I was looking at my passport yesterday and smiled at the collection of stickers I have built up on the back. I still have a long way to go before surpassing the number of stickers on my old passport...
Southwest Airlines Looks Beyond Boeing, Quietly Meets With Airbus Operator
The model is simple: one aircraft and one aircraft only. But after 47 years, Southwest may finally be looking beyond the Boeing 737. When Southwest Airlines began operations in June 1971, it chose the Boeing 737 for its fleet....
Air India Scraps Four 777s But Wants Five From Jet Airways…
Air India has approached the State Bank of India to lease five Boeing 777 aircraft owned by now-defunct Jet Airways. The irony, though, is that Air India cannot even afford to keep its own (relatively young) 777s flying! As...
A Reasonable Airline-Backed Proposal To Modify EU261/2004 (Delay Compensation)
It is no surprise that airlines don’t like EU261/2004, which establishes a common flight compensation regulation across the European Union. But at least one airline is proposing a constructive change rather than just an attack. I’ve written about EU261/2004...
The Cleanest Airlines In The World
A new list is out claiming to name the world’s cleanest airlines according to passengers. Disclaimer: the rankings come from Skytrax. However, I actually tend to agree with the list. Travelers were asked to rate airlines on the following...
How Aircraft De-Icing Works
Spring is nearing, but it remains icy cold throughout much of the USA and around the Northern Hemisphere. That means you may experience a de-icing before your aircraft departs. But have you ever wondered what exactly that is? United Airlines...
Passenger Charges Obese Seatmate $150 To Sit Next To Him
Clever or cruel? That’s the debate over a man who charged his obese seatmate $150 to avoid being bumped off a flight. On Reddit, a man asked, “AITA for making an obese man pay me cash to take up...
When The Hotel Concierge Comes Through
On a recent visit to Bangkok Thailand, we stayed in a number of hotels at a variety of price points. It was a pair of concierges at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit that made all the difference for our...
Could Airlines Realistically Reduce Change Fees?
Are airline change fees, as they currently stand, penny-wise but pound-foolish for airlines? For purposes of this discussion, my focus will be on U.S. legacy carriers American, Delta, and United. I note that Southwest has no change fees and...
Passive-Aggressive Mom Battles Passive-Aggressive Passenger Over Crying Baby
The only thing worse than openly complaining about a crying baby on an airplane is passive-aggressively complaining about a baby. And perhaps the only thing worse than that is passive-aggressively complaining about the passive-aggressive passenger… Stephanie Hollifield, a parenting...
The Flirt On My London Flight…
I’ve got to admire people for trying…but here’s a hint: snoring is generally a turnoff. There was a young woman sitting across the aisle from me on my flight to London last week. She was traveling alone and good...
President Trump Tells Speaker Pelosi To Fly Commercial
Yes, it’s political, but it’s also a travel topic. I’m not supporting either side. The federal government shutdown continues and a child-like tit-for-tat is going on between the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the Speaker of...
My Day In An Amsterdam Coffee House (Not Coffee Shop)
I’ve been in Amsterdam for over a week and staying my usual hotel, the Hyatt Regency. While I love almost everything about that hotel, the coffee is lacking. Thus, I set out in search of great coffee during a...
Five New Places I Want To Visit In Countries I’ve Already Traveled To
Yesterday I outlined five new countries I hope to visit in 2019. Today, I outline five places I wish to visit in countries that I have already visited. The world is complex and some places most consider separate countries...
Five New Countries I Hope To Visit In 2019
I should just copy and paste my 2018 list, for I did not visit a single new country last year. Quite frankly, I am borrowing from it: my list of countries I wish to visit has not changed. But...
10 Flights I Look Forward To In 2019
As we enter 2019, there are a number of airline premium cabin airline products I look forward to trying this year. Here’s the top-10 I will target, in order of priority: 10. American Airlines 777 First Class I have...
’Twas The Night Before Christmas (Televangelist Jetsetter Edition)
It is the day before Christmas and I am in a creative mood… I want to keep the mood light this week, but as we reflect upon the season I cannot help but to offer some social commentary, in...
What Happens When You Actually Smoke During A Flight?
The no smoking signs are ubiquitous, but so are the ashtrays (by U.S. federal law). So what happens when someone just decides ignore the signs and light up? In India, a smoker refused to extinguish cigarette on a recent...
Flying While Blind
Have you ever wondered what it is like to fly commercial as a blind person? An opinion column in the New York Times vividly shares a first-hand account. It’s well worth a read. Georgina Kleege is an English lecturer...
A New Most Powerful Passport In The World
Each year I write about the world’s most powerful passport, a designation that has fluctuated over the last few years. First, what makes a passport “most powerful” is the ability to travel to other countries without a visa or...
