Oh me! Oh life! As much as I love Los Angeles, its unpredictable traffic and my penchant to cut things close resulted in quite a screw-up today. First off, I really need to settle. As much as I love the...
End of an Era: United Pulls 747s from Australia Routes
The Boeing 747 has the graced the skies for more than four decades and is inextricably linked with the exotic heydey of global air travel. United Airlines has a been a prominent operator of the 747 and maintains a...
US Airways is a Huge Loss for Star Alliance
US Airways’ upcoming departure from Star Alliance on March 30, 2014 is a huge loss for the airline alliance and a particular burden for North American flyers using United MileagePlus miles. My most-requested award redemptions are business class to...
United Cuts Special Meals on Premium Transcon Routes Between Newark and Los Angeles & San Francisco
There was no formal announcment, but in fine print on the United Airlines North American premium cabin dining webpage, the following has appeared: *Effective May 1, 2014, we no longer offer special meals on flights between New York/Newark and...
Report: Malaysia Airlines 777-200 Crashed in South China Sea
A Malaysia Airlines 777-200 flight from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing has crashed in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam according to reports breaking now from both Vietnamese and Chinese state media. The flight was carrying...
New Numbers Show the Route Network is Not Saving United Airlines
United Airlines has released its 2014 Quarter One investor guidance and the figures are ugly. United blames the weather, the late Easter holiday, and the reduction of its regional jet fleet, but the signs point to a more ominous...
United’s Strict New Carry-On Policy or Business as Usual?
Word leaked last month that United Airlines would begin to strictly enforce its carry-on policy on March 1, 2014 and new carry-on sizers began popping up around the gate areas of many United stations. MileagePlus members received e-mails outlining...
United Airlines Eliminates Canadian Staff
United Airlines’ CEO Jeff Smisek is on a mission to cut $2BN in annual spending and is slashing anywhere and everywhere to meet that goal. The latest casualty is the United Airlines’ employees in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. CHICAGO...
United Releases Award Space on New Los Angeles – Melbourne Route!
United formally announced new service between Los Angeles and Melbourne yesterday. The route will operate 6x weekly, utilize a Boeing 787-9, and be operated by ex-Continental crews. On Wednesday, I noted– United has indicated that the flight will be...
United Airlines to Launch 787-9 Service Between Los Angeles and Melbourne on 26 October 2014
Word has leaked that United Airlines will soon announce new six-times-weekly non-stop service between Los Angeles and Melbourne to begin on October 26, 2014. The flight will be operated by the new Boeing 787-9 aircraft, be staffed by legacy Continental...
Brussels Airlines Award Space Returns to united.com
Shielded from the user-friendly united.com, Brussels Airlines has been one of the hidden secrets of my award booking business for several months. Award space is generous in both economy and business class and Brussels Airlines serves both Washington Dulles...
United’s Team USA Olympic Videos
U.S. companies are never hesitant to remind us of their support for Team USA in the biennial winter and summer Olympic games. Olympic logos tend to appear near the corporate logo and special ads are taken out as the...
United Airlines Ditches Styrofoam Cups
Styrofoam is so 20th Century. United finally got the memo and today has introduced new “eco-friendly” coffee cups that will soon be appearing onboard your next United flight and in United Clubs worldwide. A token move, but still laudable...
Customer Friendly? United Softens Blow of New Award Chart
United Airlines left a substantial question unanswered before its award chart devaluation yesterday–what changes to awards booked under the old chart will be permitted without having to pay additional miles? Today, it answered the question and also lessened the...
Old United MileagePlus Award Chart Extended Through 02 February 2014!
Just got off the phone with United, where an agent read a memo stating that to “ensure a seamless customer experience” the old award chart will remain in effect through 02 February 2014. All travel booked on or after...
Last Day to Book Under Old United Airlines Award Chart
Final call for what has been the overall most attractive award redemption chart in the industry–tomorrow the United Airlines MileagePlus award chart becomes much, much less valuable between nearly all regions. For more details about the changes, see this...
Germanwings (4U) Award Space Now Available on United.com
United Airlines MileagePlus members have been eligible to earn miles on Germanwings, the Lufthansa low-cost-subsidiary since last October, with the promise that Germanwings flights would soon be available for mileage bookings. Now, Germanwings flights are bookable on united.com in both...
The ANA Award Search Tool is Great, but not Perfect
Even if it can be a bit cumbersome to use, I have found ANA’s award search tool to be the single most accurate source of Star Alliance award availability for several years. Singapore Airlines space has been problematic–ANA automatically...
Politicians, Twitter, and United Airlines
Two former United States Senators have sounded off on Twitter today against United Airlines, including a six-tweet diatribe by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) regarding a lost first class seat on a flight to the Dominican Republic....
Scavenging for the New United Amenity Kits
I flew from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt in United BusinessFirst yesterday and was pleased to receive one of the new special edition amenity kits. I was hoping for either the DC or LAX tins and received the DC one, which...
