Spirit Airlines may be a low-cost leader, but its customer service leaves many passengers fuming. In the past, the airline has been openly indifferent (if not downright hostile) to the notion of providing good customer service. Nope, the focus...
Why is Aeroplan Website Blocking Non-US/Canada Awards? My Theory
UPDATE: The problem is fixed…for now. Aeroplan is blocking all online award redemptions of itineraries that do not touch the USA or Canada. Earlier this month I wrote The Worst Aeroplan Redemption I’ve Ever Made, a last-minute Frankfurt to Vienna...
Denied: Biman and Iberia Prohibit Me from Taking Onboard Pictures
This trip has morphed into an unenviable close. If I cannot take pictures onboard a flight, my review will be incomplete and much less worthy of your time. Thus, my very sustenance depends upon onboard photography. Sadly, I was warned by two...
Review: Qantas A380 First Class Sydney to Dubai
I hated to leave the superb Qantas first class lounge in Sydney, but I had been looking forward to this flight for months. Just to note, this review is from March 2015. I publish older reviews because they have...
Women Sue United Airlines for $85K After Rough Landing
Two women are suing United Airlines for $84,894.41, claiming a rough landing on their United Airlines flight caused mental and physical pain. The fight in question was UA1587, a redeye from Portland to Chicago on May 23, 2015. The suit alleges...
20% Off Park Hyatt Bangkok + 3,000 Bonus Points
Earlier today I published a resoundingly positive review of the new Park Hyatt Bangkok. The one area of concern: price. As if reading my mind, the following email from Hyatt arrived just after the post went live: Dear Matthew,...
The Police Chase After Me in Dhaka
The transit in Dhaka was interesting, to say the least… Upon landing in Dhaka on Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Bangkok, we were bussed to the terminal where I followed the signs for “visa on arrival”. Sure enough, just inside...
Review: Park Hyatt Bangkok
Bangkok’s newest luxury hotel jumps out as an architectural landmark outside and a masterpiece inside. But is it worth the price tag? The hotel is located in the heart of the city, just above the brand new Central Embassy...
How is Biman Bangladesh Airlines in Economy Class?
My last-minute ticket home meant I was stuck in economy class for the 2hr flight from Bangkok to Dhaka on Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Business class was sold out. That’s a shame because it was only about $100 more than...
United CEO Reflects on Manchester Terror Attack
United CEO Oscar Munoz has penned a brief but beautiful note to employees concerning the tragedy in Manchester. Dear Fellow Employees, Along with the rest of the world, the eyes of 87,000 members of the United family are upon...
A Remarkable Airline Meal in an Airport Lounge
For this week’s Meal of the Week, I focus on an “airline meal” served in an airport lounge. I’ll explain what I mean shortly. Ethiopian Airlines was kind enough to set me up with a complimentary room at the...
Ethiopian Called. Now They Want to Honor My Ticket…
I thought our story was over, but it just took one more unexpected twist. Today I received a call from Tadesse, the Ethiopian Airlines Bangkok station manager I praised for handling my situation as well as he could. I...
Booked: Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Iberia
I went with option two. I’ll be flying home via Dhaka, London, and Madrid on Biman and Iberia. In all honesty, option one (flying with Kenya Airways and Korean Airlines) made so much more sense, but I looked beyond...
Five Reasons to Attend FTU in Minneapolis
If you’ve never been to a Frequent Traveler University, consider attending the upcoming FTU in Minneapolis June 9th-11th. I have been speaking at FTU events for several years now and would not do so if I did not believe...
Help Me Get Home: Three Choices!
Greetings once again from SE Asia. I’m working late in Vientiane, Laos this evening. The Novotel at BKK was over $200 so I thought, what the heck, let’s turn lemons into lemonade. I’ve never been to Laos before and the...
The Last Battle with Ethiopian Airlines (+Videos)
I have to admit, deep down in my heart I thought I’d be able to convince Ethiopian to honor my ticket. After all, they honored the ticket of another persistent passenger and the path of least resistance would have...
Denied Boarding by Ethiopian Airlines at BKK
Our story does not have a happy ending: Ethiopian refused to budge and I’m still in Bangkok. I’ll provide the play-by-play tomorrow, and have video as well, but I think this whole debacle can be summed up in one...
On My Way to BKK to Confront Ethiopian Airlines!
I’ve checked out of the Park Hyatt and am on my way to Suvarnabhumi Airport for a showdown with Ethiopian Airlines. I want to lay down some rules for what could turn into a feisty engagement. By recording them here...
Why I Have Become Jaded By So-Called “Mistake” Fares
Let me tell you a story. I’ll call it A Tale of Two “Mistake” Fares. Award Expert focuses on the effective utilization of frequent flyer miles and credit card points, but sometimes it just makes sense to purchase revenue...
Man Attempts to Break Into Cockpit on AA Flight
Here’s an interesting insight into the reality of airport security in the USA: a man who breached a security door at LAX that led onto an airfield ramp was released by airport police. He then boarded his AA flight and...
