While the flight did not end well, I actually had a very pleasant trip on Iberia from Madrid to Los Angeles. I very much enjoyed the food onboard. The first meal was particularly delicious: a unique chicken thigh stuffed...
Overnight in the Iberia Velázquez Lounge in Madrid
I arrived into Madrid at 10pm from London and had a connection to Los Angeles the following day at noon. Was it worth going to the airport Hilton or into central Madrid? With a 24-hour lounge featuring a sleeping area, I...
British Airways’ CEO Alex Cruz Should Resign
I’ve not been particularly subtle in expressing my skepticism over British Airways CEO Alex Cruz. Since ascending to the helm of British Airways in early 2016, Cruz has treated British Airways like the low-cost Vueling carrier he previously ran. Small problem:...
Memorial Day Message from United CEO
United CEO Oscar Munoz is quite the prolific scribe. My go-to FA (who also said a new international route from LAX will be announced later this week) sent me the following note Munoz sent to employees earlier today to...
First Impressions of Biman Bangladesh Business Class
Biman Bangladesh Business Class disappoints, but mostly delights. My first flight in Biman Bangladesh Business Class, on the carrier’s flagship 777-300ER London route, was very good overall. The ground experience…not so much. I’ll have a full review later in...
How to Claim Compensation from British Airways Meltdown
British Airways experienced a huge IT meltdown over the weekend that crippled operations at London Heathrow and Gatwick. If you were impacted, what kind of compensation can you expect? First, let’s start with basic amenities. Under EU law (which the...
Virgin Atlantic Fuel Surcharges on Delta: Don’t Be a Fool
Last night we saw multiple reports of Delta adding massive fuel surcharges to Virgin Atlantic Upper Class redemptions. This morning the fuel surcharges are gone. Search for Virgin Atlantic award space on delta.com and you’ll see that the fuel...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: May 28, 2017
A pleasant Sunday evening to you from warm and sunny Los Angeles. I’m back from my latest trip to China/Thailand/Laos/Bangladesh/England/Spain and am looking forward to a couple weeks at home. My travails with Ethiopian Airlines have drawn out strong...
Iberia Apologizes, Clarifies Onboard Photo Policy
Last week I wrote about two Iberia flight attendants who demanded that I refrain from taking pictures onboard my Madrid to Los Angeles flight. I reached out to Iberia on Twitter for clarification on the carrier’s photo policy and found...
Another Note from Ethiopian Airlines Arrives
Ethiopian Headquarters has contaced me via e-mail concerning the $763 Bangkok fare. As I evaluate how to proceed with Ethiopian, I do wish to be transparent and post all correspondence. Having led you through this saga, it is only...
United Airlines Falsely Accuses Father of Fondling Son
There are a lot of bad people in this world who want to harm children. But it seems sometimes that society has gone off the deep end in its inherent distrust of fathers. Henry Amador-Batten was flying from Newark to Raleigh-Durham last Saturday on...
Spirit Airlines CEO Promises Better Customer Service
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...
