Just days after Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary suggested that co-pilots should be replaced with trained FAs, Ryanair Captain Morgan Fischer proposed this cost-cutting measure for the budget airline: “I would propose that Ryanair replace the CEO with a probationary cabin...
What NOT to wear when you are flying in first class!
Maybe the guy was just protesting intrusive TSA search protocols or lost a poker bet, but I have to question what motivates someone to wear this on a plane. Then again, I am they type of traveler who won’t...
Ex-Gangbanger and Inner-City Cop Flying First Class on Singapore Airlines
I’ve already blogged about the folly of assuming someone doesn’t belong in first class, but this story takes the cake. I love trip reports that read like a suspense novel and Flyertaker macabus has proven himself a fine raconteur. Click...
A Note to the Disgrunted Passenger at UA Baggage Claim Last Night at LAX
Dear Disgruntled Passenger, Hi. I was the young man being assisted at the United baggage claim counter last night at LAX when you stormed in and demanded to cut to the front of the line. It was apparent that...
An Artist’s Take on a Red Eye Flight
Christoph Neimann, a blogger/artist for the NY Times, recently sketched out a visual diary of his red eye flight from New York to Berlin (via London). I love all varieties of trip reports, but I’ve never seen one like...
Accused of Being a Terrorist: SAL to IAD on TACA
This is the last of a six-part recount of my recent trip to Central America. Washington Dulles to San Salvador on TACA My Adventure in San Salvador Aborted Landing on TACA: SAL-PTY 24 Hours in Panama City Short-Haul Flying...
TSA Antics at Washington Dulles
I returned home from Buenos Aires today and had to endure a torturous 45-minute wait in the immigration line today at Dulles. After my poor experiences in Montreal, I vowed to apply for Global Entry: only $100 for five...
United Orders Musician to Purchase First Class Ticket…For His Cello
What is it with United and musical instruments? First it was broken guitars. Now comes a story from the NY Post about a cello "forced" to fly in first class. I love the way the Post sensationalizes things, so...
United loses liquor license at SEA Red Carpet Club for serving alcohol to minors!
If you are flying though Seattle-Tacoma International over the next five days, don’t bother to pull out your drink chits if you stop by United’s Red Carpet Club. UA’s liquor license has been suspended for allegedly serving alcohol to...
I let a SWU expire!
I’ve always kept a close watch on my upgrade balance in the past, but since United’s unlimited domestic upgrade (UDU) program started earlier this year, I have not had the need to use any of my banked upgrade instruments....
Car Takes Flight at DFW
Boeing and Airbus now have a new competitor: Ford Motor Company. The woman, who was drunk, claimed she had only one vodka-cranberry the night before. That must have been some vodka… I hope she’s not expecting a 500-mile minimum...
The Folly of Assuming Someone Doesn’t Belong in First Class
It doesn’t happen much anymore, but when I first started to seriously fly on United over five years ago, I was often told: "This line is for First Class passengers." "It’s not your turn to board yet pal." "Son,...
My Brother’s Observation from United First
My younger brother is not a frequent flyer, but I spoil him when he does fly and he usually ends up in First Class. We exchanged the following text messages today before his United flight: HIM: Douchebag in 1A upon being...
"Divorce Court" Awards Husband 257,041 Miles
Divorce Court TV judge Lynn Toler awarded 257,041 miles to a husband who successfully argued he had spent his own miles on the couple’s travel and should be reimbursed. The wife complained that they had traveled the world, but...
US Airways Takes Offense to Jeff Smisek’s Poetic Flourish
The Wall Street Journal has been quite humorous this week in covering the UA-CO merger: Two years ago, Continental Airlines Inc. spurned United Airlines’ proposal to marry, believing the time wasn’t right. On Monday, Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman and chief executive,...
The Future of Budget Airline Travel: Load your own bags!
We’ve heard about Michael O’Leary’s plans for charging to use the lavatory and having "standing" sections in the back of the planes, but the good folks at Ryanair are really thinking outside the box: Ryanair says it is also...
United FA prohibits Internet communication on p.s. flight for "security reasons"
It seems a lot of bloggers on the Huffington Post fly on United. Yesterday, tech journalist John Battelle was minding his own business, video chatting with his wife and children from 30-plus thousand feet in the air, when a...
Corendon Airlines’ Pilot Arrested for Flying with Fake License for 13 Years
Catch Me If You Can is one of my all-time favorite movies. I never thought we’d see another Frank Abagnale, Jr. though. A pilot has been arrested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport for flying passenger planes for 13 years with...
Thanks for Flying StarTeam
I tried out Continental’s new LAX-HNL-NAN 737-800 route last week and really enjoyed the service. Later this week I will blog about crew and meals on the flights. For now, I just thought I’d share that the purser on...
Russian Visa Confusion Nearly Curtails My Mileage Run on United Airlines
I showed up at PHL early this morning to check in for my trip to Moscow because I had a future ticketing issue to take care of. It’s a good thing I did: I nearly missed my first flight....
