Hello from Dubai. The weather is over 100°F, but Dubai is one cool city–and it is making me feel like I am back in the States. It is my first time in the United Arab Emirates and I am...
Review: Park Hyatt Tokyo
Rated as one of the top hotels in Tokyo, I arrived at the Park Hyatt Tokyo with high expectations—and they were all exceeded. The Park Hyatt chain prides itself on personalized service that distinguishes it from its competitors. It...
Cheap Flights to Barcelona and Madrid on US Airways – from $340
Spanair codeshares with a number of their Star Alliance partners and once in a while, the codeshare flights can be very reasonable, or in this case, extremely reasonable. Fall fares to Barcelona and Madrid are currently available for as...
Naked Man Barricades Himself in Lavatory on Iberia Flight
Excessive alcohol and flying just do not mix–I’ve made that abundantly clear in previous posts. But sometimes passengers are just crazy (recall the deranged passenger that caused my United flight to divert to Omaha last year). Take the German...
Reminder: United Airlines Award Chart Changes Tomorrow
United Airlines’ updated mileage award chart comes into effect tomorrow and for the most part, the changes are good. There are a few award regions that will see an increased mileage requirement, however, so it might be wise to...
United to Close Denver Hub?
A piece ran in the Denver Post yesterday speculating on the future hub status of Denver, implying that United is ready to axe it. I see no cause for concern just yet. The rumors stem from internal UA documents...
Blame Me or Blame Lufthansa for Missed Dublin Flight?
This evening I arrived at Frankfurt at around 2015 from Munich after a long day of flying. I had a separate ticket from Frankfurt to Dublin booked months before, and I chose not to check my bags all the...
Two Calls to American Airlines, Two Very Different Outcomes
I fail to understand why airline reservations agents cannot do simple things like search for award availability. Today I called American Airlines about an award reservation on Cathay Pacific. I had already verified first class inventory on British Airway’s...
The Lady Who Tried to Steal My Seat…Thrice
As is often the case when I am departing on a weekday from Frankfurt, I stay far longer than I should in my office and find myself making a mad dash to make my flight. Yesterday was no different...
"Have you ever been to our First Class Terminal?"
At Star Alliance Gold check-in at Frankfurt earlier today, the smiling female Lufthansa agent glanced at my passport, pulled up my ticket, then asked, “Have you ever been to our First Class Terminal?” For a brief moment, I thought...
US Airways 100% Bonus on Dividend Miles Purchased Through June 30th
After a long hiatus, the 100% bonus offer on purchased miles from US Airways has returned. If you have ever considered purchasing miles before, this is the time to do it and this is the program to invest in....
Next Stop: The City of Lights (Paris)
Well, actually I am already in Paris. It was all the way back in 2006 when I was last here and it is nice to be back in this bustling hub of French commerce. The flight over, a quick...
United Shuns Continental and Reinstates Zone Boarding
Finally, a United policy wins out! During my travels in the United States last month I witnessed the birth of United’s “new” boarding policy, which could only be described as chaotic and inefficient. Mimicking Continental, UA began boarding military...
Hawaiian Flying on United Airlines
I enjoyed four Hawiian flights on United Airlines last month and provide this brief review of each flight to demonstrate that onboard amenities have improved since I compared United and Continental between Los Angeles and Honolulu last year. Flight...
Frankfurt to Washington Dulles in United Economy Plus
With 1K status now in the bag (in fact, I was surprised to see that I have banked over 120K EQMs already this year after all the flights credited), my travel on United for the year may be over....
Up to €20 Off Your Next Lufthansa Flight from Germany
While not as generous as the Lufthansa promotion in March, Lufthansa is offering 20 EUR voucher codes for use on Lufthansa flights departing from Germany. Simply click on this link, provide your name and e-mail address, and you will quickly receive...
Why Soldiers Should Not Board First on United Airlines
It is Memorial Day today in the United States, a day in which America honors those soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of their country. What started out as Decoration Day in 1865, when freed...
On the Matter of Flight Attendant Professionalism
I utilize public transportation to get to and from work at Frankfurt International Airport and run into a LOT of uniformed airline personnel, particularly from Lufthansa and United. United has a crew base in Frankfurt and therefore has a lot...
Delta Flight Diverted After Flirting Man Pulls Out "Poisonous" Gas
A guy name Bryan Sisco finds his Delta flight from Dallas to Atlanta is delayed and heads to the bar, where he consumes a few too many–but is not visibly hammered. Though the midst of going through a messy divorce with his...
A Weekend in Finland and Estonia
Hello from Helsinki. My travels around Europe continue and this weekend I am in the Baltics after a smooth flight on Lufthansa from Frankfurt this morning. Today I am going to head down to Tallin, Estonia and spend the...
