Canadians are up in arms today that Portugal edged out Canada for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council. Politics was no doubt at play, and it seems that a dispute between Canadian and UAE authorities over landing...
Rumor: United will Introduce One-Way Star Alliance Awards on November 1st
According to this thread on FT, multiple United Airlines’ reservations agents have shared that one-way Star Alliance awards will be available for booking at the end of the month. Not taking their word for it, I called UA reservations...
No Jail Time for Ex-JetBlue FA Steven Slater
He got off easy. After ex-JetBlue FA Steven Slater pleaded guilty to two charges of attempted criminal mischief, one a felony and one a misdemeanor, he was released in New York earlier today and will avoid jail if he complies with...
Airlines Want Air Marshals Out of First Class
A couple weeks ago, Scott McCartney of the Wall Street Journal wrote a great column on the recent push by airlines to move Federal Air Marshals out of first class and back to economy. Today, USA Today followed up with an article of their own, further...
Airplane Paint Jobs Gone Bad
In a feature entitled "12 Awesome Airplane Paint Jobs," Autopia magazine brings us what they consider to be prime examples of airlines "deck[ing] out their planes with cool paint jobs." After examining their choices, however, I have only this to...
ExpressJet Pilot Faces Job Termination for Refusing to Walk Through TSA Nude-O-Scope
First, you’ve got to read Michael Roberts’ account of the incident. Roberts is a Houston-based ExpressJet pilot who recently refused to walk through the TSA’s Advanced Imaging Technology (a clever Orwellian term for machines colloquially known as Nude-O-Scopes) at...
US Airways Tells Man He is too Disabled to Fly Alone
To sum up the story: a 47 year old man with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair to get around was told by US Airways that he was "too disabled to fly alone" on a PBI-MCI flight last month. In a statement issued...
Contrasting United and Lufthansa: Accommodation vs. Competence
I’m back from my short trip to Frankfurt and I want to share the results of a little experiment I conducted yesterday and today with the good folks at Lufthansa. Bottom line: they all play by the rules. Whether this is a virtue or...
There’s a Continental Airlines’ Mechanic in My Seat!
Last night I blogged about my seat assignment on a Newark-Brussels Continental flight that "magically" changed from 17D (an aisle in the second row of economy class with in-seat power) to 35E (a middle seat near the back of the...
Skirmish Over Seat Assignment at EWR
Involving me… I don’t take kindly to being moved from 17D (front of the economy cabin with in-seat power) to 35E (middle seat near the back of the aircraft with no power) with no explanation offered. More importantly, I...
Earn Double Rapid Rewards on Southwest Airlines’ Philadelphia Flights
For all the fun we have ribbing Southwest Airlines, I’m truly a WN fan. That doesn’t mean I’d ever choose them over any of the other airlines that serve Philadelphia (especially when their leisure fares are often the most expensive),...
Southwest Slips to Cellar in On-Time Arrival Performance
United has again captured the on-time arrival award for the month of September (88.9% of flights arrived on time), with US Airways (86.6%) and Continental (85.6%) close behind. Surprisingly, at least on first glance, Southwest Airlines finished last (75.8%) among major...
Genuine Upgrade Reciprocity Between United and Continental Finally Arrives
Two weeks into the merger, Coninental and United have finally officially made available reciprocal ugprades and other seating benefits to their elite members. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits: Continental What is it? Comparable to United Elite upgrades Automatic upgrades...
Live and Let’s Fly: One Year Anniversary
Ha! The year flew by past. Today marks the first anniversary of my blog. I want to take a brief moment to thank all of my readers for your input and support over the last year. I also want to thank...
Pictures from UA Open House / Fleet Week at SFO
As promised, here are my pictures from Sunday’s Family Day Open House at SFO. I want to again thank Frank Dean for graciously extending me an invitation to the event and for all the folks at UA who made...
Why I’m Optimistic about Jeff Smisek Leading United Airlines
I missed United Airlines’ new President and CEO Jeff Smisek by about ten minutes at the Family Day event at SFO on Sunday, but I was impressed to hear that he spent time mingling with the crowd after delivering...
Hey 1Ks–Take Advantage of Confirmed Same-Day Changes!
I made another rookie error yesterday. Learn from my mistake. First a bit of background. Yesterday was United’s Open House and Family Day in San Francisco and I decided to attend at the last minute (a few days before the event). That...
Chase Mileage Plus Visa Offer: 20% Off Your Next United Saver Award
Just so there is no misunderstanding, it looks like this offer is targeted. I have not received the e-mail and am going off this FT thread. Nevertheless, I feel this deal is worth passing on and it certainly will not hurt...
Off to United Family Day Open House in San Francisco!
Sadly, no bumps or even an upgrade for me this morning as I prepare to board my UA flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco, but I am looking forward to hanging out with United and Continental employees as well...
XII: Outstanding Service on United from IAD-LAS-SFO-LAX
2010 SOUTH AMERICA TRIP REPORT I: Introduction II: Los Angeles to Washington Dulles via Denver in United First III: Washington to Buenos Aires in United Airlines Business Class IV: Business Class (Cama) Bus Service from Buenos Aires to Iguazu...
