: September 02, 2018
For a variety of reasons, it has been a stressful weekend. Tomorrow is Labor Day in the USA but it will not be a day free of labor for me. So without further ado, here’s a review of the...
A Multi-Course First Class Dinner on American Airlines
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. I flew...
U.S. Flight Attendants Really Hate The Call Button
The issue of the flight attendant call button is a sensitive one in the USA. While absolutely taken for granted and even encouraged in much of the world, it remains vexing in the USA (unless you are flying in...
Review: Middle East Airlines A330 Business Class Beirut To Frankfurt
After a pleasant flight from Dubai to Beirut aboard an A320, it was time to test MEA’s flagship A330-200. Give yourself extra time to get from the central terminal to your gate: an additional security screening is required. Boarding...
Review: MEA Cedar Lounge Beirut (BEY)
The recently-remodeled Middle East Airlines (MEA) Cedar Lounge in Beirut is spacious and comfortable. This 24/7 lounge is both a SkyTeam and Priority Pass lounge, but large enough to handle crowds. I last visited this lounge in 2011 and it...
What Happens When You Jump The Fence At LAX?
What happens when you jump the fence At LAX? Obviously, you are arrested. It is trespassing. But what else? Prison? Do Not Fly list? Airport ban? Earlier this week, a man jumped the outer permitter fence at Los Angeles International...
Review: Middle East Airlines A320 Business Class Dubai To Beirut
Other than the smoking, I had a wonderful flight on Middle East Airlines from Dubai to Beirut. In my teaser about this flight, I mentioned that the pilots were smoking onboard. I must mention it first here, for I...
