My feelings about Continental remained mixed. Since the airline joined Star Alliance in 2009 I have flown on them quite a bit, on a mix of domestic and international flights. Overall, I give high marks to Continental, though I...
Forced Through a Full Body Scanner!
I had a very nice time in Kiev, until my trip back this afternoon—read also about my baggage mishap. After years of vociferously protesting full body scanners as an unreasonable and unconstitutional intrusion on privacy, I quickly caved in...
Note to Self: Leave Red Wine Out of Checked Bag
I would not necessarily label it a rookie mistake, but I arrived back in Frankfurt from Kiev this afternoon to find my well-wrapped and padded bottle of red wine shattered and all over my blue jeans in my checked...
Who was I Kidding? The Travel Continues…
After another particularly stressful week at work, I was looking forward to relaxing at home this weekend and catching up on things I have neglected over the last week, including this blog. As I mentioned earlier in the week,...
Overland Journey from Dubai to Muscat, Oman
It was not just Iran that I visited during my trip to Dubai last week–I also had the chance to travel across Oman, though my time in Muscat was much more limited than I had hoped for. Oman has...
My Travel Season Draws to a Close
After traveling almost non-stop (at least one trip per week) since February, it is going to be a bit strange not to leave Germany for the next six weeks. The last few months have been amazing in terms of...
Did I Get Shafted by Lufthansa and British Midland?
My Iran story is not quite over: there remained the unresolved matter of my ticket back to Europe on Lufthansa. If you did not read about my adventure in Iran, an overbooked flight back from Kish Island to Dubai...
World’s Largest Lufthansa Lounge Opens July 5th in Frankfurt
Coming soon to Terminal B at Frankfurt International Airport: a new Senator Lounge that will also become the largest Lufthansa lounge in the world. Today I received the following e-mail from Lufthansa: Dear Mr. Klint, Here is some terrific...
Bargaining to Sleep on Kish Island, Iran
With no idea where we would sleep that night, my friend and I sat down to strategize. The airport had free wi-fi and I scoured the internet for hotels in Kish. I did find a listing of hotels, but...
TSA Forces 95-Year-Old to Remove Diaper
After probing this story further, some of my outrage has dissipated. Yet I am still fuming at all parties involved. A 95 year-old woman in Florida in the terminal stages of leukemia, weighing only 105lbs and bound to a...
British Airways Captain Throws Mobile Phone Out Cockpit Window
I am having trouble deciding whose side I am on in this story, which occurred on Friday evening. A British Airways flight from Edinburgh to London Gatwick was already delayed. On the taxi out, a mobile phone was found...
New Livery + Business Class for LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines, a Star Alliance member, will be the first European carrier to take delivery of Boeing’s 787 aircraft. The program is two years behind schedule, but the kinks finally appear to be ironed out and LOT is...
Trapped in Iran!
For those just joining the story, be sure to check out Parts One, Two, and Three. Outside immigration, we hailed a taxi who agreed to take our UAE dirhams. There are no banks on Kish Island that accept U.S....
Don’t Blame Delta for Saudi Foreign Policy
The Rabbi Jason Miller is not happy with Delta Air Lines. In a poorly-written article published in the Huffington Post, Miller bemoans that Saudi Arabian Airlines will soon be a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, the airline group that...
Earn and Burn American Airlines Miles on Etihad Airways
Award earning and redemption options just got a little better on American Airlines. As of 01 June, American Airlines AAdvantage miles can be earned on most Etihad flights. Three notable exclusions are flights between Abu Dhabi and New York,...
Dubai to Kish Island, Iran on Kish Air + Interrogation at Iranian Border
With a 12:30p departure to Kish and a late arrival from Muscat the previous night, it was nice to sleep in for a bit. We arrived at Terminal Two in Dubai at around 11:00a and had no trouble checking...
This Southwest Captain Hates "Gays and Grannies and Grandes"
I would feel sorry for the Captain, if he wasn’t such an idiot. Apparently a Southwest Airlines captain didn’t know his microphone was stuck on the “on” position and broadcast to the FAA and everyone else within earshot a...
The Kish Air Experience in Dubai
Last night, I left you on a cliffhanger–would I make it to Iran or not? Early the next morning I asked the Park Hyatt concierge to call Kish Air’s ticketing office to see about traveling to Iran later in...
A Spur of the Moment Trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran
It all started around the brunch table Saturday in Dubai. I casually mentioned that Kish Island, a small Iranian island just 30 minutes from Dubai by air, would be an interesting place to visit. Why Iran? For years I...
It Has Been One Heckuva Day
For those of you wondering why I was missing in action the last couple days, stay tuned for a fascinating report that will cover my time in Dubai and Oman, but primarily Iran–yes, Iran. And there was drama in...
