We know that middle seat passengers have a claim to both armrests, but would you actually fight for them? Earlier this week I booked a very last-minute ticket to fly from Los Angeles to Houston. I ended up with...
How I Called Back An Airline Reservation Agent And Reached Her Instantly
Recently, I found myself speaking to one of the loveliest United reservations agents I had ever encountered. She was so cheerful and competent. I needed some help with an award ticket, and that can get very tricky when working...
Please Don’t Exploit The California Wildfires To Save Big On Airfare
I write about this topic with a heavy heart for two reasons. First, wildfires have wrought destruction across California. The consequences are real. The damage is breathtaking. 42 people have died. Second, what I am about to cover is...
Why You Should ALWAYS Photograph Your Rental Car Before Pick-Up And Drop-Off
Always, I repeat always, take pictures of your rental car before driving it off and giving it back. I was in Holland earlier this week and so happy that I took my own advice, something I have made a...
The Unwritten Rules Of Flying
What are the unwritten rules of flying on a commercial airplane? Toronto-based Global News recently discussed the issue and I actually think they got the list right…for the most part. Don’t crowd the gate Middle seat passenger receives both...
Airplane Etiquette: Look Before You Recline
Just as we always look before making a turn while driving, we should always look before reclining our seat on an airplane. My laptop almost broke on a recent flight from Los Angels to Chicago. I purchased the ticket...
Quick And Easy: Joining German EasyPASS “Global Entry” Program
During my transit through Frankfurt last month, I had an opportunity to join the German Trusted Traveler Program called EasyPASS. EasyPASS is the German equivalent of Global Entry and available to U.S. citizens, whether you have Global Entry in the...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: July 15, 2018
As the weeks fly by, I hope you are having a wonderful summer. It has been a quiet week in the world of aviation. But over the last week, we’ve seen an Air China pilot endanger the lives of...
The Smart Way To Bequeath Your Frequent Flyer Miles
Many news outlets have picked up on the fact that Anthony Bourdain bequeathed his frequent flyer miles to his ex-wife in his will. Here’s how she should handle them. The will asks her to “dispose of them in accordance...
Bold Confidence: Waiting Till The Very Last Moment To Book Award Ticket
My wife woke up this morning without a ticket to Zurich. She had told her friends and family she was leaving today and would arrive on Saturday afternoon. She even told her parents her flight number. Small problem: the...
Pros and Cons of the Illogical New Flying Blue Program
A new pricing scheme kicked in for Air France/KLM Flying Blue award redemptions on June 1st. Figuring it out has been like trying to figure out the writing of Faulkner. But I’ve been able to make a few general...
FBI: Five Tips to Avoid Sexual Harassment Aboard Your Next Flight
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a guideline with five tips you can use to prevent against sexual harassment aboard airplanes. The FBI reports it is receiving more reports of in-flight sexual harassment than ever before...
Qantas Destroys Baggage: A Cautionary Carry-On Reminder
Another reason you should never place valuables inside your checked bag: your luggage might fall out onto the tarmac and be run over by truck. Although that is merely an allegation by one disgruntled Qantas passenger, the proof is...
A Boring But Brilliant Award Redemption
Sometimes the best use of your miles is not for a luxurious longhaul first class flight but a short domestic flight in economy class. An Award Expert client needed to travel from Chicago to Birmingham this weekend. Dates were...
Finally, A Chance To Fly Air France!
Believe it or not, I’ve never flown Air France in my life. That’s about to change. No, it won’t be a glamorous longhaul in first class. In fact, it will not even be business class. But it will be...
Scam “British Airways” Agent Defrauds My Client
A cautionary tale: be careful when you search Google for an airline’s telephone number. One of my Award Expert clients just got ripped off, big time. We had booked a trip for her in American Airlines + British Airways...
My Thought Process In Building A Multi-City Award Trip
We receive many interesting requests at Award Expert, my award booking service, including some that require a bit of creativity. Let me tell you about a recent trip. The client lived in Philadelphia. His destination: Beijing. He wanted to...
Bizarre Business Class Advice in Harper’s Bazaar
It’s time to start calling out the mainstream media on fake upgrade and premium cabin stories. Several days ago a friend at United Airlines forwarded me an internal communication heralding the high ranking of United Polaris from Harper’s Bazaar. I...
Why You Should NEVER Argue with Airline Phone Agents
Even seasoned travelers need a reminder once in awhile that it simply does not pay to argue with an airline agent. I’ll admit it. I argued with an airline call center employee yesterday. It happens to the best of...
Why You Should Always Book Directly with the Airline
This week we learned about a sad case, a tragedy really, involving a woman who was denied boarding enroute to her mother’s deathbed due to a ticketing snafu. It’s a reminder to always book directly with the airline, when...
