Later today U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will announce a sweeping deal that will put to rest the dispute between U.S. carriers and Qatar Airways. But who is the real winner here? Qatar Airways will agree not to...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 21, 2018

Hello from Zurich. I’m in the midst of an extended business trip, anxious to get home, but trying to appreciate the time in one of my favorite countries. I’ve already been to Qatar, Vietnam, Germany, and Malta. Austria, Italy,...
Will Qatar Airways Buy 25% Stake in JetBlue?

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, has hinted at plans to buy a 25% stake in a U.S. “startup” airline. If I’m a betting man, I’d say that is JetBlue. Speaking to reporters at an air show in...
Qatar Airways Shines in the Dark of Night

My final segment on my Qatar Airways “Golden Ticket” was a flight from Doha to Ho Chi Minh City aboard an A330 that departed at 2am. You might think catering would be more limited on an overnight flight departing...
Qatar Airways Agent Tries to Deny Me Boarding…

Sometimes it is wise not to draw attention to a particularly cheap fare an airline has decided to honor. You can accuse me of being greedy, but I stopped at the transit desk after arriving into Doha and asked...
My Experience Booking a Complimentary Transit Hotel in Doha

Qatar Airways has extended its complimentary transit hotel program until at least April 2018. I had the opportunity to test it out on my trip through Doha this week. About a week before travel I visited the website. Economy...
Is Compensation Due When a FA Fails to Wake You Up to Eat?

Is compensation due when a FA fails to wake you up to eat, as requested? As my Qatar Airways flight was entering final descent yesterday, one passenger was giving a FA a piece of her mind. She was livid...
Qatar Airways Qsuite: My First Impressions

Hello from Doha. I just completed the 6,705 mile journey from New York to Doha aboard a 777-300ER featuring Qatar Airways’ new Qsuite. The new business class hard product is revolutionary in terms of its privacy and personal space....
Hot Deal: Scandinavia to Australia in Qatar Airways Business Class $1658 R/T Plus 30K Bonus Miles

Qatar Airways is like the gift that keeps on giving. Business Class companion fares out of Scandinavia to Australia remain incredibly low. Let me make clear from the outset, this is for companion fares…meaning for two tickets purchased together,...
Sleeping Rooms in Qatar’s Al Mourjan Lounge (Doha)

My layover in Doha (DOH) was too short for even a nap, but if you ever find yourself there with a long layover, a relaxation area is available. During my recent transit in Doha, I wanted to shower before...
Review: Qatar Airways A350 Business Class Doha to New York

Sleep and food…two of my favorite things and the two items my Qatar Airways A350 flight from Doha to New York centered on. After spending a couple hours inside the Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge in DOH, it was time...
Review: Qatar Airways A330 Business Class Ho Chi Minh City to Doha

Qatar Airways proved once again that it offers the most well-rounded and perhaps the best overall business class product in the world. This is the first of four segments on the incredible $672 Qatar Airways fare sale I took...
Introduction: Adventures on Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways

Two so-called mistake fares. One mega trip. It was a hard-fought battle, but eventually I prevailed and successfully reinstated my discounted business class ticket on Ethiopian Airlines. Soon thereafter, Qatar Airways published an amazing business class fare between Ho...
What is Qatar Thinking in Latest Cathay Pacific Investment?

Qatar Airways will spend $600MN to secure a 9.6% stake in Cathay Pacific. What is Qatar Airways’ strategy in this latest acquisition? Qatar expects the deal to close today, meaning it has been in the works for quite some...
Why Did I Choose American Over Qatar?

My wife and daughter spent the summer in Thailand as it is my busy season at work and I am nearly never at home – why shouldn’t they be at the beach instead? As a result, I have been...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 29, 2017

Hello from Singapore…where I’m laying in bed sick. I’ll keep this brief. You’ll find a review of the week’s top stories below. Let me stress: take care of yourself. Don’t overdo it. But at the same time, take every...
14 Hours Aboard Qatar A350 Business Class…

After a restful flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Doha and a shower and panini in the Al Mourjan Lounge, it was time to board the 14-hour longhaul to New York City. Electronics were carefully searched at the...
A Restful Flight on Qatar Airways A330 Business Class

By the time it came to board my Qatar Airways flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Doha, I was exhausted. I had slept poorly all week and just wanted to have dinner, watch a movie, and nap on...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 22, 2017

I’m back in LA after a fast-paced week around the world. My trip took another twist on the way to Ho Chi Minh City, which I will share tomorrow morning. As it was a relatively light news week, Live...
This Week: Toronto, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Saigon, Doha, New York

Oh how I love these weeks, the weeks I spend the literal majority of the time on an airplane. This week I’m linking up two incredible fares sales I took advantage of — one on Ethiopian Airlines, the other...