Today is election day in the United States. In a country with deep internal division, there’s more on the ballot than choosing the next President. In California, voters will consider Prop 16, a controversial ballot initiative that would restore affirmative action at...
United Airlines Moves To Contactless Onboard Payments, Will Resume Buy-On-Board Service
Later this month, United Airlines will resume onboard sales of beer, wine, and snack boxes on a handful of flights. It will also test out contactless payment to minimize contact between flight attendants and guests. United Airlines Buy-On-Board Service...
United Airlines + Amtrak End Partnership
United Airlines and Amtrak will end a decades-long partnership, eliminating reciprocal lounge access and what historically has been a convenient way to earn miles when traveling on Amtrak. Amtrak + United Wind Down Partnership Stretching back two decades, Amtrak...
United’s New Lavatory Policy Is Temporary And Targeted
You may have seen headlines this morning that United will now allow economy class passengers to use first class lavatories onboard. While true, the new United Airlines lavatory policy is temporary and not without limits. United Airlines Updates Lavatory...
United Airlines Launches Free COVID-19 Testing On Select London Flights
In an attempt to move testing forwarding as a means to eventually loosen travel restrictions, United Airlines will trial a free COVID-19 testing program for select passengers traveling from Newark to London Heathrow starting next month. Free, Mandatory COVID-19...
Test Driving The Latest Version Of The United App
United Airlines released a substantial update to its mobile app today. Infrequent United flyers will see a big upgrade while regular users will continue to enjoy the same functionality with a number of new features. An Update To The...
Taste Test: United’s New First Class Sandwiches
My Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. Earlier this week I...
United Airlines Increases Cost Of Nonstop Partner Award Flights
United Airlines no longer publishes award charts so technically there is no longer such thing as a devaluation. Nevertheless, partner award space tends to follow a uniform price and I’ve noticed a disturbing new trend concerning nonstop flights on...
Pandemic Chicken Dinner On United Airlines
My Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. Domestic meal service on...
United CEO Eternally Optimistic About Return Of Business Travel
We’ve written a lot about the rapid decline in business travel on Live and Let’s Fly. I’ve even opined that it may never return to pre-pandemic levels. But United CEO Scott Kirby puts forward two reasons why he believes that...
United Airlines Announces Eight New Latin America Routes
United Airlines will add eight new routes and also bolster service to other warm-weather destinations in Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico in a last-minute tweaking to its winter schedule. United Adds Eight New Latin America Routes Earlier today I...
United Airlines “Playing United Nations” And Relying On “Gut Feeling” When It Comes To International Route Planning
United Airlines, like other air carriers, finds itself in the middle of the worst crisis in the history of aviation. But the pandemic has hit international travel much harder than domestic travel. That has created particular difficulty for United,...
United CEO Promises “Aggressive” Return To New York JFK
United CEO Scott Kirby told investors this week that United Airlines is planning an “aggressive” return to New York JFK after abandoning the airport in 2015. It’s the first official confirmation that United is actively trying to return to...
Top Gun Pilot For United Airlines Dies At Age 70
Captain Mike Bowers, a long-time United Airlines pilot and favorite columnist in the airline’s in-flight magazine has lost his battle to pancreatic cancer. He was 70 years old. In Memoriam: United Captain Mike Bowers Bowers began his career in...
Southwest Challenges United Airlines Again. Last Time It Failed. Will It Work This Time?
Southwest Airlines has announced new service to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Both airports are in cities already well-served by Southwest. Both are hubs for United Airlines. Does Southwest have a solid plan or...
United Airlines Pilot: Why I Oppose Our New BLM Pins
United Airlines introduced optional Blacks Lives Matter pins for employees last week. Employees must purchase them, but are allowed to wear them on their uniforms; one of the few exceptions to United’s dress and appearance policy that prohibits most...
United Airlines Introduces Black Lives Matter Pin For Employees
Tomorrow, United Airlines will introduce an optional Black Lives Matter (BLM) pin for employees and also to customers, with proceeds going to a very worthy Chicago charity. BLM Pin Coming To United Airlines United will offer an optional BLM...
Pilots At United Airlines Will Have Upgrade Priority Over MileagePlus Elites
Buried in a deal between United Airlines and its pilots to avoid furloughs is a new threat to elite upgrades: deadheading pilots will soon outrank even top-tier frequent flyers on the upgrade waitlist. United Pilots Ink Deal To Avoid...
Review: United Airlines 767-300 Premium Transcontinental Economy Class
I thought it would be helpful to take a look at what the current premium transcontinental experience is like on United Airlines in economy class. This review covers my recent United flight from Newark to Los Angeles onboard a...
How A United Airlines Flight Attendant Said Goodbye
Earlier this week I wrote about the beautiful goodbye offered by an American Airlines flight attendant upon the completion of her final flight. In another recorded farewell, a United flight attendant offered his somber farewell that again will pull...