Turkish Airlines permits the use of mobile phones in-flight. Using T-Mobile Wi-Fi, I was able to call my wife during my ~14hr flight on Thursday. The connection was clear and we had a nice conversation…it helped to pass time...
Air Force One Costs HOW Much to Operate?
How much does it cost to operate Air Force One? Even having worked in the White House a decade ago, I was shocked to see the numbers. With the President making weekly trips to Florida, NPR has a story...
A Dependable, Free Babysitter Anywhere in the World
I hope this post does not get me reported to child protective services… My wife and I have started employing a cheap, dependable babysitter when we need to get out for a few minutes. Her name? FaceTime, courtesy of Apple Computer....
Doctor Dragged Off Oversold United Flight
A doctor was literally and forcibly dragged off a United Express flight yesterday for refusing to give up his seat on an oversold flight. United 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was oversold and in need of four volunteers. United offered...
Should Free Tap Water When Flying Be A Right?
The human body needs water to sustain itself. Our brain is 70% water, lungs 90% water and our body is 60% water overall. It is the fuel that propels us forward. So is charging separately for water on an airplane...
Loud Copulation in Hotel Room
We are in Mykonos at a lovely little beachside hotel. It is still early in the season with most hotels not open yet. Each room has an ocean view and although very much a budget property, the hotel has...
5 Planes I Wish I Had Flown
My interest in aviation bloomed in 2004, though it did not truly take off until 2008. Planes come and go over the years but some are more special than others. Here are five planes I either never had the...
Disgusting: TSA Molests 13-Year-Old at DFW
If the leggings incident taught me anything, it is not to jump to conclusions. So I won’t. But video of a TSA agent invasively screening a 13-year old boy does make me sick. Before we get to the video,...
Leggingsgate: What Happens to Employee Whose Passes were Being Used?
When a pass rider abuses the privilege of flying NRSA (non-revenue, space available), what are the consequences? Amazingly, the story of #leggingsgate has dominated the news over the last 24 hours. Check out One Mile at a Time on NBC’s...
Stupid! $400 for a Slice of Airline Pizza
I think I speak for all of us when I say there are certain moments in life that we look back on with on regret. My regret this morning: giving up a bump voucher because of an airline meal. This...
Will Finnair Leave the oneworld Alliance?
Might Finnair soon leave the oneworld alliance? Finnair’s chief Pekka Vauramo is angry. The major gaps in oneworld’s worldwide flight network as the precise gaps that Finnair deems essential for growth. With no alliance partners in China or India,...
Great Mexican Food in Amsterdam
No matter what city I am in the world, I will seek out Mexican food. It is my comfort food that I could eat 365 days year. Just ask my wife. So when I was in Amsterdam over a recent...
Watch Out for This When You Book Airfare on Orbitz
In booking last-minute airfare this week I noticed some absolutely sketchy fees on Orbitz. Watch out for them. First, let’s talk when you should book your airfare on Orbitz. Answer: as little as possible. Booking on Orbitz, an online...
Hollywood Throws Out Bob Hope from Burbank Airport
As my home airport, I watched with great dismay as service to Burbank greatly shrunk during the Great Recession. Now with great delight I watch service returning to pre-recession levels. In a bid to draw even more travelers (and...
The Amenity Kit I Cannot Throw Away
I think we all tend to hold on to certain things, sometimes irrationally. Back in 2005, I picked up a free “United MileagePlus Visa” amenity kit at the ticket counter in Washington Dulles. For the last 12 years, it...
When a Seatmate Vomits On You…
Just in time for the West Coast lunch hour, the topic of what to do when a seatmate vomits on you. I noticed an absolutely disgusting story on Flyertalk about a sick woman who vomited on her seatmate. With...
I Need Another Star Alliance Status Match
I’m in need of my Star Alliance Gold fix. Anyone know a good dealer? I have lifetime Premier Gold status with United Airlines, which also gives me lifetime Star Alliance Gold status. But that does not help me gain...
My Seatmate Had Foul Body Odor…on a 10hr Flight
Remember that post I wrote a couple months ago about my proselytizing seatmate? Turns out he had another issue as well: pungent body odor. Later today I will publish my flight report on Ukraine International Airlines’ flagship Kiev to New...
Incredible $70 One-Way Fares to Europe
I don’t typically write about deals since we see them multiple times each week now, but I cannot pass this one up. WOW Air is offering $69.99 one-way flights from a number of U.S. cities. These include: San Francisco...
Help Me Choose What Trip Report to Publish Next
It has been only two months since I made the move to Boarding Area but I already feel like I’ve been here for years. I love being part of this family. I’m still catching up on a backlog of...
