Pilots and flight attendants from each airline have forums and Facebook groups in which company policy can be discussed and stories can be exchanged. One United Airlines FA apparently shared too much, in posting a numeric door code online used to...
Mother’s Day Part II: The Patient Wife
With the arrival of Augustine, we are celebrating Mother’s Day in a new way this year: my kitchen now looks like a funeral parlor. I prefer to buy potted plants or trees that my wife Heidi and I can plant...
Mother’s Day Note from United CEO
Someone shared with me a brief yet touching note from United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz to employees commemorating Mother’s Day today. Dear United family, Our moms are the bedrock of our families. They keep us together, they give us...
Mother’s Day Part I: From Fear to Nonchalance
My dearest mother used to lie awake when I would travel, doing what mothers do well: worrying. I remember my solo first trip to Washington, DC. Just DC. It was a mileage run and I flew on a Friday...
Review: British Airways A380 First Class Los Angeles to London
British Airways first class has often been called the “best business class product in the sky”. That was surprisingly not my experience. At least on the A380, I found the product very much a true first class product. Just to note,...
Review: Qantas First Class Lounge Los Angeles
The Qantas First Class Lounge at LAX is the best lounge in the United States. It’s not even a close contest. The lounge combines natural light with neutral colors to create a luxurious atmosphere. Ample seating areas (room for over...
Lufthansa First Class for 40K Points: Still the Best Deal in Town
Lufthansa First Class remains my favorite way to fly. Not only is it an aspirational experience, but also an easily reachable one and cheap with Asiana Club. Earlier this year I enjoyed an incredible flight in Garuda Indonesia First Class which...
How an Identity Thief Steals Your Personal Info
In the world of miles and points, we deal with a lot of credit cards. Credits card points are the golden key to lucrative premium travel at tremendous discounts over retail. But with that potential for great gain comes...
Did Delta Unilaterally Introduce Electronics Ban on All US-Bound Flights?
Has Delta jumped the gun on an expanded in-flight electronics ban or simply acted cautiously? The following sign was spotted at Cincinnati Airport earlier today by a Flyertalker: Attention International Travelers Effective May 12 passengers will only be permitted...
United Airlines Needs Customer Service, Not New Uniforms
From baggage handlers to pilots, everyone at United Airlines will be outfitted with new uniforms. That’s a foolish investment when customer service is so inconsistent. New uniforms are coming in 2019, but the preparation process has already begun. Employee roadshows...
The World of Hyatt Minus Jeff Zidell
Jeff Zidell is stepping down from his position as Head of Loyalty at Hyatt, a position he has held for nearly nine years. What will this mean for the future of the World of Hyatt? Zidell presided over the...
Lufthansa Premium Economy is Much Better on a Daytime Flight
I’m back from Germany and have a far more favorable impression of Lufthansa Premium Economy for daytime flights than for overnight flights. I complained about my inability to sleep in Premium Economy on the trip over. Interestingly, on the...
Ethiopian Airlines Writes Me Back! (RE: Cheap Business Fare)
If you’ve been following my saga with Ethiopian Airlines, you’ll know that I have been fighting to get Ethiopian to honor a $763 r/t business class ticket between Bangkok and Toronto. After letting my booking sit for many weeks, Ethiopian promptly...
Amazing Suite Upgrade at Park Hyatt Vienna
Over the weekend I stayed at the Park Hyatt Vienna, one of my favorite hotels in the Hyatt portfolio. A quadruple upgrade to an Ambassador Suite made my stay even more pleasant. Here are a handful of shots from my room– If...
Air Canada Dumps Aeroplan: Let’s Not Celebrate Yet
Effective June 30, 2020, Aeroplan will no longer be the loyalty program for Air Canada. Negotiations between Aeroplan’s parent company Aimia and Air Canada have stalled, prompting Air Canada’s decision to go it alone. As Air Canada’s financial situation has...
Woman: United Forced Me to Pee in Cup, Then Ridiculed Me
With so many horror stories coming out of the woodwork, great discernment is required in determining which tales will pass the smell test. Today’s story: a woman is attacking United Airlines for allegedly forcing her to pee in a cup...
Two Surprisingly Great Meals on Singapore Airlines
A reader asked about meals in Singapore Airlines economy class last week so I figured I would share my one and only experience flying Singapore behind the curtain for this week’s Meal of the Week. First, a note on...
Review: Turkish Airlines 777-300 Economy Class from Istanbul to Los Angeles
Turkish Airlines excels in business class, but what about economy class? My verdict: a solid flight, but nothing truly special. You’ll be impressed by many of the amenities, but economy class is economy class. Still, a positive verdict overall....
“We’re All Humans”: Air Berlin FA Feeds Me
Earlier this week I flew Eurowings on an undisclosed route operated by Air Berlin. An unexpected and kind gesture from a FA really made my day. It was an afternoon flight and as is customary, no complimentary snack or...
Free Upgrade to Business First Class on Heathrow Express with Star Alliance Gold Card
The Heathrow Express offers a convenient way to travel between LHR and London Paddington Station in 15 minutes flat. Now you can enjoy a complimentary upgrade to Business First Class with a Star Alliance Gold card, a value of £18 on a...
