Let me preface this post by saying that perhaps you had to be there to experience the true humor in the situation. Saturday night I flew home from New York to Burbank on JetBlue. While I normally will choose...
This Billboard is an Inside Joke for United Flyers
This post is a little geeky, but I could not resist. I spent a couple days in Bangkok last week and everywhere I saw this ad– It’s apparently James Jirayu, who is a Justin Beiber-like figure in Thailand, as the...
Aborted Landing, Near Diversion on My Vietnam Airlines Flight
It’s never a good sign when the captain says, “Ladies and gentleman, due to poor weather in Ho Chi Minh City we are going to have to divert.” I just cannot seem to escape drama on this trip. After...
U.S. Air Force May Recall 1,000 Pilots. Impact on Airlines?
The United States Air Force is seriously short of pilots to fly combat missions. Now President Trump is making it easier for the USAF to recall pilots. How will this impact the pilot shortage facing the U.S. and world...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 22, 2017
I’m back in LA after a fast-paced week around the world. My trip took another twist on the way to Ho Chi Minh City, which I will share tomorrow morning. As it was a relatively light news week, Live...
How Turkish Airlines Plays Politics with Airline Meals
For this week’s Meal of the Week, I share a delicious little snack I enjoyed on a Turkish Airlines flight from Ercan (ECN) in occupied Northern Cyprus to Istanbul (IST) in 2011. The snack has a deeper political meaning...
How I Nearly Ruined My Qatar QSuite Trip
As if the yellow fever snafu was not enough, I had a visa issue as well in Bangkok and had to pay dearly for a solution. Yesterday, I had to get from Bangkok (where my cheap Ethiopian Airlines Business...
Review: Hilton Zurich Airport
I arrived late and left early so this review will be limited, but the Hilton Zurich Airport is conveniently located near ZRH with dated common areas but modern rooms. Shuttle service is complimentary from the airport to the property…but...
Beautiful New Hyatt Place in Bangkok
When booking my hotel in Bangkok this week I was surprised to see not only a Hyatt Place show up in my search, but that it was available for booking. I quickly booked it. Turns out I arrived on...
Yellow Fever Vaccination Bites Me Again
What is it with me and yellow fever vaccinations? First Nigeria, then Zambia, then Zanzibar. And now Thailand…I just can’t seem to learn my lesson. I believe I made this recommendation three years ago and never followed it, but...
Finally, Lie-Flat Beds on My Ethiopian Airlines Flight!
I’m pleased to report that my connecting Ethiopian 787 flight from Addis Ababa to Bangkok featured Ethiopian’s new fully lie-flat beds. But did it lead to a restful flight? The flight departed from a remote stand and bus boarding...
Review: SWISS First Class Lounge Zurich
The SWISS First Class Lounge in E-Gate area at ZRH is beautiful. Truly beautiful. It is also well-guarded. When we presented ourselves for admission holding only a business class boarding pass to Rome and coming from Frankfurt, we were...
What I Did in Addis Ababa
I hate to even write this, but I ended up seeing a lot less of Addis Ababa than I originally planned. Blame jetlag and my weak stomach. Sunday night I flew from Burbank to San Francisco to Chicago, then...
13 Long Hours on Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines has a lot going for it, but the lack of lie-flat seating makes it difficult for me to wholeheartedly endorse it. I’ve also realized something—internet is what I value most of all on a flight. Service was...
Review: Flying the Bombardier CS100 (SWISS from Frankfurt to Zurich)
There is a reason Boeing is so afraid of the Airbus/Bombardier C Series: it’s a great aircraft. I was able to fly a SWISS-operated CS100 from Frankfurt to Zurich in August. Here’s a review of the flight. Since I...
Delta’s Curious Move to Make Economy Class More Humane
New dishes and cutlery. Better pillows. Menu cards…all in economy class. That’s right, Delta is making the onboard economy class experience even better next year on longhaul flights. But why? Starting later this year, Delta will offer a number...
The Cheapest Hyatt in the World
As the year draws to a close and many of us are considering how we can squeeze in additional nights for status requalification, one very attractively-priced Hyatt property merits mention. The Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta (in Indonesia) has the lowest...
Review: Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt
The Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt remains one of the best first class lounges in the world. Although not intended for arriving longhaul passengers, the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt welcomes guests with a same-day arriving boarding...
The Godfather of the Airline Industry
Freddie Laker. Richard Branson. William Franke? Although not a household name, William “Bill” Franke is the man we can thank for the ultra-low-carrier model in the USA. He also hired both Doug Parker (CEO of American) and Scott Kirby...
Saying Goodbye to the Park Hyatt Toronto
I spent Monday night at the Park Hyatt Toronto, a hotel that will soon close until late 2019 for refurbishment. Part of me is sad to see it change. To be sure, the hotel does not fit in with...
