A big shoutout to Captain Jeb Baum on my flight from Burbank to San Francisco last Friday. He modeled perfectly how pilots can quickly defuse anger over unexpected flight delays. Morning fog is common in San Francisco during the...
No Pay Raise, But A Labor Day Message From United CEO
It might not be an unsolicited pay raise like Delta, but United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz shared similar sentiment to his counterpart at Delta in his 2019 Labor Day note to employees. Thanks to several friends at United for...
American Vs. Delta: A Tale Of Two Raises
Delta Air Lines is not the only airline that offers its employees unsolicited raises. American Airlines did the same thing in 2017. But oh what a difference between those two raises. In a widely-praised move, Delta is giving employees...
Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Although extremely crowded, I was impressed by the food and drink selection at the Plaza Premium Lounge in Kulala Lumpur (KUL) Terminal 1 Satellite. This is a 24/7 Priority Pass lounge, so your co-issued American Express or Chase Priority...
Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
The small Cathay Pacific First and Business Class lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) was a nice place to escape the crowds from nearby oneworld Malaysia Airlines lounge, but has one major drawback. Oneworld emerald and sapphire members...
American Airlines Gives Apologies, Delta Gives Raises
American Airlines is in a never-ending war with their employees, so much so that they instructed how to apologize better while Delta gives their employees raises. A tale of two airlines. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a...
Tough Decisions In The Path of Hurricane Dorian
My family was spending time in South Florida during the development of Hurricane Dorian which lead to some new decision forks about what to do in the path of potential natural doom. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
Accused of Damaging My Rental Car
I rent cars an awful lot as part of my day job. Sometimes vehicles are damaged during a rental, sometimes before you even get in. Here’s what happened when I was accused of damaging my rental car. If you...
United’s New BBQ Sausage Link Sandwich: Pass Or Fail?
Each week, 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. A smoked beef...
Meet Flirty, A Horse Who Flies On American Airlines
If you were flying from Chicago to Omaha yesterday, you may have noticed a miniature horse on your flight or in the terminal. Just another day on American Airlines. Flirty is not an emotional support animal, even though the...
Air Canada Fined For Not Being French Enough
A Federal Court in Montreal has ordered Air Canada to pay $21,000 to a French-speaking couple in Quebec for violating their language rights. Lynda and Michel Thibodeau filed 22 complaints against Air Canada in 2016, alleging violations under the...
Will Malaysia Airlines Shut Down?
Malaysia’s new government is talking about shutting down Malaysia Airlines. Is this a realistic threat? In a word, no. At least not likely. But let’s work our way there. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is in a bind. As the...
Review: SriLankan A321neo Business Class
My short flight from Colombo to Kuala Lumpur onboard SriLankan’s new A321neo was pleasant, even with the frequent disruption of a roaming child. When I departed from (CMB), I noticed a huge line of cars waiting to get back...
First Impressions: Icelandair 767 Business Class
After a nice layover in Reykjavík, it was time to fly to San Francisco on Icelandair, my first ever flight on the carrier. While service was extremely pleasant onboard, the “Saga Premium” (business class) seat is more akin to...
A Sensible Stewardship Suggestion For SAS
SAS claims to care deeply about the environment. Here’s a suggestion to quickly eliminate unnecessary waste…not just talk about it. To combat its perception as a polluter, SAS has taken several steps, including: Seeking to use more biofuel (whatever...
LOT Polish Cabin Crew Director Fired For Fat Shaming British Airways Crew
A LOT Polish Cabin Crew Director has been fired after mounting outrage over her online cyberbullying of British Airways flight attendants. Katarzyna Richter took to Facebook after a recent BA flight from London Gatwick to Poland to note: Today,...
Alaska Airlines Simultaneously Delights And Disappoints
Alaska Airlines has made impressive upgrades to its LAX lounge. But why limit coffee? Why oh why? I recently stopped by the Alaska Lounge in Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport. I was very pleasantly surprised that it...
Compassion Or Craziness? United Passengers + Crew Rally Around Autistic Child
Imagine a child who could not sit still on an airplane. He screamed. He flailed. Then he walked into first class and kicked a passenger. Then he sat down in the front galley, blocking emergency egress. Yet instead of...
Environmentalists Plan To Disrupt London Heathrow With More Drones
An environmentalist group has put London Heathrow Airport on notice: the drones are coming. Heathrow Pause opposes the construction of a third runway at LHR, arguing it runs counter to the United Kingdom’s plan to reduce net greenhouse emissions...
Virgin Australia Cuts Staff After Seventh Consecutive Annual Loss
After seven consecutive years of annual losses, Virgin Australia is cutting staff and plans to cuts routes as well. Virgin Australia, founded in 2000, last posted an annual profit in 2012. In the last seven years it has updated...
