Last Friday I reported that Aeroplan, Air Canada’s mileage program, was pricing out business class awards at economy class prices and first class awards at business class prices. I speculated that some sort of IT glitch was behind the...
Nuremberg Christmas Market
As we enter the Christmas season and my final days in Germany, I thought rather than jetting off to some exotic or dangerous country this weekend I would take a day to check out a new German city and...
Teen Busted at Airport for Gun [Design on Her Purse]
When is a purse a threat to national security? Apparently when it is decorated with a tiny, flat, plastic, obviously-fake, western-style pistol. Thank goodness for the Transportation Security Administration. First, take a look at the video here (I cannot...
Discounted Aeroplan Premium Cabin Awards Available Now – Book Fast!
UPDATE: Aeroplan confirmed that this promotion is running for select destination for a short period of time. May end at anytime so book now! While I generally do not like to kick someone while they are down, in this...
What American Airlines’ Bankruptcy Filing Means for You
AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning. Bankruptcy does not mean going out of business. Far from it, the move will allow the company to restructure and emerge as a more competitive...
The Long Way Back to Frankfurt (via YVR, HKG, IST)
After a refreshing week away from the office, I am on my way back to Frankfurt today. To spice things up a bit and to take advantage of a great deal Turkish Airlines ran earlier this year on their...
Forced to Stand for Seven Hours on a US Airways Flight
The issue of how to approach a POS (passenger of size) is always a delicate one. As the debate rages over how much personal control some obese people really have over their weight, it is important to approach this...
Lost Baggage Success Story on United Airlines
I rarely check baggage, but I checked three bags on my trip from Frankfurt to Los Angeles this week. With my time winding down in Germany, I elected to bring most of my stuff home so my final trip...
Airlines Make Thanksgiving Possible
Happy Thanksgiving to my readers in the United States and pleasant greetings to everyone. I am spending the day with family and friends today and thought it would be fitting simply to express my gratitude to the airline industry...
Man Sues Delta for $2MN for Hearing Loss on Loud Flight
I have seen dozens of petty airline-related lawsuits over the years, but this one takes the cake. An Oregon man is suing Delta Air Lines for $2MN, claiming he suffered permanent hearing loss on a fight from Minneapolis to...
Back in the USA + A Bump on United Airlines
I am back in the U.S. this week for Thanksgiving and am just grinning tonight that my little ploy worked. My company booked me on a non-stop Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles tomorrow but I opted to...
US Airways 100% Bonus Mile Promotion is Back
Just in time for Christmas, US Airways will bring back its 100% bonus promotion on purchased miles on 01 December. But unlike recent offers that capped the bonus at 50,000 miles, this time the maximum bonus is only 40,000...
The Poor Folks at United Airlines Customer Service
I’ve written before about untied.com, the site that allows disgruntled United (and now Continental) passengers to post complaints about their expeirence. The sight recently got a facelift, humorously now resembling the current United.com homepage. Whenever I need a...
Weekend in Cyprus and Lebanon
Hello from Ercan, Northern Cyprus. I flew into Larnaca, Cyprus last night and after a brief walk around town travelled north to the disputed Northern Cyprus, a breakaway region whose independence is only recognized by Turkey. I will soon...
EU Bans Full Body Scanners While USA Embraces Them
The European Union banned a variant of full body scanners (used extensively in the U.S. by the Transportation Security Administration) this week at the airports of all 27 member states, “[I]n order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and...
Dilemma Solved: How I Burned 330K British Airways Miles in Two Hours
Just a few days ago I speculated that I would likely save my British Airways miles rather than burn them on trips I really did not need to take purely for the sake of flying. Brad rightfully questioned my...
Discounted US Airways Club Membership + Free Miles
Now through November 18th you can enjoy discounted membership to US Airways Club lounges, no initiation fee, and 3,000 elite status miles just for joining. Simply enter promotion code CLB30 and your membership price will drop to $325 ($450/year...
More Fuel Surcharges Coming to Aeroplan
Just days after tacking on fuel surcharges to Lufthansa flights, Aeroplan has decided to share the love: Fuel surcharges to flight rewards on the following Star Alliance airlines will be effective as of the dates noted below: November 30th,...
AirTran Airways Sued for Cockroaches and Indifference
Sort of like the composition of hot dogs, some thing things are better left unknown and we really do not want know what is creeping about behind air vents, walls, and floors on the aircraft we fly. But once...
My British Airways Executive Club Dilemma
With the extinction of British Airways’ Executive Club days away and a steep devaluation of BA miles feared for North American flyers in the new and still secret “Avios” program, I face a personal dilemma. Should I spend my...
