Oh me! Oh life! As much as I love Los Angeles, its unpredictable traffic and my penchant to cut things close resulted in quite a screw-up today. First off, I really need to settle. As much as I love the...
US Airways + TAM Join oneworld Alliance
As Star Alliance shrinks, oneworld grows. Effective today, both US Airways and TAM transition from Star Alliance to oneworld, adding a more robust route network across the U.S., South America, and Europe for oneworld flyers. How Will This Affect You? If...
US Airways Adds Meals to Shorter Flights + Improves IFE
US Airways offers a very decent meal on domestic flights–when you can get one. The problem is that unless your flight is scheduled for more than 3.5 hours during conventional meal times, you’re out of luck. That has put...
British Airways’ Unfortunate "Escape to the Indian Ocean" Ad Campaign
I’ve raved about British Airways’ “To Fly, To Serve” ad campaign and its 2012 London Olympic ad, but sometimes ads just miss the mark–even if it is not deliberate. I present BA’s latest ad campaign rolled out at London’s...
End of an Era: United Pulls 747s from Australia Routes
The Boeing 747 has the graced the skies for more than four decades and is inextricably linked with the exotic heydey of global air travel. United Airlines has a been a prominent operator of the 747 and maintains a...
Leaked Video of Train Derailment at Chicago O’Hare Airport
CCTV footage has leaked out that captures the train wreck on Chicago’s CTA Blue Line Monday at Chicago O’Hare Airport— The train operator has admitted that she “dozed off” before the accident and has done so before. National Transportation...
US Airways is a Huge Loss for Star Alliance
US Airways’ upcoming departure from Star Alliance on March 30, 2014 is a huge loss for the airline alliance and a particular burden for North American flyers using United MileagePlus miles. My most-requested award redemptions are business class to...
Should I Burn my US Airways Dividend Miles Now or Later?
US Airways is leaving Star Alliance on March 30, 2014 and we can only guess at what the future Dividend Miles loyalty program will look like. Will the award chart stay the same for now? Will you be able...
Train Derails at Chicago O’Hare – Dozens Injured
Not being a car guy, I have often availed myself to Chicago’s CTA Blue Line to get from O’Hare Airport into the city and back. This morning, though, I am glad I was far away as a train derailed...
Last Call on the US Airways 90K USA + Europe + Asia Business Class Award
US Airways is leaving Star Alliance on March 30th, 2014, meaning your last chance to book on many Star Alliance carriers with US Airways Dividend Miles is this week. There are several gems on the chart, but the most...
United Cuts Special Meals on Premium Transcon Routes Between Newark and Los Angeles & San Francisco
There was no formal announcment, but in fine print on the United Airlines North American premium cabin dining webpage, the following has appeared: *Effective May 1, 2014, we no longer offer special meals on flights between New York/Newark and...
Air Canada Suspends Service to the Failing State of Venezuela
Air Canada is halting its thrice-weekly service between Toronto and Caracas as hyperinflation and violence continue to engulf Venezuela. In a statement, Air Canada said– Due to ongoing civil unrest in Venezuela, Air Canada can no longer ensure the...
To Selfie or Not To Selfie?
An aborted takeoff at Philadelphia International Airport tonight led to an evacuation of 149 passengers and five crew members. One passengers elected to post a selfie on Twitter just moments after evacuating the US Airways A320 aircraft with a...
Chaos at Philadelphia International Airport After Aborted US Airways Takeoff
An aborted takeoff on a US Airways flight bound for Florida from Philadelphia International Airport has shutdown PHL. The culprit: a blown tire; the result: smoke billowing out of the engines and a runway evacuation of the 149 passengers and...
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Wreckage Found?
A Chinese satellite has located what may be the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Then again, we’ve head that before. The Chinese agency gave coordinates of 105.63 east longitude, 6.7 north latitude, which would put it in waters...
On Malaysia Airlines and the Fragility of Life
I am working on a trip report that will include the scariest flight of my life, a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. An odd coincidence that it was on Malaysia Airlines but a sobering...
Report: Malaysia Airlines 777-200 Crashed in South China Sea
A Malaysia Airlines 777-200 flight from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing has crashed in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam according to reports breaking now from both Vietnamese and Chinese state media. The flight was carrying...
I Will Not Allow This Plane to Land!
It sure pays to have friends (or fathers) in high places… A passenger plane flying from Lebanon to Iraq was forced to turn back after the Iraqi transport minister’s son missed the flight and phoned Baghdad to stop the...
Top 10 Airline Award Redemptions for March 2014
Award chart devaluations continue, there are still a number of superb deals available. Here are my top ten award travel bright spots for March 2014. Nothing has changed from last month except the removal of United Airlines Asian redemptions...
New Numbers Show the Route Network is Not Saving United Airlines
United Airlines has released its 2014 Quarter One investor guidance and the figures are ugly. United blames the weather, the late Easter holiday, and the reduction of its regional jet fleet, but the signs point to a more ominous...
